Week 30 for Ordinary Time

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Di High Calling to Love

Di 30th Sunday for Ordinary Time (Yia A)

“Make you love di Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. Na this be di greatest and di first commandment. Di second one be like am: Make you love your neighbour as yourself. Di whole law and di prophets depend on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37–40

Think about di many things wey you want for life. Which things go dey that list? Many good things fit dey inside, like di desire to get strong relationship with your family, good health, happy life, good friends, and enough money so you no go dey fear how to meet your needs. Other things fit still dey inside, like to succeed for your work, enjoy better holidays, get new house, and experience new things wey go make life sweet. If you make this kind list and start with di thing wey you desire pass, wetin go come first? All of us fit know wetin suppose come first, but if you honestly check di desires wey dey your heart now, wetin go dey di top of that list?

As e suppose be, di first and greatest desire of our souls suppose be to follow di two greatest commandments. Above every other thing, you go desire to love God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbour as yourself. Na this be di deepest desire of your heart?

One important thing to note be say we no suppose love God with only most of our heart, soul and mind. We no go just love Am with 51% and then allow ourself to share di other 49% among other things wey we love. No, 100% of our love must go to God. Na God alone our love must face, no be any other thing.

If you give God 100% of your love, wetin go remain for you to give other people? Di wonderful thing about our love for God be say di more love we give God, di more love we get to give other people. When we give God our love, E no dey take am from us and keep am for only Himself as if E dey jealous and no want share us with anybody. Instead, to love God dey change di way we fit love, so that we go even get more love than wetin we get before. We be creatures wey get limit, and di love we fit give get limit too. God no get limit, and His love no get limit. So, when we give God our love wey get limit, we dey receive His love wey no get limit from Am in return. This love fit then overflow from our lives, and we fit share am without holding anything back.

So make we go back to our first question: You love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind? If you do, e mean say every part of who you be don join fully with di mind and will of God. E mean say you dey always seek to understand God and everything wey E don reveal to you. E mean say you dey seek to understand His perfect will for you every day of your life. E mean say na only wetin God want you dey choose, and you dey do am with strong desire, zeal and fervour. E mean say you dey always pay attention to God, respond to di gentle ways wey E dey move you through His grace, and allow Am lead you every moment of every day of your life. That na high calling! But na di calling wey dem don give you. Na then, and only then, you go dey love yourself with di love of God as you open yourself to di love wey E dey pour out, and na only then you go fit be instrument of God’s love for di people around you.

Today, reflect on di high calling wey dem don give you once and for all: to love God with every part of your whole being. Your love must take over your whole life. E must be complete, without hesitation. E go require make you sacrifice your whole life, make every sin comot from your life completely, make you reject every form of selfishness, and make your heart open to di power wey no get limit in God’s touch wey dey transform person. Because God command this, e dey possible. E dey possible to become great saint. No aim for anything less. No ever give up on this high calling, and know say na di only way to get di fulfilment for life wey you desire deep inside your heart.

My Lord wey love me, You don give me everything, and You dey ask make I give You everything in return. Abeg, help me understand Your perfect love and choose am with all my strength. I really love You, my dear Lord. Help me love You with my whole being. Jesus, na You I trust.

I Want See

Di 30th Sunday for Ordinary Time (Yia B)

As Jesus dey leave Jericho with im disciples and plenty people, Bartimaeus, one blind man wey be Timaeus pikin, sit down for roadside dey beg. When e hear say na Jesus of Nazareth, e begin cry out dey talk say, “Jesus, pikin of David, pity me.” Mark 10:46–47

Think about the shame wey you fit feel if na only to sit down for roadside dey beg you get to survive each day. As Bartimaeus be blind man for that time, e no fit work take support imself. Plenty people see im blindness as curse from God and as result of im sin or im papa and mama sins. Dem for treat am like person wey society don reject and like burden for im family and community. So, the deep pain wey blind person for that time dey suffer for im mind and feelings for hard to bear just like the blindness of im body.

The meaning wey the signs inside this story carry really deep, and e dey teach us plenty things about our journey as Christians. First, we must try make we see ourselves inside Bartimaeus humility and weakness. For spiritual matter, all of us dey blind, and as our human nature dey after e fall enter sin, we be people wey dem don reject for spiritual life. This mean say we no fit reach Heaven by ourselves. Bartimaeus na sign of the condition wey our human nature dey after e fall enter sin. We need to humble ourselves every day and see ourselves as people wey really need help and wey no fit save our own souls.

Bartimaeus na also sign of wetin we must do so that we fit come out from the blindness and misery wey we dey experience for life. The moment wey e hear say Jesus dey pass, e shout beg for mercy. But no be just to shout call our Lord e do. E continue without giving up. The people wey hear am dey shout rebuke am and tell am make e stop. But their rebuke only make am pray with more fire for im heart. Also, e be like say Jesus no answer am at first. Why Jesus go do like that? No be at all because Jesus no care. Na because our Lord know say Bartimaeus go continue without giving up, and E want make e do so. Jesus want make Bartimaeus stand more firm for im prayer, and na wetin happen.

The way Bartimaeus pray must become the way we dey pray. E easy well-well to lose courage for life and lose hope. When that one happen, our prayer go weak and no go get effect. Sometimes, we go face plenty other temptations to give up on prayer. The rebuke from the crowd na sign of the plenty temptations wey we go face to give up on prayer. When those temptations come, we must try twice as hard and make our determination stronger. We must also see how Jesus keep quiet at first as invitation to pray with greater faith. If we pray and feel like say God no dey listen, we must know say God dey hear us, and the way E keep quiet at first na how E dey invite us to come closer and go deeper for faith and prayer.

When Jesus stop and tell the disciples make dem bring Bartimaeus come meet Am, Bartimaeus get up at once, throw off im cloak and go meet our Lord. Im cloak na sign of everything wey we need to drop for life wey dey stop us from answering the promptings of grace at once and without delay. Even though nothing bad dey with to get cloak, for that moment e be small thing wey dey delay am from answering Jesus quickly. Na so e be with us too; we must dey ready and willing to remove anything wey dey stop us from answering God the moment wey E call us.

Finally, Bartimaeus prayer perfect. “Master, I want make I fit see.” For spiritual life, we must work to make our deepest desire to see God, to see our Lord, grow. If we desire the gift of faith, the ability to see spiritual truths and understand dem, then our Lord go answer that prayer. Our Lord go also tell us, “Go your way; your faith don save you.”

Today, think deeply about this poor blind beggar, Bartimaeus. See for im humble soul example of how you must see yourself and how you must pray. Notice how the condition wey you dey after human nature fall enter sin dey humble you, how your sin dey separate you from others, and how you need to continue for prayer without giving up. Follow Bartimaeus example, and our Lord go remove the blindness for your heart so that you fit follow Am more fully every day.

My Lord wey dey heal, by myself I weak, I be beggar and sinner. My only hope na to cry out to You for my need and do am with plenty zeal. Abeg, give me back my sight, my dear Lord. Heal me and help me see You so that I fit follow You anywhere wey You lead me. Jesus, na You I trust.

To Dey Humble for Prayer

Di 30th Sunday for Ordinary Time (Yia C)

“Two people go up to the Temple area to pray; one na Farisi, and the other na pesin wey dey collect tax. The Farisi stand for im place and talk this prayer to imself, ‘O God, I thank You say I no be like other people—wey dey greedy, dey dishonest, dey commit adultery—or even like this pesin wey dey collect tax.’” Luke 18:10–11

This prayer really sad. In fact, e no even be prayer to God, since the Farisi “talk this prayer to imself.” But the prayer of the pesin wey dey collect tax na perfect example for every prayer. We read say the pesin wey dey collect tax “stand far away and no even raise im eyes look heaven, but e dey beat im chest and pray, ‘O God, have mercy on me, wey be sinner.’” Which of these prayers resemble your own prayer pass?

To answer that question with honest heart, make we look well at the two prayers. First of all, the difference between these two prayers na the difference between humility and pride. E clear say pride full the Farisi heart. Pride dey blind us so that we no fit truly know who we be. Saint Teresa of Ávila teach us say the very first thing we must do for our journey to God na to know who we really be through humility. Without that one, we no go ever grow for holiness.

The sin of pride show clear for the Farisi prayer, and because of this, e still clear say e no truly know imself. Notice say even the way e stand show pride. For the whole Scriptures, to kneel down, or even lie flat with face down, na posture wey show humility. Apart from the way e stand, the Farisi prayer na list of im own goodness. E fit well be say e dey fast twice every week and pay tithe from all im income. But im prayer make am look like say na by im own effort e do all this. E no give God grace and strength the credit for those things wey e do, and this mean say dem no be true works of love. Im prayer make am look like say e no need God to do good. This one still show because e no ask God for anything. Instead, e just thank God for how e good reach through im own effort. The result be say God no give am anything, since e no ask for anything.

True prayer must start as we humbly accept say we weak and we need God. The pesin wey dey collect tax show this humility as e bow im head towards ground, and e no even dare look up to Heaven. This show say e no consider imself worthy of God grace. To talk true, e no worthy of am. Na why God grace be mercy. All of am na mercy, because He dey give us wetin we no worthy to receive. And na only those wey know say dem no worthy of am He dey give am to. The words wey the pesin wey dey collect tax talk na perfect example of prayer, because im words show these truths. As sinner, e no deserve mercy, but e beg for God grace as gift of God mercy.

When you dey pray, how you dey pray? How your heart dey, and wetin you dey pray for? Start by thinking about the position wey your body dey when you pray. Even though we fit pray as we stand, sit, kneel or even lie down, something very good dey about to kneel down or even lie flat with face down. E no mean say we must stay like that throughout the time we dey pray, but na good practice to kneel, bow your head or lie flat with face down before God, even if na just for short time every day. You dey do this? If you no dey do am, think about how you fit make am your daily habit.

When you dey pray, you dey start your prayer with humility? We dey start Mass by examining our conscience and confessing our sins. This na good example of how to start your prayer every time you pray. Humble yourself by remembering your sins and weaknesses. Confess them to God and accept say, because of your sins, you no worthy of God mercy. This kind humility go help you see yourself as God dey see you, and this go help you open yourself to receive the grace wey you need from God to grow for holiness.

Today, think deeply about the humility wey dey inside the prayer of this pesin wey dey collect tax. As you dey do so, look at the way you dey pray and carefully check whether you dey follow the example of im humble heart and im prayer. Try make you commit yourself to use your body show humility before our Lord every day. Kneel, bow your head or lie flat with face down every day. When you pray, beg for mercy as pesin wey no deserve anything from God. Na this humble truth every prayer must stand on. The more you fit humble yourself like this, the more God go lift you up and pour His mercy on you.

O God, show me mercy, because I be sinner. I bow before You, God wey glory and mercy full Your being. I offer You my praise and thanks for Your mercy wey plenty for my life. I no worthy of You and Your grace, but You still give me this grace. Because of this, I thank You from the bottom of my heart, and I beg You make You continue to give me Your grace. Jesus, na You I trust.

Di Heavy Load of Scrupulosity

Monday for di 30th Wik for Ordinary Time

But di leader of di synagogue vex because Jesus heal person for Sabbath, and e tell di crowd, “Six days dey wey people suppose do work. Make una come for those days make dem heal una, no be for Sabbath day.” Di Lord answer am, “Hypocrites! No be each one of una dey untie im ox or im donkey from where dem dey chop for Sabbath, come lead am go drink water?” Luke 13:14–15

Why di leader of di synagogue go “vex” because Jesus heal one woman for Sabbath? Di woman don dey crippled for eighteen years! Think especially about her family. Dem for don see all di years wey she suffer, and dem for don share her pain with compassion all those years. If dem dey there when Jesus heal her for Sabbath, na this dem for first think: “How Jesus go get mind heal our mama, wife or sister for Sabbath?” No, no be so! Dem for rejoice, and wonder, gratitude and even tears for fill dem. This normal way wey her family for react after dem see this miracle na di right response. And truly, di way di leader of di synagogue react no right at all.

Why this leader of di synagogue go do this kind thing? Even though envy and hypocrisy na things wey im and plenty other scribes, Sadducees, Pharisees and scholars of di Law dey struggle with, sometimes other people fit react like this leader of di synagogue for other reasons. One of those reasons na scrupulosity.

Scrupulosity na when person dey tend to see God and His holy will through di eye of legalism. “Legalism” no be just to dey faithful to di Law of God, because that one na good thing. Legalism na to understand God Law wrongly, so that person dey put more attention for imself than for God. Person wey get scrupulosity dey too occupied with imself. E dey tend to worry about sin far more than e dey put mind for God Himself. And even though e dey very important to take sin seriously, when fear of committing sin become something wey take over person mind, that thing go make am hard to see di pure will of God clearly. E go leave di person with heavy load, so that e no go fit joyfully live according to wetin God truly want.

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux na one saint wey openly talk about her struggle with scrupulosity for di book wey she write about her own life. About this struggle, wey she call “to dey overly sensitive,” she talk say, “Person go need to pass through this martyrdom before e go understand am well, and e no go possible for me to explain wetin I experience for one and a half years.” But later, she experience wetin she call “complete conversion,” and through am, di heavy load of being overly sensitive comot from her. Even though this oversensitivity oppress her for different ways, one way wey e affect her na say she fear say even some thoughts wey just enter her mind na mortal sins, and say dem go condemn her because of dem.

Even though e most likely be say di leader of di synagogue no dey struggle with “being overly sensitive” di same way as Saint Thérèse, e dey act with extreme scrupulosity. This one make am judge our Lord harshly and condemn Him because of di good thing wey He do for this crippled woman.

Today, think well whether you too dey tend to carry any of these heavy loads. You dey worry about sin for way wey no get sound reason? E get time wey you dey think about decisions so much that di worry no dey leave your mind, because you fear say you fit choose wrongly? You dey think about yourself far more than you dey think about God and other people? If na so, you too fit dey carry this kind heavy load wey our Lord want remove. To serve God and do His holy will suppose become di deepest joy for our life, no be heavy load. If your Christian journey dey feel more like load, make you turn your eyes comot from yourself and look towards God wey get mercy. Run go meet Him with di full trust wey pikin get, as Saint Thérèse later do, and allow yourself to love Him more truly, free from di loads of scrupulosity and di ones wey you put for yourself.

My merciful Lord, You want free me from everything wey dey weigh me down. You want make I turn to You with the confidence wey small pikin get. Abeg, dear Lord, free me from any way wey I dey put load for my own head because of things wey I no fit stop to think about and worries wey no get good reason. Make I always understand Your love for me wey no get end, and make I always follow Your ways with freedom and joy. Jesus, na You I trust.

To Plant di Seed Again and Again

Tuesday for di 30th Wik for Ordinary Time

Jesus talk say, “Wetin di Kingdom of God resemble? Wetin I fit compare am with? E be like mustard seed wey one man take plant for garden. When e don fully grow, e become big shrub, and di birds for sky come live for im branches.” Luke 13:18–19

This short parable suppose touch plenty people far more than dem realize. E suppose give all of us plenty encouragement as we dey try build up di Kingdom of God through apostolic work.

Mustard seed small well-well. At first, when person hold am for hand, e fit no take am as anything important. But if e plant am for condition wey favour am well, that seed fit grow become tree wey tall pass 20 feet.

Jesus use this parable teach us plenty lessons. One of these lessons concern the work of love wey we dey do as apostles. When you think about the call to be apostle for the Lord, to spread the Gospel reach every end of the earth, wetin dey come your mind? Maybe the first people wey you dey think of na those wey dem don entrust with ministry wey big well-well, wey people know and wey get life. For this kind case, e easy to see the good fruit wey person work as apostle dey bear. But how about you? Plenty people fit dey try to love and serve others for every small way wey dem fit, but dem no dey see the plenty good fruit wey their effort dey bear. When this happen, some fit lose heart, and their zeal to spread the Gospel fit grow cold.

If na so e be for you, then think about the mustard seed. To plant this small seed represent plenty of the work wey we dey do as apostles. God dey call us to show kindness for small-small ways, to share our faith for gentle ways wey sometimes people no even notice, and to serve because of love even when nobody notice am. E dey call us to continue to do all these things without stopping. These small actions dey bear fruit for the Kingdom of God? If you believe this parable of the mustard seed, then the answer must be strong “Yes.”

Plenty times for life, we no go ever see the full effect wey our actions get for other people life. The bad influence wey we get go affect dem far pass as we realise. And the work of love wey we dey do to share our faith go still affect people far pass as we realise. To believe the message of this Parable of the Mustard Seed suppose make us believe say, as we dey plant those small seeds of faith through our love, virtues and words, dem go surely bear plenty good fruit—far pass wetin we fit ever know until we enter the glory of Heaven.

Today, think deeply about your duty to plant even the smallest seeds of faith and love every day. No lose heart if your effort no bear plenty fruit wey you fit see clear. Just dedicate yourself to dey plant, again and again. Make you find joy as you dey sow the seed of faith, and see this as your mission. If you do this throughout your life, when you dey Heaven, you go look back and wonder at how God use His power bring His Kingdom through those actions of faith and love wey be like say dem no mean much.

My glorious King, You want make Your Kingdom grow and spread far through the work wey we dey do with love. Abeg, dear Lord, use me to plant Your seeds of faith and love every day. Make I no ever tire for this apostolic work, and make I always get great joy as I dey serve You and build Your Kingdom in every way wey I fit. Jesus, na You I trust.

To Enter the Gate Wey Narrow

Wednesday for di 30th Wik for Ordinary Time

Somebody ask am, “Lord, na only few people go get salvation?” He answer them, “Struggle to enter through the narrow gate, because I dey tell una, plenty people go try to enter, but their strength no go reach.” Luke 13:23–24

We really suppose take the words wey our Lord talk above to heart. E easy to just assume say we go get salvation. E easy to just assume say God get kind heart and say we be good people for inside, so nothing go stop us from getting salvation. But no be wetin Jesus talk be that.

So who go get salvation? When we reach Heaven, if na God will, we fit surprise to see who get salvation and who no get am. This na clearly one of the messages for today Gospel. Jesus even talk say some people, when dem die, go assume say dem go enter Heaven, but dem go hear our Lord tell dem, “I no know where una come from. Comot from My presence, all of una wey dey do evil!” Again, we suppose take these words to heart.

One of the most dangerous sins wey we fit fall into na to take salvation for granted. This sin dey deadly because e get two effects for us. First, person wey fall into this sin na person wey don commit mortal sin but never repent from am. But this person still no fit repent because e refuse to acknowledge im sin. Im conscience no dey work. E cover im eyes so e no go see, and e expect God to cover His own eyes the same way. But God dey see everything, and E dey judge according to wetin E see.

The “gate wey narrow” wey Jesus talk about na comparison wey E use tell us say to reach Heaven no easy. E need serious effort from our side, as well as God mercy wey no get end. But for our own part, we fit reach Heaven only if we make up our mind to seek wetin God want and respond to Am with our whole heart. First, this mean say we must confess our sins and turn away from dem. But from there, e mean say we must make every effort to fulfil God will for our lives.

If this teaching hard for you to accept, just remind yourself say na Jesus Himself teach am directly. Wetin E talk clear well-well, and E mean wetin E talk. If this make one kind holy fear fill your heart, then na good thing. “Holy fear” na gift wey dey help us get conscience wey dey judge right, so we fit recognise those things for our lives wey don become obstacles wey no dey shift, wey dey block the way to eternal salvation. This same conscience wey dey judge right go lead us to that gate wey narrow, wey be the only way to eternal life.

Today, reflect on this truth: all of us must take eternal salvation seriously. If you notice say you don begin slack for your spiritual life, use this Gospel take ginger yourself to change. No allow yourself become one of those wey go dey knock for Heaven gate, only to discover say our Lord no know you. Do everything wey you fit do to comot the sin of dey take your salvation for granted from your life, and your reward for Heaven go truly great.

My Lord wey get mercy pass all, na You and only You fit open the gates of Heaven for us, and na You and only You go do so, but only for people wey don respond to Your holy will. Abeg, open my eyes to any way wey I dey turn away from You and still dey take my spiritual journey lightly. Give me the grace wey I need to see clearly and respond to You with all my heart. Jesus, na You I trust.

Protection, Healing and Salvation

Thursday for di 30th Wik for Ordinary Time

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you wey dey kill the prophets and stone the people wey dem send to you, how many times I don deeply want gather your children together, as mama hen dey gather her chicks under her wings, but you no gree!” Luke 13:34

E dey help us when we reflect deeply on the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Him heart strong and gentle, e get compassion and justice, and e full of mercy and truth. For this Gospel passage, we see small part of the love wey Jesus get for the people of Jerusalem. No be love for the city itself He dey express, but love for the people wey dey live inside the city. E clear say wetin He want pass anything, wetin Him heart dey long for well-well, na make dem allow am draw dem close to Himself so that He fit protect dem from every evil.

Jesus begin by calling “Jerusalem” two times. This one show the deep compassion wey He get for the people of that city. E also show how He dey mourn because dem never turn to am, and dem still no gree change. Their refusal start long before Jesus live for this earth, when their forefathers reject the call wey the prophets give dem to repent and turn back to God. The stubbornness of their forefathers continue among the people of Jesus’ time, and He experience how dem reject am. This rejection no so much lead Jesus to anger or condemnation; instead, e lead am to holy sorrow.

The picture of mama hen wey dey gather her chicks under her wings na beautiful picture to meditate on. Mama hen dey protect her chicks with great courage, without thinking about her own safety. When danger dey come near, she dey spread her wings and cover the chicks wey no fit defend themselves, to protect dem. Jesus use this picture of a mother to show how He want protect no be only the people of Jerusalem, but all of us.

If Jesus deeply want gather the people together under Him “wings” to protect dem, then we suppose know for sure say we need our Lord’s protection. He no go desire something wey no necessary. He no be God wey dey overprotect Him children and dey worry about dem without good reason. Him concern na real one and e necessary, and we must know say we need Him protection.

As you dey go about your daily life, you dey feel say you fit handle life by yourself? You dey behave like pikin wey want stand on im own and separate imself from the safety wey im parents dey provide? Even though all of us must work to become responsible for life, we no go ever reach point wey we no need the protection of our loving God again. The world wey we dey live inside full of dangers wey na only God fit protect us from.

For the beginning of today Gospel, Jesus call Herod “fox.” We need to understand this picture with how Jesus want act like mama fowl wey dey protect her chicks. Dem tell Jesus say Herod dey try kill Am, but e clear say He no fear Herod. About how Herod want kill Jesus, Jesus talk say, “Go tell that fox, ‘See, I dey drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and for the third day I go complete wetin I come do.’” As protector, Jesus use His authority over demons, heal people and open the gates of Heaven as He rise from the dead for the third day. As we dey go through life, plenty demons go dey try attack us. We go need different kinds of healing, and without the gift of Jesus victory over death itself, nobody go lead us enter the glory of Heaven. Demons dey real. Wounds dey real. And we truly need Saviour.

Today, think deeply about this picture of Jesus as mama fowl wey spread His wings over you, to protect you from the plenty temptations and attacks from the devil wey you go face for this world. Think well about how you need His protection every day. The demons no go ever stop their attacks. Wounds for your mind, your feelings and your spirit need His healing. Na only Jesus fit protect you and heal you, so that He go then pour the gift of eternal life upon you. Remain under His care and protection, and allow Am fulfil wetin His Sacred Heart dey long for.

My Lord wey get compassion, You dey long to protect me from the plenty evil wey dey this world. You dey long to heal the wounds wey my sins don cause me. And You dey long to give me the gift of eternal life. I accept Your protection, my dear Lord, and I pray for the healing wey I need. Abeg, always cover me and give me the gift of eternal life. Jesus, na You I trust.

Situations Wey No Dey Make Person Feel at Ease

Friday for di 30th Wik for Ordinary Time

For one Sabbath day, Jesus go chop for the house of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people wey dey there dey watch am carefully. Luke 14:1

Jesus accept the invitation from this important Pharisee to come chop for im house. The people wey dey the meal dey “watch am carefully.” E no too hard to picture how the place be. For plenty people, if dem invite them to a meal with many strangers wey dey watch them carefully, e fit make them no feel at ease and dey worry about how dem appear to other people. But Jesus come with full confidence and firm determination to share the Gospel. One thing wey we fit learn from this meal and the way Jesus carry Himself there na say situations wey no dey make us feel at ease na really great opportunities to share our faith.

All of us go get times when we go find ourselves for situation wey no dey make us feel at ease. For example, imagine say dem invite you to party for one relative wey no too close to you or for one new neighbour. You decide to go, and you know say na only very few people you go know there. People wey dey shy fit just reach there, find somebody wey dem know, and spend all the remaining time with that person. But think about wetin Jesus do. E fit be say na only very few people E know for this meal. The main reason why Jesus go no be just to relax and enjoy Himself as E dey meet new friends. Instead, Im main purpose na to preach Im message of salvation to people wey need am. So, E go meet people wey need am, and E do am with confidence.

Whether you like to mix with people and meet new people, or na person wey dey fear this kind gathering you be, think about this simple truth: these gatherings na wonderful opportunities to share your faith. Like our Lord, if you ready to take that step and enter situations wey new to you and wey you no familiar with, you fit begin discover say opportunities plenty. New places and new people na new opportunities to spread the Gospel. True, dem still be opportunities to make new friends and enjoy yourself. But if your heart really dey set on the desire to share the Gospel, you go dey always look for new opportunities wey you fit use, one way or another, to share your faith with other people.

Today, reflect on this simple scene for the Gospel, where Jesus go for a meal with many people wey E no know, so that E fit share the faith with them. Imagine say you join our Lord for this meal. How you for feel? You for dey worry about how you appear to others and no feel at ease? Or you for see am as opportunity to share the Gospel? Reflect on how much zeal you get as you dey try to spread the Gospel to others, and commit yourself again to this holy work. Tell our Lord say you ready and willing make E use you anywhere wey E send you. Then try to see every new thing wey you try and every new experience for life as fresh opportunity to share Christ message of salvation with others.

My Lord wey dey save, You want make Your message of salvation reach everywhere, even the ends of the earth. Abeg, fill me with zeal to help souls find salvation. Give me strong desire wey no go shake, to share the Gospel with everybody wey I meet. Abeg, use me, my dear Lord, as You want, so that Your love and mercy go reach people wey need am. Jesus, na You I trust.

The Freedom Wey Humility Dey Bring

Saturday for di 30th Wik for Ordinary Time

“When somebody invite you to wedding feast, no go lie down for table for the place of honour. E fit be say the person don invite another guest wey get more honour pass you, and the host wey invite both of una fit come meet you and talk say, ‘Give this man your place,’ and shame go catch you as you go take the lowest place.” Luke 14:8–9

This parable get something wey make person think. First of all, make we note say this kind humiliation no go make true saint feel shame. Instead, e go happy to give another person im seat of honour. In fact, e very likely say e for don take the “lowest” place from the beginning, because this kind worldly honour no go mean anything to am. But the people wey Jesus dey talk to that time no be saints wey dey live holy life. E dey talk to people wey still dey struggle with the desire make the world respect and honour them. This show say the people wey Jesus dey talk to no too sure of their own worth, and dem no get proper respect for themselves.

The beautiful thing be say Jesus meet these people as dem be, and E tell them parable wey dem fit relate to. These na the guests wey dey the meal wey one of the leading Pharisees arrange, and dem invite Jesus too. Wetin Jesus want do na to gently share this truth with them: humility far better pass pride. Na when person humble imself and lift other people up, to show the dignity and worth wey dem get as human beings, e dey find true greatness and honour. This na lesson wey hard to learn.

When most people dey among other people, dem dey struggle with comparing demself to others. “She fine pass me” or “E succeed pass me” or “Dem go school well-well,” and other things like that. This habit wey common often dey come because you no get confidence about who you be as person. But if you fit get complete peace about who you be, if you love yourself di way God love you, then you go get more freedom to love other people, see their dignity, and even rejoice for di ways wey dem dey succeed and people dey honour dem.

Jesus end His parable with these words: “Everybody wey lift himself up, dem go bring am down, but the person wey humble himself, dem go lift am up.” For person wey dey think only as the world dey think, this truth fit hard to understand. E fit hard to understand the great value wey dey to dey humble. But to dey humble simply mean to see yourself according to the truth, as God dey see you. Person wey dey humble no need other people to praise am or hold am high. The love wey God get for am don do. Na why humble people no only love themselves as God love dem; dem still dey free to put all their attention for wetin go benefit other people. Na pure love be this. And this love fit only happen when person dey live with humility for every part of life.

Today, think deeply about this gentle teaching wey Jesus give people wey really no dey humble. Try see how Jesus care for dem, and how He no want disgrace dem but to free dem from the heavy load of their fear say dem no good enough. If na something wey you dey struggle with be this, think deeply about how our Lord dey gently invite you to accept the way of humility. Pray for this virtue and practise am with sincere heart. Know say when you gain this virtue, e go open door to plenty freedom for your life.

My humble Lord, You know Yourself perfectly, and You love Your own holy soul with the same love wey the Father for Heaven get for You. Abeg, help me discover who I be. Help me see myself as You dey see me. Make the wrong desire for earthly honours and respect from the world no ever become heavy load for me. Instead, I pray make this glorious gift of humility take deep root for my soul. Jesus, na You I trust.