Sunday Number Twenty for Ordinary Time (Year A)
And see, one Canaanite woman from that area come dey shout, “Pity me, Lord, Son of David! Demon dey torment my daughter.” But Jesus no answer am even one word. Jesus disciples come meet am and beg am, “Send am comot, because e dey follow us dey shout.” Matthew 15:22-23
This na one of those stories wey dey draw person mind, but wey people fit easily misunderstand wetin Jesus do. As the story dey go, Jesus answer this woman wey want help, say, “E no right to take the children food throw am give dogs.” Ah! At first, this one sound like rude talk. But of course, e no be rude talk, because Jesus no ever dey rude.
As Jesus first keep quiet for this woman, and as E talk words wey sound like rude talk, E use these things no be only to make the woman faith pure, but also to give am chance to show im faith for everybody to see. For the end, Jesus talk with strong voice, “Woman, your faith great well-well!”
If you want follow the road of holy life, this story na for you. Na story wey help us understand say great faith dey come when our faith don pass through purification and we trust without shaking. This woman tell Jesus, “Abeg, Lord, because even dogs dey chop the small-small food wey fall from their masters table.” For another way, e beg for mercy even though e no worthy.
E dey very important to understand say sometimes, e go be like say God dey keep quiet. This na way wey He dey show deep love, because e really be invitation to turn to Him from deep inside our heart. When God keep quiet, e dey allow us move from faith wey praise from people and feelings dey feed, to faith wey pure trust for His mercy dey make grow.
Today, think well about those times for life when you feel as if God keep quiet. Know say those times na really times when E dey invite you to trust Am for new and deeper way. Choose to put your trust for Am, and allow your faith to become pure more and more, so that God fit do great things inside you and through you!
Lord, I agree say I no worthy at all to receive Your grace and mercy for my life. But I also agree say Your mercy pass wetin person fit understand, and Your mercy so great that You want pour am on me, sinner wey no get anything to boast of and wey no worthy. I dey beg for that mercy, dear Lord, and I put all my trust for You. Jesus, na You I trust.
When Dem Challenge Faith
Sunday Number Twenty for Ordinary Time (Year B)
The Jews dey quarrel among themselves, dey talk say, “How this man fit give us im flesh make we chop?” Jesus tell them, “Amen, amen, I dey tell una, unless una chop the flesh of the Son of Man and drink Im blood, una no get life inside una. Anybody wey chop My flesh and drink My blood get eternal life, and I go raise am from death on the last day. Because My flesh na true food, and My blood na true drink. Anybody wey chop My flesh and drink My blood dey remain inside Me, and I dey remain inside am.” John 6:52-56
This no be only powerful teaching about the Most Holy Eucharist; e also be powerful teaching about how we go handle people wey oppose us. Jesus fit see say His teaching about His Body and Blood dey cause plenty commotion. So wetin He do? He back down and try talk wetin people want hear so that tension go reduce? Not at all. Instead, He explain His pure and holy teaching about the Eucharist more deeply and clearly. “Amen, amen, I dey tell una, unless una chop the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, una no get life inside una.” Ah!
For us wey dey hear this one today, e fit no shock us as e shock people that time. E dey important make we try understand the situation wey surround this matter, so that we go see wetin dey happen well. Jesus offer the greatest gift wey human beings don ever know. E offer Imself for sacramental way under the form of bread and wine. Na only through faith person fit accept this one. Those wey listen need to recognise inside their hearts say wetin Jesus dey tell them na true. Dem need to recognise this truth through faith. Those wey accept am most likely no understand everything wey Jesus mean, but dem still believe. Those wey no get faith reject Im teaching and think say E don craze.
Na this be the situation as Jesus continue His teaching. Even as some people strongly oppose Him, and others accept His teaching with faith, He choose to nourish those wey get faith and no pay attention to those wey dey criticise am.
Na so e dey happen with us too. When we begin show the first signs of faith for our hearts, Jesus dey see our faith, dey feed am and dey help am grow. For our own part, we must try make we allow that seed of faith wey dem don plant for our hearts get wetin e need, so that e go grow stronger.
As our faith dey grow, we too go receive the strength and firm belief wey Jesus get, and we go fit ignore the mockery and foolishness of people around us. We no go give in to the politics and manipulation of our time; instead, every day we go stand more firmly for wetin we believe and allow am shine out.
Today, think well about any way wey you dey face the difficult situation of people challenging your faith. The more you dey live your faith and openly show say you love am, the more you go stand out, and the more e fit happen say people go persecute you. You ready to join our Lord to stand strong against everything wey dey try quench the beauty of your faith?
Lord, help me make I strong and get confidence for You. Help me make I hear You and answer as You dey whisper truth and love to me. When doubt and things wey no dey work well surround me, help me make I bring Your words of new life. Jesus, na You I trust.
The Fire of Faith Wey Dey Burn Well-Well
Sunday Number Twenty for Ordinary Time (Year C)
Jesus tell His disciples: “I don come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish say the fire don already dey burn well-well!” Luke 12:49
This passage dey show us two things. First, e dey show say Jesus plan na to “set the earth on fire.” Second, e dey show say He want make “the fire don already dey burn well-well.”
Wetin Jesus mean when He talk say He come to set the world on fire? Fire na powerful picture wey fit help us understand plenty things about Christian life. First, fire dey burn wetin e catch finish. Na so e be with Christ. He come to take over our whole being. He come to change our small lives into fires wey dey burn well-well. This one dey show say plenty possibilities dey inside each of our lives. We fit become something wey new completely if we allow the spark of grace light fire for our souls.
Fire also fit bring change. The heat wey e dey give dey keep us warm, the light wey e dey give dey help us see for darkness, and the energy wey e get dey produce power in different ways to help us for our everyday lives. Na so e be with grace. God grace dey change our cold hearts, dey lead us through the darkness of life and dey give us everything wey we need to live lives wey go bear good fruit.
E good to notice say Jesus no only talk say He come to set the world on fire; instead, He talk say He wish say the fire don already dey blaze. This desire of our Lord na invitation to leave life wey no get zeal and wey neither hot nor cold, and enter life wey we dey live as Christians with our whole heart. God no call us to change only small part of our life, or even most of am. No, He call us to become fires of faith wey dey blaze, as God dey transform us to bring real change to the world!
Today, think well about the fire inside your own soul. How bright that fire dey burn? You need to dey feed that fire every day, dey fan am make e burn well-well as you give yourself fully. Try become that fire wey dey burn well-well as the Lord want make you be, and e go surprise you how grace fit change your whole life.
Lord, set my heart on fire with the brightness of Your love and mercy. Help me make I open myself to the complete change of life wey You want for me. I give myself to You without holding anything back, dear Lord. Use me as You want. Jesus, na You I trust.
You Want Become Rich?
Monday for Week Twenty for Ordinary Time
“If you want become perfect, go sell wetin you get and give to poor people, and you go get treasure for heaven. Then come, follow Me.” When the young man hear this talk, he comot with sadness, because he get plenty property. Matthew 19:21-22
Thank God say Jesus no tell you or me this one! Abi no be so? Or He tell us? This talk concern all of us if we want become perfect? The answer fit surprise you.
Na true say Jesus dey call some people make dem really sell all their property and give wetin dem get to others. People wey answer this call dey discover great freedom as dem free their hearts from attachment to all material things. Their vocation na sign for all of us of the deep inner call wey each of us don receive to give our whole heart to God. But wetin about the rest of us? Wetin be that deep inner call wey our Lord don give us? Na call to spiritual poverty. By “spiritual poverty,” we mean say God dey call each and every one of us make we free our hearts from attachment to things of this world, to the same extent as people wey He call to live without material possessions. The only difference be say one call concern both inside and outside life, while the other call concern only inside life. But e must reach just as deep and complete.
Wetin e mean to be poor inside our spirit? Na one of the Beatitudes. “Blessing dey for those wey poor for spirit,” as St. Matthew talk, and “Blessing dey for the poor,” as St. Luke talk. Spiritual poverty mean say, as we free our heart from the material things of this age wey dey entice us, we go discover the blessing of spiritual riches. No, material “things” no be evil. Na why e no bad to get things wey belong to us. But many times, our heart still dey hold too tightly to the things of this world. Too often, we dey want more and more, and we dey fall for the trap of thinking say more “things” go make us happy. E no true, and deep inside our heart we know, but we still dey fall straight into the trap of behaving as if more money and property go satisfy us. As one old Roman catechism talk am, “Person wey get money never get money wey go reach am.”
Today, reflect on di clear call wey you don receive to live for this world without tying your heart to di things of this world. Property na only wetin fit help you live holy life and fulfil your purpose for life. This mean say you get wetin you need, but e also mean say you dey try avoid getting more than you need and, especially, avoid tying your heart to worldly property.
Lord of all riches, of my own free will, I let go of everything wey I get and own. I give am to You as spiritual sacrifice. Receive everything wey I get, and help me make I use am only the way You want. As I free my heart from holding on to these things, make I discover the true riches wey You get for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
To Dey First!
Tuesday for Week Twenty for Ordinary Time
“But plenty people wey dey first go dey last, and people wey dey last go dey first.” Matthew 19:30
This short line, wey dey for di end of today Gospel, dey reveal plenty things. E dey show how worldly success and success wey go last forever dey oppose each other. So often, we dey pursue worldly success, but we no dey seek di riches wey go last forever.
Make we start with di “plenty people wey dey first.” Who be these people? To understand this one, we must understand di difference between di “world” and di “Kingdom of God.” Di world here mean popularity wey no get true worth for any particular culture. Success, high standing, empty glory and things like these dey follow worldly popularity and success. Di evil one na di master of this world, and many times e go try lift people wey dey serve im unholy will up. But as e dey do so, this kind fame dey entice and draw plenty of us. This na problem, especially when we begin use wetin other people think about us take decide who we be.
The “many wey be first” na those wey the world dey lift up as great examples and models of this kind success wey people dey admire. This na general statement, and e certainly no apply to every particular situation and person. But we suppose recognise say na so e dey tend to be. And according to this Scripture, those wey allow this kind life draw them in go be “last” for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Compare this with people wey dey “first” for di Kingdom of God. People fit honour these holy souls for this world, or dem fit no honour dem. Some people fit see their goodness and honour dem (as dem honour Saint Mother Teresa), but very often, people dey look down on dem and, by worldly standards, see dem as people wey dem no want.
Wetin matter pass? Wetin you truly prefer for all eternity? You prefer make people think well of you for this life, even if e mean say you go compromise your values and di truth? Or you fix your eyes on di truth and rewards wey go last forever?
Today, reflect on di goal to gather treasure for Heaven and di reward wey go last forever wey God promise people wey live faithfully. Nothing bad dey if other people for this world think well of you, but you must never allow that desire control you or make you stop to fix your eyes on wetin go last forever. Reflect on how well you dey do this, and try make di rewards of Heaven your only goal.
My Lord wey dey forever, abeg help me make I seek You and Your Kingdom pass every other thing. Make to please You and do Your most holy will be di only thing wey I want for life. Help me make I drop di unhealthy worry about fame and popularity for dis world, and make na only wetin You think matter to me. Dear Lord, I give You everything wey I be. Jesus, na You I trust.
Gratitude Dey Defeat Envy
Wednesday for Week Twenty for Ordinary Time
“You dey envy because I dey generous?” Matthew 20:15b
This line come from di parable of di landowner wey hire workers at five different times for di day. E hire di first group as day dey break, di second group at 9 a.m., and di others for noon, 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. People wey e hire as day dey break work for about twelve hours, and people wey e hire at 5 p.m. work for only one hour. Di “problem” be say di owner pay all di workers di same amount, as if all of dem work for twelve full hours that day.
At first, this kind experience fit tempt anybody to envy. Envy na one kind sadness or anger wey person dey feel because good things happen to other people. Maybe all of us fit understand why the people wey work the whole day feel envy. Dem work for the full twelve hours and collect their complete pay. But dem feel envy because the owner of the land show plenty generosity to the people wey work only one hour, as e pay dem money for one full day.
Try put yourself inside dis parable and think about how you go feel about dis generous thing wey di landowner do for other people. You go see how generous e be and rejoice for di people wey e treat so well? You go dey grateful on their behalf because dem receive dis special gift? Or you too go begin feel jelosi and vex? If we talk true, most of us go struggle with jelosi for dis kind situation.
But to realize dis na grace. Na grace to become aware of dat ugly sin of jelosi. Even if we no actually find ourselves for situation where we go act according to our jelosi, na grace to see say e dey inside us.
Today, think about whether any sign of envy dey inside your heart. You fit sincerely rejoice and dey full of thanksgiving when other people succeed? You fit sincerely thank God when other people receive generous gifts wey dem no expect and wey dem no do anything to deserve? If this dey hard for you, at least thank God say you don notice am. Envy na sin, and na sin wey dey make us no get satisfaction and dey sad. Make you dey thankful say you see am, because na the first step to overcome am.
My most generous Lord, I dey sin, and I honestly admit say some jelosi dey my heart. Thank You as You help me see dis, and help me now make I surrender am to You. Abeg replace am with sincere gratitude for di plenty grace and mercy wey You dey give other people. Jesus, na You I trust.
If Love for God and Other People No Dey…
Thursday for Week Twenty for Ordinary Time
“The servants go out for the streets and gather everybody wey dem see, both bad and good people, and guests fill the hall. But when the king come inside to meet the guests, e see one man there wey no wear wedding cloth. E ask am, ‘My friend, how you take enter here without wedding cloth?’ But the man no fit talk anything. Then the king tell im attendants, ‘Tie im hands and legs, and throw am enter the darkness outside, where people go dey cry and grind their teeth.’ Dem invite many people, but na few dem choose.” Matthew 22:10-14
Dis fit really shock person at first. For dis parable, di king invite plenty people come im son wedding feast. Plenty of dem reject di invitation. E then send im servants go gather anybody wey go come, and di hall full. But when di king enter, one person no wear wedding garment, and we fit see wetin happen to am for di passage above.
Again, when we first read this, e fit shock us small. This man really deserve make dem tie im hands and legs and throw am outside enter darkness, where people dey cry and grind their teeth, just because e no wear the correct cloth? Certainly not.
To understand dis parable, we need to understand wetin di wedding garment stand for. Dis garment na sign of person wey don put on Christ and, in particular, person wey love of God and neighbour don fill because of dis. One very interesting lesson dey wey we fit learn from dis passage.
First, as dis man dey di wedding feast, e mean say e answer di invitation. Dis na sign of faith. So, dis man stand for person wey get faith. Second, as e no wear wedding garment, e mean say na person wey get faith and believe everything wey God talk, but wey never allow dat faith enter every part of im heart and soul reach di point wey e go bring true conversion and, because of dat, true love of God and neighbour. Na because dis young man no get dis love, condemnation come upon am.
Di interesting point be say we fit get faith, but no get love of God and neighbour. Faith na to believe wetin God reveal to us. But even demons believe! Love of God and neighbour require make we accept dat truth deep inside us and allow am change our lives. Dis na important point to understand because sometimes we fit struggle with dis same situation. Sometimes we fit see say we believe for di level of faith, but we no dey live according to am. We need both to live life of true holiness.
Today, think about both your faith in everything wey God don talk, and the love for God and other people wey we hope this faith dey produce for your life. To be Christian mean say you allow your faith move from your head enter your heart and your will.
Lord of all love, make I get deep faith in You and in everything wey You don talk. Make dat faith enter deep into my heart and bring love for You and for other people. Jesus, na You I trust.
To Put Your Whole Self Inside!
Friday for Week Twenty for Ordinary Time
When the Pharisees hear say Jesus don make the Sadducees no fit talk again, dem gather together, and one of dem, wey be scholar for the Law, test am with this question: “Teacher, which commandment for the Law big pass all?” Jesus tell am, “Make you love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:34-37
“Wit all your heart, wit all your soul, and wit all your mind.” For another way to talk am, wit everything wey you be!
How dis kind deep love dey show for real life? E easy make dis remain big thought or sermon wey na only words, but to allow dis thought or sermon show through our actions no easy. You love God with everything wey you be? With every part of who you be? Wetin exactly dat one mean?
This kind deep love fit show for plenty ways. See some qualities wey go dey inside this love:
1) To put our life for God hand: Love require say we put our life for God hand. God perfect and, because of this, to love Am require say we see how He perfect, understand this perfection, and act according to am. When we see and understand who God be, the result be say we must trust Am completely, without holding anything back. God get all power and His love complete. We must trust God wey get all power and complete love without any limit.
2) Fire for inside: When we put ourselves for God hand, e go set our hearts on fire! This one mean say we go see the Holy Spirit do wonderful things inside our souls. We go see God dey work and dey change us. E go pass anything wey we fit ever do for ourselves. God go take control and do great things inside us, dey change our life, just as strong fire dey burn everything wey e touch.
3) Things wey pass wetin you fit do: The result of the strong fire of the Holy Spirit inside us be say God go use us do great things for the life of people around us. We go see God dey work, and wetin He dey do go amaze us. We go see with our own eyes His wonderful power and His love wey dey change person, and na through us e go happen. Wetin a gift!
Today, think well about whether you love God completely. You don give yourself fully? You don commit yourself completely to serve our Lord and do His holy will? No hold back. E worth am!
Lord, help me make I love You with all my heart, mind, soul and strength. Help me make I love You with everything wey I be. Inside dat love, I pray make You change me into Your instrument of grace. Jesus, na You I trust.
Our Mama wey God bless
Saturday for Week Twenty for Ordinary Time
“The scribes and the Pharisees don take their seat for Moses chair. So, do and obey everything wey dem tell una, but no follow their example. Because dem dey preach, but dem no dey practise wetin dem dey preach. Dem dey tie heavy loads wey hard to carry and put them for people shoulder, but dem no go even raise one finger to move them. Everything wey dem dey do, na so that people go see them. Dem dey make their phylacteries wide and make the tassels for their clothes long. Dem love places of honour for feasts, seats of honour for synagogues, greetings for marketplaces, and make people greet them as ‘Rabbi.’” Matthew 23:2-7
According to tradition, Saturdays na days wey we dedicate to honour our Blessed Mother. Di difference between di Pharisees and our Blessed Mother, Queen of Heaven and Earth, really great!
First, make we start with di Pharisees. Jesus dey condemn dem again and again because of their pride and because dem dey see themselves as righteous. Dem dey pray to themselves, dey look for places of honour, dey demand respect from other people, and na only themselves dem dey think about. As Jesus dey condemn dem again and again, na mercy E dey show dem. Na way to try free dem from their pride and help dem see di light of truth.
Second, make we compare dis with our Blessed Mother. Her humility pass wetin person fit imagine. Na she be di Immaculate Conception…perfect for every way. Every virtue dey inside her soul. Na she be di New Eve, di new Mother of all di Living. And dem dey honour her forever as Queen of Heaven and Earth.
The way she live show this clear difference. We see am for the fact say she get every right to raise herself up and expect honour and respect all through her life. But, because of her humility, she no claim any of this right. She allow herself remain hidden, and even allow people mock her because she carry belle when she never marry. She different from the Pharisees for every way.
But now, for all eternity, God don raise her up. People go see her as Queen forever, and everybody go honour and love her. All her virtue go continue to shine forever, because God don reward her and raise her up for everybody to see.
Today, think well about who you resemble pass. You resemble the Pharisees wey dey try raise themselves up pass? Or you resemble our Blessed Mother wey humble herself pass? Choose to follow the example of our Blessed Mother, and God go reward you too forever!
Lord, make I see the beauty and greatness of Your mama soul. Make I love her and honour her. And through that love and honour, make I follow her example for every way. Jesus, na You I trust.
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