Faith Like Small Pikin Own
Sunday Fourteen for Ordinary Time, Year A
“I dey praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because even though You hide these things from people wey get wisdom and plenty knowledge, You don reveal dem to small children.” Matthew 11:25
This truth wey we need to understand really deep! For many people, if dem get chance to choose whether dem go be “small pikin” or “person wey get wisdom and plenty knowledge,” e fit look like say to get wisdom and plenty knowledge better pass. But the matter be say, according to Jesus, people wey be like small children really get wisdom and knowledge far pass people wey only dey act as if dem get am.
Na people wey get heart like small pikin God dey reveal di mysteries of di Kingdom of Heaven to. Dem dey receive special grace to understand di truths about God’s inner life deeply. This dey show, to some extent, how God’s inner life dey simple. God and wetin E want no dey ever confuse person or hard to understand. Na we fit make am look like say E dey confuse person, and because of this, God’s wisdom go come seem too hard for us to understand. But for true, na only person wey get simple mind and dey live with humility fit recognise di truth and beauty of God.
One thing wey all of us fit dey do na to spend too much time and energy as we dey try to “work out wetin God want.” We fit think and think and think, talk and talk and talk, and for di end, still dey confused about this thing or that thing. If you find yourself for this kind situation, wey you dey think too much and end up confused, then na sign say you fit no dey discern wetin God want well, and you fit no dey allow yourself hear am well as E dey speak.
God dey speak to us for simple and clear way, and na only wetin we need to know He dey tell us, for the time wey we need to know am. So, e dey important make we always come to our Lord with humility and simple heart, as we dey wait make He speak the simple but deep truth wey we need to hear, for His own time. For the end, na to get patience with our Lord be the main thing.
Think deeply today whether you dey spend too much time thinking about the mysteries of life, only to end up for confusion. If na so, try to grow for humility so that you go allow the Lord reveal the simple but deep truths wey He want reveal to you. Try to be like small pikin before God, and you go get wisdom and knowledge pass anything wey you fit ever get by yourself.
Lord of all wisdom, help me get simple faith for You like small pikin, and through this simple faith, make I come know di beautiful mysteries wey You want reveal to me. Give me wisdom and knowledge, dear Lord, wey pass anything wey I fit ever get by myself. Jesus, na You I trust.
To See Christ for Other People
Di 14th Sunday for Ordinary Time, Year B
Jesus tell dem, “Na only for im own hometown, among im own relatives and for im own house prophet no dey get honour.” So He no fit do any mighty work there, except say He put His hands on a few sick people and heal dem. Their lack of faith surprise Him. Mark 6:4-6
Wetin happen when Jesus meet His own relatives for His own town bring disappointment. His wisdom and the mighty works wey He do amaze dem. But even with this amazement, dem still “take offence at Him.” Dem take offence because dem no understand how person wey dem know well, one of their own relatives, fit be somebody special. Dem allow how dem close to Jesus and how dem know Him well to block their ability to get faith for Him and rejoice because of His greatness.
We no dey face this same struggle directly. None of us come from Jesus own town or belong to His extended family through blood relationship. But we still fit fall for di trap of rejecting Jesus as E dey present for di people wey close to us pass, inside our own family and among our close friends.
This struggle wey Jesus face dey show how we fit dey look people wey close to us pass without the eyes of faith. Even though dem judge Jesus wrongly, sometimes we fit judge people wey close to us because of their sins, or even because we misunderstand the good things wey dem do. You fit see other people for the light of truth? You fit also look beyond other people’s weakness and sins, and see say God’s presence and grace dey active for their lives? You fit see the goodness wey dey inside dem and allow God speak to you through people wey close to you pass? This one fit hard pass as we think.
If e happen to Jesus, e go happen for our families too. Wetin we suppose learn from this na to recognize the temptation to see only wetin no good for the lives of people wey close to us pass. If we fit overcome that temptation, we go fit put our mind on how God dey present and dey work for their lives. Na this suppose be the first and main thing wey we dey try discover every day.
Think deeply today about how well you dey see God present for di people wey close to you pass. If you notice say you dey struggle with this, see am as temptation wey God dey call you to overcome. As you discover God’s living presence for di people around you, e go help your love for dem and your love for God grow.
My Lord wey dey hidden, help me see You for di lives of di people wey close to me pass. Help me rejoice for Your presence, and make my love for other people and my love for You grow as I dey see You work for dia lives. Jesus, na You I trust.
Strong Heart, Trust and Mind Wey Stand Firm
Di 14th Sunday for Ordinary Time, Year C
“Make una go; see, I dey send una like small sheep among wolves. Make una no carry money bag, sack or sandals; and make una no greet anybody for road.” Luke 10:3-4
One of the things wey hard pass for life na to trust God completely. But this na also one of the things wey fit bear the most fruit for our life of faith. To trust God no be something wey we fit just do automatically; e need make we continue to surrender ourselves and stand firm for our decision as our Lord dey invite us to go deeper.
This passage above begin with one powerful thing wey Jesus talk: “I dey send una like lambs among wolves.” This strong picture dey show say di mission wey our Lord go give us no be something wey we fit do by ourselves. One small lamb no go fare well if e waka enter among wolves…unless di shepherd dey right there beside am.
Jesus no only dey show say His mission go need plenty strong heart, but also say we no fit complete am without Him. So, He continue to give this practical instruction: “Make una no carry money bag, sack or sandals; and make una no greet anybody for road.” If we look this statement from the spiritual side, we fit hear two things wey Jesus dey tell us. First, “Depend on how I dey care for you and provide for you as you dey carry out your mission for life.” Second, “Keep your mind on the final goal wey you dey pursue, and no let anything pull you go here or there.” No be say to carry money along or to talk with strangers bad by themselves; instead, make we hear the deeper spiritual meaning: to trust Him and stand firm for our decision to carry out His mission.
Today, think deeply about how well you dey trust the care and provision of God as you dey try to accept His will with strong heart. Think deeply too about how fully you don commit yourself to follow am reach the end, with firm decision to finish the work wey our Lord don give you. Commit yourself again to these parts of the life of faith, and the Good Shepherd go dey with you for every step of the way.
My Good Shepherd, I don make up my mind to embrace Your most holy will with all my strength. Give me courage, trust and strong determination to follow You anywhere wey You lead me. I give myself to You, dear Lord. Jesus, na You I trust.
To Trust the Almighty
Monday for Week 14 for Ordinary Time
When Jesus reach the house of the official and see people wey dey play flute and the crowd wey dey make noise, He talk say, “Make una comot! The girl no die; na sleep she dey sleep.” And dem laugh Him with mockery. When dem don send the crowd outside, He enter, hold the girl for hand, and the small girl get up. And news of this thing spread throughout that whole land. Matthew 9:23-26
Jesus do plenty miracles. Again and again, E show say His power pass di laws of nature. For this Gospel passage, E overcome death as E bring this small girl back to life. And E do am for way wey make am look like something wey normal and easy well-well for am.
We fit understand plenty things when we think deeply about the way Jesus dey do His miracles. Plenty people wonder and shock because of His power to do miracles. But Jesus dey do am like say na normal part of His day. He no dey make big matter out of am, and in fact, He dey often tell people make dem no spread news of His miracles.
One clear thing wey this show us na say Jesus get complete power over the physical world and all the laws of nature. This story remind us say na Him be the Creator of the Universe and the source of everything wey dey exist. If He fit create everything just by willing am, He fit easily use His will create things anew and change the laws of nature.
If we understand di full truth about His complete authority over nature, e suppose also give us confidence for His complete authority over di spiritual world and everything wey make up our lives. E fit do all things, and E fit do all things easily.
If we come get deep faith for His almighty power, and we also come understand clearly how His love for us dey perfect and how E know us completely, we go fit trust am reach level wey we never know say e possible. Why we no go trust am completely, when E fit do all things and E love us perfectly? Why we no go trust am, when E know everything about us and na only our good E want? We suppose trust am! E deserve that trust, and our trust go open way for His almighty power to work for our lives.
Today, think deeply about two things. First, you understand how great His power be? Second, you know say na His love dey move Am to use that power for your good? To know and believe these truths go change your life and allow Am to work miracles of grace.
Lord of all power and love, I truly believe say You get absolute authority over all things and complete authority over my life. Help me trust You and trust di love wey You get for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Wetin No Follow Sense vs. Wetin Normal
Tuesday for Week 14 for Ordinary Time
Dem bring one man wey evil spirit dey possess and wey no fit talk come meet Jesus. When Jesus drive the evil spirit comot, the man wey no fit talk begin talk. This one surprise the crowd well-well, and dem talk say, “Dem never see anything like this for Israel.” But the Pharisees talk say, “Na by the power of the prince of evil spirits He dey drive evil spirits comot.” Matthew 9:32-34
The way the crowd react and the way the Pharisees react really different well-well. In fact, na difference wey dey cause plenty sadness.
The crowd, wey be ordinary everyday people, react with great surprise. Their reaction show simple and pure faith wey accept wetin e see. To get this kind faith na real blessing.
Di way di Pharisees react show judgement against Jesus, thinking wey no follow sense, jealousy and harshness. Di main thing be say e no follow sense. Wetin fit make di Pharisees conclude say Jesus “dey drive demons out by di prince of demons?” Surely, Jesus no do anything wey fit make dem reach this conclusion. So, di only conclusion wey follow sense be say di Pharisees full of one kind jealousy and envy. And na these sins lead dem to this foolish conclusion wey no follow sense.
The lesson wey we suppose learn from this na say we must relate with other people with humility and honesty, no be with jealousy. If we look people wey dey around us with humility and love, we go naturally reach true and honest conclusions about dem. Humility and sincere love go help us see the goodness for other people and rejoice because of that goodness. True, we go still notice sin, but humility go help us avoid judging other people in haste and without reason because of jealousy and envy.
Today, think deeply about how you normally dey think and talk about other people. You dey behave more like the crowd wey see the good things Jesus do, believe, and marvel at them? Or you dey behave more like the Pharisees wey dey tend to make things up and exaggerate when dem dey reach their conclusions? Make up your mind to follow the normal way the crowd react, so that you too go fit find joy and wonder for Christ.
My Lord wey dey amaze me, I want make my faith simple, humble and pure. Help me make I still see You for other people with humble heart. Help me make I see You and wonder at Your presence for di lives of people wey I dey meet every day. Jesus, na You I trust.
Miracle Dem and Faith
Wednesday for Week Fourteen for Ordinary Time
Jesus call His Twelve disciples come and give dem authority over unclean spirits, to drive them comot and to cure every disease and every sickness. Matthew 10:1
Jesus give His Apostles holy authority. Dem fit drive out demons and heal sick people. Through their preaching, dem still bring plenty people make dem turn to Christ.
E good to look closely at this extraordinary spiritual gift wey the Apostles get to work miracles. E good to consider am because we no dey see this kind thing happen often today. But for the early days of the Church, e be like say miracles dey happen often. One reason for this na say, for the beginning, Jesus show something strong and clear to set the work in motion. The miracles wey He do and the ones wey His Apostles do na powerful signs of God’s power and presence. These miracles help make the preaching of the Apostles easier to believe and bring plenty people to accept Christ. E be like say, as the Church dey grow, miracles for such large numbers no too necessary again to confirm say the Word of God na true. As time pass, the way believers dey live and bear witness come dey enough to spread the Gospel without help from plenty miracles. To die for the faith and to do things wey show great faith come become the true signs of God’s presence.
E good make we understand this, because we dey see something like am for our own life of faith and conversion. Plenty times, when we just start our journey of faith, we dey experience God presence in powerful ways. We fit get deep spiritual feelings wey dey console us, and we fit clearly feel say God dey with us. But as time dey pass, these feelings fit begin disappear, and we fit dey wonder where dem go, or whether we don do something wrong. One important spiritual lesson dey here.
As our faith dey deepen, the spiritual consolation wey we fit receive for the beginning fit often fade, because God want make we love and serve Am with faith and love wey don become purer. We suppose believe in Am and follow Am, no be because E dey make us feel good, but because e good and right to love and serve Am. This lesson fit hard to learn, but na one wey we really need.
Today, think deep about how your faith deep reach and how e dey sustain you. You know and love God even when things hard and when e be like say He dey far away? Na for those times, pass any other time, your personal faith and your turning to God fit grow strong pass.
My Lord wey dey work miracles, help my faith for You and my love for You make dem deep, steady and strong. Help me make I rely on dat faith pass any “miracles” wey I fit see for outside or any feeling. Help me make I love You first and above everything because of pure love for You. Jesus, na You I trust.
Wetin the Gospel Dey Cost
Thursday for Week Fourteen for Ordinary Time
Una receive am without payment; make una give am without payment. Matthew 10:8b
Wetin the Gospel dey cost? We fit put price on am? E dey interesting say we suppose put two prices on am. The first price na how much e suppose cost us to receive am. The second price na how much we go “charge,” if we fit talk am like that, to give the Gospel.
So how much the Gospel suppose cost us? The answer be say e get value wey no get end. If na money matter, we no go ever fit afford am. The Gospel value pass wetin any price fit measure.
As for how much we suppose “charge” to give other people the Gospel, the answer be say na free. We no get right to charge or expect anything before we give out something wey no be our own. The Gospel message wey dey bring salvation belong to Christ, and E dey give am freely.
Make we start with di second half of di Scripture wey dey above. “Make una give without collecting payment.” Dis tell us say we suppose share di Gospel with other people free of charge. But dis act of sharing di Gospel freely carry one kind requirement wey no dey show for outside. To share di Gospel mean say we must give ourselves. And dat mean say we must give ourselves freely. Wetin be di reason why we suppose give our whole selves freely? Di reason na say we don receive everything “without paying.”
The simple truth be say the Gospel na complete gift wey God give us freely, and e require say make we give our whole selves freely to other people. The Gospel na person, Jesus Christ. And when E come live inside us freely, we too must become complete gift wey we give freely to other people.
Today, reflect on how fully you dey open to receive the Gospel, and how fully you dey willing to give. Make the way you understand and receive this glorious gift from God change you into gift for other people.
My Lord wey no price fit measure Your value, make my heart open to You completely so dat I fit receive You as di Living Gospel. As I receive You, make I too give You to other people through my very self. Jesus, na You I trust.
Prepare for Persecution
Friday for Week Fourteen for Ordinary Time
Jesus tell His Apostles: “See, I dey send una like sheep among wolves; so make una get sense like snakes and make una innocent like doves. But make una beware of people, because dem go hand una over to courts and flog una for their synagogues, and dem go carry una go stand before governors and kings because of Me, to bear witness before dem and the pagans.” Matthew 10:16-18
Imagine say you be follower of Jesus for di time wey He dey preach. Imagine say people dey very excited about Him and dem get strong hope say He go be di new King and say na Him be di Messiah. People go get plenty hope and excitement about wetin dey come.
But then, without any warning, Jesus give this sermon. E talk say dem go persecute and flog His followers, and say this persecution go continue again and again. This one must don make His followers pause, begin ask Jesus serious questions, and wonder whether to follow Am worth am.
Persecution of Christians don dey happen well-well throughout the ages. E don happen for every age and every culture. E still dey happen today. So wetin we go do about am? How we go respond?
Plenty Christians fit fall for the trap of thinking say Christianity na only to “dey get along with everybody.” E easy to believe say if we get love and kindness, everybody go love us too. But no be wetin Jesus talk be that.
Jesus make am clear say persecution go be part of di Church life and say we no suppose surprise when e happen to us. We no suppose surprise when people for our culture trample on us and treat us with wickedness. When dis happen, e easy make we lose faith and lose heart. We fit begin lose courage and feel like say make we turn our faith to something wey we dey live only for secret. E hard to live our faith openly when we know say our culture and di world no like am and dem no go accept am.
The examples dey all around us. Na just to read news wey no be religious news, and we go see how hatred for the Christian faith dey grow. Because of this, we need to take Jesus words today serious pass ever before. We need to keep His warning for mind and get hope for His promise say He go dey with us and give us wetin to talk when we need am. Pass every other thing, this passage dey call us to get hope and confidence for our God wey love us.
Today, think deeply about how ready you dey and how willing you dey to face the hatred of the world. Make you no answer hatred with hatred. Instead, you must try hard to get courage and strength to endure every kind of persecution with the help, strength and wisdom of Christ.
Lord wey get perfect strength, give me strength, courage and wisdom as I dey live my faith for world wey dey against You. When people treat me harshly and misunderstand me, make I respond with love and mercy. Jesus, na You I trust.
Our Life Wey Dey Hidden
Saturday for Week Fourteen for Ordinary Time
“Nothing dey hidden wey dem no go reveal, and no secret dey wey people no go know.” Matthew 10:26b
This thought fit comfort person well-well, or make person fear well-well, depending on wetin you don “hide” or wetin you keep as “secret” inside your heart. Wetin dey deep inside your conscience? Wetin dey hidden wey na only God dey see for now? For this matter, people fit fall for either of two opposite ends, and plenty positions dey between the two ends.
The first end na person wey dey pretend to be one kind of person for public, but dey live life wey different well-well for secret. Na people wey fall into the sin of hypocrisy, or people wey we fit call “two-faced.” This na condition wey suppose make person fear. E dey cause fear because people wey dey live this kind life no ever truly get peace. Na wetin other people think and how people see them for public dey occupy all their mind. Inside, plenty sorrow, worry and fear fill them. This kind person dey struggle well-well with every kind of true humility, honesty and uprightness.
But even as we don talk dat one, another kind person still dey wey dey live hidden life. Na di hidden life of di saint be dis! Take di Blessed Virgin Mary as example. Early for her life, people see her as person wey commit fornication, and dis “picture wey people get about her” no ever change for dis world. How else she for take get belle with Jesus? Na so plenty people think. But di truth be say her soul na di creation wey fine pass, pure pass and holy pass everything wey God ever make. And now, di beauty of her inner life don show clear before di angels and saints, and e go show clear for all eternity!
The promise for the Scripture above be say everything inside our heart and conscience go show clear for all eternity. So, people wey dey live truly holy, humble and sincere life of virtue now, na so people go see them for eternity. People wey dey live hidden life of darkness go get their life exposed for eternity, for one way wey agree with God mercy and justice.
Again, dis fit comfort us or frighten us, depending on how our hearts be. But wetin we suppose learn from dis pass everything else na how e dey important to strive for heart wey truly holy and pure here and now. E no matter if nobody see your holiness; na only God need to see am. Di aim na to allow God form beautiful inner life for you and to allow Him make your soul beautiful for His eyes.
Today, think deep about how well you dey do dis. How well you dey allow God every day to treat your heart and conscience as wetin belong to Him, make dem become place of true beauty wey dey give His heart and your own plenty joy?
Lord of true beauty, abeg come make my heart di place wey You dey dwell. Make my soul please You for every way. Make Your glory show clear there, and make You allow dis glory show clear for all eternity. Jesus, na You I trust.
Week Fifteen for Ordinary Time
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