February 28, 2020
Friday after Ash Wednesday
Readings for Today
Listen for English
“Days go come when dem go take the bridegroom comot from among dem, and na then dem go fast.” Matthew 9:15
Fridays for Lent…you don ready for dem? Every Friday for Lent na day wey we no suppose chop meat. So make sure say you accept this small sacrifice today together with the whole Church. To offer sacrifice together as the whole Church na big blessing!
Fridays for Lent (and, true-true, all through the year) na also days wey the Church dey ask us to do some kind of penance. To no chop meat surely na one kind of penance, except say you no like meat and you like fish well-well. If na so, these rules no really be much sacrifice for you. The most important thing to understand about Fridays for Lent na say dem suppose be days of sacrifice. Jesus offer the highest sacrifice on one Friday and endure pain wey pass all other pain to make atonement for our sins. Make we no hesitate to offer our own sacrifice and try to join that sacrifice with Christ own for spirit. Why we go do this?
The main thing wey dey inside the answer to that question na to understand wetin redemption from sin mean. E important to understand this special and deep teaching of our Catholic Church. As Catholics, we and other Christians all over the world share the belief say na Jesus be the one and only Saviour of the world. Na only through the redemption wey He win by His Cross person fit reach Heaven. For one sense, Jesus “pay the price” of death for our sins. He take our punishment upon Himself.
But even as we don talk this, we must understand our own part and responsibility for receiving this gift wey no get price. No be just gift wey God offer as He dey say, “Okay, I don pay the price; now nothing concern you again at all.” No, we believe say wetin He dey talk be more like this, “I don open the door to salvation through my suffering and death. Now I dey invite you to enter that door with me and join your own sufferings with mine, so that my sufferings, wey join with your own, go bring you to salvation and freedom from sin.” So, for one sense, no be say “nothing concern us again”; instead, we don get way to freedom and salvation by joining our lives, sufferings and sins to the Cross of Christ. As Catholics, we understand say salvation come with price, and the price no be only the death of Jesus; e also include as we willingly take part in His suffering and death. Na this way His Sacrifice dey transform the particular sins wey each of us get.
Fridays for Lent na days wey we receive special invitation to freely and willingly join ourselves with the Sacrifice of Jesus. His Sacrifice demand make He no put Himself first at all and make He deny Himself. The small acts of fasting, staying away from meat and other ways wey you choose to deny yourself dey prepare your will to match Christ own more, so that you fit join yourself with Him more fully and receive the grace of salvation.
Today, think deeply about the small sacrifices wey God dey call you to make this Lent—especially on Fridays for Lent. Choose to make sacrifice today, and you go discover say na the best way to enter deeper union with the Saviour of the World.
Lord, today I choose to become one with You for Your suffering and death. I offer You my suffering and my sin. Abeg, forgive my sin and let Your own suffering transform my suffering, especially the one wey come from my sin, so that I fit share in the joy of Your Resurrection. Make the small sacrifices and the ways wey I deny myself and offer to You help me enter deeper union with You. Jesus, na You I trust.
40 Days for the Foot of the Cross: Reflection Two – The Strength of the Immaculate Heart
Read the USCCB rules for Fasting and Staying Away from Meat during Lent
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
