(Note: If una celebrate Ascension last Thursday for your diocese, scroll go down to the reflection for the Seventh Sunday of Easter.)
Sunday, May 24, 2020
Solemnity for di Ascension of Our Lord
Listen for English
“So make una go make people for all nations My disciples, baptize dem for the name of Papa, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teach dem to obey everything wey I don command una. And see, I dey with una always, until the end of this age.” Matthew 28:19-20 (Year A)
Jesus finish His mission for Earth and go up enter Heaven to sit down for His glorious throne for all eternity. But na so e really be? Di answer na yes and no. Yes, He sit down for His glorious throne, but no, He no finish His mission for Earth. Di Ascension na both di end and di beginning. Na movement enter di next stage for di Father perfect plan. And when we understand how dis plan dey unfold, e suppose fill us with wonder and deep reverence.
True true, e be like say fear catch di Apostles small and dem confuse. Jesus dey with dem, then E die, then E rise from death and appear to dem different times, and then E go up go meet di Father for their very eyes. But E still tell dem say e good make E go. In fact, E talk say e better make E go. Dem go don really confuse. Jesus still tell dem say Im Advocate go come lead dem into all Truth. So di Apostles move from joy to fear, then to relief and more joy, then to confusion and sorrow, and then to wanting to know wetin go happen and not being sure.
Dis one sound familiar? Maybe na so some people see their life. Better times and hard times, twists and turns, joy and sorrow. Every stage dey reveal something new, something wey bring challenge, something glorious or something wey bring sorrow. Di good news be say di Father plan dey unfold perfectly.
Di part of di perfect plan wey we dey celebrate for dis solemnity na di part where Jesus begin direct Im mission to establish di Kingdom of God from Heaven. In one way, Im throne be like di driver seat for our lives. From Heaven, Jesus suddenly begin dey come down into our lives continually, as E dey fulfil Im mission inside and through di Apostles, and inside and through all of us too. Di Ascension no mean say Jesus don leave us; instead, e mean say Jesus now dey present to each and every person wey turn to Am and surrender their life to Im mission. From Heaven, Jesus fit dey present to everybody. E fit live inside us, and E dey invite us make we live inside Am. Na di new beginning of di Church. Now, all wey di Apostles need to do na to wait make di Holy Spirit come down.
Today, reflect on how our Lord dey remain close to you and dey present for your life. Know say Jesus dey invite you to take part for His mission. From His glorious throne, He want make we “preach everywhere.” He want invite each one of us to do our own part. Di part of di Father plan wey He put for each person hand, He no put am for another person hand. All of us get part for dat plan. Wetin be your own part? How Jesus dey direct His mission through you? Think deeply about dis question today, and know say He dey go with you as you say “Yes” to your own part as His perfect plan dey unfold in glory.
Lord, I truly see say my life full of plenty ups and downs, twists and turns. Joy and sorrow dey, and times dey when I confuse and times when I understand clearly. For everything, help me make I continue to say “Yes” to Your plan. Jesus, na You I trust.
Novena to the Holy Spirit
Prayer wey we dey pray to prepare for Pentecost
Day Three – Sunday, May 24
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Read More – Ascension
Prayer Meditation for di Ascension
Picture: Ascension wey Benjamin West paint
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Jesus Im Prayer
Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year A
Listen for English
“Papa, the time don reach. Give Your Son glory, so that Your Son go give You glory, just as You give Am authority over everybody, so that E go give eternal life to all the people wey You give Am.” John 17:1–2 (Year A)
Dem dey call John im Gospel, Chapter 17, Jesus Im Prayer as High Priest. Na long and beautiful prayer wey e good to read from beginning to end and reflect on.
Jesus start by telling Papa say “the time don reach.” Im time to suffer and die don reach. But E see am as chance for Am to receive glory. This na important revelation for John im Gospel, especially for this prayer. If we look the Cross only as human beings, e terrible. But if we look am as God dey see am, or as Papa Im will and wetin go save the world, e full of glory, and na the moment wey Jesus take Im place for Im throne, wey be the Cross. E full of glory because, through the suffering wey E freely accept, E carry out Papa Im will perfectly.
From there, Jesus pray especially for the Apostles. E pray for their mission so that dem go get the grace wey dem need to accept Papa Im will too and continue Jesus Im work. E know say na only when dem accept their crosses, as Papa Im will be, dem go fit receive glory.
Last-last, Jesus pray for the people wey go come get faith through the Apostles their ministry. E pray especially make dem dey united. The unity wey Jesus dey talk about na to be one because dem dey united with Papa for Heaven. Na this oneness dey lead everybody to glory. And again, na only when person dey fully united with Papa Im will, this oneness fit happen.
Today, reflect on this beautiful prayer, and as you dey do am, allow the Lord to speak to you. Hear as E dey call you to fulfilment wey complete and to glory. But know say na by accepting your “time” you go reach there. Papa dey call you to follow Im Son Im footsteps by laying down your life in complete obedience to Papa Im will. To accept this cross na the road to Heaven, and Jesus Im prayer dey provide all the grace wey you need to talk “Yes.”
Papa for Heaven, I choose to accept Your perfect and holy will for everything. I accept Your invitation to carry my crosses for life and enter the time wey You don call me to enter. Make I find true glory for this time, and make my life always give You glory. Jesus, na You I trust.
Novena to the Holy Spirit
Prayer wey we dey pray to prepare for Pentecost
Day Three – Sunday, May 24
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Read More – Ascension
Prayer Meditation for di Ascension
Picture: Painting of Christ for Gethsemane
