January 9, 2020
Thursday after Epiphany
Di Readings for Today
Listen for English
Jesus tell dem, “Today, dis passage for Scripture don come true as una dey hear am.” And all of dem praise Am, and di words wey full of grace wey come out from im mouth amaze dem. Luke 4:21-22a
Jesus just reach Nazareth, where E grow up, and E enter di Temple area to read di Scripture. E read di passage from Isaiah: “Di Spirit of di Lord dey upon me, because E don anoint me to bring Good News to poor people. E don send me to announce freedom to people wey dem hold captive and say blind people go see again, to set people wey dem dey oppress free, and to announce one year wey di Lord go accept.” After E read dis, E sit down and announce say dis prophecy from Isaiah don come true.
Di way di people for im town react get wetin we fit learn from. All of dem “praise Am, and di words wey full of grace wey come out from im mouth amaze dem.” At least, na so dem first react. But if we read further, we go see say Jesus challenge di people, and because of dis, dem vex well-well and try to kill Am there, that same time.
Plenty times, na di same way we dey react to Jesus. At first, we fit talk well about Am and welcome Am with kindness. For example, for Christmas, we fit sing carols and celebrate im birthday with joy and merriment. We fit go church and wish people merry Christmas. We fit arrange di scene of Jesus for manger and decorate with Christian symbols of our faith. But how deep all dis really reach? Sometimes, Christmas celebrations and traditions na only for outside; dem no show any deep Christian conviction or faith. Wetin dey happen when dis precious Christ-Child talk words of truth wey dey touch conscience? Wetin dey happen when di Gospel call us to repent and turn our lives to God? How we dey react to Christ for times like dis?
As we continue di last week of our Christmas season, take time today to reflect on dis truth: di small Child wey we dey honour for Christmas don grow up, and now E dey speak words of truth to us. Reflect on whether you dey willing to honour Am, no be only as small baby, but also as di Prophet of all Truth. You dey willing to listen to im whole message and welcome Am with joy? You dey willing to allow im words of Truth enter deep into your heart and change your life?
Lord, I love You, and I want make everything wey You don talk enter deep into my heart and draw me into di whole truth. Help me to accept You, no be only as small child wey dem born for Bethlehem, but also as di great Prophet of Truth. Make I never take offence at di words wey You dey talk, and make I always dey open to di work wey You dey do as Prophet for my life. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
