Di 32nd Sunday for Ordinary Time (Year A)
“So, make una stay awake, because una no know the day or the hour.” Matthew 25:13
Imagine say you know the day and hour wey you go leave this life. True true, some people know say death don dey near, whether na because of sickness or old age. But think about this matter for your own life. What if Jesus tell you say na tomorrow be that day? You ready?
Plenty practical things wey you go want arrange go most likely come your mind. Plenty people go think about all their loved ones and how this matter go affect them. Put all that one aside for now, and think about the question from only one angle. You ready to meet Jesus?
Once you leave dis life, na only one thing go matter. Wetin Jesus go tell you? Just before di Scripture passage wey dem quote above, Jesus tell di Parable of di Ten Virgins. Some get wisdom and dem get oil for their lamps. When di bridegroom come late for night, dem dey ready with their lamps wey dey burn to meet am, and he welcome dem. Di foolish ones no prepare and dem no get oil for their lamps. When di bridegroom come, dem miss am and hear di words, “Amen, I dey tell una, I no know una” (Matthew 25:12).
The oil for their lamps, or the fact say they no get oil, na sign of charity. If we want dey ready to meet the Lord at any time, on any day, we must get charity for our lives. Charity pass just strong feeling or emotion of love. Charity na to commit ourselves completely to love other people with the heart of Christ. Na daily habit wey we dey build as we choose to put other people first and give them everything wey Jesus ask us to give. E fit be small sacrifice or act of forgiveness wey need great courage. But no matter how e be, we need charity to dey ready to meet our Lord.
Today, think well about di people for your life wey God want make you love. How well you dey do dis? You don commit yourself fully? How far you ready to go? Anything wey come your mind about how you lack dis gift, pay attention to am and beg di Lord for His grace, so dat you too go be person wey get wisdom and dey ready to meet di Lord any time.
Lord, I dey pray for di gift of love wey pass wetin human nature fit do to dey inside my life. Abeg, fill me with love for other people and help me make I give dis love generously, without measure. Make I no hold anything back, so dat I go dey fully ready to meet You any time You call me home. Jesus, na You I trust.
Prayer and Humility
Di 32nd Sunday for Ordinary Time (Year B)
“Make una beware of the teachers of the Law, wey like to waka about with long robes and receive greetings for marketplaces, seats of honour for synagogues, and places of honour for feasts. They dey swallow widows’ houses and use long prayers cover wetin they dey do. They go receive very serious condemnation.” Mark 12:38-40
E dey important to note here say Jesus talk, “They go receive very serious condemnation.” Na Him wey be the source of mercy and grace talk these words. His heart full of kindness and compassion, E dey gentle and dey forgive, and E no want anything apart from our eternal salvation. Even with all this, Jesus make am clear say the teachers of the Law go receive serious condemnation. Chai!
The first thing we suppose think na say we no want be like the teachers of the Law! We no want receive that kind condemnation, so we must avoid the sinful condition wey they dey. This one bring the question: “Which sin the teachers of the Law commit wey bring this serious condemnation upon them?”
The main matter na say they be deceivers. The desire for “places of honour” don take over their whole life. E clear say they treat other people badly: “They dey swallow widows’ houses.” The one wey worse pass be say they present themselves as people of prayer, when e clear say they no be. Na why Jesus condemn them seriously.
So, wetin we learn from their mistakes? At least, we suppose learn these two lessons:
1) The true “place of honour” na the place of the greatest humility. For God eye, we dey find true honour when we serve without people noticing us, and give without people recognising us. This way, na only love dey move us to give and serve, no be any plan to benefit ourselves. Person wey get humility no dey look for praise and honour because of the love wey e give. The act of giving and serving itself na the gift wey e receive.
2) To recite long prayers no be the same thing as to pray. Prayer concern one thing: to enter into communion with God. Na to build relationship with Him wey deep, beautiful and lasting. Na about love. Prayer no be to show off or to make other people admire us.
Today, think deeply about di strong judgment wey Jesus give against di scribes. Know say part of di reason why E do this na to teach us wetin we suppose avoid for life. Avoid every kind of selfish pride. Seek humility and true prayer, and you go receive plenty blessing.
Lord, help me make I be person wey truly dey pray and worship You. Help me make I remain humble and sincere. Help me make I love You only because of di love wey I get for You. Jesus, na You I trust.
Di Dead Go Rise
Di 32nd Sunday for Ordinary Time (Year C)
“Even Moses show say di dead go rise, for di passage about di bush, when e call di God of Abraham, di God of Isaac, and di God of Jacob ‘Lord’; and E no be God of di dead, but of people wey dey alive, because for Am all of dem dey alive.” Luke 20:37-38
As we dey near di end of dis Church year, our readings dey begin focus more clearly on di final things wey go happen. Wetin follow na part wey dem take from My Catholic Faith!, Chapter 5, about di resurrection of di dead:
Di third and final coming na when Jesus go return to Earth with splendour and glory. E go be “di end of di world as we know am.” Na di time wey His Kingdom wey go last forever go fully stand. Plenty things dey to talk about dis moment for history, and to think deeply about am dey really hold person mind.
If you read Katekizim of di Catholic Church paragraphs #671-677, you go discover say e almost be like mystery novel about science fiction for di future wey dey hold person mind well-well. Di only difference be say everything na true, everything full of glory, and everything pass any mystery wey we go ever fit understand until e really happen. And e go happen for one definite moment for di future!
So wetin all this mean? E mean say Jesus go return with all His splendor and glory. One day, E go return to Earth with His body, dey shine with glory. We go see Am, and di world as we know am now go end. For that moment, God go establish His Kingdom wey go last forever, and Heaven and Earth go join together as one. Na “new Heaven and new Earth” e go be (Revelation 21:1). Di former Heaven and Earth go pass away, and God go establish di new order.
But no be only dat! For dat moment, all di dead go rise. Yes, na so: everybody wey don ever die go rise. Dis one mean say everybody wey dem don “lay to rest” for cemetery or any other place go come back to life, receive new body wey full of glory, and dat body go join back to di person soul.
Di Katekizim still talk say:
When E come for di end of time to judge di living and di dead, Christ wey dey full of glory go reveal di secret way wey people heart dey set, and E go give each person wetin fit im works and whether e accept or reject grace. (#682)
Dis na thought wey really dey amaze person, and e dey make person fear small too! E mean say everything wey hide go come out for light. Dis fit be good or bad, depending on wetin hide. Dis thought suppose fill us with small fear wey holy, and e suppose also fill us with joy wey holy. Dis fear wey holy na actually gift from God to help us comot any secret sin wey we get now or wey we don struggle with before. Since everything go surely come out for light one day, e better make we deal with am now so dat our sin no go dey again. If we do so, even our sin go turn to good character and grace. Then, for di end of time, na dat grace and good character go show clear. Wen dis good character show clear, e go bring joy wey holy, no be only for us, but also for other people wey go see am.
So, dem go judge us based on wetin dey inside our conscience. E no go be only wetin dey show for outside again. We no go fit put on good face and pretend say we be wetin we no be. Di whole truth go come out, and everybody go see am as God don plan.
Another thing wey we suppose note na say, for di Final Judgment, even people wey dey Hell go rise. Why? Because as human beings, we suppose remain joined with our bodies forever. For wetin we truly be, na body and soul we be. So even di dead go receive their bodies back. But sadly, dem go then suffer forever, no be only for their soul but for their body too. Wetin this really go involve, we no know. But e go be real pain of loss: loss of God, and loss because di body and soul no go fit share for life with God. This fit look harsh and unfair, but we suppose remind ourselves say God dey perfectly just and His love dey perfect; and no matter how this eternal loss and eternal suffering go be, e dey right and just.
How dis new life go be for people wey go share for di Resurrection to new life? Na life with God, for body and spirit, and also life with one another. Di Book of Revelation use signs take describe dis new life as city where God dey for throne for di centre of di city. Light dey shine from Him, so dem no need sun or moon. Di streets na gold. Di gates full of precious stones. And plenty other things dey. We no suppose take dis language of signs as if na exactly so everything go be. Instead, make we see am as pictures wey help us understand di beauty, glory and greatness of di life wey dey wait for us. Na di new heavens and di new earth.
Lord, make I always dey ready to welcome You wen You come. I thank You for Your perfect promise to raise everybody from death and bring new life. Dear Lord, use me gather plenty people enter dis glorious Kingdom wey go come. Jesus, na You I trust.
To Forgive…Seven Times for One Day
Monday for di 32nd Wik for Ordinary Time
“Make una dey on guard! If your brother sin, correct am; and if e repent, forgive am. And if e wrong you seven times for one day and come back meet you seven times dey talk say, ‘I dey sorry,’ you suppose forgive am.” Luke 17:3-4
To forgive completely fit hard well-well sometimes. E dey especially hard wen na di same person sin against you “seven times for one day,” as Jesus talk.
But we suppose take Jesus words to heart. No be say E dey talk about something wey fine for mind but no fit happen; instead, E dey talk about wetin we fit really do. We must forgive, again and again and again. We no fit dey hesitate to forgive, especially those wey truly repent.
One of the first things wey we suppose notice for this passage na say, when somebody sin against us, we suppose correct am. No be revenge we suppose get for mind when we dey correct am; instead, we must do am to invite the person to repent. Na only this reason suppose make us correct another person. If we feel say somebody wey sin against us fit dey ready to change, then we must correct am with love. And when e accept the correction and ask us to forgive am, we must forgive am.
But, as we don talk, dis fit especially hard wen di person dey commit di same sin again and again. E fit tire person and make person lose heart. And wen person dey commit di same sin again and again, e easy to begin doubt whether di person wey dey ask for forgiveness truly dey sorry.
But none of that suppose be wetin go concern us. The only thing wey suppose concern us na to hear those words, “I dey sorry.” Na wetin Jesus command be this. When person talk these words, we must forgive am, and we must do am immediately.
This Scripture still show us how e dey important to tell the people wey we hurt say we dey sorry. E dangerous to just assume say another person go forgive us. Great power dey when we actually tell another person, “Abeg, forgive me, I dey sorry for my sin.” Even though these words fit hard to talk, na words wey dey bring great healing.
Today, reflect on wetin e mean to ask for forgiveness and to forgive another person. Every day, all of us dey get plenty chances to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. No hesitate to do so, and you go dey grateful say you do am.
Lord, I truly dey sorry for di plenty sins wey I don commit against You. Abeg, forgive me. Wen I dey stubborn, abeg, correct me firmly with love. Wen I need to ask another person for forgiveness, abeg, give me di courage to do am. Jesus, na You I trust.
Service wey Christian Dey Give
Tuesday for di 32nd Wik for Ordinary Time
“When una don do everything wey dem command una, make una talk say, “We na servants wey no bring any gain; we don do wetin na our duty to do.” Luke 17:10b
Dis na phrase wey hard to talk, and e even hard pass to truly mean am wen person talk am.
Think about the kind situation where we must talk and live out this attitude towards Christian service. For example, think about one mama wey spend the day dey clean house and then prepare food for the family. When the day don end, e surely good make people recognise her hard work and thank am for am. Of course, when the family dey grateful and recognise this service wey she do with love, this gratitude dey good and na nothing else but act of love. E good to dey grateful and to show am. But the main thing for this passage no be say we must try hard to dey grateful for other people love and service; instead, na about wetin dey move us to serve. You dey serve so that people go thank you? Or you dey serve because e good and right to serve?
Jesus make am clear say the main thing wey must move us to serve others as Christians, whether na for family or for any other setting, na the sense say to serve na our duty. We must serve out of love, whether other people welcome or recognise our service or not.
So, imagine say you spend your day dey serve people, and na because you love them you do am. Then imagine say nobody thank you for the work wey you do. That one suppose change how you give yourself to serve? The way people respond, or even if dem no respond at all, suppose stop you from serving as God want make you serve? No, not at all. We must serve and do our duty as Christians simply because na the right thing to do and because na wetin God want from us.
Today, think deeply about wetin dey move you to serve other people with love. Try to talk these words of the Gospel as dem concern your own life. E fit hard at first, but if you fit serve with the mind say you be “servant wey no bring any gain” and say you no do pass wetin you “get duty to do,” then you go discover say your love for God and other people don become deep in one whole new way.
Lord, help me to serve freely and with all my heart because of di love wey I get for You and other people. Help me to give myself, no matter how other people react, and to find satisfaction for only dis act of love. Jesus, na You I trust.
Thanks from Full Heart and with Humility
Wednesday for di 32nd Wik for Ordinary Time
And one of them, when e realize say e don heal, return, dey give God glory with loud voice; e fall for Jesus feet and thank Him. Na Samaritan e be. Luke 17:15-16
This man wey get leprosy na one of the ten people wey Jesus heal as He dey travel through Samaria and Galilee. Na foreigner e be, no be Jew, and na only am return come meet Jesus to thank Him for healing am.
Notice say na two things this Samaritan do as soon as e heal. First, e “return, dey give God glory with loud voice.” This way of describing wetin happen get deep meaning. E no just return to talk thank you; instead, e show how thankful e dey with strong feeling from im heart. Try to imagine this man wey get leprosy dey shout and praise God because of the sincere and deep thanks wey full im heart.
Second, dis man “fall down for Jesus feet and thank Him.” Again, dis thing wey dis Samaritan do no be small thing. Di way e fall down for Jesus feet na another sign of how deeply e dey thankful. No be only say e dey excited; dis healing also make am humble well-well. We fit see dis for di way e fall down for Jesus feet with humble heart. E show say dis man wey get leprosy humbly recognize say e no worthy before God to receive dis healing. Na beautiful action wey show say ordinary thanksgiving no enough. Instead, deep thanksgiving dey necessary. Na deep thanksgiving with humble heart we suppose always use respond to di goodness of God.
Today, think deeply about how you dey respond to God goodness. Out of the ten people wey heal, na only this one man wey get leprosy show the right attitude. The others fit don dey thankful, but no reach as dem suppose dey. What of you? How deep your thanks to God be? You really know all the things wey God dey do for you every day? If no be so, try to follow this man example, and you go discover the same joy wey e discover.
Lord, I pray make I turn to You every day with deep thanksgiving and with all my heart. Make I see everything wey You dey do for me every day, and make I respond with thanksgiving from all my heart. Jesus, na You I trust.
Jesus Na King
Thursday for di 32nd Wik for Ordinary Time
When the Pharisees ask Jesus when the Kingdom of God go come, He answer them say, “People no fit observe the coming of the Kingdom of God, and nobody go announce say, ‘Look, e dey here,’ or, ‘E dey there.’ Because see, the Kingdom of God dey among una.” Luke 17:20-21
The Kingdom of God dey among una! Wetin that one mean? Where the Kingdom of God dey, and how e take dey among us?
We fit talk about the Kingdom of God in two ways. When Christ come for the last time, for the end of time, His Kingdom go remain forever and everybody go see am. He go destroy all sin and evil, and everything go become new. He go reign forever, and love for God and neighbour go rule every mind and heart. Na gift wey full of joy, wey we fit look forward to with plenty hope!
But this passage dey refer especially to the Kingdom of God wey don already dey among us. Wetin be that Kingdom? Na the Kingdom wey dey present through grace wey dey live inside our hearts, and wey dey present to us in countless ways every day.
First, Jesus really want reign for our heart and rule our life. Di main question na this: I dey allow Him take control? E no be di kind King wey dey force Himself on people like dictator. E no dey use His authority demand say we must obey. True-true, this go happen for di end, when Jesus come back, but for now, His invitation na just invitation. E dey invite us to make Him King over our life. E dey invite us to allow Him take full control. If we do so, E go give us commands wey be commands of love. Na decrees wey dey draw us enter truth and beauty. Dem dey refresh us and make us new again.
Second, Jesus dey all around us. His Kingdom dey present anytime love dey present. His Kingdom dey present anytime grace dey work. E easy well-well for the evil things of this world to overwhelm us, so that we no go notice say God dey with us. God dey live and work all around us for ways wey we no fit count. We must always try to notice His presence, allow am inspire us and love am.
Today, reflect on how di Kingdom of God dey among una. You dey see am for your heart? You dey invite Jesus every day to rule your life? You dey acknowledge Him as your Lord? And you dey see di ways wey E dey come meet you through wetin dey happen for your life every day, through other people and through di situations wey you dey face daily? Continue to seek Him always, and this go bring joy to your heart.
Lord, today I dey invite You to come reign for my heart. I give You full control of my life. Na You be my Lord and my King. I love You, and I want live according to Your perfect and holy will. Jesus, na You I trust.
To Hand Yourself Over Completely to God
Friday for di 32nd Wik for Ordinary Time
“Anybody wey dey try to preserve im life go lose am, but anybody wey lose im life go save am.” Luke 17:33
Jesus always dey talk things wey dey make us stop and think. This statement from the Gospel for today na one of those things. E put something before us wey look like say e dey contradict itself. To try save your life go make you lose am, but to lose your life go be the way wey you go save am. Wetin this one mean?
This talk really touch di heart of wetin e mean to trust God and surrender to Him. Di main thing be say, if we try to direct our life and our future by our own effort, things no go work out. As Jesus dey call us to “lose” our life, E dey tell us say we must put our whole self for His hand. We must allow Him be di One wey dey direct everything and guide us enter His most holy will. Na only this way we fit save our life. We dey save am when we let go of our own will and allow God take over.
This level of trust and surrender dey very hard at first. E hard to reach di level wey we go trust God completely. But if we fit do just that, e go amaze us to see say God’s ways and His plan for our life better pass anything wey we fit ever plan by ourselves. Nothing fit compare with His wisdom, and His answer to all our worries and problems dey perfect.
Today, reflect on how ready and willing you dey to give our merciful God full control of your life. You trust Am reach to allow Am take full control? Take this step of faith with all the sincerity wey you fit, and watch as E begin preserve you and help you grow well for the way wey only God fit do.
Lord, I give You my life, all wetin dey worry me, all wetin dey concern me and my future. I trust You for everything. I surrender everything to You. Help me to trust You more each day and to turn to You as I put my whole self completely for Your hand. Jesus, na You I trust.
Faith
Saturday for di 32nd Wik for Ordinary Time
“When the Son of Man come, E go find faith for this earth?” Luke 18:8b
This na good question wey Jesus ask, and e dey make person think. E dey ask each one of us this question and dey ask us to answer am for ourselves. The answer depend on whether each one of us get faith for im heart or not.
So, wetin be your answer to Jesus? Most likely, the answer na “Yes.” But e no be just yes or no answer. We hope say na “yes” wey go continue to grow deeper and more sure.
Wetin be faith? Faith na how each one of us dey respond to God as E dey speak for our hearts. To get faith, we must first listen as God dey speak. We must allow Am reveal Himself to us deep inside our conscience. And when E do this, we dey show faith as we respond to everything wey E reveal. We come to believe His Word wey E speak to us, and na this act of believing dey change us and form faith inside us.
Faith no be just to believe. Na to believe wetin God dey tell us. Na to believe His very Word and Him Himself. Di wonderful thing be say, when we truly enter into di gift of faith, we go come dey sure about God and everything wey E talk for one deep and strong way. Na that certainty God dey look for inside our life, and na im go be di answer to His question wey dey above.
Today, think well about how genuine your faith be and how sure you dey about am. Think about Jesus as He dey ask you dis question. He go find faith inside your heart? Make your “Yes” to Him continue to grow, and commit yourself to accept everything wey He dey reveal to you every day more deeply. No fear to seek His voice so dat you fit talk “Yes” to everything wey He reveal.
Lord, I want grow for faith. I want grow for my love for You and for how well I know You. Make faith dey alive for my life, and make You find that faith as one precious gift wey I dey offer You. Jesus, na You I trust.
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