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

Second Sunday of the Year, Year A – Jan 26, 2020

Readings: Is 8:23-9:3; Responsorial Psalm Ps 26(27):1, 4, 13-14; 

1st Cor. 1:10-13, 17; Gospel Matt. 4:12-23.

Theme: Discipling for the Kingdom

Introduction

Beloved in Christ, today the Church invites us to follow the example of Jesus by recruiting others for the kingdom. As priests and religious and members of the laity, our baptism incorporates us into the priestly, kingly and prophet mission of Christ. Titled “Discipling for the Kingdom,” our reflection shall scan through the readings, define discipling, its institutions and types and state why discipling is crucial for the Church. This is with the view to obtaining the requisite pastoral lessons in the light of discipling.  

Background and Summary of the Readings

In the first reading (Is 8:23-9:3), the Prophet Isaiah provides us with a script and background for Jesus’ ministry to the gentiles nations. By emphasizing that a people that lived in darkness has seen a great light, Isaiah was offering hope to the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali which settled around the Lake of Galilee after the exodus and were suffering due to their mixing with non-Jews. He assured that they would no longer be described as people living in darkness. This is because God would set them free and grant them his glorious light.

The second reading (1st Cor. 1:10-13, 17) relates how St. Paul urges his audience to unite in belief and practice. He discourages the practice of cult personality like saying “I am for Paul” or “I am for Apollos” by reminding the Corinthian-community that it was Christ who died for them not the disciples. He also reiterated that they were baptised in the name of Christ. Paul surmised that Christ sent him to preach the Good News though not in terms of philosophy.   

The gospel (Matt. 4:12-23) presents us with Matthew’s revelation of Jesus’ geographical sojourn from Nazareth, in the Galilean hinterland, to Capernaum by the lakeside. This was a fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy. He relates how Jesus replaces John the Baptist whose ministry had come to an end by disclosing God’s saving plan. Jesus’ movement from his hometown, Nazareth through the Galilean countryside demonstrates that he was set to bring light to a region of “those who walk in darkness and the shadow of death.” Little wonder, his first target was “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24).

Galilee was an admixture of Jews and non-Jews alike. That is why it was referred to as “Galilee of the Gentiles.” In this sense, Galilee is a metaphor for a ministry to the gentiles. This indicates that Matthew wanted to teach that after his death and resurrection, Jesus’ mission would be directed to gentile nations as encapsulated in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20). It also shows that both Isaiah and Matthew agree that Jesus’ ministry and that of the further Church is discipling nations.

Discipling, Its Types and Institutions

Discipling is the intentional, deliberate, relational, loving and purposeful guidance which one who is inspired by the Holy Spirit and guided by the Church’s principles provides to others especially the young in order to bring them close to Christ.

1. Home: By presenting the baby Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:22-40), his parents wanted to demonstrate the role of parents in the lives of their children. The home is the Domestic Church (Lumen Gentium, 1964, No. 11) where parents “by word and example... [are] the first heralds of the faith with regard to their children” (CCC , 1997, No. 1656). Accordingly, parents ought to provide their children with family catechesis and exemplary discipling.

2. Church: The essential role of the Church is discipleship or discipling through preaching, teaching and sanctification of souls. For example, we are told that when the early apostles preached in Derbe, many disciples were won to the Lord (Acts 14:20). Little wonder, the early Church chose Deacons for the distribution of food for the marginalized so as to concentrate on preaching the word and discipling (Acts 6:1-7). That way, “The word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem. A great company of the priests obeyed the faith” (Acts 6:7). So, the local Church, that is, the parish has the mandate for discipling by ensuring that people are prepared for the sacraments and very parishioner belongs to a pious society. Leaders of lay pious societies ought to be discipled so as not to lead people astray.