Wik 23 for Ordinary Time

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To Settle With Anoda Person

Di Twenty-Third Sunday for Ordinary Time (Year A)

Jesus tell His disciples: “If your brother sin against you, go tell am di wrong wey e do, when na only you and am dey. If e listen to you, you don win your brother back.” Matthew 18:15

Person need humble heart well-well and heart wey pure before e fit talk to anoda person about im sin for way wey go make di person listen and repent. Normally, when we talk to anoda person about im sin, na anger dey push us pass love. We no suppose talk to anoda person about im sin because e don hurt us and we want make guilt worry am as payback. We no suppose do am to disgrace di person or harm am. Na only because we love di person, we don already forgive am, and now we want make e free from im sin for im own good, we suppose bring up di matter of im sin. When na so e be, and na only this reason dey move us, e fit easy more for di person to accept correction.

But we no suppose look this teaching only from di side of us wey dey talk to oda people about their sins. We must also look am from di side of oda people wey dey talk to us about our sins. We dey sin every day. We dey sin against people wey we love every day. So, try think of person wey close to you wey come tell you about your sin. How you dey react when this kind thing happen? Maybe if di person do am with intention wey pure well-well and with compassion, you go listen. But what if na because e dey vex e do am? Even though this no be di best way for person to talk to you about your sin, e no give you right to reject wetin e talk. So, na good practice for your spiritual life to listen whenever anybody come tell you wetin dey worry am about your sin, no matter how e take talk am. If, after you listen and use humble heart weigh wetin e talk, you see say e correct, even if na only for some part, then di response wey love call for na to show sorrow, beg for forgiveness, and make firm decision to change. But if, after you use humble heart weigh wetin dey worry am, you no believe say you don sin, then na time to gently and with compassion try talk to di person about di false judgment wey e rush make.

This passage give three stages wey person go follow one after anoda to talk to somebody about im sin. First, na only di two of una suppose dey. Second, two or three oda people go join. Third, una go do am for di presence of di Church. For now, try put di second and third ways for one side, and look only di first one. Di aim of this talk between only di two of una na to settle. E good to put plenty effort into thinking about how well you dey handle this kind situation, because if you fit do am well, no need go dey for di second or third way.

Di number-one enemy of settling with one anoda na pride. Pride na habit wey dey make us think about ourselves first and above every oda person; for cases wey serious pass, we fit even think only about ourselves. Pride no dey allow us examine ourselves. We no dey see our sin, and we dey vex as soon as person point am out or e cause problems. Of course, di opposite of pride na humble heart. Na this virtue dey help us forget about ourselves and care only about oda people. When person dey grow for humble heart, di evil one go always tempt am with thoughts like: What about you? Na you correct, na dem wrong! This no fair! Dem no suppose treat you like this! We must always reject these thoughts wey dey tempt us. Na only when we dey humble we fit understand di sense wey dey inside humble heart. To person wey get pride, humble heart go look like foolishness. But humble heart na true wisdom.

Today, think about how humble you dey when somebody tell you wetin dey worry am about your sin. How you dey react? You dey notice say you dey vex and dey defend yourself when this happen? If na so, talk true and admit to yourself say na pride be this; na your sin be this. Take time think about di best and humble way wey you suppose respond when anoda person talk to you about your sin. If to settle na di number-one thing wey matter to you for any relationship where hurt don enter, then that holy desire wey come from humble heart go guide you to fit settle with everybody for your life.

Lord wey full of mercy pass all, You come this earth to bring us back into peace with You and with one anoda. Abeg, show me my sin and give me di humble heart wey I need to see am, so that I fit repent and turn come back to You. Help me also to dey open to di many ways wey You dey show me my sin, especially through oda people for my life. Jesus, na You I trust.

Humble People Wey God Dey Use to Bring Grace

Di Twenty-Third Sunday for Ordinary Time (Year B)

E put Im finger inside the man ears and, as E spit, E touch the man tongue; then E look up to heaven, groan, and tell am, “Ephphatha!”—wey mean, “Open!”—And immediately the man ears open, wetin dey hinder am from talking comot, and e begin talk clearly. Mark 7:33–35

One interesting thing for this story na say the people wey bring this man wey no dey hear and no fit talk come meet Jesus beg Am make E “lay Im hand on am” so that E go heal am. But wetin Jesus do? Instead, E take the man comot from the crowd, put Im divine finger inside the man ears, touch the man tongue with the holy saliva from Im own mouth, and the man receive healing. At first, to put your finger inside another person ear and touch im tongue with saliva from your own mouth fit look like something wey go turn your belle. Normally, na so e suppose be. To understand these two things wey E do, we must understand wetin dem stand for.

Scripture use the image of finger plenty times to refer to God power. For the Book of Exodus, after the plague of small flies, Pharaoh magicians talk say na clearly “by the finger of God” this thing happen (Exodus 8:19). For the mountain where Moses receive the Ten Commandments, we know say na still God finger write dem (Exodus 31:18). For the book of Daniel, one finger appear and write one prophetic message for wall (Daniel 5:5). For the New Testament, Jesus drive one demon comot “by the finger of God” (Luke 11:20), and for today Gospel, E use Im finger heal this man so that e fit hear. We understand the “finger of God” as God power and something wey the Holy Spirit do. So, as Jesus use Im holy finger to heal, E dey use this sign show say E fully use God power and act for perfect union with the Holy Spirit and the Father.

The image of saliva still get something interesting inside. Maybe you don notice say when animal get wound, e dey often lick the wound. Na something wey the animal dey do naturally, but e still get sense. Saliva get some healing power like medicine. E get things inside wey dey fight bacteria. So, since ordinary saliva fit help wound heal, Jesus saliva fit heal for supernatural way. Still remember say Jesus heal one blind man by spitting for ground, then rubbing the mud for the man eyes (John 9:6).

Jesus need to use Im finger and Im saliva before E fit heal this man? No, not at all. Just to think am alone, E for don do am. But E choose to use Im body as instrument of Im healing power. As E do so, E show us say Jesus human nature become the source of unity between God and human beings. Even Im finger and Im saliva join us to God. Everything about the Son of God for Im human form bring grace, healing and mercy. Even the thing wey, at first, fit look like wetin go turn person belle pass.

Even though we fit learn plenty things from this passage, one thing wey we no suppose miss na say, if Jesus choose to use Im finger and even Im saliva to give out Im power, na so E still want continue to use the members of Im Body to share Im grace. Through Baptism, you be member of Christ Body, the Church. You be Im hands and feet, Im eyes and voice, Im heart and finger, and even Im saliva. That last thought really dey teach person humility. But if Jesus fit use Im saliva to heal, E fit use you. If we fit understand this with humility, then our hearts go dey more ready to become instrument of Im divine mercy for people wey need am. God fit use us, NO BE because we worthy for Am to use us. Instead, E fit use us because E don choose to do so, even when we dey our lowest condition.

Today, reflect on the image of Jesus as E heal this man wey no dey hear and no fit talk. If you ever feel say God no fit use you, remember the way wey our Lord take do this miracle. If God fit use Im finger and Im saliva, E surely fit use you, no matter how unworthy you be or how much sin dey your life. This miracle show us say God fit use everything for Im glory, simply because na God E be. Humble yourself and offer yourself to God make E use you as E want. As you do so, you go give God the chance to show Im almighty power through you.

My Lord wey dey heal, when You take human form, You join divine nature with human nature. Through Your holy human nature, You pour out Your grace and mercy, and You still dey do so today. Abeg use me, dear Lord, as instrument of Your grace. Make I always see myself with humility as Your instrument wey no worthy, but wey You choose to use even though I no worthy. Jesus, na You I trust.

To “Hate” So That We Go Fit Love

Di Twenty-Third Sunday for Ordinary Time (Year C)

Plenty-plenty people dey travel with Jesus, and He turn tell dem, “If anybody come meet Me without to hate im papa and mama, im wife and children, im brothers and sisters, and even im own life, e no fit be My disciple.” Luke 14:25–26

Why Jesus go urge the “plenty-plenty people” to hate their families? In fact, Jesus even go further than that. He talk say dem must hate their own lives too. If dem no do so, dem no fit be His disciples. One thing wey this teaching wey shock people do na to shake dem comot from faith wey no hot and no cold. Sometimes, we dey think of Jesus only as Person wey kind and gentle, wey dey always make people day bright. We dey see pictures of Jesus wey dey smile, wey always make people feel say dem welcome and say person love dem. And even though these pictures show truth, e still true say one way wey He take make their days bright na to challenge dem deep inside their whole being to turn from sin to God. And na wetin Jesus dey do today for our Gospel be that.

To hate your papa, mama, children, brothers and sisters, and even your own self, clearly no mean the sin of hatred wey dey come from anger. For this matter, the word “hate” mean the best way to love other people and even your own self. To start, make we look the conclusion. Jesus talk say this kind hatred na something wey person must get to be His disciple. Na this be the main point. Unless to be Christ disciple come first and pass every other thing for our lives, we no fit love other people, and we no go even love ourselves for the right way. “Hate” for this context concern the way we dey hold on to people or things because of our own selfish interest. This mean say people and things fit easily stand for road block our love for God. When dem do so, we must see dem as wetin dey block both our love for God and our true love for other people and even ourselves. For example, if person for your family demand in any way say make you love am pass God, you must reject this demand with all your heart. We fit call this holy hatred for the temptation, no be for the person. Make we say your husband or wife dey criticize you because you dey attend Mass and dey try stop you from going. If you listen to am, you dey put am before God. Or make we say somebody hurt you and you choose to forgive am, but person for your family come oppose wetin you choose and try make you vex for that person. If you listen to am, then you no dey listen to God. For these cases, we must “hate” in the sense say we reject the temptation.

What about your own self? How you go take hate yourself? This one concern the many ways wey our desires wey no dey follow the right order dey draw us go sin. If we give in to these desires wey no dey follow the right order, or, wetin worse pass, if we treat these desires as normal things wey good for us, then we don choose the desire wey no dey follow the right order instead of God. For that case, we must learn to hate and reject the desire wey selfish and no dey follow the right order, and choose only God and His will.

When we fit choose to put love for God first and above every other thing for our lives, and reject the temptations wey come through other people and even the temptations inside our desires wey no dey follow the right order, na only then we fit love other people and ourselves for the right way. E clear say Jesus want make we love other people and ourselves. But this one fit happen only when our love pure and holy and e dey flow from love for God. Any other kind of “love” no be love at all. Na to hold on to person or thing because of selfish interest, and this dey block our true mission as people wey love God and wey He dey use to carry that love reach other people.

Today, think deeply about the strong determination wey you must get to reject every kind of sin. This one include sin wey dey tempt you through your family and friends. E still include every kind of temptation wey dey rise inside you because your human nature no dey follow the right order. This holy hatred na act of love because e dey seek to remove everything wey dey keep you away from true love. Today, choose to be faithful disciple of Jesus and commit yourself to reject everything wey dey try disturb this choice. If you do so, no be only your love for God go increase; your love for other people, and even your love for your own soul, go increase too.

My Lord wey get deep and strong love, You urge the crowds to reject every kind of temptation wey dey disturb their love for You. Abeg, fill my soul with holy hatred for sin and every temptation, so that I fit reject dem with all my heart. Make I love You pass everything, and from that love, make I love other people and even my own soul with Your Sacred Heart. Jesus, na You I trust.

To Know Wetin Other People Get for Mind

Monday for Wik 23 for Ordinary Time

For one Sabbath day, Jesus enter the synagogue and teach, and one man dey there wey him right hand don wither. The scribes and the Pharisees watch Him well to see whether He go heal person for Sabbath, so that dem go fit find reason to accuse Him. But He know wetin dem get for mind… Luke 6:6–8

Jesus get one gift. Of course, every good gift dey for Him perfectly. But for today Gospel, we see one of Jesus gifts show clearly. Na the way Jesus fit know wetin the people wey He dey meet every day get for mind.

Normally, na only if another person tell us wetin e get for mind we fit know am. We no fit read people mind and heart. But our Lord fit do am. He get divine power to read every soul and know every heart. Because of this, when person come meet Him with strong faith, He know. And when person come meet Him with evil plan for mind, He know.

When Jesus know the evil plans wey the scribes and Pharisees get for mind, He use that knowledge to bring their plans come out for open. Dem want find reason to accuse Jesus, so He give dem one. Jesus heal one man wey him hand don wither for Sabbath, and the scribes and Pharisees “vex well-well and discuss together wetin dem fit do to Jesus.” Dem think say miracles dey break the law of Sabbath rest. Jesus know say dem go use their crooked way of reasoning judge this miraculous healing, and He know say dem go vex for Him because of their envy. So, for one sense, Jesus provoke dem so that wetin dey their hearts go come out for dem to see.

God know all the plans and thoughts wey dey inside us, and we must come to see dem clearly for God presence. As Jesus provoke the scribes and Pharisees out of love, He make dem face wetin dey inside dem. Dem need to choose whether dem go continue for the road of envy or recognize how foolish the thoughts wey dey inside dem be. Sadly, e be like say many of the scribes and Pharisees become more stubborn for their sin. But na only dem fit make this choice.

Today, think deeply about your own intentions and thoughts wey dey inside you. Why you dey do the things wey you dey do? Wetin dey hide for your heart wey dey push you to act? Any person dey, or any situation wey you find yourself inside, wey dey make anger occupy your mind so tey you no fit stop to think about am? Abi na true love for God and your neighbour dey inside you and na im dey guide wetin you dey do? Deep faith dey? Hope wey come from God dey? Abi na mainly one sin wey you dey struggle with? Know say Jesus know your heart, and E want make you too see clearly those things wey hide for your heart. E want make you see your intentions as clearly as E dey see dem. Allow am to show you wetin dey deep inside your heart, so that you go fit turn away from the sins wey you find and rejoice for the good qualities wey you dey practise for your life.

My Lord wey full of glory, You know every thought, and You dey search reach the deepest part of every heart. Lord, You know everything about me. Abeg, open my eyes make I see wetin dey inside me, so that I go fit recognise the bad intentions wey I get and rejoice for the good qualities wey You don give me. My dear Lord, make I always pay attention to You, so that I go fit know everything wey You want reveal to me. Jesus, na You I trust.

To Hear and To Get Healing

Tuesday for Wik 23 for Ordinary Time

E come down with dem and stand for one flat ground. Plenty of im disciples and many people from all over Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal area of Tyre and Sidon come to hear am and to receive healing from their sicknesses; even those wey unclean spirits dey torment receive healing. Everybody for the crowd dey try to touch am because power dey come out from am and dey heal all of dem. Luke 6:17–19

The Gospel of Luke show us wetin people don traditionally dey call the “Sermon for the Plain.” Almost everything wey Luke put for this sermon dey too for Matthew own “Sermon for the Mount.” But Matthew add some teachings wey no dey for Luke own. Matthew own sermon get three chapters, while Luke own get only one.

For this introduction to the “Sermon for the Plain,” wey we go dey read from throughout this week, Luke point out say plenty people come from far and near to listen to Jesus. Many Jews dey among this crowd, but many people from Tyre and Sidon, the area where people dey worship other gods, dey there too. Wetin draw so many of dem come? Dem come to “hear” Jesus preach and “to receive healing.” Dem want hear Jesus words because E dey speak with great authority and for one way wey dey change people life. And the healing power wey Jesus show really amaze dem. The last line for the passage above put strong emphasis on how dem desire healing. “Everybody for the crowd dey try to touch am because power dey come out from am and dey heal all of dem.”

E worth to note say Jesus do plenty powerful miracles as E dey carry out Im public ministry. This one happen especially when E begin Im ministry. For many people, E become like famous person almost at once, and people for many towns around there dey talk about am. But e also worth to note say, as time dey go, Jesus put more emphasis on Im teaching than on the miracles.

Wetin dey draw you come meet our Lord? Maybe if God dey do plenty miracles wey everybody fit clearly see today, many people go dey amazed. But miracles wey concern the body no be the greatest work of our Lord, so dem no suppose be the main focus of our relationship with am. The main reason wey suppose draw us come meet our Lord na because Im holy Word dey enter deep inside us, dey change us and dey draw us into communion with am. We fit see this one clearly from the fact say, now wey the Gospel message don take deep root and the Church don form, miracles wey concern the body no dey happen often. Dem still dey happen, but no be for the same way wey dem happen when Jesus first begin Im public ministry.

Today, think deeply about the main reason wey dey draw you come meet our Lord. Seek Im living Word wey E dey speak deep inside your heart. The most important miracle wey dey happen today na the change wey dey happen inside person. When person hear God speak, respond to that Word, and allow God to change im life, this one dey among the most important miracles of grace wey we fit ever experience. And na this be the main reason wey suppose draw us come meet am, make us seek am and follow am wherever E lead us.

My Lord wey dey do miracles, abeg, draw me come near You, and teach me for the wilderness of my inner life, where I dey quiet and dey alone. Help me to seek You so that I go fit hear Your Word wey You dey speak to me to give me new life. Make I always listen to You so that Your holy Word go change me more completely, and make me the new creation wey You want make I be. Jesus, na You I trust.

Double Blessing

Wednesday for di Twenty-Third Week for Ordinary Time

“But woe to una wey rich, because una don receive una comfort. But woe to una wey belle full now, because hunger go catch una. Woe to una wey dey laugh now, because una go mourn and cry. Woe to una when everybody dey talk good about una, because na so their ancestors treat the false prophets.” Luke 6:24–26

E get danger to dey rich, to get belleful, to dey laugh, and to make everybody dey talk good about you? From wetin Jesus talk, e be like say na so. Why Jesus go warn us against these things? And before that, why He go declare say blessing dey for person wey poor, wey hungry, wey dey cry and wey people dey insult? The main thing be say Jesus dey condemn four common sins—to dey want gather more and more, to dey chop pass wetin you need, to no control your appetite and desires, and to dey seek empty praise—and He dey encourage the good qualities wey be their opposite.

To poor, on im own, no enough to make person holy. But for Luke Gospel, Jesus declare say to poor for real na blessing. This one go further than Matthew Gospel wey talk say blessing dey for people wey “poor in spirit.” To poor in spirit mean say the material things of this world no hold your heart, so that you go fit fully open your heart to the riches of God. One thing wey people wey get plenty property often dey do na to give themselves reason to believe say, even though dem get plenty things, those things no hold their heart. We hope say na so e really be. But for the Beatitudes as Luke write am, Jesus talk direct say, “Blessing dey for una wey poor” and “woe to una wey rich.” For this teaching, we discover a second blessing wey no dey for the way Matthew write am. Apart from saying that blessing dey when worldly things no hold your heart (to poor in spirit), Jesus also declare say to poor for real na the easier way to reach this freedom of heart from worldly things. Material wealth, even though e no be sin on im own, dey bring plenty temptations to let property hold your heart, to depend on only yourself, and to give yourself every pleasure wey you want. So, for spiritual matter, e easier for worldly things not to hold person heart when the person poor than when e rich. This truth hard for both poor people and rich people to accept. Poor people often want become rich, as dem dey think say if dem rich, dem go share their wealth with other people and still no let am hold their heart. Rich people often dey enjoy their wealth, and dem dey believe say their heart free from worldly things pass as e really be.

To dey “hungry” na another condition wey Jesus call blessing, but to get “belleful” na condition wey get danger. When hunger really dey catch you, whether na because you dey fast or because food no plenty, e easier to turn your hunger and thirst towards God, so that na Him go fill you and you go fit trust more easily in how He dey provide for you. Plenty food, especially sweet and fine food, dey tempt you to find satisfaction for eating too much, and this one dey make am hard to hunger and thirst fully for God and His holy will. So, if you hold yourself back from excess enjoyment and allow yourself feel hunger, you go receive the blessing of freedom from eating too much, and even from the temptation to do am.

“To laugh” and “to cry” for this matter no mean joy and loss of hope. Instead, dem concern people wey dey always seek enjoyment and life where dem dey satisfy all their desires. Plenty people dey live for fun, entertainment and pleasure wey no dey last. To cry here concern people wey don discover say the pleasures of this world wey dey pass quick no fit ever satisfy person. So, entertainment all the time dey bring real temptation, but to lose that kind pleasure wey no dey last dey help remove that temptation.

Finally, Jesus declare say blessing dey when people hate you, exclude you, insult you and call you evil because of Him, rather than when everybody dey talk good about you. For this matter, Jesus dey refer to praise wey come from things wey no get value when we consider eternity. When everybody dey talk good about us, and dey praise qualities and achievements wey no be true Christian good qualities, we go face temptation to depend on that praise for our satisfaction. But this kind satisfaction no be anything apart from empty pride wey dey seek praise, and for the end e no dey ever truly satisfy. But when person see and praise the good qualities of God wey dey inside us, na God dey receive praise first and above all, and we receive the blessing to share for God glory.

Today, think well about whether you prefer to dey rich, to dey enjoy the best food, to dey get entertainment all the time and to make other people envy you, or whether you dey see the temptations wey this kind life dey bring. Think too about the real spiritual blessings wey dey come to people wey truly poor, wey dey hungry, wey get self-control and wey humble. This teaching from Jesus dey demand plenty from us. If e no sit well with you, know say na sign say some things for life still dey hold your heart. Think especially about the Beatitude wey hard pass for you to accept and live by, and make that Beatitude wetin you go dey reflect on and pray about. If you do this with honest and open heart, you go dey among the people wey truly get blessing for God eye.

My blessed Lord, You poor, You dey hungry, You get self-control and You humble, all to perfection. Because of these things, You full of perfect virtue and You get complete satisfaction. Abeg, open my eyes make I see the deceit of this world, so that I fit live life of true holiness with You and experience the riches of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus, na You I trust.

Di Thing Wey Important Pass for Life

Thursday for Wik 23 for Ordinary Time

If person slap you for one cheek, turn di other one give am too, and if person take your cloak, no hold back even your tunic from am. Give everybody wey ask you, and if person take wetin be your own, no demand make e return am. Luke 6:29–30

This one go don really shock the first disciples of Jesus. First of all, remember say Jesus teach these words with spiritual authority wey make people wey open their heart sure say wetin Jesus teach na truth. Remember too say as Jesus dey teach these deep spiritual lessons, E dey also do plenty miracles. So, because of these things, His new followers go don know say wetin Jesus teach na truth. But how dem fit fully accept this kind teaching?

Even though plenty people wey dey explain Scripture go try point to the deeper spiritual principles wey Jesus dey teach, first try take His words just as E talk am. E really talk say you must turn the other cheek give person wey slap you, give your inner garment to person wey steal your outer garment, and give everybody wey ask you, without ever demanding back wetin person take from you. These lessons no easy to accept!

One thing wey these powerful lessons teach us na say something dey for life wey important pass the shame of person slapping your cheek or stealing your property. Wetin be that more important thing? Na the salvation of souls.

If we dey live our life demanding justice for this world and punishment for every wrong wey people do us, we no go fit put our mind on wetin important pass. We no go fit put our mind on the salvation of the people wey wrong us. E easy to love people wey dey kind to us. But our love must reach everybody, and sometimes, the kind love wey we must show another person na to freely accept the injustice wey dem do us. Great power dey inside this act of love. But we go fit love another person this way only if wetin we deeply desire na their eternal salvation. If all we want na justice for this world and satisfaction for the wrong wey dem do us, we fit get am. But their salvation fit suffer because of am.

Sometimes we fit fall inside the trap of thinking say dem must put every wrong right here and now. But e clear say no be wetin Jesus teach be that. His wisdom deep well-well pass that one. E know say to show another person deep mercy and forgiveness, especially when dem don hurt us well-well, na one of the greatest gifts wey we fit give. And na also one of the things wey we fit do wey go bring the greatest change to our own souls. When love dey pain us, in the sense say we must give up our worldly pride, especially by completely letting go of the injustice wey dem do us, then our act of love for that person get great power to change dem. And if that act change dem, then this one go be the cause of your joy for all eternity.

Today, think deeply about any way wey this hard teaching of Jesus dey difficult for you. Who come your mind as you dey think about this teaching? Your feelings dey rise against this command of love from Jesus? If na so, then you don discover the particular area wey God want make you grow. Think about anybody wey you get complaint against, and consider whether you desire their eternal salvation. Know say God fit use you for this mission of love if you go love the way our Lord command.

My merciful Lord, Your love pass wetin I fit understand. Your love complete, and e dey always seek wetin good for the other person. Give me grace, dear Lord, make I love with Your heart and forgive reach the way You don forgive. Use me especially as instrument of salvation and mercy for the people for my life wey need am pass. Jesus, na You I trust.

To See Through God Eye

Friday for Wik 23 for Ordinary Time

“Why you dey notice the small piece of wood wey dey your brother eye, but you no notice the big plank wey dey your own eye?” Luke 6:41

Saint Teresa of Ávila, one of the greatest spiritual writers and Doctors of the Church, explain for her great spiritual book “Interior Castles,” say one of the first steps for the road to holiness na to know yourself. To know yourself dey bring humility, because humility simply mean to see yourself as you truly be. When person no know themself according to the true way God dey see dem, dem dey open themself to plenty wrong judgments. One of these mistakes na say dem fit easily begin focus too much on wetin dem see as other people sins.

The Gospel passage wey dem quote above show person wey really no know themself. Why? Because dem “no notice the big wooden beam” for their own eye, wey mean say dem no see their own sin. Because of this, Jesus explain say this person come dey focus too much on the “small piece of wood” for their brother eye.

When you consider your own thoughts, wetin you dey think about pass throughout the day? You dey honestly look inside yourself, dey try know yourself as God know you? Or you dey spend too much time thinking about other people, dey examine and judge wetin dem do? This na important question wey you suppose ask yourself and answer with honesty.

The best way to know yourself na to keep your eyes on Jesus. When na Him you dey put your mind on throughout the day, you no go only come know Him, you go also come know yourself more as you really be. As you keep your eyes on the beauty and perfection of our Lord, e go help you know Him and also know yourself as He dey see you. E go also help you know other people as He dey see them.

How Jesus dey look the people wey dey around you? He dey look them with mercy wey no dey end. Na true say, for the end of each person life, when we leave this world go the next one, each of us go face our Lord for our own personal judgment. But while we still dey here for earth, God dey always look us with mercy. Na why to show mercy must become the work wey we dey do every day, and we must make am our habit to look everybody for our life with eyes of mercy.

Today, take time think deeply about our Lord. Look Him, keep your eyes on Him, try to know Him, and make na Him you dey put your mind on. As you dey do this, try to put aside the judgments wey you don form about other people for your mind. As you keep your eyes on our Lord, allow am help you no be only to see Him, but also to see other people as He dey see them. Make this one your habit, and you go dey move fast for the road to holiness.

My merciful Jesus, make I build true habit of looking steadily at You with humility, as You dey shine with glory and beauty. As I dey look at You every day, abeg, help me too to see myself through Your eyes of mercy, so that I go grow for humility. Abeg, remove every spirit of judging people from my heart, so that I go free to know and love everybody as You know and love them. Jesus, na You I trust.

The Road Wey You Dey Follow

Saturday for Wik 23 for Ordinary Time

Jesus tell His disciples: “Good tree no dey bear fruit wey don rotten, and tree wey don rotten no dey bear good fruit. Na the fruit wey each tree dey bear people take dey know am. People no dey pick figs from thorn bushes, and dem no dey gather grapes from bushes wey get chuku-chuku.” Luke 6:43–44

This na very good way to check the direction wey your life dey go! This Gospel passage show us the main thing wey go help us know whether we truly dey do wetin God want or we no dey do am. Plenty times, e fit hard us to know clearly whether we dey do wetin God want from us. Plenty different directions fit dey pull us for life, and plenty goals dey wey we fit set for ourselves. Na why e good to stop from time to time and check our life with honest heart.

When you look the past year for your life, wetin you dey see? To talk am clear, you dey see good fruit wey your life dey bear? E good to check your life like this from time to time. E good to do this kind check no be only for the past year, but also for different periods of your life. You fit start by looking your whole life, especially all the times wey your life bear the most fruit for God glory. From there, try to look your life ten years at a time, year by year, and even month by month for this past year. Look for the times wey you receive the most blessings, and also the times wey you face the greatest difficulties.

When we check our life this way, e important to understand wetin we suppose look for. For example, some times fit dey when everything go well for one way or another, and other times fit dey wey full of pain and serious difficulty. Wetin important to know, as God dey see things, be say just because something “go well” for one time, or just because something “full of pain and serious difficulty” for another time for our life, e no mean say the first one bear the most fruit for the Kingdom of God, or say the second one bear the least fruit. In fact, the times wey we carry heavy crosses and face difficulties for life fit often be the times wey we bear the most spiritual fruit. Just look Jesus life. True-true, everything wey He do bear fruit for the glory of the Father for Heaven, but we fit easily point to the time wey He suffer the most pain as the time wey bear the most fruit. His Crucifixion bring the greatest good wey anybody don ever know.

Na so e still be for our life. To know how our life dey bear fruit, the best way no be to look only the times when everything easy, sweet, worth remembering, and things like that. Even though those times too fit be times wey grace dey, we need to look how our life dey bear spiritual fruit as God dey see am. We need to look for the times for our life, whether dem easy or hard, when e clear say God dey with us and when the choices wey we make give Him the greatest glory.

Today, think well about how your life be like tree wey dey bear spiritual fruit. Which times for your life, decisions wey you make, or things wey you dey do help you develop good character pass? Which time your prayer life deep pass? Which time your love for God and your neighbour strong pass? Which time your faith and hope show clear pass? Go back to those moments for your mind, enjoy dem well, learn from dem, and use dem as the best foundation to build the glorious future wey our Lord want for you.

My glorious Lord, Your life bear fruit wey get value wey no get end. You always choose to do the will of the Father for Heaven, and because of this, You live out every virtue to perfection. Help me to dey pause from time to time for life, so that I fit examine the direction wey I dey go. Make I learn from my mistakes and rejoice for those times wey bear the most fruit for Your Kingdom. I love You, Lord. Help me to bear the greatest fruit for Your glory. Jesus, na You I trust.