Second Week for Easter

All di 4 volume dem dey available as paperback & eBook!

To Come Into di Light

Monday for the Second Week of Easter

One Pharisee dey wey im name na Nicodemus; e be one of di leaders of di Jews. E come meet Jesus for night, come tell am, “Rabbi, we know say You be teacher wey come from God, because nobody fit do all dis signs wey You dey do unless God dey with am.” John 3:1–2

Di Gospel of John mention Nicodemus, wey be Pharisee and one of di leaders of di Jews, three times. Di passage wey dey above na from di first time dem mention am. Di second time na when e remind di Sanhedrin say dem suppose hear from Jesus before dem condemn Am, and di third time na when Nicodemus help to bury Jesus after Im death. Di Gospel of John dey use plenty symbols. E especially dey use light and darkness as images. For example, when Judas go out to betray Jesus, di Gospel of John note say “na night.” For di passage wey dey above, di Gospel of John note say Nicodemus come meet Jesus “for night.”

As Saint Augustine dey explain dis passage, e talk say Nicodemus come meet Jesus “for night” because Nicodemus never fully born again, and because of dat, e never dey live fully inside di light of faith. But as Nicodemus still come meet Jesus and ask Am plenty questions, dis one show say small spark of faith dey inside am and say e want make dat faith grow deeper. E clear say e get hope say Jesus na di Messiah, and e openly talk say Jesus na “teacher wey come from God.”

From di early days, before dem formally set di way wey di Church dey declare person saint, dem don dey give Nicodemus di title of “saint” for di Catholic Church and for di Orthodox Church too. Dem especially dey honour am because e stand against di other religious leaders of dat time to defend Jesus and show say e support Am. Dis one need courage. Dem mock am, and e risk say di others go refuse to associate with am. But Nicodemus know say something special dey about Jesus, and e no give up as e dey follow dat inspiration.

For plenty ways, Nicodemus na very good example for us today for dis modern world. More and more, for most cultures for di world wey no dey put religion first, people dey look down on anybody wey dey follow Jesus. Dis one especially true if you choose to live your faith openly and believe everything wey di Gospels teach. Plenty Christians dey find am hard to live their faith openly, especially for workplace, school, and other places where people dey take part for community life. And like Nicodemus, plenty people dey find am easier to come meet Jesus “for night,” wey mean say dem dey do am for hidden way. And even though Nicodemus start like dis, e later speak openly to defend Jesus for front of im fellow Pharisees. According to some traditions, dem persecute am and drive am go exile.

Today, think deeply about Saint Nicodemus. E allow di spark of faith wey dey inside am to grow as e dey listen to Jesus. E struggle with di pressure from im fellow leaders, but for di end, e openly profess im faith in Christ. And even though dis one reduce di honour wey e get for dis world inside di Sanhedrin and among di rulers for earth, e earn Nicodemus honour for Heaven wey go last forever. Think deeply about di courage wey e must get to resist di pressure from im fellow leaders, as e allow di faith wey e find in Christ to grow and fill im life with di light of Truth. Try to follow di example of dis good man, and allow im courage to inspire you, so dat you too go receive di same glory wey go last forever, wey e dey enjoy now for Heaven.

Lord of light and truth, You dey reveal Yourself to people wey come meet You with faith. Help me follow di example of Nicodemus, so dat di light of Your truth go drive away all confusion and darkness. Give me courage, dear Lord, to follow You and to set my heart on everything wey You reveal. Jesus, na You I trust.

One “Holy Push”

Tuesday for the Second Week of Easter

Nicodemus answer, come ask Am, “How dis one fit happen?” Jesus answer am say, “You be di teacher of Israel, and you no understand dis one? Amen, amen, I dey tell you, we dey talk wetin we know, and we dey testify about wetin we don see, but una no dey accept our testimony.” John 3:9–11

As we think deeply about am yesterday, Nicodemus na one of di few Pharisees wey later convert, become follower of Jesus, and wey dem dey regard as saint today. Di only other Pharisees wey dem record their names as people wey convert to Christianity na Saint Paul and Gamaliel. Acts 15:5 also show say some other Pharisees later convert.

When we look all di many times wey Jesus and di Pharisees meet together, e clear say dem strongly oppose Jesus and wetin E dey teach. Dem dey always look for way to trap Am, and of course, for di end, na dem, together with other leading religious leaders from di Sanhedrin, dey responsible for Im death. Because of dat, e easy to understand say strong pressure must don dey on all di Pharisees to reject Jesus. Each one of dem go don feel di strong pressure from im fellow Pharisees to act according to di general view say dem suppose condemn Jesus. Na dis situation surround di passage above, where Nicodemus dey ask Jesus questions. Dis passage continue di conversation for yesterday Gospel, where Jesus tell Nicodemus clearly say di way to Heaven na to “born from above.” Nicodemus ask how person fit “born again,” and then Jesus talk di words wey dem quote above, wey sound like say E dey criticise Nicodemus.

E go help us if we understand say Jesus no dey condemn Nicodemus when E correct am. E no use di kind tone wey E normally dey use when E talk say, “Woe to una…” Instead, E gently challenge Nicodemus in one very direct way, so that e go move from asking questions to faith. And na this be di main point. Nicodemus no come meet Jesus to trap and condemn Am as di other Pharisees do. Nicodemus come because e dey confused. And most likely, na because im fellow Pharisees dey put serious pressure on am to condemn Jesus.

When we understand wetin dey happen for this situation, e suppose help us understand no be only di goodness and courage of Nicodemus, but also di boldness wey Jesus show with love. Jesus know say Nicodemus dey ready to listen. E know say E fit win Nicodemus over. But Jesus also know say Nicodemus need make person challenge am directly and firmly. E need small “holy push” so that e go fit enter into di gift of faith. Of course, di challenge wey Jesus give am later win Nicodemus over.

Today, reflect on any way wey you too need “holy push” from our Lord. Which kind pressure from di world you dey face for your life? Your friends, neighbours, family members or people wey you dey work with dey put any pressure on you to follow dem for way wey go against true holy life? If na so, think deeply about di great courage wey Nicodemus, Saint Paul and Gamaliel later show. Make di witness of their lives inspire you, and allow our Lord to challenge you for where you need am pass, so that you too go receive di “holy push” wey you need to follow Jesus more faithfully.

My Lord wey get all strength, You no dey waver for Your decision to challenge me for di area wey I need am pass. Help me accept di gentle correction wey You dey give me with love when I dey weak, so dat I go get di courage and strength wey I need to follow You faithfully. Give me clear mind and understanding, dear Lord, and help me overcome di pressure wey di world dey put on me to lead me astray. Jesus, na You I trust.

Summary Wey Clear

Wednesday for the Second Week of Easter

“God love di world so much that E give di only Pikin wey E born, so that everybody wey believe in Am no go perish, but go get life wey no get end.” John 3:16

Today, we continue to read from di conversation wey Jesus get with Nicodemus, di Pharisee wey later convert and wey di Church dey honour as one of her early saints. Remember say Jesus challenge Nicodemus to help am make di difficult decision to reject di bad mind of di other Pharisees and become His follower. Di passage wey we quote above come from di first conversation wey Nicodemus get with Jesus. Our evangelical brothers and sisters dey often quote am as summary of di whole Gospel. And truly, na so e be.

Throughout Chapter 3 of di Gospel of John, Jesus teach about light and darkness, how person dey born from above, wickedness, sin, condemnation, di Spirit and plenty other things. But for many ways, we fit sum up everything wey Jesus teach for this chapter and throughout His public ministry with this short statement wey go straight to di point: “God love di world so much that E give di only Pikin wey E born, so that everybody wey believe in Am no go perish, but go get life wey no get end.” We fit divide this short teaching into five important truths.

First, di love wey di Father get for all human beings, and especially for you, deep so much that we no go ever fit fully understand how deep His love be.

Second, di love wey di Father get for us move Am to give us di greatest gift wey we fit ever receive and di greatest gift wey di Father fit give: His own divine Son. We must pray and think deeply about this gift if we wan understand more and more di generosity of di Father wey no get limit.

Third, as we dey pray and understand this wonderful gift of di Son more and more deeply, na only faith be di right response wey we fit give. We must “believe in Am.” And our belief must dey grow deeper just as our understanding dey grow deeper.

Di fourth thing be say, we must understand say eternal death always dey possible. E possible say we go “perish” forever. If we understand this, we go see even more clearly wetin di gift of di Son mean, because we go understand say di first duty of di Son na to save us from separation from di Father wey go last forever.

Lastly, di Father no give us di gift of di Son only to save us, but also to draw us go di heights of Heaven. That mean say E give us “life wey no get end.” This gift of eternity get capacity, value, glory and fulfilment wey no get limit.

Today, reflect on this summary of di whole Gospel: “God love di world so much that E give di only Pikin wey E born, so that everybody wey believe in Am no go perish, but go get life wey no get end.” Take am line by line, and pray as you dey try to understand di beautiful truths wey fit change our lives, wey our Lord reveal to us for this holy conversation with Nicodemus. Try to see yourself as Nicodemus, one good person wey dey try to understand Jesus and His teachings more clearly. If you fit join Nicodemus listen to these words and accept dem deep inside you with faith, then you too go share for di eternal glory wey these words promise.

My glorious Lord, You come meet us as di greatest Gift wey anybody fit ever imagine. Na You be di gift from di Father for Heaven. Na because of love dem send You, to save us and draw us enter di glory wey no get end. Help me to understand and believe everything wey You be, and to receive You as di Gift wey dey save us for all eternity. Jesus, na You I trust.

Wetin Love Mean

Thursday of the Second Week of Easter

Di Father love di Son and don hand everything over to Am. John 3:35

E good to note say di words for today Gospel look like say na Saint John di Baptist talk dem, because dem dey inside di testimony wey e give about Jesus. But some people wey dey explain Scripture suggest say na Jesus really talk di words, and say di Evangelist put dem here as continuation of di Baptist testimony, as if na Saint John talk dem. No matter who really talk these words, di line wey dem quote above give us plenty things to reflect on, because e help us understand wetin true love really mean and how to practise am.

Wetin be love? Na feeling? Na emotion? Na something wey dey push person, or na desire for something or somebody? Of course, the way the world understand love different well-well from the way God understand love. Many times, the way the world see love dey put self first. To “love” somebody or something na to want make that person or thing belong to you. The way the world see “love” dey focus on wetin dey attract person and wetin person desire. But true love, as God see am, different well-well.

The line wey dem quote above tell us two things: First, dem tell us say “The Father love the Son…” But after that, dem explain wetin that love mean. Dem tell us say, for this case, love make the Father hand “everything over” to the Son. When we think about the word “everything” for this passage, e clear say this one fit only mean say the Father give Himself completely to the Son. For the life of the Father, everything mean His very nature, His being, who He be as Person, His whole divine self. The Father no dey say, “I want;” instead, the Father dey say, “I give.” And the Son receive all wey the Father be.

Even though this language deep and concern divine mystery, e get direct meaning for how we dey live when we understand say divine love no be about wetin we want, wetin we take, wetin we desire, wetin we feel, and other things like that. Divine love na about giving. Na about person giving im own self to another person. And no be just to give part of yourself; na to give “everything.”

If the Father give everything to the Son, that one mean say nothing remain for the Father? No, no be so at all. The beautiful thing about divine love be say e no dey ever end. The more person give im own self, the more e get. So, the gift of the Father’s life to the Son no get limit, and e dey last forever. The Father no dey ever stop to give, and the Son no dey ever stop to receive. And the more the Father give Himself to the Son, the more the Father become the very nature of love itself.

Na so e still be for our lives. E easy to fall for the trap of thinking say love suppose get limit. But if we wan strive to imitate and share for the love wey the Father get for the Son, then we must understand too say love na about giving, no be receiving, and say wetin we give must be gift of everything, without holding anything back. We must give ourselves to others without counting wetin e go cost us and without leaving anybody out.

Today, reflect on how you see love. Think about wetin e mean for everyday life as you consider the people wey God especially call you to love with divine love. You understand say na your duty to give yourself to them completely? You realise say to give yourself no go make you lose your life, but e go make your life reach fulfilment? Think deeply about the divine love wey the Father get for the Son, and today, make that holy choice wey go change your whole life: to strive to imitate and share for that same love.

My loving Lord, di Father don give You everything, and You too don give di Father everything. Di love wey Una share no get limit and no get end, and e dey overflow enter di lives of all di creatures wey You make. Draw me enter that divine love, dear Lord, and help me to imitate Your love and share inside am by giving my whole life to others. Jesus, na You I trust.

Plenty Wey Pass Wetin Person Need

Friday for di Second Week of Easter

“Gather the pieces wey remain, so that nothing go waste.” So dem gather them, and dem fill twelve baskets wey dem weave with pieces from the five barley loaves wey pass wetin dem fit chop.” John 6:12–13

The Gospel of John full of things wey get deep meaning as signs. The passage above end the story of the miracle wey Jesus use multiply the bread and fish. After dem feed the plenty people with only five barley loaves and two fish, dem fit fill twelve baskets wey dem weave with wetin remain. Why e come get extra?

Saint Augustine, as e dey explain this passage, talk say Jesus provide pass wetin the people fit chop to use am as sign of spiritual truths wey pass wetin the large crowd fit understand. So, Jesus’ teachings feed the crowd spiritually reach the point wey dem fully satisfy. But even though the crowd in general satisfy with wetin Jesus teach them, plenty things still dey wey He get to teach. Na these deeper spiritual truths the extra twelve baskets stand for.

The twelve baskets stand for the Twelve Disciples. Na them Jesus specially choose to receive plenty more. Remember the times wey Jesus teach the crowd with parables, then later explain the meaning to the Twelve when only them dey with Him. He reveal some truths to them wey most people no fit understand and accept.

E go help us to consider three different groups of people for this miracle and see how those groups concern us today. The first group na those wey no even dey there for the miracle. Na those wey no make the journey to go dey with Jesus for the wilderness. Na this group plenty pass for society: people wey dey go about their daily lives without even seeking small spiritual food from our Lord.

Di second group of people na dis “plenty people” wey follow Jesus go di far side of di Sea of Galilee so dem go dey with Am. Dem represent people wey dey take time and effort seek our Lord every day. Na people wey dey faithful to di celebration of Mass, reading of Scripture, daily prayer and study. Our Lord dey teach dis group of people plenty things, and His holy Word and Sacraments dey nourish dem.

Di third group of people, di twelve Disciples wey di twelve baskets wey dem weave with cane and wey remain represent, na people wey dey especially faithful to our Lord and wey He dey continue to nourish far beyond wetin dem need. Na people wey dey seek to understand and accept di deepest spiritual truths, so dem go receive nourishment and change for di deepest part of their being.

Today, reflect on di fact say di spiritual food wey our Lord want give you dey most times far more than wetin you fit accept and take in at once. But to understand dis fact na di first step to prepare yourself to receive even more. As you dey reflect on dis spiritual food wey our Lord dey give far beyond wetin we need, commit yourself again, especially to seek di spiritual truths inside dat “twelve baskets wey dem weave with cane” wey remain. If you do so, you go discover say truly, no end dey to how deep di gifts of grace wey our Lord want give you fit reach to change you.

My Lord wey dey give most generously, You no just dey give Your people food for dia spirit; You dey give am plenty beyond measure. As I dey look for You every day and Your mercy dey fill me, help me make I no ever tire to dey feast on di gift of Your grace wey plenty beyond measure. Abeg, dear Lord, feed my spirit, and help me to dey feed on Your holy Word. Jesus, na You I trust.

No Fear

Saturday for di Second Week of Easter

After dem don row about three or four miles, dem see Jesus dey waka on top di sea and dey come near di boat, and dem begin fear. But He tell dem, “Na Me. Make una no fear.” John 6:19–20

On October 22, 1978, dem formally install Pope Saint John Paul II as di 264th Pope of our Holy Church. During his homily, di Holy Father talk say, “Brothers and sisters, make una no fear to welcome Christ and accept His power.” Throughout di time wey e serve as Pope, e repeat di words “Make una no fear” again and again. For his book, To Cross di Doorway of Hope, wey e write as preparation for di new millennium, di Holy Father explain am like dis: “When I talk dis words for St. Peter’s Square, I already know say my first encyclical and all my time as Pope go connect with di truth of di Redemption. Na inside di Redemption we find di deepest foundation for di words ‘Make una no fear!’: ‘Because God love di world so much, E give His only Son’ (cf. Jn 3:16).

Dis encouragement wey tell us make we no fear appear plenty times throughout di Bible. E dey for di Old Testament more than one hundred times in one form or another, and for di New Testament more than fifty times. Again and again, God want make we overcome fear, worry and anxiety. E want make we trust in Am for everything and put all our hope in Am.

Wetin you dey fear pass for life? For some people, fear dey come every day. Maybe you no sure how money go take reach, your health no good, one relationship don break, you dey face difficulties for your mind, and other things like dat. Plenty things dey for life wey fit easily tempt us to fear.

For di Gospel passage for today, Jesus dey walk on top water towards His disciples when storm dey for di Sea of Galilee. Wind dey blow, and di waves dey trouble dem. Even though these fishermen don spend many nights for di sea, Jesus choose to come meet dem for this very time, no be mainly to help dem reach shore, but to teach all of us say no matter di kind “storm” wey we face for life, He go dey there in ways wey truly be miracle. Surely, none of di disciples ever expect to see Jesus dey walk on top water for middle of di night while di waves dey hit dia boat with force. But Jesus do this and talk those words, “Make una no fear,” because He want make we know say no matter wetin we dey struggle with for life, He always dey there, dey come meet us with love, and He go make sure say we reach di shore of His peace safely.

If fear na something wey you personally dey struggle with, then turn your eyes to di reality of di Redemption. Di Father send di Son come di world to save you. Jesus no just come to teach, or to inspire, or to help. E come to save. To redeem. To destroy death, fear, sin and everything wey dey keep us away from di Father. Wetin E do to save us change di whole human family forever. If you understand dis and believe am, then nothing fit steal your peace and fill you with fear.

Today, reflect on dis short words wey get power: “No fear!” Imagine say you dey inside di boat with di disciples for night, as waves dey toss di boat and darkness surround una. Then see Jesus as E dey come meet you and dey talk those words. Know say E dey talk dem to you for di darkest moments of your life, and E no go ever leave you. Put your hope in Am, and allow di saving work of His Redemption to change your life forever.

Jesus, my Redeemer, I thank You say You come this world to save us. Thank You for di gift of di Redemption of di world. When temptation come make I fear and turn my eyes to di difficulties of di world, give me di grace wey I need to turn to You with hope and trust. Enter di storms of my life, dear Lord, and remove di load of fear wey I dey carry. Jesus, na You I trust.