April 2, 2020
Thursday for the Fifth Week of Lent
Readings for Today
Saint Francis of Paola, Hermit—Memorial wey No Be Compulsory
Listen for English
Jesus tell the Jews say: “Amen, amen, I dey tell una, anybody wey keep my word no go ever see death.” So the Jews tell am say, “Now we know for sure say evil spirit dey control you.” John 8:51–52
E hard to imagine any worse thing wey person fit talk about Jesus. Dem really think say the evil one dey control Am? E be like so. Wetin dem talk about the Son of God sad well-well, and e strange. Na God Himself, for the person of Jesus, dey offer promise of eternal life here. He dey reveal the holy Truth say to obey His Word na the road to happiness wey no go ever end, and say everybody need to know this Truth and live by am. Jesus dey talk this one freely and openly, but the answer wey some people wey hear this message give dey cause deep disappointment, dey spoil His name with lie, and dey full of wickedness.
E hard to know wetin dey go on for their mind wey make dem talk this kind thing. Maybe dem dey jealous Jesus, or maybe dem just confuse well-well. No matter wetin cause am, wetin dem talk cause serious harm.
The harm wey this kind talk cause no really affect Jesus like that; instead, e harm dem themselves and the people wey dey around Am. Jesus Himself fit handle anything wey people talk about Am, but other people no fit. E important make we understand say our own words fit cause serious harm to ourselves and to other people.
First of all, their words harm dem themselves. As dem talk this kind wrong thing for public, dem begin follow the road of stubbornness. E go take plenty humility to take back this kind talk later. Na so e still be with us. When we talk something wey harm another person, e hard to take am back. E hard to later beg for forgiveness and heal the wound wey we don cause. Na our own heart the harm first affect, because e hard to leave our mistake behind and move forward with humility. But we must do this if we want repair the harm.
Secondly, this talk still harm the people wey dey listen. Some fit don reject this wicked talk, but others fit don think about am and begin wonder whether evil spirit really dey control Jesus. Na so dem plant seeds of doubt. All of us must understand say our words dey affect other people, and we must try hard to talk with the greatest care and love.
Today, think deeply about your own talk. Things dey wey you don tell other people, wey you now realise say dem wrong or dem fit mislead people? If na so, you don try repair the harm by taking back your words and begging for forgiveness? Still think deeply about how e easy to join other people for wicked talk. You don allow this kind talk to influence you? If na so, make up your mind say you no go listen to this kind wrong talk, and look for ways to talk the truth.
Lord, give me the grace to dey talk holy words wey go always give You glory and show the eternal Truths wey dey live for Your Heart. Help me make I still recognise the lies wey surround me for this world of sin. Make Your Heart filter out the things wey no correct, and allow only seeds of Truth to enter and grow for my own mind and heart. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saint for Today – Saint Francis of Paola
