To Be di Salt of di Earth
Sonde Nomba Faiv for Ordinary Time, Yia A
Jesus tell Im disciples: “Una be salt for the earth. But if salt lose im taste, wetin dem fit use give am taste again? E no good for anything again, except make dem throw am outside and march am with leg.” Matthew 5:13
No become “salt” wey don lose im taste! The end of this kind salt na say dem go throw am outside and march am with leg. So, how we dey take lose our taste?
First of all, make we start with wetin salt dey do. Na wonderful seasoning wey dey give food taste. Salt on im own no too sweet for mouth. But when dem put am for different kinds of food, e dey enter the food and make the taste better well-well.
God call us make we be “salt for the earth.” And just like salt, God no make us just to be the main person wey everybody go dey look and praise. God no make us for only ourselves. Instead, na our duty as Christians to enter our world and make am better, as we dey help change am to world wey grace and mercy full, wey get the “taste” of God Kingdom. One main way we dey do this na to build our relationship with other people. We dey do am as we dey try to touch one person life at a time, so that we go make their life better and help them come closer to Christ. The love of God wey we dey bring enter our world, and enter the lives of people wey we meet, be like salt wey enter food and make am better.
Now, make we return to our first question. How we dey take lose our taste? For another way, how we dey fail to be “salt for the earth?” We dey do this when we enter our world, meet different people, but fail to truly make their lives better. When our presence for other people lives do only small good, or no do any good at all, then our actions be like salt wey no get taste, wey no good for anything except make dem throw am away and “march am with leg.” This dey show us say we get duty to make good difference for other people lives. We get duty to help the goodness and faith of people wey we dey meet often to grow. If we fail to make difference for other people lives, we no dey fulfil the purpose of those relationships, and we dey fail to be salt for the earth.
Today, think deeply about this duty wey Christ don give you. Think deeply about how E don call you and give you responsibility to make difference for other people lives. When other people grow for faith and love because you dey part of their lives, you dey fulfil this command of Christ wey be foundation for Christian life. Commit yourself to be salt for the earth, so that this our world go be better place, wey the taste of God Kingdom go full.
Lord of all goodness, I offer myself to You to serve You and to give You glory. I pray make You use me change our world to holy place and place where Your goodness dey dwell. I thank You for di honour to be person wey You dey use, and I pray make You use me for any way wey You want. Jesus, na You I trust.
When Life Be “Work Wey Dey Wear Person Out”
Sonde Nomba Faiv for Ordinary Time, Yia B
Job talk say: Human being life for this earth, no be work wey dey wear person out?
My days dey move fast pass di shuttle wey person wey dey weave cloth dey use; dem dey end without hope. Remember say my life be like breeze; I no go see happiness again. Job 7:1, 6-7
Di funny thing be say, as soon as dem finish dat reading for Mass, di whole congregation go answer, “Thanks be to God!” Na so? Dis reading na something wey we suppose thank God for? We really want thank God for words wey show dis kind pain? Yes, we surely want thank Am.
Job dey clearly express feelings wey all of us dey face sometimes. E talk about night wey sleep no gree come. The feeling say hope don lost. Months of suffering. And other things like that. We hope say these feelings no dey come every day. But dem be real, and everybody dey experience them sometimes.
Di key to understand dis passage na to look Job him whole life. Even though e feel dis way, e no allow di feeling control di decisions wey e make. E no surrender to hopelessness wey no get end, e no give up, e continue to stand firm. And e bring good result! E remain faithful to God through di tragedy of losing everything wey precious to am, and e never lose faith and hope in him God. For him darkest hour, even him friends come tell am say na God dey punish am and say everything don finish for am. But e no gree listen to dem.
Remember im powerful words: “Na the Lord dey give, and na the Lord dey take back; make dem bless the name of the Lord!” Job praise God for the good things wey e receive for life, but when dem take those things from am, e continue to bless and praise God. Na this be the main lesson and inspiration wey Job life give us. E no allow the way e feel for the reading above to control am. Even though temptation come make e lose hope, e no allow am stop am from praising and worshipping God. E praise God for ALL things!
The tragedy wey happen to Job get reason. E happen to teach us this important lesson about how to handle the heavy burdens wey life fit bring come meet us. One interesting thing be say, Job na real inspiration for people wey dey carry heavy burdens. Why? Because dem fit understand wetin e pass through. Dem fit understand im pain and learn from how e hold on to hope without giving up.
Today, reflect on Job. Make im life inspire you. If one particular burden for life dey weigh you down, still try to praise and worship God. Give God the glory wey His name deserve, simply because His name deserve am, no be because you feel like doing am or you no feel like doing am. As you do this, you go discover say your heavy burden dey make you stronger. You go grow more faithful as you remain faithful when e hard well-well to do so. Job do am, and you too fit do am!
Lord wey deserve all honour pass, when life hard and the burden heavy, help me make my faith in You and my love for You grow deeper. Help me to love and worship You because na good and right thing to do for every situation. I love You, my Lord, and I choose to praise You always! Jesus, na You I trust.
The Deep Waters of Faith
Fifth Sunday for Ordinary Time, Year C
“Move the boat go where the water deep, and lower una nets to catch fish.” Luke 5:4
One interesting thing to notice be say Jesus no just tell Peter and the Apostles to move the boat enter the water; instead, E tell dem to move go where the “water deep.” This one get important meaning.
For the end of the great Jubilee Year of 2000, Saint Pope John Paul II write one apostolic letter, Novo Millennio Ineunte, and e start the letter with this passage from the Gospel. This passage set the direction for the rest of im letter, where e call for fresh work of spreading the Gospel for the millennium wey dey come.
“Move go where the water deep!” Wetin we suppose learn from this? Wetin we suppose hear Jesus dey tell us? We suppose hear am dey call us to “lower our nets” with full commitment and without getting tired, so that we fit draw plenty other people to the Gospel. When Peter and the Apostles do this for the boat, dem catch so many fish that their nets begin tear, and dem wonder well-well. This action na prophetic sign wey God give us to show say we must spread the Gospel with all our eagerness and zeal, as we dey search far and wide for God sheep wey don lost.
The world wey we dey live inside fit be cruel sometimes. Plenty people don lose their way and dey confused. Sin dey everywhere, and plenty people don lose hope. Our world need a Saviour badly, and na we Jesus want use to gather plenty fish and find the people wey need help pass. Jesus want make the Apostles catch the fish wey dey deep water to show say souls wey far from God for our world too plenty to count. Plenty people dey “swim” inside ocean of confusion and pain. Na these people in particular Jesus want draw come to Himself. Na our responsibility to obey our Lord command and go find dem.
Today, reflect on these words of Jesus: “Move go where the water deep.” For which way Jesus dey ask you to do this? How E dey call you to leave where you dey comfortable and “lower your nets?” Wetin E want from you, and how E want use you to carry the mission of spreading the Gospel go forward? Obey Im command, and you too go wonder at the good fruit wey go come from am!
Lord wey Your mercy no get end, I desire to give myself to You to serve You and give You glory. I desire to go out, as You command, to look for the souls wey need Your abundant mercy pass. Give me the grace wey I need to remain faithful to the calling wey You don give me, so that Your loving mercy go reach the people wey need am pass. Jesus, na You I trust.
“To Rush Waka” for Jesus
Monday of the Fifth Week for Ordinary Time
As dem dey comot from the boat, the people recognise am at once. Dem rush go round the surrounding area and begin carry sick people for mats go any place wey dem hear say e dey. Mark 6:54-55
Jesus make the people “dey rush with short-short steps.” Na interesting expression to use, and the way the people respond interesting too. Wetin “rush with short-short steps” mean, and wetin e tell us about the people?
To “rush with short-short steps” mean say person dey move fast with clear purpose, as e dey take short steps one after another. Na expression wey describe one particular action well. The people no just dey move fast towards Jesus; dem dey rush with short-short steps.
When you think about this picture of people wey dey rush about, e seem to show how seriously dem dey look for Jesus. The way the passage describe how dem dey take short, quick steps rush go meet Him show say dem really want reach Him, but e still be like say another thing dey their mind. Wetin dey their mind? Healing. Dem know say Jesus go be source of true healing for people wey dey sick, so the people put all their effort to carry dem go meet Jesus anywhere wey He dey.
For one sense, na like this we too suppose approach Jesus for our life of faith. We must recognise Him as the source of all healing, especially spiritual healing, and we must keep our mind on Him as the Dokita wey be God. Our longing for Him and the seriousness wey we take dey look for Him must hold all our attention.
Today, reflect on this interesting picture wey these Holy Scriptures give us. Try put yourself inside this Gospel scene, as you dey think whether you need to get clearer purpose and stronger desire to dey with Jesus. Na Him be the source of all grace and mercy, and na Him be the Doctor wey be God, wey dey wait make you bring every need wey you get come meet Him. Rush go meet Him with short-short steps, and allow Him pour out His grace.
My Lord wey dey heal, make my longing for You and my desire to dey with You grow stronger. Help me to know say na You be the Dokita wey be God, wey my soul dey long for. Help me to trust You always, and to dey come to You so that You go meet all my needs and fulfil all my longings. Jesus, na You I trust.
The Danger Wey Dey for Pretence
Tuesday for the Fifth Week for Ordinary Time
“Isaiah prophesy well about una wey dey pretend, as dem write am:
These people dey honour Me with their lips, but their heart dey far from Me; Na for nothing dem dey worship Me, as dem dey teach human instructions as doctrines.” Mark 7:6-8
Once again, Jesus talk the hard truth wey the Pharisees need to hear. He tell dem straight say dem dey pretend, and say na dem Isaiah dey talk about for the passage wey He quote. Surely, tension dey for that scene.
Make we leave the drama of the encounter aside and look more clearly at the actual words wey dem quote from Isaiah. E talk four things:
- These people dey honour me with their lips.
2. Their hearts far from me.
3. Their worship na in vain.
4. Dem present their own human laws as if na God laws.
How the complete change from these errors of pretence suppose look? If the Pharisees change completely, wetin Jesus fit talk about dem? Maybe He go talk like this:
1. Your worship of me dey holy because you truly accept my divine will and dey live by am.
So, the honour wey you dey give me with your lips dey flow from your pure heart wey full of faith and love.
So, wetin be the main message we suppose take from this for our own lives? Na two simple truths we suppose take from am. First, wetin God want must take hold of our lives and become the base and foundation of everything. Wetin He want, His law and His commands na the rock wey be our foundation. God don establish His truth as the foundation of human life, and we must try hard to accept His law with humble heart.
His law include all the teachings of our faith wey He don reveal for everybody, wey dey inside Scripture and for the Church, and e include everything wey we hear God dey tell us for our own life. Because the Pharisees no get humble heart, dem no fit see these truths. Instead, na only their own ideas and beliefs dem hold tight. Na love make God correct dem with strong words because of this.
Secondly, we suppose understand say when we accept God law and the particular things wey He want for our life, our heart go pure, and we go dey free to show our love for Him for outside too. We go worship Him from our heart, and this worship go show for our words and actions. But this one no go ever happen if we no start with His divine law.
Today, reflect on whether you ready to accept all the truths wey God don reveal with humble heart, and whether you ready to make dem the foundation of your life. If you do this, every other thing go flow from there with love and worship.
Lord of all Truth, help me to love Your holy and divine law. Help me to accept am with all my heart. I truly believe in You and in everything wey You don talk through all the ages. I believe wetin You dey tell my heart about my own life. Give me the grace to accept Your holy will, so that as I accept am, You go change me both inside and outside. Jesus, na You I trust.
Why We Dey Do Wetin We Dey Do?
Wednesday for the Fifth Week for Ordinary Time
“Nothing wey enter person from outside fit make that person unclean; but na the things wey come from inside person dey make am unclean.” Mark 7:15
If we look am from the other side, na wetin come from inside person dey make the person holy!
Many times, we dey care more about wetin dey outside than wetin dey inside. We dey worry too much about how other people see us, how we look, or the kind name we get for the eyes of the world. This Gospel dey address especially the accusation wey the Pharisees make say to chop certain foods dey make person unclean. Jesus no accept that idea. He dey direct our attention to our hearts. Wetin dey inside our hearts? And wetin dey come out from the heart? Na this dey make us who we be.
Even though this teaching dey address the worry say certain foods go make person unclean, e still dey address plenty other things. E dey address the way people fit keep God’s law only for outside. So, e dey address the way the Pharisees dey worry too much about how other people see them. The way dem dey keep the law for outside dey show say e be like wetin other people think and talk about them dey concern them too much. Dem want make dem look holy. Dem want make e look like dem no fit do even the smallest thing wey no proper. But all na just how dem appear; no be how dem really be.
Na why Jesus dey direct our attention to wetin dey inside. God dey see wetin dey our hearts. Even if no other person see am, make we never forget say God dey see everything. Na only that one matter. Wetin dey our hearts fit either harm us well-well or do us plenty good. Some people dey wey, for the eyes of the public, dem don miss road far. But for God’s eyes, dem dey exactly where dem suppose dey. On the other hand, some people dey wey the public dey see as shining stars, but for God’s eyes, dem don miss road far. Na only one thing matter: Wetin God think?
Today, think deeply about wetin dey inside your heart. As you dey examine yourself like this, make e also push you to look at the reasons behind wetin you dey do. Why you dey do wetin you dey do, and why you dey make the decisions wey you dey make? Na honest and sincere heart dey produce those choices? Or na how people go see you dey guide those choices pass? We hope say the reasons behind wetin you dey do pure. And we hope say those pure reasons dey come from heart wey join deeply with the heart of Christ.
Lord of all purity, abeg, make the reasons behind my actions pure. Help me make everything wey I do come only from pure heart. Help me to always understand say holiness dey only for serving You, no be for serving the image wey I want people to get of me. I love You, my Lord. Jesus, na You I trust!
Faith Wey Show Clearly
Thursday for the Fifth Week for Ordinary Time
Before long, one woman wey her daughter get unclean spirit hear about am. She come fall for his feet. The woman na Greek, and na Syrophoenician by birth. She beg am make he drive the demon comot from her daughter. He tell her, “Make the children chop first. Because e no right to take the children’s food throw give dogs.” Mark 7:25-27
Why Jesus talk to this woman like that? She come meet Him, maybe with fear and trembling, fall for His feet, and beg Him to help her daughter. At first, person fit expect Jesus to reach out with gentleness and compassion, ask her about her daughter, and tell her, “Oh, I go surely help your daughter. Carry me go meet her.” But no be wetin He talk be that. He tell her say “e no right to take the children food throw give dogs.” Ah, that one pain! For real? Na so He really talk? Why He go talk that kind thing?
First of all, we need to know say anything wey Jesus talk na action of love. Na action wey show the greatest kindness and mercy. We know this because na who Jesus be. He Himself na love and mercy. So how we go fit understand these things wey look like say dem dey contradict each other?
Di key to understand wetin happen for this encounter na to look at how e end. We must look at how this woman answer Jesus and how their talk end. When we do this, we go see say di woman answer with humility and faith wey deep well-well. Wetin Jesus talk na true. For one way, we fit understand wetin He talk to mean say nobody get right to His grace and mercy. Nobody, including this woman and her daughter, “deserve” make God work for their lives. Jesus know this, and through wetin He talk, He give this woman wonderful chance to show her deep faith for everybody to see. His words give her chance to shine like light wey dey show faith, hope and trust. Na this Jesus want achieve, and e work. E work because, when she come meet Him, He know at once say she truly get deep faith. He know say she go answer with humility and trust. Di woman do so, and na so we take see her faith and humility show for open.
Today, reflect on the beautiful faith of this humble woman. Try put yourself for her place and hear Jesus dey tell you these same words. How you go answer? You go answer with anger or vex? Your pride go wound? Or you go answer with even deeper humility, as you accept say everything wey God dey give na gift wey we no get right to demand? To answer like this most likely na the act of faith wey God dey wait for from each of us, and na the key for Him to pour out His mercy wey we need so much.
Lord of true humility, abeg, make me humble. Remove my pride. Help me to fall for Your feet. Help me to trust You so deeply that my love for You go move You so much that You must open Your storehouse of grace and pour am down on me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Di Authority of God
Friday of di Fifth Week for Ordinary Time
“Ephphatha!” (wey mean, “Open!”) And immediately, the man ears open. Mark 7:34-35
How often you dey hear Jesus tell you this? “Ephphatha! Open!” Or how often you dey hear Him talk to you with this kind authority?
Na only because this man no fit hear with him ears, and Jesus want heal him body, make Jesus talk this? Or e get deeper meaning? As Jesus heal this man wey no fit hear sound with him ears, He dey reveal something to us about wetin He want do for us. Through this healing, Jesus dey give us clear message wey get deeper meaning. True-true, plenty messages dey wey we fit learn from this passage. Make we look at one.
Di message dey inside Jesus command: “Open!” These na powerful words wey command make something happen. Dem no be words wey person fit choose whether to obey or not. Dem clear and final. “Open” no be question, e no be invitation, na command. This one get deep meaning!
These two small words show say Jesus don make up His mind to act. Dem show say He no dey hesitate at all about this choice. He don make up His mind and talk wetin He want. And na this action wey He take dey make di difference. These two small words show say God no dey get two minds when He speaks. He no dey shy or doubt. Wetin He talk dey firm and clear.
This understanding suppose give us great comfort. Comfort because Jesus ready and willing to use His almighty authority. He truly get all power, and He no dey fear to use this authority when He wants. Di most important thing be say He wants use His authority when e go bring di greatest good for our lives.
This suppose comfort us well, because we fit trust say this God wey get all power truly get all power and truly dey in control. If He even dey control the physical world (like the way our ears dey hear), then He surely dey control the spiritual world too. He fit do all good things.
When we realize say we dey the presence of the One wey no only get all power, but wey also get complete love and mercy, we suppose fit breathe out with great relief and put all our trust for Him. He get the power, and He fully want to dey in control.
Today, reflect on these two small words. Allow this holy and divine authority of Jesus to take control of your life. Allow Him command you. His commands na perfect love and mercy. Na words wey go direct you to di highest good for your life. And this almighty God deserve all your trust.
Lord wey get all power, I truly trust You, and I know say You fit do all things. I know say You want make Your authority complete for my life. Help me to hand over my life fully to You and to trust You enough to direct and command everything wey I do for my life. Jesus, na You I trust!
Drawn to Jesus, Drawn to Show Mercy to Others
Satide for Wik Nomba Faiv for Ordinary Time
“Pity for dis crowd don touch My heart, because dem don dey with Me for three days now, and dem no get anything to chop. If I send dem go their house with hunger, dem go collapse for road, and some of dem come from far place.” Mark 8:2-3
Dis passage show us some important things wey we fit reflect on. Make we look three of dem small.
First, e important to notice say Jesus draw di people so much reach say dem ready to spend three days with Am, dey listen to Am for one lonely place, even though dem no get food. Dem choose Jesus and His teaching pass food and di comfort of their own house. Dis show say di interest wey di people get for Jesus and His teaching no shake at all. E show how dem want dey close to Am. E be like say no other thing matter. Na just to dey with Jesus dem want.
Secondly, this passage show how Jesus deeply care for the people. Pity for them move His heart. He dey grateful say dem dey there, but He care about their body well-being even pass how dem care about am.
Third, e still show one thing wey no easy to notice but wey get deep meaning. As Jesus point out di problem say di people don stay without food for so long, E invite di Apostles to see di problem. Notice say E no solve di problem at once. E no tell dem wetin to do immediately. Instead, E just explain di problem. Why E do like dat?
Maybe one reason na say Jesus dey try make love and care for di people grow for di Apostles their heart. Maybe na one moment wey E dey test dem and train dem to think about wetin di people need. As E first just ask di question, E put di people before di Apostles so dat dem too fit grow for di compassion wey dem feel for dem from their heart. Maybe Jesus want make pity for di crowd touch their heart, just as e touch His own.
Today, reflect on three things. First, Jesus dey draw you so strongly reach say na Him be di main focus of your life? Di longing wey you get for Am dey fill your heart and take over your soul? Second, you know how deeply Jesus care for you? You know say pity for you dey touch His heart every day? Third, you fit allow di love and compassion wey Jesus dey give you to reach other people through you too? You fit see di “difficult situation” wey other people dey face because of wetin dem need? And as you see wetin dem need, you dey try to stand by dem and help dem? Give yourself fully to follow these three teachings. If you do so, you too go worthy for dem to call you one of His disciples.
Lord wey dey take over my whole being, help me to draw close to You with all my heart and with deep longing. Help me to see You as the source of everything wey I dey long for and need for life. Make I choose You above everything else, as I trust and know say You go satisfy every desire wey I get. As I turn to You with all my heart, fill my heart with plenty mercy for everybody. Jesus, na You I trust.
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