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

Thirteenth Sunday of the Year - C: June 26, 2016.
Readings: 1 Kgs. 19:16B, 19-21; Responsorial Psalm Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11; Gal. 5:1, 13-18; Gospel Lk. 9:51-62.
Theme: The Christian Vocation and the Dangers of Looking Back
Dearly beloved in Christ, Jesus' reply in today's gospel to the man who said: "I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home" namely, "No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God" leaves us with a reflection on the cost of discipleship. His response to the second man who was attached to his family and wanted to go and bury his father also demonstrates the seriousness of Jesus' mission and the implication of saying "Yes" to him. The instruction Jesus gave him namely, "...go and proclaim the kingdom of God" shows both the urgency of the gospel message and its oneness of purpose.

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

Twelfth Sunday of the Year - C: June 19, 2016.
Readings: Zec. 12:10-11; 13:1; Responsorial Psalm Ps  63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; Gal. 3:26-29; Gospel Lk. 9:18-24.
Theme: Answering the Question of Faith!
Jesus' twofold question of "who do people say that I am" and "who do you say that I am" reveals the importance of the question "Who?" as one of the five "Ws" of journalism. The question is crucial to an in-depth knowledge of who Jesus was and re-awakening of faith. These questions illicit both intellectual and spiritual understanding of Jesus' messianic role. Except for the Maccabaean Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs which give evidence to the belief in a Messiah from the tribe of Levi as contained in the Dead Sea Scrolls, there was no single Messiah in Judaism.

June 12th Annulment: Making a Case for a Martyr of Democracy & Democracy Day By Justine Dyikuk

                                  
In history, 12th June is a day to reckon with as many remarkable events took place around the world. On 12th June, 1941 for instance, the Inter Allied Declaration was signed in London. This was the first step towards the establishment what is today known as the United Nations.
That is not all; it was on 12th June, 1963 that the Civil Rights leader, Medgar Evers was fatally shot in front of his home in Jackson, MS.
Incidentally US President Reagan publicly challenged Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin wall on June 12, 1987.
It is also on June 12, 1990 that the parliament of the Russian Federation formally declared its sovereignty.

Kano Murder: What the Emir Should Learn From the Governor By Justine Dyikuk

Like it or not, Northern Nigeria has become a potentially dangerous place to live in. From the activities of the marauding Boko boys to gun-wielding herdsmen and incidences of an army of belligerent youth ready with the knife for a slaughter, the region is no stranger to spilling of blood.                                
Recently, the North has been in the news for unwholesome activities by few elements. Barely few days after a mob attacked and killed an elderly woman, one Mrs. Bridget Agbaheme for alleged blasphemy in Kano, a 41- year old carpenter, identified as Francis Emmanuel, was on Tuesday, June 7, 2016 stabbed by unknown youths for eating during the fast of Ramadan along Sokoto Road, Kakuri in Kaduna State.

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

 Eleventh Sunday of the Year C - June 12, 2016.
Readings: 2nd Sam. 12:7-10; Responsorial Psalm Ps PS 32:1-2, 5, 7, 11; Gal. 2:16, 19-21; Gospel Lk. 7:36-50.
Theme: Talking Truth to Power: The Burden and the Beauty
Beloved in Christ, today the Prophet Nathan stands out as a model for all prophets and the prophetic enterprise. We shall highlight how being the mouthpiece of God can be both a blessing for the dogged and a curse for the lily-levered. We shall also  draw lessons from God's benevolent summons to us to be less judgmental about others and quick in seeking God's forgiveness. We shall take them one by one:                                                              

On Being Redeemed- By Justine Dyikuk

"I have decided to serve him freely who paid my ransom." - Slave-girl.            
Many years ago, a slave-master came across this elegant, charming and extremely beautiful slave-girl in one of the African slave-markets. Her physical attractiveness enriched by a refined skin tone and gracious countenance caught his gaze as he approached her owner for a deal.                                    When he asked for her price, the owner of the slave gave him the highest price ever. After accessing  the slave-girl very well, he made up his mind to buy her - after all, "she is worth the price" he said to himself.
When he paid the required sum, the slave-master took charge of his new "property" as the slave-girl was untied from the stake and released to him. He was dragging the rope upon which she was tied to as she followed behind like a sheep being taken to the slaughter.                                                                          

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

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Year C - June 05, 2016.
Readings: 1st Kgs. 17:17-24; Responsorial Psalm Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13; Gal. 1:11-14A, 15ac, 16a, 17, 19; Gospel Lk. 7:11-17.
Theme: Reviving Souls: An urgent task for the Church
Dearly beloved in Christ, our first reading (1 Kgs. 17:17-24) puts before us the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, a Sidonian town whose dying son, God gave life to through the instrumentality of the prophet. This preclude prepares us for the message of the gospel (Lk. 7:11-17) wherein Jesus gives life to the only son of the widow of Nain. Before we delve into the lessons of the two stories, it is important for us to pay attention to what the widow of Zarephath told Elijah namely: “Why have you done this to me, O man of God? Have you come to me to call attention to my guilt and to kill my son?”          

Crossing Over To Taraba

There is no gainsaying that in Nigeria, statistics make little or no meaning to us. Managing demographics has always been taken for granted. Meet an average immigration officer to give u the number of people who come into Nigeria through any of the borders and you will be shocked with the answer that will be provided. If the Federal Government does not take the movement of people seriously then its easy to guess what states are doing. These days i see immigration officers on our roads in Taraba but i don't actually know what they do on those roads. The only difference i notice is that most at times, they do not extort money from commuters like the military or police. Supposing i want to know how many new persons have come into Taraba to settle in Bali, Gassol, Gashaka, Donga, Ibi, Takum and wukari since April 2014, who do i contact? Supposing i want to know their nationalities who can provide such information for me? Ironically these movements continue to take place everyday in Taraba State. I keep wondering where lie the "yan ci Ranis" in our demographic studies. Could they be compared to the gypsies in Europe? How are these 'ci ranis' monitored? But this a country that wants to be taken serious in its fight against insurgency. Still a long walk to freedom, unless we take the movement of people more seriously.

Shikrot Mpwi – Homiletic Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

 Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: Year C - June 04, 2016.
Readings: 2 Tim. 4:1-8; Responsorial Psalm Ps 71:8-9.14-1Sab.16-17.22 (R.15ab);
Gospel Lk 2:41-52.
Theme: Immaculate Heart of Mary - The Heart On a Rescue Mission
It was on the twenty-fifth anniversary of Fatima, precisely 1942 that  Pope Pius XII consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in a grand celebration. Later on in the same year, the Roman Pontiff would assign the feast day to August 22, the octave of the Assumption. He it was who also extended the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary to the Universal Church on May 4, 1944.

Shikrot Mpwi – Homiletic Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

                                                       
 Solemnity of the Scared Heart of Jesus: Year C - June 03, 2016.
Readings: Ezekiel 34:11-16; Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1-6 (R.v.1); Romans 5:1:5b-11;
Gospel Lk 15:3-7.
Theme: Celebrating Jesus' Magnetic Heart
In Catholicism, the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus takes Jesus' physical heart as a symbol of God's divine love for humanity. The earliest possible date which the devotion began was in May 29, 1818 or 2285. Some theologians say the devotion started in July 1943 or 2038. However, in 1856, Pope Pius IX made the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus obligatory for the Universal Church to take place on Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi celebration.              
 Interestingly and providentially too,  it was Pope Pius XII who raised the celebration to a First Class Celebration with an Octave in the reforms of 1955.  

365 Days in Office: Scoring the Buhari Administration By Justine Dyikuk

Since this week, the media has been awash with commentaries on the performance or not of this administration. To a large extent, these commentaries depend on which side of the divide analysts speak from. Aside from playing politics, what is clear in the two schools of thought regarding the performance or non-performance of the President Muhmmadu Buhari-led administration is that apparently, all analysts mean well for this country.
Feedback is an essential feature of assessment and growth in any society. Contrary to the criticism that President Buhari asked the media to rate the performance of his government in the past 365 days, I doff my heart for the president for the courage to have a parley with the media.
As the Fourth Estate of the realm, the president is aware of the role of the media in forming public opinion. More so, through the various vox pops, the press must have gathered enough facts. As such, it is in a better position to say the mind of the people or report things as they are.

An Open Letter To Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku- By Charles Jabana

Your Excellency, I write this letter as a citizen of Taraba State and as a humble cleric. I am not a politician because I am a Catholic priest; but I am political because I am a human being. Having observed with keen interest the political development in Taraba State from campaign period to date, I deem it necessary to write you this letter. I wish to first of all congratulate you on your first anniversary as the Executive Governor of Taraba State. I thank God for seeing you through the hurdles you passed through in the first half of your administration. I also congratulate you for the successful hosting of North-East congress of your party PDP at the end of which our State produced the chairman. More grease to your elbow.

Nigerian Children: Give Them What We Had - By Justine Dyikuk

 The motto and activities of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) championed by United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) brings to the fore, a reflection on child rights on Children's Day. Children's Day come and go but hardly do we take in the lessons of the event.                                        
 Before revisiting the ethos of UNICEF as a panacea for child-rights abuses in Nigeria, it is essential to go memory lane and view with hindsight what children of yesteryears enjoyed which contemporary kids are missing.                                                                              
To be sure, from the 80's to the late 90's, there was a high premium on child-related issues. The last three decades enjoyed an overflow of good feeling from parents and guardians towards their children. That attitude is thanks to african traditional values which were taught at home and galvanised in schools.                            

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

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ: Year C - May 29, 2016.
Readings: Gen. 14:18-20; Responsorial Psalm Ps PS 110:1, 2, 3, 4; 1 Cor 11:23-26;
 Gospel Lk 9:11B-17.
Theme: Bread, Broken For Our Sakes
The Feast of Corpus Christi also known as Corpus Domini, is a Latin Rite liturgical solemnity which celebrates the tradition and belief in the body and blood of Jesus Christ and his Real Presence in the Eucharist. The celebration of Corpus Christi emphasizes the joy of the institution of the Eucharist which was enacted  on Maundy Thursday at the Last Supper Jesus ate with his disciples. The last supper remains a focal point in the institution of the sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Holy Orders. Those who receive the Sacrament of  Holy Orders extend the divine command of "Do this in memory of me" by feeding the flock with the Body and the Blood of Christ.

Shik Rot Mpwe – Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

Trinity Sunday: Year C - May 22, 2016.
Readings: Proverbs 8:22-31; Responsorial Psalm Ps 8:4-5.6-7a.7b-9 (R.2a); Romans 5:1:5; Gospel John 16:12-15.
Theme: Blessed Trinity & Unity of Purpose
Many people have wondered why the Sign of the Cross is the trademark of the Catholic Church. From altar servers to knights, footballers to celebrities, the religious to the pope, the sign of the cross has remained a spiritual insignia that defines Catholicism.
Trinity Sunday provides us with an answer for this ancient yet timeless practice in the Church. Well, there are three divine persons in one God – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
The word trinity means, one God, three eternal persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In simple terms, the Father is not the same person as the Son - the Son is not the same person as the Holy Spirit - and the Holy Spirit is not the same person as Father.