April 1, 2020
Wednesday for di Fifth Week of Lent
Readings for Today
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Jesus answer dem, “Amen, amen, I dey tell una, everybody wey dey commit sin na slave to sin. Slave no dey remain for one household forever, but son dey remain always. So if di Son set una free, una go truly dey free.” John 8:34–36
Jesus want set you free, but you want make E set you free? If na only to think about am, dis question suppose easy to answer. Of course, you want your freedom! Who no go want am? But for how person dey actually live, dis question hard pass like dat to answer. As e be, plenty people dey very comfortable to dey live for sin. Sin dey give person one kind satisfaction wey dey deceive, and e fit hard to turn away from am. Sin fit make you “feel” good for dat moment, even though, as time dey go, e dey take your freedom and joy comot. But plenty times, dat “satisfaction” wey last only small time dey enough to make plenty people continue to go back.
So wetin about you? You want dey free so you fit live as son or daughter of God wey High Pass All? If your answer na “Yes,” prepare say dis go pain you, but for one way wey go still bring joy. To overcome sin, you need purification. Di process of “letting go” of sin need true sacrifice and commitment. E need make you turn to di Lord with complete trust and put your whole self for Im hand. As you dey do dis, you dey experience one kind death to yourself, to your strong desires and to your own selfish will. Dis dey pain, at least for your human nature wey sin don wound. But e be like operation wey dem do to remove cancer or some infection. Di operation itself fit pain, but na di only way to dey free from di sickness wey you get. Di Son na di Divine Surgeon, and na through Im own suffering and death E dey set you free. Jesus’ Crucifixion and death bring life enter di world. Im death destroy di sickness of sin, and as we willingly accept di cure wey Im death bring, e mean say we must allow Am to destroy di sickness of sin inside us through Im death. Our Lord must “cut am comot,” as we fit talk am, and remove am.
Lent na time, pass any other time, wey you must honestly face your sin so you fit know di things wey still dey tie you down, and invite di Divine Physician to enter your wounds and heal you. No let Lent pass without honestly checking your conscience well well, and repenting of your sins with all your heart. Di Lord want make you dey free! Make you yourself desire am, and enter di process of purification so your heavy loads go comot for your body.
Today, reflect on how you dey look your own personal sins. First, you fit humble yourself admit your sin? No use excuses cover dem or put di blame on another person. Face dem and accept say na your own sins. Second, confess your sins. Reflect on how you dey look di Sacrament of Reconciliation. Dis na di Sacrament of freedom. E easy well well. Just go in, admit all your sins, show sorrow for dem, and receive freedom. If dis hard for you, then na your own feelings of fear you dey trust instead of di truth. Third, rejoice for di freedom wey di Son of God dey offer you. Na gift wey pass anything wey we deserve. Reflect on dis three things today and for di rest of Lent, and your Easter go be time of true thanksgiving!
Lord, I truly want make You set me free from all sin so I fit live for di freedom of being Your pikin. Help me, dear Lord, to face my sin with honesty and open heart. Give me di courage wey I need to admit my sin for di Sacrament of Reconciliation, so I fit rejoice for everything wey You don give me through Your suffering and death. Jesus, na You I trust.
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