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.

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.