E Still Dey for eBook & Paperback Format!
July 1
We read for Scripture about God love:
- “Mama fit forget her baby, or no get tender love for the pikin wey come from her womb? Even if she forget, I no go ever forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).
- “Because you precious for My eyes and I honour you, and I love you…” (Isaiah 43:4a).
- “His mercy for us strong; the LORD faithfulness dey last forever” (Psalm 117:2).
Scripture make am clear well-well say God love us. How we fit ever doubt am?!
July 2
“Na this be love: no be say na we love God, but na He love us and send His Son to be sacrifice to wipe away our sins” (1 John 4:10, RSVCE).
God give us Himself. To think about am alone too much for mind to carry. And na only make we love Him back He dey long for. As we dey grow older, we hope say we go dey put God first more and more, and dey love Him with all our heart and soul.
July 3
The Cross dey inside growing old from the start. Our body no go fit do wetin e dey do before, we go dey slow down, and even simple work go dey harder. Na Christ dey call us make we carry our Cross every day and follow Him. And every day, we get chance to do so! We dey change when we see the crosses for our life as special opportunities wey we get to follow Him.
July 4
The Gospel proclaim say, “‘See, the virgin go get belle and born one son, and dem go name am Emmanuel,’ wey mean ‘God dey with us’” (Matthew 1:23). God dey with us. He dey present with us every time. He dey live inside us. How we go respond? Dem dey call am “the practice of God presence”—to dey always remember say He dey inside us. One short prayer wey we dey pray often throughout the day fit help: “Jesus, I know say You dey with me.” This small prayer fit change our life in wonderful way.
July 5
Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity talk say she dey always reflect on her baptism and how Jesus don dey live inside her every time since that day. Na her way to become holy be that. E fit be our own way too.
July 6
If we commit serious sin, God go leave our soul. But if we make good confession, He go return to live inside us. Make we firmly decide to always live holy life, so that our Lord go dey live inside us.
July 7
For the beginning of the Gospel, dem tell us say Jesus na “Emmanuel,” the God-Wey-Dey-With-Us. For the end of the Gospel, Jesus promise us say He go dey with us always until the end of the age. E be like the two supports wey hold books for both ends: for the beginning and the end of the Gospel, Jesus promise us for both places say He go dey with us. Na so e still be for our life—for the beginning, throughout our life, and for the end, Jesus dey there. He dey with us.
July 8
Prophet Zechariah dey often talk about “the few wey remain faithful.” He talk say no be most of the people, but some people go remain wey go still dey faithful to God. That one describe our situation today small, no be so? Wetin matter for us na to remain faithful.
July 9
One priest wey be my friend tell me say, “To grow old na the greatest gift wey God fit give me. E give me chance to continue to do God work and to grow for holiness.” True-true, all of us fit talk that one. Amen.
July 10
As we dey grow old, e dey show us every day say our life for this world dey pass, and na Heaven be where we dey go. That message dey right inside our everyday life.
July 11
One reward wey dey come from receiving the Eucharist often na say, true-true, we dey become part of Christ Mystical Body more and more. We dey truly become the Holy Food wey we dey eat, more and more.
July 12
One beautiful prayer dey after Communion for the Mass of the seventh day inside the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord. Na so the prayer be: “O Lord, make Your people, wey You dey guide and sustain in many ways, experience, both now and for the future, the healing remedies wey You dey give, so that, with the comfort wey dem need from things wey dey pass away, dem go strive for things wey go last forever, with trust wey dey grow deeper and deeper. Through Christ our Lord.”
No be fine thought be that? Yes, true true, we need to mourn the good things wey don pass away, but all through that time, with God help, make our trust for the things wey go last forever dey grow deeper and deeper.
July 13
One dear friend of mine die of cancer no too long ago. Before she die, she leave this treasure for me. She talk say she remember how, when she be small girl, she like to play outside and no wan enter when her mama call her come chop evening food. But once she enter house, she still like to dey there too. She talk say na so she see the stage wey she dey—she love this life with all the good things inside am, but she know say the life for Heaven carry love wey even greater pass.
July 14
Small word to praise good spiritual reading: Wetin we dey put for our mind matter! Na just to encourage you to find good spiritual book if you never get one, and spend 15 minutes every day to read good spiritual things. Na wonderful way to prepare your heart for prayer too—e dey lead us straight into prayer. If you need help, your priest fit recommend good book.
July 15
Silence no empty. God presence fill am. Make silence your friend. Make your love for silence dey grow, as you just dey “stay with” our Lord. You no need any big thoughts. Just to dey with Him don do. The noise wey full everywhere for our time make silence even more important. Silence dey help us think deeply about the things of God and open our heart to God voice. Na only God know our silent prayer. Na special, personal talk between God and us.
July 16
To dey alone no be the same thing as (≠) to feel lonely. To dey alone dey allow us open our heart to God more deeply.
July 17
E good to begin our prayer time by first relaxing quietly for small time. That one dey help us put all our attention for prayer. I get this picture for my mind of lift inside very tall building, as e dey go down, down, until e stop for the lowest floor. Na almost the same way we dey go down, down through our plenty worries until we rest inside God arms.
July 18
E dey bring joy to experience new ways to pray as we dey grow old. We no fit know when one of them go really “suit” us. One way na to read Scripture slowly, with prayer and deep reflection. Just start with act of faith (for example, “Lord, I know say this no be just any ordinary book. Na Your living Word be this. Open my heart to wetin You wan tell me today.”) Then read the Scripture slowly until something touch your heart. When that one happen, put something to mark the place for the Bible, and think deeply about am/pray over am as long as e still dey speak to your heart. Then open the Bible again and continue to read slowly. The Gospel of Mark na good place to start. This no be course to teach you how to read fast. E fit take you one year to finish Mark, and by the end of the year, you go know Jesus far better.
July 19
E be like say old people dey inside two groups. People for Group A dey very active, and dem dey talk say, “I busy now pass before. The days just dey fly.” People for Group B no fit do as much; some fit no even dey able to leave house. For them, the days dey seem long—time dey move slowly. Anywhere wey e possible, e good well well to bring the two groups together—so that the active ones go bring their energy, eagerness and lively spirit come meet the ones wey no fit do as much, wey go really appreciate am.
July 20
The talk wey Jesus give for the Last Supper inside the Gospel of John wonderful well well. Read John Chapter 15 and take am as message to you personally. Make e be Jesus wey dey talk directly to you, as na wetin He dey really do.
July 21
“Even though He dey in the form of God, He no see equality with God as something to hold tightly, but He empty Himself, take the form of servant…” (Philippians 2:6-7a, RSVCE). To grow old still involve one kind of “emptying of self.” E dey comfort us to know say our Lord Jesus don pass that road before us. He know exactly wetin we dey experience.
July 22
Saint Basil and Saint Gregory live for the same time, and dem be dear friends. Saint Gregory preach for Saint Basil funeral for 379 A.D. He talk say, “Basil, welcome me for your dwelling place when I don leave this life, so that we go fit live together and gaze…at the Holy and Blessed Trinity” (see Oration 43). Na wonderful picture for us—that for Heaven, we dey united with the people wey we love, as we dey look the Blessed Trinity with wonder and deep reverence.
July 23
One strong line of thought for Catholic teaching dey see Heaven as the reward for the battles we don fight and the struggles wey we remain faithful to Christ inside. E good to always keep that reward for our mind, especially for difficult days.
July 24
For one way, death, and even the time wey our death dey approach, dey really bring everybody to the same level. Power, high status, rewards, even success for money matter, dey move go background. Wetin matter na Faith, Family and Friends. We hope say na these things we dey put first even now.
July 25
Gilbert and Sullivan write one wonderful play wey dem call The Mikado. Inside the play, dem sing to mock “the mumu wey dey use plenty excitement praise every century apart from this one, and every country apart from im own.” Dem get point. God know wetin E dey do, and na Him put us make we live for this time and for this place. With God, nothing dey happen by chance. We hope say this go help us use everything wey we be to serve the people and places wey dey our lives.
July 26
Our young people need elderly people. Dem need your good character, the good things wey you hold dear, and the way you dey look far ahead. No withdraw yourself from dem—you get precious gift to give dem.
July 27
As we dey grow old, e dey often be like say difficulty to sleep na part of wetin dey follow old age. One of the prayers wey I like pass when I no fit sleep for night na this: “Give Your people hearts wey dey awake with love for You, Lord wey no dey sleep.” Just think am—no matter which time for night we wake, our God dey right there with us! Make we wake with love for our wonderful God.
July 28
Jesus tell Peter say, “…when you grow old, you go stretch out your hands, and another person go dress you and lead you go where you no want go” (John 21:18b). No be true be that?! Dem operate on me for 2016, and I waka for the hospital corridors with my hospital gown wey no cover my backside well. As I dey waka, I remember those words wey Jesus tell Saint Peter. True true, some things wey dey happen as person dey grow old fit make am lose dignity. Make we accept them with good heart.
July 29
As we dey grow older, we get more free time. That one good, because we need am—to visit doctors for their offices! We come sabi tell people our date of birth in no time. We come turn regular visitors for places wey we never want go. But opportunity dey there—pray for everybody wey dey the waiting room with you. Ask God make E bless and protect dem. Make your prayer focus on just dem.
July 30
One sweet saying dey wey talk say, “Sometimes I dey sit down dey think, and sometimes I just dey sit down.” No be bad idea. One very good way to pray na just to quiet down, off the radio and T.V., and just sit down for God presence. Know say E dey love you for that very time and place. And just sit down with Am.
July 31
Saint Augustine talk one famous thing: “Na late I begin love You, O beauty wey dey from long ago and wey dey always new.” That one concern plenty of us. Even the great Saint Teresa of Ávila spend many years as nun wey no take her calling serious like that before she begin take her faith serious. But the wonderful news be say, e never too late. As long as life dey, hope dey. “Now” na always good time to begin love and follow God with all our heart and soul.
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