Week Nọmba 11 for Ordinary Time

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

Sent by God Power

Sunday Nomba Eleven for Ordinary Time (Year A)

When E see the crowds, pity for dem touch His heart, because dem dey troubled and abandoned, like sheep wey no get shepherd. Then E tell His disciples, “The harvest plenty, but the workers few; so ask the master of the harvest to send workers go gather im harvest.” Matthew 9:36–38

Dis passage from today Gospel start by showing us di Heart of Jesus. Na Heart wey “pity dey move.” As Jesus look di crowd wey dey before Am, E fit see say dem dey “troubled and abandoned, like sheep wey no get shepherd.” As E see dem, deep pity, care and mercy rise from inside Am. Dis na beautiful picture to reflect on as we dey pray.

As Jesus dey look you, E dey look you di same way wey E look di crowd long time ago. As E dey do so, di same deep mercy and pity dey rise inside His Sacred Heart. Sometimes, when we think about God, we dey allow wrong ideas about Who E be and how E dey see us enter our mind. If you no dey regularly see di Heart of Jesus wey full of pity, reflect on dis passage and know say di love wey His Heart get for you na di same love wey E get for di crowd.

Di second part of di passage above show us one of di ways wey Jesus dey reach out to us. Na Im be di “oga of di harvest” wey don call other people come meet Am, then send dem out to serve for His name and with His authority. Di lines wey follow di Gospel quotation above tell us say Jesus immediately “call his twelve disciples come and give dem authority over unclean spirits, to drive dem out and to cure every disease and every sickness.”

As you look your own life, your struggles, your spiritual needs and your desire to grow for faith, how God don feed you? Through who E don speak to you? E go care for you as shepherd as you dey take part for Mass, through di Sakrament of Confession, through holy preaching, through wetin dem write, through di witness of another person wey God inspire, and through many other ways. One thing wey go help you as you reflect na to remember say, anytime you don encounter di grace of God through another person, e happen because di Oga of di Harvest choose to send worker come meet you. When good fruit come out for your life, na God start dat good work through another person, because of di mercy and deep pity wey dey His Sacred Heart.

Today, reflect on dis picture of Jesus as E dey look you with love and choose to send His ministers come meet you for His name and with His authority. Pay special attention to how God don dey speak to you recently. If na through one particular book, continue to read am. If na through one particular preacher of di Gospel, continue to listen. If na through one particular conversation with friend, your husband or wife, or person wey you love, continue di conversation. God love you, His Heart full of deep pity for you, and E go continue to reach out to you in many different ways, especially as E dey send other people come meet you for His name.

My Lord and Oga, You dey seek to bring plenty harvest of grace come out for my life. You dey always inspire other people to act as instruments of Your love, and You dey speak to me through dem, as You dey call me come meet You. Make I always dey open to di many ways wey You dey come meet me, and make I always receive Your holy Word through di ministers wey You send come meet me. Jesus, na You I trust.

Di Mysteries of di Kingdom

Sunday Nomba 11 for Ordinary Time (Year B)

E use many parables like dis speak di word to dem, as dem fit understand am. E no dey speak to dem without parables, but when E dey alone with His own disciples, E explain everything to dem. Mark 4:33–34

Na only person wey get deep faith fit understand di deepest mysteries of our faith. To understand dem need more than just sharp sense; e also need person to pay attention to di voice of God inside im heart and to know dat voice well. Na why, as Jesus dey speak to di crowd, E use parables and figures of speech instead of to speak directly about di mysteries of Heaven.

For example, if you go one very special feast and your sense of taste don develop well, you fit enjoy di best part of meat wey dem cook perfectly, with one glass of fine wine. But small pikin fit no like dat kind food reach so. Na di same thing with music. If you be musician wey don study and play music all your life, you fit value some kinds of music pass other people. Other people fit just like one kind of music because of di beat or because di words of di song dey easy to catch and remember.

For di same way, person wey get only small faith fit no immediately get interest in di deepest spiritual truths about God when dem explain dem directly and clearly. Instead, di person fit find say Gospel message wey dem make simple, with pictures or stories wey e know well, fit catch im attention and pass di message across better.

E good make we understand this, because e good make we use the way to communicate with God wey match how deep our faith and understanding don reach. For most people, e go help dem well to see themselves as one of the people for the crowd wey Jesus tell His parables. Especially as we dey begin our journey of faith, make we see ourselves as part of the crowd. But when person don spend plenty time for prayer and meditation over the years, and the person faith begin deep, e fit discover say parables and stories no dey inspire am as dem dey do before. The person need more. E dey long for God to speak to am more clearly and deeply.

For everyday practice, as your faith dey grow, e good make you look for the deeper ways wey God dey speak to you. How He dey come meet you and explain His will and the truths of faith to you more directly, as Jesus do for the Apostles? Maybe to read about the lives of the saints, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or another spiritual book go touch you more deeply. Also, as you dey grow for faith, some passages for Scripture fit nourish you more, like the passages where Jesus dey speak more directly to His disciples.

Today, reflect on the way wey God holy Word dey nourish you pass for this stage of your life. The best way to know this na to think about wetin don give you the most comfort and inspiration recently. How God Word don touch deep inside you with the most power for this past year? To recognise how God don speak to you recently na the best way to decide how you go continue to receive from Him everything wey He want teach you and reveal to you for this stage of your journey of faith. Continue to look for God voice, and open your heart make He draw you deeper and deeper into the beautiful depths of the mysteries of His Kingdom.

Word of God Wey Full of Glory, You dey choose to speak to Your people for different ways. For some people, You dey speak through parables and figures of speech. For others, You dey speak more directly and closely, as You dey reveal the depths of Your Heart. Abeg, speak to me for the ways wey go deepen my faith, so that I fit continue my journey into the many mysteries wey You want reveal. Jesus, na You I trust.

Strong Vex vs. Love

Eleventh Sunday for Ordinary Time (Year C)

“Simon, I get something to tell you.” E answer say, “Teacher, tell me.” “Two people owe one person money; one owe am wages for five hundred days, and the other owe am wages for fifty days. Since dem no fit pay the debt back, e cancel the debt for both of dem. Which one of dem go love am more?” Simon answer say, “I suppose na the one wey e cancel the bigger debt for.” Jesus tell am say, “You judge am well.” Luke 7:40–43

This talk between Jesus and Simon the Pharisee happen when Jesus dey Simon house, as He recline for table to chop. One woman wey be sinner enter without anybody announcing her. With the deepest humility and love, she anoint Jesus feet with perfumed oil, wash His feet with her tears, kiss dem and dry dem with her hair. E clear say she no worry about wetin the people wey dey there think or talk about her. The only thing wey matter to her na to show her love and affection for Jesus with the deepest humility.

Jesus show say He be God as He know wetin dey Simon mind. Simon vex against both the woman and Jesus. E dey find fault and condemn dem. Even though Simon no talk anything, Jesus know the attitude wey dey inside him, and na why He tell Simon this parable.

First of all, we must understand say all of us owe God debt. All of us don sin, and we no fit ever pay back the debt of our sin. Some people don commit very serious sins; others don commit sins wey no serious reach like that. But every person owe God debt, and nobody fit pay back the debt through their own merit. Simon no understand this, and e no get gratitude for God mercy for him own life. Na why e behave as if na him righteous pass.

About this woman, Jesus continue to talk say, “God don forgive her many sins because she don show great love.” Then He add say, “But the person wey dem forgive small, dey love small.” This tell us say the main thing wey concern God no be the number of sins wey need forgiveness for our lives. Whether the sin small or great, all sin na debt wey we no fit pay back. Instead, the main thing wey concern God na the gratitude full of love wey we dey show Him as we recognise how much He don do for us.

This story dey teach one very important lesson to people wey generally dey live good life and dey avoid serious sin. People wey dey live like this go face temptation to judge other people and vex because of their sins, and also fail to thank God as dem suppose for the forgiveness wey He don give dem. Simon the Pharisee for fit learn plenty from this woman wey be sinner. E suppose humble imself before Jesus when Jesus enter im house. E suppose thank our Lord from the depth of im heart for His mercy and forgiveness. And e suppose acknowledge say e no worthy to receive this gift from Jesus. Because e fail to do this, but the woman wey be sinner no fail, na she receive blessing wey far pass Simon own. Apart from that, as Simon see the mercy wey Jesus show this woman, im heart suppose rejoice say e fit witness this kind love.

Today, reflect on this truth wey suppose humble us: God dey call all of us to follow the example of this woman wey be sinner. Each and every one of us get gbese wey we no fit pay back. The only right way to respond na to recognise our gbese, humbly bring am before our Lord, beg for His mercy, and then show our deepest thanks and love for the gift wey we don receive. Humble yourself today and always. No dey judge other people or vex because of their sins. Finally, rejoice as you see how God dey pour His mercy on you and on everybody.

Lord wey generous pass all, You dey show mercy and compassion to everybody. Make I always fully recognise everything wey You don do for me, and respond with thanks wey deep and full of love. Make I also see the love and mercy wey You dey show other people, and rejoice as dem welcome You into their lives. Jesus, na You I trust.

Mercy Wey Deep Reach New Level

Monday for Wik Nọmba 11 for Ordinary Time

If anybody force you to serve am for one mile, follow am go two miles. Give person wey ask you for something, and no turn your back on person wey wan borrow from you.” Matthew 5:41–42

As the faith of Israel dey grow over many centuries before Christ come, their understanding of right and wrong pass through different stages of growth. Before dem establish laws about right and wrong for Old Testament, e common for families to take serious revenge on other families wey harm dem. This one cause violence and quarrels wey no dey end. But things improve when dem establish the law of retaliation wey talk say, “When person damage im neighbour body, wetin e do na wetin dem go do am: broken bone for broken bone, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; as e damage another person body, na so dem go damage im own body” (Leviticus 24:19–20). This na new way to do justice wey forbid revenge wey serious pass the offence wey cause am. For that time, this one help end family quarrels wey dey continue to grow worse.

Na this law of retaliation Jesus dey talk about for our Gospel today. The new teaching about right and wrong wey Jesus teach, wey high pass the old one well-well, call Im disciples to “no resist person wey wicked” and to turn the other cheek when people do dem evil. Even though strict justice require make person make amends for sin, Jesus new teaching na say mercy dey pay every debt. First, the mercy wey E give us to forgive our sins dey pay the debt of our sins when we truly repent and change. But if we want make God forgive and clear the debts wey we owe Am because of our sins, then we must do the same for other people, without holding anything against dem.

But Jesus still go beyond this one. For the passage wey we quote above, Jesus urge Im disciples to show love and give with open hand for one new way wey different completely. Na this new law about how to live the children of the Kingdom of God now get call to follow. E no enough to only forgive and forget the debt wey person owe you because of im sin. Mercy now require make we “Give person wey ask” and walk “two miles” with person wey only ask you to walk one mile with am. For another way to talk am, Christian love pass every idea of strict justice by far, and e even pass ordinary forgiveness. This teaching from our Lord truly new and different completely.

Think about this new law about right and wrong for your own life. Which level of “justice” you dey mostly follow for the way you live? When person wrong you, you dey live like people before the Old Testament laws, as you dey try revenge with harm wey even pass the one wey dem do you? You dey follow the law wey dey seek equal justice of eye for eye? You dey try forgive and show mercy as payment for the debt wey another person owe because of the sin wey e commit against you? Or, as e suppose be, you dey try go beyond forgiveness and show mercy for one new way, with open hand and abundance wey plenty well-well? This last level of love hard to reach and live by, but na so our Lord dey treat us, and na so E call us to treat other people.

Today, reflect on any hurt wey you still dey struggle with. And think about how you don dey handle that hurt. As you dey try understand this new law of love and mercy wey our Lord give us, pray to Am make E give you the grace wey you need to show other people the same level of mercy wey God dey show you.

My generous Lord, the mercy wey You dey offer plenty beyond measure. No be only forgive You dey forgive us when we repent and turn back to You; You dey also restore us to a level of holiness wey far pass anything wey we fit ever deserve. Give me the grace wey I need, dear Lord, to show this same level of mercy and love to people wey don sin against me. I forgive everybody wey don hurt me. Abeg, help me to also love dem with all my heart. Jesus, na You I trust.

The “Gift” of Persecution

Tuesday for the Eleventh Week for Ordinary Time

Jesus tell im disciples say: “Una don hear say dem talk say, Make you love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I dey tell una, love una enemies and pray for people wey dey persecute una, so that una go be children of una Father for heaven, because E dey make Im sun shine on bad people and good people, and E dey make rain fall on people wey dey do right and people wey no dey do right.” Matthew 5:43–45

Jesus continue to make Im call to follow Im new command to love other people deeper and clearer. The love wey E call us to show different completely, e no hold anything back, and e fit hard well-well at first. E call us to go far beyond the Old Testament understanding of justice, as E command us to love everybody, even people wey dey persecute us. This call to love no be something wey we fit choose whether we go do or not; na command. Na something wey every Christian must do.

As we dey put this command into practice, Jesus no just give us the command; E still give us practical advice on how we fit love reach this level. E talk say make we no only love our enemies, but make we pray for them when dem dey persecute us. First of all, “enemy” na person wey dey try harm us for one way or another and, generally, dey sin against us. Wetin people normally dey do when this kind thing happen na to defend theirself and fight back. So the first step na to reject any temptation like that. As Jesus talk for the Gospel passage wey come before this one, “no resist person wey dey do evil.”

The Gospel passage for today carry us go even further. The practical advice wey our Lord give na to “pray for the people wey dey persecute you.” This command no only require say make you reject the temptation to “pay somebody back” or even just to “resist” wetin dem dey do us. Now, you must pray for them. To pray for person wey sin against you na act of the greatest love and generosity. And na very practical way to imitate the abundant mercy of God. Na why prayer for the people wey dey persecute you dey change you completely for inside and make you holy. For one sense, the evil wey another person do you fit turn to gift wey you receive, because e give you chance to answer the harm wey dem do you with prayer. And that na real, practical gift wey we must accept through this new command of our Lord.

Today, reflect on the people wey this new commandment dey call you to pray for. Whose sin don cause you or your family pain or harm? Who you dey hold grudge against? Anybody wey come your mind, make up your mind to pray deeply and steadily for that person. Pray for am often, and continue that prayer as long as the persecution continue. If you do so, every evil wey dem try do against you go turn to grace for them and holiness for you.

My Lord wey full of mercy, na You first live out Your command to pray for people wey dey persecute me, and You do am perfectly. You pray for the people wey crucify You as You hang for the Cross. Give me the grace wey I need, no be only to forgive, but also to pray for people wey don try to harm me and still dey try to harm me. Give me heart wey full of mercy so tey every sin wey person commit against me go turn to love and make my own life more holy. Jesus, na You I trust.

Sacrifices Wey We Make Quietly Dey Change Us

Wenesde for Week Eleven for Ordinary Time

“When you dey fast, no make your face sad like hypocrites. Dem no dey take care of how dem look, so that other people go see say dem dey fast. Amen, I dey tell you, dem don receive their reward. But when you dey fast, rub oil for your head and wash your face, so that other people no go see say you dey fast, except your Father wey dey hidden. And your Father wey dey see wetin dey hidden go reward you.” Matthew 6:16–18

Plenty people today don abandon the holy practice of fasting. Fasting na powerful practice of penance wey dey bring great benefits to the soul. When person deny imself some kinds of food and drink, and from time to time choose simple food instead, like bread and water, or chop less food, e dey strengthen the soul well well and prepare the person to receive many spiritual blessings. Too often, we dey live just to satisfy our body, and we dey fall for the trap of always trying to satisfy wetin our body want. But when we do so, the bad effect be say e dey tempt us to neglect the spiritual desire for holiness wey matter pass. When we deny ourself things wey dey sweet our senses from time to time, our heart dey more ready to seek the true joy wey dey last and wey dey come only from God’s grace. So, this passage above take am say we dey fast regularly and dey deny ourself other things too.

You dey fast? You dey regularly deny yourself other things wey you want? Daily prayer, reading the Scriptures, learning about the lives of the saints, and taking part regularly for the Sacraments—all these dey draw us closer to God and make us holy. But fasting and denying ourself things wey we want still matter well well, so e dey essential say make we try to accept them as part of our spiritual growth.

For this passage, Jesus specifically call us to seek the rewards wey fasting and denying ourself things dey bring inside our soul. E point out say if we use fasting as way to get praise from other people, then we go lose the spiritual benefits of our fasting. We must pray, fast, and give alms in ways wey go keep them as hidden as possible, so that wetin we do go truly come from sincere heart, and no be because we want the earthly reward of people admiring us.

Also, we fit apply the lesson wey this Gospel teach to other areas of our life. For example, if you dey suffer from sickness, body pain or discomfort, of course you suppose get the medical care wey you need. But these body problems still give us another chance to grow spiritually when we accept them quietly inside our heart. Even our pain or discomfort fit turn to grace if we choose to accept am with joy, offer am to God as sacrifice, and keep am to ourself as gift wey we give God quietly.

Today, take time think about how you dey fast, and every other chance wey you get each day to quietly make sacrifice to God from inside your heart. If you dey suffer from any daily cross wey pass your control, try turn am to spiritual offering to our Lord. And if you fit freely choose to dey fast regularly, then pray and make firm decision to continue this practice. Try do am every week, especially on Friday, to honour the sacrifice wey our Lord make on Good Friday. No look down on the value of these hidden sacrifices. Make dem regular part of your spiritual life, and God go give you plenty spiritual riches from Heaven.

My Lord wey offer Yourself as sacrifice, You deny Yourself plenty pleasures of this world, especially when You fast for forty days for desert. Help me to take this duty to fast and to discipline the desires of my body seriously. And help me to do am without making people notice. Make my life continue to follow the example of Your perfect sacrifice, so that I go fit become more like You every day. Jesus, na You I trust.

To Forgive Other People

Tosde of the Eleventh Week for Ordinary Time

“If una forgive other people their sins, una Father for heaven go forgive una. But if una no forgive other people, una Father no go forgive una sins.” Matthew 6:14–15

E really dey amazing how often our Lord dey urge us to forgive. Plenty part of wetin Jesus preach for the Mountain, wey we don dey read throughout this week, dey continually call us to show mercy and forgive other people. And for the passage above, wey come from the end of today Gospel, Jesus tell us wetin go happen if we no listen to wetin He dey urge us to do.

This passage be like something wey dem add to the “Our Papa” prayer wey come just before am. The Our Papa prayer give us seven requests, and one of dem na “forgive us our offences, as we dey forgive people wey offend us.” One thing wey worth noting be say, as soon as Jesus teach us this prayer with im seven requests, He stress one of those requests again by repeating am, as we see for the passage wey dem quote above. This extra emphasis suppose make us sure say this request na very serious matter.

At first, Jesus simply tell us to pray for forgiveness “as we dey forgive.” But after that, He make am clear say if we no do so, we ourselves no go receive forgiveness. This suppose really move us to do everything wey we fit do to forgive other people completely, from the deepest part of our heart.

Who you need to forgive? Sometimes, to forgive person fit confuse us. Forgiveness dey confuse us when wetin we dey feel no match the choice wey we make with our will. E dey happen often say, even when we choose for inside our heart to forgive another person, we still dey vex for the person. But these feelings wey no dey in proper order no suppose stop us, and we no suppose allow dem make us doubt wetin we need to do. Forgiveness na first of all something wey we choose with our will. Na choice wey we make with prayer, to tell another person say we no dey hold their sin against dem. Forgiveness no mean say we dey pretend say nobody commit sin. Instead, if nobody commit sin, forgiveness no go dey necessary. So, the very act of forgiving also mean say we acknowledge the sin wey need forgiveness.

When you choose to forgive another person, if your feelings no follow that choice immediately, continue to forgive the person for your heart. Pray for the person. Try change how you dey think about the person. No keep your mind on the pain wey the person cause you. Instead, think about the dignity wey the person get as human being, the love wey God get for the person, and the love wey you must continue to grow for the person. Forgive, forgive, and forgive again. No ever stop, and no ever tire to do this act of mercy. If you do this, you fit even discover say, with time, your feelings and strong desires go come agree with the choice wey you don make.

Today, take time think about any anger wey still dey your heart. Face those feelings by freely choosing, with your whole heart, to forgive the person wey you dey vex for. Do am now, later today, tomorrow, and continue like that. Take firm action against anger and bitterness by using your own act of forgiveness to overcome dem, and you go see say God go begin free you from the heavy load wey refusal to forgive dey put on you.

My Lord wey dey forgive, You dey offer me perfect forgiveness and dey call me to do the same for other people. I dey pray make You forgive me for my life. I dey sorry for my sin and I dey beg for Your mercy. In return for this holy gift, I dey promise You today say I go forgive everybody wey don sin against me. I especially forgive the people wey I still dey vex for. Free me from this anger, dear Lord, so that I go fit receive all the benefits of Your mercy for my life. Jesus, na You I trust.

Wetin You Get for Mind for Life

Friday for Week 11 for Ordinary Time

“Na the eye be the lamp of the body. If your eye dey good, your whole body go full with light; but if your eye dey bad, your whole body go dey inside darkness. And if the light wey dey inside you na darkness, how great that darkness go be.” Matthew 6:22–23

Every passage for Scripture fit teach us plenty lessons for spiritual life. Saint Thomas Aquinas, for the explanation wey he write about Matthew Gospel, give one meaning of the passage wey dem quote above. He talk say the “eye” for this passage mean wetin you get for mind to do, and “your whole body” mean all your actions wey follow from wetin you get for mind. So, when wetin you get for mind agree with God will, the actions wey follow go agree too. This lesson dey very practical and useful for your journey towards holiness.

With this understanding wey Saint Thomas don give us, we must examine wetin we get for mind with honesty, without leaving anything out. Wetin you get for mind for your life? E easy for us to get different things for mind wey fit look good, and even some wey dey against wetin God want, without us knowing. Sometimes, we fit get am for mind to sleep well for night. Or we fit plan to enjoy time with family and friends on one particular day. Or we fit plan to cook better food, clean house, do well for work, and other things like that. Plenty things wey we plan to do from time to time dey good, and dem be normal part of everyday life. But the most important thing to examine na the aim wey dey deepest inside us. Which aim be the main foundation wey dey direct your life?

The main aim wey you suppose work to get na to give God the greatest glory wey you fit give Am for everything wey you do. You dey give God glory when you choose Am and His holy will above every other thing for life. When this one be the deepest and most important aim for your life, every other thing go flow from am. All your other plans and actions go follow this main aim and work to fulfil am. But when other things dey take this first place deep inside you, all your other plans and actions go miss road and follow direction wey no dey right.

Today, reflect on the deepest aim wey you get for life. To do this one, you go need to reflect well inside your heart and be honest. You go need to carefully examine the many things wey dey move you to act and the decisions wey you dey make every day. Reflect on the main purpose of your life, wey must be to give God the greatest glory wey you fit give Am by choosing His perfect will and living according to am. All the things wey you dey do every day dey follow this highest goal? Commit yourself to this holy work of examining all your actions with this understanding, so that you go fulfil more completely the purpose wey God create you for.

God of all glory, na You, and only You, deserve all my praise. Na Your will, and only Your will, must become the foundation of everything wey I choose for life. Give me the spiritual understanding wey I need to look deep into everything wey dey move me to act and all the intentions wey dey deep inside my heart. Make all my intentions and all my actions get Your eternal glory as their goal. Jesus, na You I trust.

Devotion Wey No Divide

Saturday for Week 11 for Ordinary Time

Jesus tell His disciples: “Nobody fit serve two masters. E go either hate one and love the other, or hold on to one and look down on the other. Una no fit serve God and money.” Matthew 6:24

Mammon na another word for money. Jesus make am clear say you must choose to serve either God or money, but no be the two together. Heart wey divide no go do. Saint John of the Cross explain something like this for im well-known spiritual book, “Ascent to Mount Carmel.” E talk say our desires must become completely pure, reach the point wey na only God and His holy will we go desire. Every other desire for life must clear away, so that na only God we go devote ourselves to. This one mean say na God, and only God, all our love suppose face? Yes, na so. But we must understand this truth well.

When we think about how God don call us to love, na true say we must love no be only God, but plenty other things for life too. We must love our family, friends, neighbours, and even our enemies. We hope say we also love other parts of our life, like our vocation, our work, our home, something wey we like to do for free time, and so on. So how we go give God all our love and devotion when plenty other things still dey wey we must love?

Di answer no hard at all. Di love of God be such say, when we make God alone di centre of our love and devotion, di love wey we get for God go overflow through power wey pass nature. Na so di love of God be. As we dey love God, we go discover say God dey call us to love Am by loving other people and even different parts of our life. As we dey love wetin God want make we love, and as we dey show our love for everything wey dey inside God will, we still dey love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.

But make we return to the Scripture passage above. Why we no fit love God and money? For this passage, we must understand “Mammon” as love wey don turn to desire and attachment wey no good for us. We fit “love” money by allowing our desire for am to go out of order, and so leave wetin God want outside that “love.” Money no be evil when we use am only according to wetin God want. For that kind case, the money wey we use go give God great glory. But when money, or any other thing wey we desire, begin to be like something wey dey live on im own, then that desire go dey against our love for God. To love God and God alone mean say we love God and everything wey E want make we love for life.

Today, reflect on why e necessary to devote yourself to God alone. As you commit yourself to this love wey belong to God alone, think also about who and wetin God dey call you to love in Him and through Him. Where His perfect will dey lead you, and how E dey call you to show your love for God through your love for other people? Think also about any way wey you don allow attachment to money or any other thing for life, wey no good for you, to distract you from the one highest purpose of your life. Allow God to clear those desires wey no good and those false “loves” from your heart, so that you go dey free to love the way E create you to love.

My Lord and God, You deserve all my love. Na You and only You must be di centre of all my love. As I dey love You, dear Lord, help me discover everything wey Your will dey direct me to love more, and everything wey Your will dey call me to free my heart from. Make I choose only You and wetin dey inside Your holy and perfect will. Jesus, na You I trust.