The Diocese of Zaria, Nigeria was erected on March 3, 2001 via promulgation by Blessed John Paul II with Bishop George J. Dodo appointed as first bishop. The Diocese of Zaria is located in Kaduna State of Nigeria with the majority of the population as Muslims. Zaria town has a total population of about 1.8m people and out of this 68,000 are Catholics.

The first reading and the gospel have some messages in common, in the sense that both readings present to us the human way of seeing things and the divine way. Most often human judgment is defective because it looks at outside appearance while divine light looks at the inner core of the person that is, the heart. In today’s Sunday liturgy we see that the divine light and wisdom of God far outweighs the human wisdom and knowledge. In the first reading, God saw something in the young David which Jesse and his sons could not recognize or see. David was in the field tending the sheep of his father when God chose him to be the leader and king of his people. Even though he was young and inexperienced, God saw his heart and chose him to lead his people. His strength and success came not from himself but from God who anointed him with the power and wisdom of his own spirit.

Have you every tried to go through life and not even consider God in His master plan working through every decision and action that we throw at Him? Chances are you might be doing that right now. You are probably thinking about your next meal or whom you are going to meet. You might even be thinking how you are going to spend your day relaxing or not relaxing. Most likely you aren't even thinking about when or how God is going to encounter you.

In the stories we hear from the Exodus and in John we see how God encounters his people. It is through a very basic need, "Thirst". The Israelites who were in the desert were growing more and more thirsty traveling from Egypt. We are told that they were, in fact, testing God to see if He was with them. In the Gospel from John we hear of a woman from Samaria who was drawing water from Jacob's well in the middle of the day. In both accounts God encounters His people, providing nourishment and hope.

The life of a Christian can be compared to a journey undertaken in the company of the Master. Abraham was the first to set off on this journey in answer to a call from God. Therefore, we are catechumen invited to leave our 'Country' only to show the light of our vocation.

The blessedness which is the heritage of Israel (Ps.33:12) is Abram's gift to the world: "… and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Gen.12:3).

St. Paul has no other purpose than to convince us that God's purpose is God's grace, God's steadfast love. Love is its own justification, its own purpose. God's love is God's purpose in all creation and in all redemption (2Tm.1:9-10; Lk16:22).