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

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – January   21, 2018.

Readings: Jonah 3:1-5,10; Ps 24:4-6,7-9; 1 Cor. 7:13-29-31; Gospel – Mark 1:14-20.

Theme: The Cost of Discipleship!

Introduction 

Beloved in Christ, our liturgy puts before us the principle of causality. In philosophy we are told that for every cause there is an effect. This is a fact of life. Only a nihilist, who disbelieves everything, is slow in accepting this truism. That being said, our readings present us with the cost of following Jesus. It specifically calls us to understand that it is only when we access the demands of true discipleship and resolve to follow Jesus on the royal road of the cross, that we  can be said to be disciples of Christ. Our reflection shall be weaved around the liturgical readings. 

Summary of Our Readings

The first reading (Jonah 3:1-5,10) recounts the sweet narrative of the conversion of the people of Nineveh. It narrates how the people of Nineveh accepted word of God through the Prophet Jonah. The reading puts before us their docility, humility, mortification and renunciation of sin after the prophet preached to them warning that they had a period of forty days to repent or be doomed.

We see the same kind of alacrity presented in the second reading (1 Cor. 7:13-29-31) with a call for all to embrace holiness because “time is growing short.” It exhorts those who have wives to live as if they had none; those who mourn to live as if they had nothing to mourn; those enjoying life to live as if there’s nothing to laugh about; those buying to live as if they own nothing and those who live in the world should not be engrossed in it. The text closes with the warning that “the world is passing away.”

The gospel reading (Mark 1:14-20) also reflects the theme of repentance and believing in the Good News. It stresses the point that “the time has come.” Beyond the high premium placed on time in terms of accepting the Good News of the kingdom, our liturgy recounts the call of Simon and his brother, Andrew as well as the two sons of Zebedee, James and John. By stating that the disciples left their nets and their father to follow Jesus, the reading points to the cost of discipleship. 

Pastoral Application

1. In a world that is engrossed in material comfort and sensuality, our liturgy calls us to embrace repentance and holiness.

2. We are reminded about the urgency of the call to repentance as the demands of the kingdom are not to be taken for granted.

3. By being docile, humble and pursuing mortification, the people of Nineveh teach us to use the spiritual weapons of the faith in our spiritual warfare.

4. Since the Ninevites took the words of the Prophet Jonah for what it is, namely the Word of God and not some human thinking (1 Thess. 2:13), we are challenged to listen to our pastors of souls while bearing in mind that they represent God and not themselves.

5. The message that “time is growing short” warns us about the “Time Buku” mentality which makes many of us to put aside embracing the call to on the grounds that there is still time.

6. The reminder that “the world is passing away” is a challenge to the Church to hold its head high amidst a tempting world which seeks to drag it into the mundane as well as the scandal of embracing frivolities instead of being a pacesetter in faith and morals.

7. The call of the apostles who left their vocation and their father first, challenges priests and religious to always put God first and second, reminds the laity about the ultimate call to holiness which entails turning our back on the world to follow Christ. 

8. Our liturgy teaches us that we must access the implication of being Disciples of Christ before we can actually follow him because as the scripture says, “No one who puts the plough on the ground and looks back is worthy of the kingdom” (Luke 9:62).  

9. If you are in doubt on why God allows evil, Christians suffer want and are often persecuted, remember that the Disciples too had to let go of everything to follow Christ.   

Homiletic Quotes to Remember

1. Our readings present us with the cost of following Jesus.

2. The liturgy specifically calls us to access the demands of true discipleship.

3. The readings challenge us to resolve to follow Jesus on the royal road of the cross.

4. Our liturgy puts before us the docility, humility, mortification and renunciation of sin demonstrated by the people of Nineveh.

5. Beyond the high premium placed on time in terms of accepting the Good News of the kingdom, our liturgy recounts the call of the Disciples.  

Conclusion

In conclusion, the two essentials points of our liturgy are: The urgency of the call to holiness as well as the cost of discipleship. It urges us to realize that times are passing. While the change in times and seasons unleash before us the attractiveness of the latest electronics, the Church insists that we must not take our spiritual lives for granted. Therefore, we must learn to relive our baptismal commitments by being the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). May God help us to witness to the gospel values in-season and out-of-season. Amen. Have a great day!

NB: Please pray for the Bishop and Priests of Bauchi Diocese as they start their annual retreat tomorrow (Sunday 21, January 2018) through (Thursday 25, January 2018). We shall pray for your private petitions…