Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

 Second Sunday of the Year, Year A – Jan 15, 2016

Readings: Is 49:3,5-6; Responsorial Psalm Ps 40:2,4,7-8, 8-9,10; 1^st Cor. 1:1-3; Gospel John  1:29-34.

Theme: Behold the Lamb of God!

Friends in Christ, with the Christmas season gone, we are back to the Ordinary Season of the Church.  Today, we are presented with Christ as the Paschal Lamb and his paschal mysteries as well as the unceasing atonement and redemption he achieves for us. In this regard, we shall also reflect on collective and personal conversion as well as Christ’s discipleship and leading in the light of our readings:   
1. Paschal Lamb & Paschal Mysteries: By shedding his blood, Christ saves sinners through faith in Christ Jesus and the effects wrought for us by the Paschal Lamb. The gospel reading (John  1:29-34) presents St. John the Baptist as a preacher of repentance and one who points at Jesus and his paschal mysteries as the only way for Christians to get pardon for their sins. No doubt, the Lamb of God takes away sins - that is, he purchases pardon for hardened criminals and sinners. Without mincing words, the Baptist calls us to repent and believe the Good News preached by Christ the true Lamb of God who does not only preach by word of mouth but lays down his life as a burnt offering for all believers. 
2. Unceasing Atonement & Redemption: Just as the throats of lambs were slaughtered every morning and evening in the Old Testament as a sin offering, Christ is slain as a sacrifice and sheds his precious blood to redeem humanity for God. Though this sacrifice was once and for all in Calvary, it is repeated in the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass in obedience to the words of Christ: “Do this in memory of me.” Every time Holy Mass is celebrated, the full effects of Calvary are played out as the atonement of sins is achieved. This means that St. John was pointing to God’s glory in Christ Jesus for the pardoning of all who would depend on the atoning sacrifice of Christ. This means that we must frequently approach the table of the Lord with confidence to partake of his Body and Blood for our redemption. 

 3. Collective Conversion & Personal Conversion: By pointing to Jesus as the Lamb of God, John is leading us to the encouragement of faith namely that if Christ takes away the sins of the world, he also takes away my sins. This means that we are obliged to personalise John’s call. In personalising the call to conversion, each of us is willing to offer his or her life as a burnt offering to God. This also entails both communal and personal efforts at effecting the Sacrifice of Calvary in our lives; by taking away our sins, Christ invites us to the realisation that he does away with sin while sparing the sinner – it also shows that he loves the sinner but hates sins. We are called to make some firm ecclesial and personal resolutions to hold fast to the values of the kingdom – the values of justice, love and peace. 
4. Christ’s Discipleship & Leading:  John it was who pointed others to Christ. By implication, he recruited others for the kingdom. Our presence in this world is for the Great Commission Christ entrusted to his Church (Matthew 28:16-20). This means that we must enrol into John’s School of Discipleship to be able to point Christ to others. Far from being signposts, we are to first experience Christ’s atoning love before we can lead others into his discipleship. We are talking about the discipleship of humility, the discipleship of the fire of love, the discipleship of dogged preaching and the discipleship of perseverance and heroic-witness unto death. Just as John ceased every chance he had to lead people to Christ, the onus lies on us to lead people to Christ.  

The prophesy of Isaiah in the first reading (Is 49:3,5-6) confirms the prophetic role Christ the Lamb of God plays in the gospel. He restores the fortunes of Jacob and becomes a light to the nations because his salvation reaches the ends of the world. The refrain of our psalm “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will” (Ps 40:8 & 9) points to the fact that God is able to restore our fortunes and beam his light in our lives if we do his will.

What is more, St. Paul extorts us in the second reading (1st Cor. 1:1-3) as he did the Corinthian community to embrace holiness of life. The message of today presents faith, perseverance and holiness as prerequisites for pointing to Christ as the Lamb of God. As Monday 16, January 2017 marks the beginning of Unity Week which runs to 23, January 2017, we pray that our prayers for the unity of Christians in Nigeria and the world would find acceptance in the sight of God. Amen. Have a Blessed Week!

NB: The family of late Nde Sir John G. Dyikuk (KSM) wishes to thank all those who stood by them during the illness, death and burial of their mother, late Ngo Lady Martina Bi John Dyikuk (LSM) who went to be with the Lord on January 3, 2017 and was interred on January 10, 2017. May the Almighty God bless you richly. May the soul of Ngo Lady Martina and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen!