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

Third Sunday of the Year, Yer A – Jan 22, 2016

Readings: Is 8:23-9:3; Responsorial Psalm Ps 27:1,4,13-14; 1^st Cor. 1:10-13,17;
Gospel Matthew 4:12-23.

Theme: Pushing the Frontiers of Apostleship & Discipleship! 

Beloved in Christ, our Sunday liturgy presents us with the call of the apostles. The Matthean text (Matthew 4:12-23) which we read as our gospel highlights the calling of Simon Peter and his brother Andrew, as well as James and John, the sons of Zebedee. Thiers was a calling to apostleship. As pioneer apostles, one of them, Peter to be premise would later become the head of the college of apostles (Cf. Matthew 16:18 & 18:18).

These apostles had the mandate of pushing the frontiers of apostleship and discipleship. This implies that Christ entrusted to them the task of recruiting future apostles and disciples who would take over from them. This shall be the focus of our reflection on the Third Sunday of the Year.

For us to draw lessons from the gospel, it is important to understand the difference between an apostle and a disciple. Although the words disciple and apostle are sometimes used interchangeably, they mean different things. In a broad sense, a disciple is a follower or student of someone while an apostle is someone who is sent out with a message or mission.                

Writing about “Apostles vs. Disciples” Jonathan Potter (2016) opines that the word apostle defines a person in terms of their purpose or mission, while disciple emphasizes the person's relationship to the teacher. In the case of the 12 apostles, all of them are disciples. But it doesn’t follow that all disciples are apostles.         

In a stick sense, apostles were the 12 Jesus chose: Simon Peter, James the son Zebedee, John the brother James, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot (Mark 3:14-19) while disciples were the 70 or 72 (Cf. Luke 10:1) who were later sent as well as the other women who cared and provided for him from their means such as: Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary Salome, wife of Zebedee and the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha of Bethany (Luke 8:1-3).                                                   

Saint Peter lists the characteristics of being an apostle as, having witnessed to Jesus' death on the cross, having walked and talked with him, and having witnessed his baptism (Acts 10:40-45). By the virtue of the Sacrament of Orders (diaconate, priesthood and bishopric) bishops are the direct successors of the apostles.

This is where today’s message comes to the fore. Our bishops are the direct successors of the apostles. Through unbroken apostolic succession, they adorn the Church with priests which they beget through Sacred Ordination. Priests too share in their ministry. Pastors of souls are called to renew their commitment to the missionary mandate of the Church by being fishers of men. By abandoning their nets (profession) and father Zebedee (family), the first apostles teach priests and religious about self-abnegation and a total metanio from worldly trappings for a closer union with God and other spiritual realities.

To be sure, they are the light-bearers of our faith since Christ entrusted to them the task of recruiting others into the missionary enterprise of the Church. Little wonder then in the first reading (Is. 8:23-9:3), the Prophet Isaiah says “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” This underscores the point that God wants successive generation of believers to carry his light to the world (Cf. Mat. 5: 16).

The first apostles were also reminded about the expedient nature of the enterprise since they left at once and followed Christ; in like manner, we are called to learn the virtue of detachment from mundane interests and as a matter of urgency, pursue godly interests. Isn’t is an irony that today we are leaving Christ and following every other thing?  

By the virtue of their baptism, the faithful (including religious) would be considered as disciples of Christ, not apostles. Therefore, both those who share in the ministerial and common priesthood of Christ, are called to form a synergy of collaborative ministry and shared responsibility in pushing the frontiers of apostleship and discipleship. This resonates with the message of the second reading (1^st Cor. 1:10-13,17) in which St. Paul urges that divisions, rivalries and rancour should not be known among Christians – All of us are called to preach the gospel of Christ.

The long and short of our Sunday Narrative is that God is inviting us to once more renew our apostolic zeal and the missionary mandate given to the Church. He wants us to enrol into the school of apostleship and discipleship so as to bring teaching to the ignorant, the gospel to those in dire need of salvation, and healing to the sick. May our witnessing be an all-round enterprise which will bring succour and relief to a troubled world. Amen – Have a fabulous week.

NB: Wishing the Priests of Bauchi Diocese the very best in their retreat which comes up from Monday 23, January 2017 to Friday 27, 2017 at the Sacred Heart Pastoral Centre Jos, Plateau State.