Was Just Being A Hater For Nothing!

Whilst growing up it was customary for my family and I to go to church on Sunday without fail. I had no problems as I was passionate about attending mass in Shona, my native language. I have lived in Zimbabwe all my life which has made me loyal to the traditional and religious aspects of my culture. Shona mass first thing Sunday morning is the best particularly during summer when the sun genially spreads its radiance around the Cathedral.

The idiomatic expressions, proverbs and rich figurative language as a whole used during the sermon are potent enough to win thousands of atheists. I am also drawn by the music- the drums and shakers are exceedingly therapeutic to my soul. When I was in  form one, Mass took a new meaning because  I enrolled at a Catholic institution. For the first time I would attend mass at school but it would be in English the language all students; Black, white, coloured, German could identify with.

During the induction week first formers were given hymn books as all the singing, preaching, bidding prayers- everything were to be in english. Disdainfully, I opened the hymn book just to get a feel of the songs numbering more than a hundred enclosed. On the very first page I identified a song I not only knew but was crazy about- ‘I have a dream’.

I had listened to the track from Abba but later on it was in a more divine manner. The guitars, piano and harp combined gave life to the words. ‘Looks like I could actually enjoy this’, I silently contemplated during the first mass. I guess I was just prejudiced for I came to love English mass. Although more peaceful and not as lively as the Shona mass it was enjoyable all the same.