Shikrot Mpwi – Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk
Third Sunday of the Year, A – Jan 22, 2023
Readings: Is 8:23-9:3; Responsorial Psalm Ps 27:1,4,13-14; 1st Cor. 1:10-13,17;
Gospel Matthew 4:12-23.
Theme: Discipling for the kingdom!
Sunday Synopsis
The first reading reveals that “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” It assures that the Lord would break the rod of the oppressor just as he gladdens his people. In the second reading, St. Paul invites Christians to shun divisions, rivalries and rancour and instead, be united in belief and practice. He warns that since Christ has not been “parcelled out” no one should cling to any pastor but to the Lord whose death and resurrection cannot be expressed in philosophical terms. Since apostles had the mandate of pushing the frontiers of apostleship and discipleship, we are equally charged to urgently embrace discipling for the kingdom.
Introduction
Beloved in Christ, today’s liturgy presents us with the call of the apostles. It implies Christ entrusted the task of recruiting future disciples to the apostles and to us. To draw lessons from the gospel, it is important to understand the difference between an apostle and a disciple. 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.
In the case of the 12 apostles, all of them were disciples. However, this does not mean that all disciples are apostles. Strictly speaking, apostles were the 12 Jesus chose (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 (Luke 8:1-3).
Background and Summary of the Readings
The first reading (Is 8:23-9:3) reveals that “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” It assures that the Lord would break the rod of the oppressor just as he gladdens his people.
In the second reading (1st Cor. 1:10-13,17), St. Paul invites Christians to shun divisions, rivalries and rancour and instead, be united in belief and practice. He warns that since Christ has not been “parcelled out” no one should cling to any pastor but to the Lord whose death and resurrection cannot be expressed in philosophical terms.
Today’s Matthean (Matthew 4:12-23) text 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 and discipleship from the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali, side of Jordan, in fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophesy. 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.
Pastoral lessons
1. Recruit others for the kingdom: The first reading underscores the point that God wants successive generation of believers to carry his light be being the light of the world and salt of earth (Cf. Mat. 5: 14).
2. Take to co-responsibility: The message of the second reading which urges Christians to shun divisions, rivalries and rancour invites us to form a robust synergy of collaborative ministry and shared responsibility in pushing the frontiers of discipleship by deliberately and strategically mentoring the young in the mould of Elijah and Elisha.
3. Shun hero-worship: In a world where some priests have left the Church feeling greater/bigger than the Church that commissioned them because they possessed certain superior gifts and talents, St. Paul warns the people of God to eschew hero worship which pushes pastors of souls away from directing the laity to Christ by becoming the focus of attention and adulation.
4. Seek greater union with Christ: 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.
5. Take to detachment: Just as the first apostles were reminded about the expedient nature of the enterprise after they had left everything and followed Christ, we are also challenged to learn the virtue of detachment from mundane interests and as a matter of urgency, pursue godly interests in a world where people seem to leave Christ and follow every other thing.
Summary lines
1. The first reading reveals that “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.”
2. It assures that the Lord would break the rod of the oppressor just as he gladdens his people.
3. In the second reading, St. Paul invites Christians to shun to shun divisions, rivalries and rancour and instead, be united in belief and practice.
4. He warns against that since Christ has not been “parcelled out,” no one should cling to any pastor but to the Lord whose death and resurrection cannot be expressed in philosophical terms.
5. These apostles had the mandate of pushing the frontiers of apostleship and discipleship.
Conclusion
Our Sunday narrative maintains that God invites 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 to bring teaching to the ignorant, healing to the sick, and the gospel to those in dire need of salvation. May our witnessing be an all-round enterprise which will bring succour and relief to a troubled world. Amen – Have a fabulous week!
