Ch. 5 – Living Sacrifice of Love

E fit dey tempt you to think say if you make firm decision to become holy with your whole heart, your life go easy well-well.  For some ways, na true.  But holiness and suffering fit dey together.  For another way to talk am, to give yourself fully to holy life no mean say suffering no go dey your life again.  But e mean say your suffering go change to something new.

Think about the life of Jesus Himself.  E perfect.  But E still suffer reach the highest level.  Suffering no be sign say God no dey pleased with person; instead, na normal part of Christian life wey person dey live with full commitment inside world wey sin don spoil.  So, suffering even touch the Son of God deeply.

One way we fit look am na to talk say na these three virtues make up the “road” to holiness, but person only reach “holiness” fully when these virtues show inside the daily suffering wey you dey endure, accept willingly and join to the power of the Cross wey dey transform things.  Wetin dey come out when you hold these three virtues firmly as you carry your daily crosses na wetin we fit call “life of sacrifice” or “suffering wey dey serve the work of redemption.”  This chapter go look at how person wey dey live with humility, trust and mercy go face suffering, so that the suffering go serve the work of redemption and carry holy power.  Even though these ideas deep, dem real, and e important to understand dem so that you fit live dem out as you face the normal suffering of life.

Why God Wey Get Love Go Allow Us Suffer?

Make we start with one basic but important question: Why we dey suffer? How God wey get complete love and all power fit allow suffering for our lives?  How God fit allow innocent people suffer?  These questions important because dem put something before us wey, at first, look like contradiction.  The argument be like this:  If God get all power, then E fit do anything.  And if E get complete love, then na only wetin best for us E go want.  Suffering no be pleasant experience for us.  So, God suppose remove suffering from our lives because of His perfect power

If this basic reasoning correct, then we get problem.  We know say suffering dey for the world and say even innocent people dey suffer well-well sometimes.  So wetin we go conclude?  This one mean say God no get complete love and/or E no get all power?  Not at all!  God’s “answer” to suffering no be to just remove am as if na simple matter; instead, E do something far greater.  E transform suffering and make am fit become sacrifice, so E “remove” am by changing am.  So, every kind of suffering wey we dey endure now fit become instrument of grace.  And this one glorious!  Na only God fit do something so miraculous and deep pass wetin mind fit understand!

When God create us, E give us free will.  And with this free will, we fit choose either love or sin.  Na wetin free will dey for.  We fit love or hate, show mercy or become harsh, live with virtue or become sinner. 

E important to understand say if God just remove suffering as if na simple matter, E go also need to remove our free will.  Why?  Because na our free will be the root source of suffering for this world when we choose to sin.  But when we choose to love, na still this free will dey help us find deep fulfilment as human beings.  So if God remove our free will, E go also remove our ability to love Him and other people freely.

But make we ask this question another way: God fit comot suffering leave us with our free will?  The one thing wey God no fit do na to contradict Himself and break Im own laws.  Even though E fit “break” some laws wey E create wey no concern moral good and evil (like when E perform physical miracle by suspending the laws of nature), normally E no dey do so just because we want make E do am.  To use example compare am, e go be like to talk say God wey get all power and all love no suppose want make fire burn you if you put your hand inside fire.  So, you suppose fit pray to God for protection, then put your hand inside fire, and God suppose protect you from pain.  But that na foolishness!  Even though God fit do that kind thing, E no dey do am just because we pray make E do am.  To put your hand inside fire get consequences, and God no go change that.  Na so e still be with sin and the moral law.  Sin get consequences, and God no go change that.  But E dey offer to transform the consequences!  And na this dey happen when suffering change because we choose to turn am to sacrifice of love. 

Suffering Wey Sacrifice Don Transform – Suffering Wey Dey Serve the Work of Redemption

“So, my brothers, because of the mercies of God, I dey beg una make una offer una bodies as living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; na una spiritual worship be this.”  Romans 12:1

How comfortable you dey with the idea of sacrifice?  For many people, this word dey bring both worry and admiration.  When we see person wey dey make sacrifice, wey dey go far to give imself for other people good, e dey quick inspire us.  But when na our turn to make sacrifice for another person, especially when e mean say we go suffer in one way or another, we dey often hesitate and our mind no dey settle as we dey make the choice.  Sacrifice na noble thing, and e easy to understand say e get great value.  But e far easier to admire sacrifice from far than to actually join for the sacrifice itself.  Too often, na only the suffering wey dey inside we dey see.

For example, make we say some terrorists hold you and other people hostage because dem want ransom or because of another purpose.  As part of the “negotiation” with the authorities, dem decide to kill one person to show how serious dem dey about wetin dem plan to do.  Dem look all of una and ask whether anybody go volunteer make dem kill am so that the others no go face that same fate.  You go step forward?  Of course, if na from far we dey watch, the person wey step forward go win other people deep admiration as a martyr.  But when na you face this kind sacrifice, to make am no easy like to admire am from far.  To choose to sacrifice yourself because of love no be easy choice when e mean say you go suffer plenty.

So this one bring another question wey connect to am: How comfortable you dey with suffering?  Most people go immediately answer this question with no.  Why anybody go want suffer?  Suffering and sacrifice no be the same thing, but dem connect to each other.  Suffering no get value unless e become sacrifice.  To show wetin this mean, think again about the example wey we just mention, where terrorists hold people hostage, and imagine say the authorities shoot one of the terrorists.  This one cause am plenty suffering, but that suffering no get value, while the death of martyr get great value.  Why?  Because for the terrorist wey dem shoot, the suffering wey e experience na just consequence of wetin e do.  But for the martyr, the suffering wey e experience na sacrifice.  So, na only the suffering wey person freely accept as sacrifice dey transform and get great value.

The sacrifices of martyrs, together with all the sacrifices we dey make for our daily life, get value only because dem fit share for the one and perfect Sacrifice of the Cross of Christ.  Im own na the greatest sacrifice wey this world don ever know.  Na Him be the Innocent Lamb wey willingly suffer for sinners.  Na Him be the Martyr of all martyrs.  E suffer plenty, but E no hesitate to accept Im suffering as sacrifice.  The result of Im Sacrifice of Love wey E freely accept na the salvation of the world.  So, Im Sacrifice bear the greatest amount of good fruit.

“Wetin Remain” for the Sufferings of Christ

If we want share for the glorious life of Christ, we must also allow our sufferings to share for Im Sacrifice.  For im letter to the Colossians, St. Paul write say, “Now I dey rejoice for my sufferings because of una, and for my flesh I dey complete wetin remain for the afflictions of Christ on behalf of im body, wey be the Church…” (Colossians 1:24).  This statement deep well-well and e full of mystery.  How anything fit remain for the afflictions of Christ?  But e important to note say St. Paul no talk say anything remain for the “sacrifice” of Christ.  Instead, wetin remain concern only Christ “afflictions” (Im sufferings).  The “sufferings” of Christ na sufferings.  And even though suffering itself don now receive redemption and the ability to carry the saving power of the Cross, each one of us must still join our suffering to that Sacrifice.  Wetin “remain” for the sufferings of Christ na the redemption and transformation of sufferings for this present time wey we dey live.  We dey allow our sufferings to change here and now when we willingly join our sufferings with Christ own.  God dey invite us to become members of Christ body, and as we do so, E dey invite us to allow the sufferings we dey endure for life to become sufferings wey dey bring redemption.  “Suffering wey dey bring redemption” na suffering wey the Sacrifice of Christ don change.  Na our way to become channel wey God mercy dey flow through without stopping, as we become the presence of the Sacrifice of Christ wey dey continue for our world.

Even though the Sacrifice of the Cross dey forever and e pass all time and space, e dey become present here and now for our world when we allow His Sacrifice to show itself for the crosses wey we carry every day.  So, when we choose every day to accept suffering as sacrifice and join am to the Cross, this choice dey make the Cross of Christ continue to dey present for time and space. E dey make that one perfect Sacrifice present for every day and every age, and for here and now.  When the Cross of Christ transforms our daily sufferings, the thing wey dey “lack” dey disappear as His one Sacrifice dey show itself.  So, we fit talk say our high calling na to give the Sacrifice of Christ “body” for our daily life, as we accept every suffering with humility, trust and mercy.

To Live Life of Sacrifice through Your Daily Sufferings

As you accept true “life of sacrifice” inside the real experiences of your daily life, you must continue to accept am day after day.  To live life of sacrifice must become habit, so that the crosses wey you meet every day no go shake your faith or make you lose am.  To live life of sacrifice every day fit, in the end, change the “load” of the cross into the “sweetness” of God’s merciful love. This go help you remain humble, full of trust and merciful for all things and at all times. 

Apostle Luke write for his Gospel say Jesus tell everybody, “If anybody wan follow me, e must deny imself, carry im cross every day and follow me” (Luke 9:23).  But you know wetin your daily cross be?  You understand why you dey suffer every day?  Before you fit offer am well as sacrifice, e fit help you to think about these three main sources of suffering: 1) original sin; 2) personal sins wey other people commit against you; 3) personal sins wey you yourself commit.  Every suffering for life go fall under one of these three groups.  If you understand the sufferings wey you go face from these three sources, e go easier for you to join those things wey you face every day to the Cross, so that you go experience the high calling to live life of sacrifice every day.

Suffering from the effects of original sin:

Na natural thing for human beings to sin, experience sickness, tiredness, confusion, anger and, for the end, death?  Most likely, you go answer “Yes” to this question wey look like say e dey bring sadness.  But, to talk am exactly as e be, none of these things belong to human nature as e suppose be.  But now, dem don become part of our human nature wey don fall because of sin.

From the beginning, God create human nature so that everything inside us dey in perfect order.  Our minds dey clear, our feelings dey balanced, our strong desires dey under control, and our bodies no dey experience sickness or death.  The rest of the natural world be like that too.  Disease, disorder and death no dey for the original paradise of the natural world wey God create.  But once our first parents freely choose to commit the sin of disobedience, the natural world and human nature itself suffer the effects of this original sin, because that sin separate dem from God.

E important make we understand this difference between nature as God first create am, and nature wey don fall as we dey experience am now after sin enter.  God create us and the world perfect.  But neither we nor the world wey we dey live inside still dey that original perfect condition.  Disorder don full the natural world now (for example, sickness and death).  We now dey suffer all the effects wey this fallen world get on our body, mind and feelings. 

We also dey suffer all the spiritual effects of human nature wey don fall because of sin.  These spiritual effects na wetin we dey call “concupiscence.”  Concupiscence na the pull towards sin wey we dey feel, wey no belong to human nature as God originally create am.  We dey experience temptation and the tendency to act with selfishness.  Our first parents no experience this tendency when dem dey the state of Original Innocence, and this make their original choice to sin (Original Sin) very serious.  Dem choose with complete freedom to turn away from God.  Because of this, all creation fall into disorder.  As for the spiritual effects of the fall, we wey be descendants of Adam and Eve now dey find am hard to avoid sin.  Plenty struggle and confusion dey happen inside us and, because of this, we too dey often commit sin.

Remember again the words of St. Paul wey we quote for Chapter Two: “So, I discover this principle: when I wan do wetin right, evil dey near.  For deep inside me, I dey take delight for the law of God, but I dey see another principle for the parts of my body wey dey fight against the law of my mind. E dey hold me captive under the law of sin wey dey live for the parts of my body” (Romans 7:21-23).  For this passage, St. Paul dey talk about how e dey experience concupiscence inside imself.  This struggle inside im human nature wey don fall na suffering wey come from original sin.  Na experience wey all of us dey get every day too.

Still reflect on the real struggle wey you dey face with thoughts wey no dey orderly and wey dey confuse you.  Without grace, our minds no fit understand life.  This struggle for mind wey all of us dey experience still come from our human nature wey don fall because of sin, and e dey bring human suffering like pain for mind, anxiety, emotional distress and other things like that.

Suffering for body still come from our human nature wey don fall because of sin.  Take, for example, the painful experience of serious sickness.  For the state of Original Innocence, our first parents no suffer any sickness for body or the suffering wey dey follow am.  Suffering and death no be wetin God first intend when E create human beings.  From the beginning, God create us make we live forever.

The practical question na this: How you go accept these kinds of suffering wey come from human nature wey don fall because of sin, and wey we clearly no fit avoid, so that you go allow God transform them?  Even though the answer simple to explain, e no easy to live am until you don build strong habit of life wey dey make sacrifice.  So, the answer to this question na to return to the three virtues of humility, trust and mercy, and try to keep them alive for your life inside anything wey you dey endure.  These virtues go help you do pass just to remove these kinds of suffering from your life.  Dem go help you “remove” these sufferings by healing the root cause and lifting am to higher level.  These virtues go make your thinking clear, strengthen your will and help you choose every day to accept the effects of sin in a way wey involve sacrifice.

For example, make we say you get serious sickness wey go eventually lead to death.  The sickness make you suffer for several months.  Wetin you suppose do?  Some people go allow anger, self-pity and loss of hope take over their whole mind.  Some go look for quicker way out through euthanasia.  But others go accept every suffering wey this sickness bring, humble themselves day after day, entrust themselves to God more fully than ever before, and turn their attention to the people wey dem love, to comfort them and show them mercy.  Even though we fit understand loss of hope, anger and self-pity to some extent, we must understand say dem no be the best thing wey we suppose aim for.  The best thing na to allow the suffering wey you dey endure perfect the virtues of humility, trust and mercy for your life, so that your suffering go change and plenty grace go flow from your life because of am.

For this case, to accept suffering and death in a holy way dey produce plenty good fruit for your life and for the lives of the people wey love you.  To reject suffering for this case go bring more suffering.  To talk about this one far easier than to live am.  But if you try to live with humility, trust and mercy throughout your life, especially when you face serious suffering, e go far easier to continue for the road of virtue and freedom.  Those habits wey you don build go lift your new and intense suffering to the level of suffering wey dey serve the work of redemption, as e become act of love wey involve sacrifice.  Because of this, plenty grace go flow through you enter the lives of the people wey you dey meet every day.

Suffering because of another person sins:

Suffering fit still happen because of other people sins.  Some sins fit involve you directly, with deliberate intention to bring suffering enter your life, while other sins fit involve you indirectly but still bring you suffering as result wey the person no intend.  

One example of this second kind (suffering as result wey the person no intend) fit be when dem put unjust law into practice.  Unjust law dey start from the mind and free choice of the person wey dey make law, so in the end, e be result of somebody personal sin (or maybe the sin of several people).  As time dey go, if that law cause you harm wey you no deserve, you dey suffer because of another person sin.  Other examples of suffering wey another person sins cause indirectly na these: 1) Driver wey don drunk cause accident and harm you; 2) Financial adviser neglect the care of company retirement plan, and you lose plenty of your own savings; 3) Your husband or wife break law and dem send am go prison, and this one cause plenty pain for your whole family.  Of course, plenty other situations dey where other people sins dey harm people without the sinners intending that harm.

E dey sad say sometimes, people dey deliberately direct their sins against you, with the clear intention to harm you.  For example, make we say you lose your job because your oga hate you.  Na man wey no get happiness, and e no like you for no reason.  Because of this, e decide to make you suffer by sacking you, and this one cause plenty pain for your life and your family life.  When person treat you badly like this, you get choice to make.  You fit react with hatred and desire to revenge, or you fit allow the suffering wey dem bring upon you to “make up” wetin dey “lack” for the sufferings of Christ.  E important to note say, when you choose to join this suffering to the Cross of Christ, e no mean say you dey accept say the bad treatment good.  Instead, as you join am to the Cross, you dey acknowledge say na unjust persecution.  But when you choose to face this injustice with mercy and forgiveness, and keep your eyes on wetin God want, you take away the power wey the injustice get over you.  You still allow this injustice, wey your oga sin cause, to change.  The evil now become source of grace and mercy for our world because you choose to welcome grace and mercy into that painful situation.  Through this act, you make the sacrificial love of Christ Himself present for that time and place.

Some other clear examples of sins wey people commit directly against you na: 1) Person steal from you; 2) Person use words or physical force harm you because of anger or bad intention; 3) Person lie against you to spoil your good name.  For cases like these, the pain wey dem cause go tempt most people to turn away from the virtues of humble heart, trust and mercy.  Anger fit be the first way person go react to these unjust hurts.  And even though person fit understand why you vex, you need dey careful make you no keep brooding over this hurt, or turn to hatred or lose hope. 

Person wey dey live with humble heart, trust and mercy go find am easier to respond to another person sins with the Beatitudes:

“Blessed na those wey dem persecute because of righteousness, because the kingdom of heaven na their own.  Blessed na una when people insult una, persecute una, and talk every kind of evil against una [with lies] because of Me.  Rejoice and be glad, because una reward go great for heaven.  Na so dem persecute the prophets wey come before una.”  Matthew 5:10-12 

Go back to Chapter Four for this book, where e talk about the mercy wey God call you to show others when dem sin against you.  The purpose of this chapter and this reflection na to help you reflect on how sins wey people commit against you fit also change to sacrificial love.  E no easy to hold yourself back from anger when other people sins harm you, unless the habits of humble heart, trust and mercy don take deep root for your life.  But when these habits transform the unjust suffering wey you endure, that hurt go lose the power wey e get to weigh you down.  Na so e go be even if the person wey sin against you no repent.  Even so, you go still dey free to love and “rejoice” for life, and remain for the road to holiness, no matter wetin you suffer unjustly.  So, for this high calling to sacrificial love, the unjust suffering wey you endure go actually bear more good fruit for the world than if nobody ever sin against you in the first place.  This one show say, in the end, other people sins no fit take away the power of God will when His saints allow that sin to change for their lives.

Suffering because of your own sin:

The worst kind of suffering wey you fit endure for this life na the suffering wey you bring upon yourself because of the personal sins wey you commit.  This suffering dey always painful because sin dey directly separate you from God, the source of all joy and fulfilment.  When you no repent of your sin, your sin no get any value and e continue to cause you deep personal suffering.  But when you repent, even the suffering wey your sin bring upon you fit change to grace because of God mercy.  But the suffering wey come from your personal sins no fit change to life of sacrifice until you repent of your sins and reconcile with God.  If na against another person you commit the sin, repentance must first happen before the sin wey you commit fit change and rise to the level of life of sacrifice.

For example, imagine say you dey struggle with anger, and you allow the anger remain inside you dey grow until e show itself for such serious way wey you cause plenty harm to the people wey you love.  When you direct the sin of anger against people wey you love, especially when e don become your habit, you dey cause serious harm to those relationships.  Even though your relationships go suffer because of your sin, na yourself you dey cause the most serious harm.  We no talk this one to make the harm wey you dey cause other people look less important; instead, we talk am to make e clear say sin no make sense, even if na only your own good you dey think about, because of the harm wey e dey cause your own soul.

The good news be say if you fit sincerely repent, express your sorrow for the sin, and truly change your life, God fit use the hurt from the past do great things.  E even dey more glorious when you express your sorrow, the person later accept am, and anger give way to a new virtue of mercy wey you dey practise as habit towards the people wey you don hurt.  When this one happen, God no go only fit heal old wounds; He fit even turn those wounds into new sources of love.  This one na especially because, to forgive past wounds, both you and the person wey you don hurt need to show plenty mercy.  But if both of una show each other that mercy, the deeper mercy wey una share because of the past sins na truly mercy wey involve sacrifice, and e go raise the relationship reach new levels of love.

This one no easy, because to transform sin, person need plenty humility, trust and mercy.  But if e happen, the new level of love wey involve sacrifice and wey una share go strengthen una relationship so tey e go strong pass how e for be if una never need to show mercy.  As we dey talk for the Easter Proclamation for Mass, “O happy fault, wey win such a great Redeemer for us!”

Na so e still be for your relationship with God.  Even though sin no ever be something wey person suppose desire, e dey console us to know say, when you fall, if you stand up again, repent and truly change, you go become stronger and love God more deeply.  Sin itself, and the suffering wey e dey cause, fit be transformed, and dem must be transformed.

When the sins wey you commit get effects wey dey last long (for example, court sentence wey send you prison, divorce under civil law, friendship wey end for good, etc.), God dey invite you make you no dey dwell on that hurt and remain for sorrow and shame.  Instead, He dey invite you make you join that suffering wey still dey continue to Him and His Cross every day.  For this case, the suffering wey still dey continue go become source of sacrifice wey no dey stop, and because of this, e go become act of humility, trust and mercy wey dey continue for your life.

One Source of Inner Suffering Wey Be Mystery

E good to point out say another kind of inner suffering still dey, wey sometimes dey affect people wey dey strive to live holy life.  Na the spiritual suffering of darkness deep inside person.  Remember wetin Jesus talk for the Cross, “My God, my God, why You don abandon Me?” (Matthew 27:46b).  While Jesus dey for the Cross, He experience deep darkness inside Him and the human experience of separation from the Father.  Because of this, He cry out as He dey pray Psalm 22.  When you read the whole Psalm, e clear say the prayer end with faith, even when e be like say God don abandon the person.  As Jesus embrace this human experience wey bring extreme suffering deep inside, He make human nature perfect for the area of faith, and this allow us to know with deep conviction say God no ever dey abandon us. 

Sometimes, God go remain silent towards some people wey dey seek Him.  Of course, He always dey there, and He no go ever leave dem.  Still, He dey remain silent, and because e dey seem to dem say He no dey there, this silence dey cause dem deep suffering, so that dem go get opportunity to make their faith perfect.  For those moments, He dey invite dem to remain humble, to let go of all their personal fears and selfish desires and accept wetin God know say na the best for dem.  The aim na to make their personal trust in God deeper for a way wey no for ever happen if dem dey always “feel” His presence wey dey console dem. E dey give dem opportunity to receive His mercy for the purest and fullest measure, and to join human sufferings to the one Sacrifice of Christ.

This na grace and, to talk am more exactly, na grace wey dey come to certain people because of spiritual suffering wey come directly from God.  God no go give this kind suffering to person wey no go gain any benefit from am.  But if you remember say suffering don receive redemption and great spiritual power don enter am, then you go understand say when God sometimes choose to make these people suffer directly for spirit, na only to make them become even greater instrument
of His grace for the world.  But make you no worry too much about this, because God know wetin you need and when you need am.  And God go only give this kind suffering when e go directly help to make your soul and other people their souls holy.

St. John of the Cross na the great spiritual teacher and Doctor of the Church wey write about this spiritual experience most clearly.  His books “To Climb Mount Carmel,” “The Dark Night of the Soul,” “The Spiritual Song” and “The Living Flame of Love” na the four spiritual books wey don stand the test of time, where he explain this deep mystery of God love wey dey purify us.  For example, for “The Living Flame of Love,” he write as poem say:

O living flame of love

Wey dey gently wound my soul

For the deepest part inside am! Since

You no dey oppress me again,

Now bring everything to completion! if na your will:

Tear through the veil of this sweet encounter!

O sweet fire wey dey burn wound,

O wound wey dey bring delight!

O gentle hand! O tender touch

Wey get the taste of eternal life

And dey pay every debt!

As you dey kill, you change death to life.

This deep mystery of spiritual life, where God dey purify our souls by giving us spiritual wound of love, na exactly wetin e be: deep mystery.  Even so, e dey help to at least understand say St. John of the Cross, St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and plenty other saints don write about this experience in a way wey deep well-well.

The Special Calling to Live Life of Sacrifice

For the Diary of Divine Mercy wey Saint Faustina write, Jesus reveal to her one special calling to suffer, and the power wey dey inside accepting this calling with her own free will.  E invite her to become “sacrifice of living love.”  Even though this spiritual teaching fit shock you at first, read am carefully and open your heart to the deep power wey dey inside the message.  For the rest of this chapter, we go reflect in detail on this high calling of love.

Teaching on Sacrifice and Prayer

My daughter, I want teach you how you go rescue souls through sacrifice and prayer.  Through prayer and suffering, you go save more souls than missionary go save through only his teachings and sermons.  I want see you as sacrifice of living love, because na only then this sacrifice go get weight before Me.  You must become nothing, you must be destroyed, and live as if you don die for the deepest, most hidden part of your being.  You must be destroyed for that hidden depth where human eye never enter; then I go find for you sacrifice wey please Me, whole burnt offering wey full of sweetness and sweet smell.  And your power go great for anybody wey you intercede for.  For outside, your sacrifice must be like this: quiet, hidden, with love all through am, and full of prayer.  My daughter, I demand say your sacrifice must dey pure and full of humility, so that e go please Me.  I no go hold back My grace, so that you go fit do wetin I demand from you.

Now I go teach you wetin your sacrifice of offering your whole self go involve for everyday life, so that you no go follow false ideas.  You go accept every suffering with love.  Make you no let am trouble you if your heart often dey resist sacrifice and no like am.  All the power of sacrifice dey for the will. So these feelings wey dey oppose am no go reduce the value of the sacrifice for My eyes at all; instead, dem go increase am.  Know say your body and soul go often dey inside fire.  Even though sometimes you no go feel My presence, I go always dey with you.  No fear; My grace go dey with you… (Diary #1767)

Two main lessons dey wey we need learn from this passage above.  The first lesson be say God dey call some people to one special life of sacrifice and prayer.  Saint Faustina, one nun wey dey live secluded life inside convent, na one of those people.  No be just because she be nun wey dey live secluded life inside convent make she receive this calling; rather, God choose her for one special life of suffering, sacrifice and prayer for reasons wey only God know, according to His will wey be mystery but still perfect. 

Saint Faustina live for convent wey dey separate from outside world, spend plenty years with serious sickness, and many of her fellow sisters dey mock am. For the way the world dey see things, she be more of burden to society than person wey dey produce anything.  From worldly point of view, which good she do for this life?  How the hidden life wey she live inside convent take benefit anybody?  And as she dey sick all the time and many sisters no like am, person fit wonder whether she help the convent grow well or she contribute more to how e dey fall apart.

But if you read the words wey Jesus tell am for this vision, and if you fit accept them as dem be, believe everything wey dem talk, then wetin dem mean deep well-well.  Read the beginning of that spiritual teaching again:

“You go save more souls through prayer and suffering than missionary go save through only im teachings and sermons.  I want see you as sacrifice of living love; na only then the sacrifice go carry weight before Me.  You must become nothing, you must let yourself be destroyed, dey live as if you don die for the deepest, most hidden part of your being….na then I go find for you sacrifice wey please Me, a whole burnt offering wey full of sweetness and sweet fragrance.  And your power go great for anybody wey you intercede for.

If you fit accept and believe these words from our Lord, then you must believe say the effect wey Saint Faustina get for many people life no be ordinary.  Even if we put aside the fact say her Diary don dey published now and many people dey benefit from the spiritual lessons wey dey inside, the message wey Jesus dey give be say the power inside the way she accept suffering quietly and for hidden life save souls wey nobody fit count, even though she no fully understand am.  Saint Faustina become “sacrifice of living love,” and because of this, God open the floodgates of mercy, put great spiritual power inside her prayers for anybody wey she go intercede for.  Imagine her joy for Heaven as she come face to face with the countless souls wey receive salvation through the hidden sacrifice wey she live.

This na mysterious but glorious vocation, and the mission wey dey the centre of am na to suffer and join that suffering to the Cross of Christ.  The purpose na make the “sacrifice wey please God,” wey the Son of God offer for the Cross, continue across time and place and become source of grace wey no dey stop for the life of the person wey receive this vocation.  No be many people receive this mysterious vocation to suffering and sacrifice, but some receive am, and na only for Heaven we go see the power of the hidden sacrifice wey dem dey make.

The second important lesson wey we suppose learn from this passage for the Diary of Saint Faustina na say God dey call all of us to live out Saint Faustina special calling, some more and some less.  Even though God give some people special calling to accept love wey dey make sacrifice in a deep way wey go continue, E call everybody to be “living sacrifice of love” according to the special calling wey each person get.  And the most important thing to remember na say the spiritual power wey dey flow from accepting this calling with our own free will far pass wetin we fit ever know for this world.

For everyday life, you get chances wey nobody fit count to live out your special calling to love wey dey make sacrifice.  To discover wetin those chances be, start to reflect on wetin you dey complain about pass.  Wetin dey disturb you pass, dey vex you, dey make you worry or dey tempt you to lose hope completely?  Anything wey come your mind na the first place to start to live out your special calling to a life of sacrifice.  Allow the power of Christ Sacrifice for the Cross to change the “burdens” into channels wey grace and mercy go pass reach the world.  Know say, for the end, na these things wey you see as burdens go enable you, like Saint Faustina, to get great spiritual power to intercede for a world wey dey in need.  No waste that power on pity for yourself, anger, pride or comfort wey no go last.

The Sweetness of Sacrifice

If all this talk about suffering and sacrifice don make you worry, good news dey wey go really comfort you.  Heaven dey wait!  For Heaven, pain or suffering no go dey again at all.  For Heaven, all the sacrifice wey you make for this life go turn to eternal blessings wey you go receive as reward.  The reward go be to experience the fruit of your sacrifice forever and to rejoice in am as fully as possible.  For Heaven, you no go ever regret say you choose to seek humility, to trust God, to show mercy and to live a life of sacrifice.  Every burden wey you accept with your own free will here and now, and join to the Cross, go be like bright light wey dey shine from your soul with glory and beauty forever.  For Heaven, you go understand say every sacrifice worth am, and your heart go full with plenty gratitude.

But more good news still dey.  When you accept to live life of sacrifice here and now, and when you completely accept every cross, God go often give you wetin we fit call “the sweetness of sacrifice” here and now.  Remember the poem of St. John of the Cross wey we quote before, where e call the work wey God dey do to purify person “O sweet burning wey dey heal, O wound wey dey bring joy!”  This “sweetness” and “joy” dey apply to every kind of suffering when e turn to sacrifice of love.  Yes, the suffering wey you dey feel fit still dey pain you, the sorrow fit still deep, and the sacrifice go still dey necessary, but when you accept suffering completely, you go fit find joy for the Cross of Christ as you dey carry that Cross.  Jesus’ yoke no ever heavy, and His load always light when we accept His yoke and His load for our life with full knowledge and with the complete agreement of our will.  For this case, our desires, passions and feelings go change with time, and we go find great comfort for the Cross of Christ.  At first, those desires, feelings and passions go still dey confused and dey against wetin God want.  But the more we understand and choose the Cross completely, the more every part of our being go come into harmony and experience the spiritual fruit of our sacrifice wey join with Christ own.

Look am this way:  Wetin Jesus experience for the Cross?  Na only pain and suffering?  Or more things dey?  Truly, as E hang for the Cross, His suffering severe well-well.  But because E accept am freely, His suffering still produce perfect strength inside His soul, and His suffering show the perfection of His human nature.  Remember these words for the Letter to the Hebrews:

Even though E be Son, E learn obedience from wetin E suffer; and when E don become perfect, E become the source of eternal salvation for everybody wey obey Am, and God declare Am high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.  Hebrews 5:8-10

Jesus “learn obedience from wetin E suffer” only for this sense: as E freely accept suffering in human form, E bring human nature to perfection and make am possible for us to do the same, as E become “the source of eternal salvation for everybody wey obey Am.”  We fit dey sure say, as Jesus bring human nature to perfection through His obedience to wetin the Father want, and as E freely accept the suffering wey the sins of the world cause, His human nature still rejoice with joy wey no get limit. 

Na so e still be with us.  If we want “remove” the sting of suffering for our life, we must accept am.  And even though, sometimes, God go still make us pass through the spiritual suffering of inner darkness wey we mention before, we go come discover say this darkness na blessing, and e dey produce great things for our life and for the world.  We go still dey sure say if we continue to pray without giving up, as Psalm 22 dey lead us to pray, the result go be the greatest spiritual joy wey go begin here and now and continue forever.

To Follow the Example of Accepting the Cross Freely and with Joy

This book end with one reflection from the book, “40 Days for the Foot of the Cross: To Look with Love from the Heart of Our Blessed Mother” (visit mycatholic.life/books).  For this passage, Mother Mary give us the perfect example of how to live life of sacrifice with joy, as she stand there while dem dey brutally crucify her dear Son.  Even though holy sorrow fill her heart because of the persecution of her Son, humility, trust and mercy still fill her heart.  Think deeply about the reflection from Day Seven:

Day Seven – Humble Servant of the Lord

“My soul dey proclaim how great the Lord be; my spirit dey rejoice in God my saviour.  Because E don look upon the lowly condition of His maidservant; see, from now on, all generations go call me blessed.”  Luke 1:46-48

As our Blessed Mother stand before the Cross of her Son, “all generations” go call that moment “blessed”?  She dey blessed, as she talk for her song of praise, to see the cruel and brutal death of her Son? 

Even though wetin she experience for the foot of the Cross go don bring extraordinary pain, sorrow and sacrifice, na still moment of extraordinary blessing.  That moment, as she stand dey look her crucified Son with love, na moment of extraordinary grace.  Na moment wey through am, suffering bring redemption to the world.  And she choose to see this perfect sacrifice of love with her own eyes and to think deeply about am for her own heart.  She choose to rejoice in God wey fit bring so much good out of so much pain.

For our own life, when we face struggles and suffering, temptation fit easily come make we close our heart and focus only on our own pain and hopelessness.  We fit easily forget the blessings wey we don receive for life.  The Father no force pain and suffering on His Son and our Blessed Mother, but na His will be say make dem enter this time of serious persecution.  Jesus enter this time so that He go change am and redeem all suffering.  Our Blessed Mother choose to enter this time so that she go be the first and greatest witness to the love and power of God wey dey alive for her Son.  Every day, the Father still dey invite each one of us make we rejoice with our Blessed Mother as He dey invite us to stand and face the Cross.

Even though the Scripture passage wey dem quote above remind us of the words wey our Blessed Mother talk when she carry Jesus for belle and go meet Elizabeth, na words wey she for continue to dey talk.  She for don dey proclaim how great the Lord be, rejoice in God her Saviour, and enjoy the many blessings wey she receive for life again and again.  She for don do so for moments like the Visitation, and she for don do so for moments like the Crucifixion. 

Today, think deeply about the words and the heart of our Blessed Mother.  Talk these words for your own prayer today.  Talk dem as dem concern anything wey you dey pass through for life.  Make dem become something wey dey strengthen your faith and hope in God every day.  Proclaim how great the Lord be, rejoice in God your Saviour, and know say God’s blessings plenty every day, no matter wetin you dey experience for life.  When life bring you comfort, see the blessing wey dey inside am.  When life bring you pain, see the blessing wey dey inside am.  Allow the witness of the Mother of God to inspire you every day of your life.

Mother wey I love so much, the words wey you talk for the Visitation, as you proclaim how great God be, na words wey flow from the great joy of the Incarnation.  This your joy spread far and wide, and e fill you with strength when you later stand dey watch your Child die one cruel death.  The joy wey you get when you carry belle touch you once again for this time of deepest sorrow.

Mother wey I love so much, help me make I sing song
of praise like you for my own life.  Help me make I see God’s blessings for every part of life.  Draw me into the way you dey look with love, so that I go see the glory of the sacrifice of your own beloved Son.

My precious Lord Jesus, na You be the greatest blessing for this world.  Na You be all blessings!  Everything wey good dey come from You.  Help me make I keep my eyes on You every day, and make I fully understand the power of Your Sacrifice of Love.  Make I rejoice in this gift and always proclaim how great You be.

Mother Mary, pray for me.  Jesus, na You I trust.

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