Week Twenty-Five for Ordinary Time

E Never Too Late

Sunday Twenty-Five for Ordinary Time (Year A)

“As e go out around five o’clock, e see other people wey stand dey wait, and e ask dem, ‘Why una stand here all day without work?’ Dem answer, ‘Na because nobody hire us.’ E tell dem, ‘Make una too go work for my vineyard.’” Matthew 20:6-7

Dis passage show di fifth time for one day wey di owner of di vineyard go out go hire more workers. Each time, e see people wey no get work, hire dem for there, and send dem go di vineyard. We know how di story end. Dem pay di people wey dem hire late for di day, for five o’clock, di same wage as di people wey work all day.

One lesson wey we fit learn from dis parable na say God get open hand pass wetin we fit imagine, and e never too late to turn to Am when we dey in need. Plenty times, for our life of faith, we dey sit down “all day without work.” For other words, we fit just dey do things wey make us look like people wey dey live by faith, but we no really dey do di daily work of making our relationship with our Lord stronger. E much easier to live life of faith wey no get action than to live one wey get action and dey change us.

For this passage, make we hear Jesus invitation to start work, as we fit talk am. One challenge wey plenty people dey face na say dem don spend years living with faith wey no dey show for action, and dem no know how to change am. If na so e be for you, this passage na for you. E show say God dey merciful reach the end. E no dey ever hold back from giving us His riches, no matter how long we don stay away from Am and no matter how far we don fall.

Today, think well about how much you don commit yourself to living your faith. Be honest, and think whether you dey idle pass as you dey work hard. If you dey work hard, give thanks and continue to commit yourself without holding back. If you dey idle, na today our Lord dey invite you to change. Make dat change, start work, and know say our Lord get plenty to give with open hand.

Lord, help me to put more heart into living my life of faith. Let me hear Your gentle invitation to enter Your Vineyard of grace. I thank You because You dey give with open hand, and I seek to receive this gift of Your mercy wey You dey give freely. Jesus, na You I trust.

To Love People Wey Dey in Need

Sunday Twenty-Five for Ordinary Time (Year B)

E take one pikin, put am for their middle, and wrap im arms around am. E tell dem, “Anybody wey receive one pikin like dis for My name, receive Me; and anybody wey receive Me, no be Me e receive, but di One wey send Me.” Mark 9:36-37

Wetin dey about the example of small pikin wey help Jesus show one important point? To understand the answer to this question, we must see the difference between person wey be like small pikin and person wey dey see greatness the way the world dey see am.

Small pikin na person wey dey poor, wey depend on others, wey humble and wey dey in need. Small pikin no fit provide wetin e need by imself. Instead, small pikin need care from im papa and mama. Na so e be with us for our relationship with God.

No be because we no depend on anybody, we get power, people respect us well, we succeed, or other things like that, dey make us great. Na so the world dey understand greatness. For this passage, the Apostles dey argue about who great pass. As Jesus point to one pikin, E show dem say greatness no be about wetin you achieve or things like that; instead, we dey find greatness when we come to depend on Christ. We also dey find am when we seek out people wey dey in need (just as pikin need care) and give dem the love and care wey dem need. Na call to get compassion and concern for the poor and people wey dey in need among us.

Today, think well about whether you ready and willing to reach out to people wey dey in need among una. Who dem be? Wetin dem need? You dey seek dem out and give dem love and support? Na to do this go make you truly great for God eye.

Lord, make I seek You among the poor, people wey their heart don break, sinners and everybody wey dey in need. Abeg, fill my heart with compassion and concern for other people. Jesus, na You I trust.

God Abi Money?

Sunday Twenty-Five for Ordinary Time (Year C)

“No servant fit serve two masters. E go either hate one and love di other, or give imself fully to one and look down on di other. Una no fit serve both God and mammon.” Luke 16:13

Plenty people dey dream to become rich. When person get plenty money, e dey give am some security and freedom to do plenty things wey most people no fit do. Money, on im own, no be good or bad. If person rich, no problem. If person poor, no problem. For God’s eye, how much money you get no too matter.

Even so, di danger wey dey with money na when you allow am become your “master.” Wetin fit surprise us be say even people wey poor fit allow money become their master when dem let di desire to get more control their life. Di main thing na wetin your heart dey desire, and how you fit use money without letting your heart cling to am.

Wetin your heart cling to? Your heart cling to di money wey you get? Abi your heart cling to di desire for di money wey you wish say you get? Di aim na to see money as e really be. When we look di whole matter, money get very small value. Na something wey you fit use take provide your daily needs, but e no fit ever become di source of your joy and wetin go make your life complete. Na only God suppose be di Master of our hearts, and na only Him fit fill you with true riches.

Today, take time tink about any struggle wey you get because your heart hold money too tight, or because you no get money. God promise to provide for you when you dey in need, so e dey important well well make you trust Am. And if the money wey you get pass wetin you need, give thanks and learn to give with open hand, as you dey try to free your heart from money, wey no be true source of happiness. Let only the rich grace of God fill your heart as the source of wetin go truly satisfy am, and you go rich for the truest sense.

Lord of all, help me to keep You as the one and only Master of my life. Give me the grace wey I need to free my heart from everything wey belong to this world, so that I go live for You and follow only Your will. I love You, dear Lord. Help me to love You pass every other thing. Jesus, na You I trust.

To Shine Bright

Monday for Wik 25 for Ordinary Time

“Nobody wey light lamp dey cover am with container or put am under bed; instead, e dey put am for lampstand so that people wey enter go fit see the light.” Luke 8:16

All of us need to “see the light.” One way wey this dey happen na when other people dey shine for us as the light of Christ. And one way wey other people around us dey “see the light” na when we be shining examples of the light of Christ for them.

This passage show our duty to be the light of Christ for one world wey dey in need. E clear from this passage say when we light the flame of Christ for our hearts, the result na say Christ go shine through us for other people to see. Jesus talk say, “Nobody wey light lamp dey hide am…” For another way, if you no dey shine with the light of Christ, no be because you dey hide Am; na because E no dey burn for your soul. When E dey burn for your soul, nobody fit hold the light back.

This basic truth dey help us well to discern how our relationship with Christ really be. The main thing be say, if Jesus dey alive for our lives, if we dey live for true relationship of love with Am, then we go fit see the effect for the lives of people around us. We go fit see that light as e dey shine on other people. The effect wey Christ dey get as He dey shine through us go be like mirror for our own souls.

Tink well today about the people around you, and ask yourself wetin your love for Christ dey do for their lives. You dey see other people wey dey come to love Christ through you? If no be so, look inside your own heart and try light the fire of God love again.

Lord, come burn inside me, make Your love set my heart on fire. I want make my heart become fire wey dey blaze, wey go draw plenty people come meet You. Use me, dear Lord, as You want. Jesus, na You I trust.

Jesus Family

Tuesday for Week Twenty-Five for Ordinary Time

“My mama and my brothers na the people wey dey hear the word of God and do wetin e talk.” Luke 8:21

Maybe you don wonder how e go be to get family member wey get power and wey people sabi well. How e go be if your brother, sister, papa or mama be the President of the United States? Or sports person wey people sabi well? Or another kind of person wey people sabi well? E fit give you some joy and make you proud of them for good way.

For the time wey Jesus dey live for this Earth, plenty people don dey “sabi” Am, as we fit talk am. Plenty people admire Am, love Am and follow Am. And as He dey talk, His mama and brothers (wey most likely be His cousins) come stand outside. No doubt, people look them with respect and admiration, and maybe even small jealousy. E go really sweet to be person wey truly relate to Jesus by blood.

Jesus know well the blessing wey dey for person to be His own relation, part of His own family. Na why E talk this thing, to invite everybody wey dey there to see themselves as close members of His family. True true, our Blessed Mother go always keep her special relationship with Jesus wey nobody else get, but Jesus want invite everybody to share for the bond of His family.

How this one dey happen? E dey happen when we “hear the Word of God and act on am.” Na so e simple reach. You get invitation to enter Jesus family for one deep and personal way wey reach inside your whole being, if you just listen to everything wey God talk and then act on am.

Even though this one simple for one way, e still true say na step wey dey demand complete change. E dey demand complete change because you must give yourself fully to the will of God. Na because when God talk, His words get power and dey transform person. And to do wetin His words talk go change our lives.

Today, think deeply about how Jesus dey invite you to join His close family. Hear that invitation and tell Am “Yes.” And as you tell Am “Yes” to this invitation, dey ready and willing to let His voice and His divine will change your life.

Lord, I accept Your invitation to become close member of Your family. Make I hear Your voice as You dey speak, and act on everything wey You talk. Jesus, na You I trust.

How to Handle Rejection

Wednesday for Wik 25 for Ordinary Time

“And for those wey no welcome una, when una dey leave that town, shake the dust comot from una feet as testimony against them.” Luke 9:5

This na bold statement from Jesus. Na statement wey suppose also give us courage when people stand against us.

Jesus just finish to tell His disciples make dem go from town to town dey preach the Gospel. He tell dem make dem no carry extra food or clothes for the journey, but instead, make dem depend on the generosity of the people wey dem dey preach to. And He acknowledge say some people no go accept dem. For those wey truly reject dem and their message, dem suppose “shake the dust” comot from their feet as dem dey leave the town.

Wetin this one mean? E especially dey tell us two things. First, when people reject us, e fit pain us. Because of this, e easy for us to vex, withdraw from people and keep thinking about the rejection and the pain. E easy to sit down dey vex and, because of that, allow the rejection cause us even more harm.

To shake the dust comot from our feet na one way to talk say we no suppose allow the pain wey people cause us affect us. Na way to make am clear say we no go let other people opinion and bad mind control us. This na important choice to make for life when people reject us.

Secondly, na way to talk say we must continue to dey go forward. No be only to overcome any hurt wey we get; after that, we need to go find people wey go receive our love and di message of di Gospel wey we bring. So, for one sense, this encouragement from Jesus no concern how to handle rejection from other people first; instead, e mainly concern how to find people wey go receive us and receive di message of di Gospel wey God call us to share.

Today, think deeply about any pain wey you still carry for your heart because other people reject you. Try to let am go, and know say God dey call you to find other people with love so that you fit share the love of Christ with dem.

Lord, when people reject me and I feel hurt, help me to let go of any anger wey I get. Help me to continue my mission of love and to keep sharing Your Gospel with people wey go receive am. Jesus, na You I trust.

Holy Desire to Know

Thursday for Wik 25 for Ordinary Time

But Herod talk say, “John, na me order make dem cut off im head. Who come be this person wey I dey hear this kind things about?” And he keep trying to see am. Luke 9:9

Herod dey teach us about some bad qualities and some good ones too. The bad ones dey very clear. Herod dey live very sinful life and, for the end, the way im life no dey follow God order lead am to order make dem cut off the head of St. John the Baptist. But the Scripture above show one quality wey catch attention and wey we suppose try to imitate.

Herod get interest in Jesus. The Scripture talk say, “He keep trying to see am.” Even though this one no lead Herod to accept the original message of John the Baptist and repent for the end, at least e be first step.

Since we no get better words to use, maybe we fit call this desire wey Herod get a “holy desire to know.” He know say something dey special about Jesus, and he want understand am. He want know who Jesus be, and His message catch im attention.

Even though God call all of us to go much further than Herod go as we dey seek the truth, we fit still see say Herod represent plenty people for our society well. The Gospel and everything wey our faith dey present dey catch the interest of plenty people. Dem dey listen with desire to know wetin the pope dey talk and how the Church dey respond to injustice for the world. Also, society as a whole dey often condemn and criticize us and our faith. But this one still dey show sign say society get interest and desire to listen to wetin God get to talk, especially through our Church.

Today, think deeply about two things. First, think deeply about your own desire to know more. And when you discover this desire, no stop there. Allow am draw you close to the message of our Lord. Secondly, pay attention to the “holy desire to know” wey the people around you get. Maybe your neighbour, family member or person wey you dey work with don show interest in wetin your faith and our Church get to talk. When you see that one, pray for dem and ask God to use you as He use John the Baptist, to carry His message reach everybody wey dey seek am.

Lord, help me to seek You for everything and at all times. When darkness surround me, help me to discover di light wey You don reveal. Then help me to carry that light go meet di world wey need am well-well. Jesus, na You I trust.

Who You Tok Say I Be?

Friday for Wik 25 for Ordinary Time

“Who the crowd dem tok say I be?” Dem answer, “John the Baptist; other people say Elijah; and some others say, ‘One of the prophets of old don rise again.’” Then E ask dem, “But who una tok say I be?” Peter answer, “The Christ wey be God’s Own.” Luke 9:18c-20

Peter answer correct. Jesus na “the Christ wey be God’s Own.” Plenty other people tok about Am as person wey be only great prophet, but Peter see pass that one. E see say na Jesus alone be the Anointed One wey be God’s Own. This one mean say Jesus na God.

Even though we know say this one na true, sometimes we no dey fully understand how deep this “Mystery of Faith” be. Jesus na human being, and E na God. This one hard to understand. E for hard too for people wey live for Jesus time to understand this great mystery. Imagine say you sit down for Jesus front, dey listen as E dey tok. If you dey there for Him front, you for conclude say E still be the second Person of the Most Holy Trinity? You for conclude say E don dey from all eternity and say na Him be the great NA ME BE WHO I BE? You for conclude say E perfect for every way, and say na Him still be the Creator of everything and the One wey dey keep everything for existence?

E fit be say none of us for fully understand the true depth of wetin e mean say Jesus na “the Christ wey be God’s Own.” E fit be say we for notice something special about Am, but we no for see Am fully as E truly be.

Na so e still be today. When we look the Eucharist wey Holy Pass, we dey see God? We dey see the Almighty God wey fit do all things, wey love without limit, wey don dey from all eternity, wey be the source of every good thing and the Creator of everything? Maybe the answer na both “Yes” and “No.” “Yes” because we believe, and “No” because we no fully understand.

Today, reflect on how Christ be God. Reflect on Him wey dey present for the Eucharist wey Holy Pass, and on how E still dey present all around us. You dey see Am? You believe? How deep and complete your faith for Him be? Commit yourself again to understand more deeply who Jesus be as God. Try make you go one step deeper for your faith.

Lord, I truly believe. I believe say You na di Christ of God. Help me to understand wetin that one mean even more. Help me to see Your nature as God more clearly and to believe in You more fully. Jesus, na You I trust.

Meaning Wey Dey Inside Suffering

Saturday for Wik 25 for Ordinary Time

“Pay attention to wetin I dey tell una. Dem go hand the Son of Man over to men.” But dem no understand this talk; the meaning dey hidden from dem so that dem no go understand am, and dem fear to ask Am about this talk. Luke 9:44-45

So why the meaning of this one dey “hidden from dem?” This one worth to think about. Here, Jesus tell dem make dem “pay attention to wetin I dey tell una.” Then E begin explain say E go suffer and die. But dem no get am. Dem no understand wetin E mean, and “dem fear to ask Am about this talk.”

The truth be say Jesus no vex because dem no understand. E know say dem no go understand straightaway. But this one no stop Am from telling dem. Why? Because E know say as time go, dem go understand. But at first, the Apostles just listen with small confusion.

When di Apostles come understand? Dem understand when di Holy Spirit come down upon dem and lead dem into all Truth. Na through di work of di Holy Spirit dem take understand mysteries wey deep like this.

Na so e still be for us. When we face di mystery of Jesus’ sufferings, and when we face di reality of suffering for our own lives or for di lives of people wey we love, confusion fit often catch us at first. Na gift from di Holy Spirit fit open our minds make we understand. Most times, suffering na something wey we no fit avoid. All of us dey endure am. And if we no allow di Holy Spirit to work for our lives, suffering go lead us into confusion and make us lose hope. But if we allow di Holy Spirit to open our minds, we go begin understand how God fit work inside us through our sufferings, just as E bring salvation to di world through di sufferings of Christ.

Today, take time tink about how well you understand both Jesus suffering and your own. You dey allow the Holy Spirit to show you wetin suffering mean and even the value wey e get? Pray to the Holy Spirit, ask for this grace, and let God lead you enter this deep mystery of our faith.

Lord, I know say You suffer and die for my salvation. I know say my own suffering fit get new meaning through Your Cross. Help me to see and understand this great mystery more fully, and to find even greater value for Your Cross and my own too. Jesus, na You I trust.