October 17, 2020
Saturday for Week Twenty-Eight for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr—Ncheta
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Jesus tell His disciples: “I dey tell una, anybody wey acknowledge Me for front of other people, Son of Man go acknowledge am for front of God angels. But anybody wey deny Me for front of other people, dem go deny am for front of God angels.” Luke 12:8-9
The martyrs na some of the greatest examples of people wey acknowledge Jesus for front of other people. Throughout history, one martyr after another show their love for God as dem hold their faith strong, even when dem face persecution and death. One of these martyrs na St. Ignatius of Antioch. Wetin dey below na part of one well-known letter wey St. Ignatius write to people wey dey follow am, after dem arrest am and dey carry am go where dem go give am to lions to chop, so e go die as martyr. E write say:
I dey write to all the churches make dem know say I go gladly die for God, if only una no block my way. I dey beg una: make una no show me kindness wey no come for the right time. Make I become food for the wild animals, because na through dem I go reach God. I be God wheat, and their teeth go grind me so I fit become Christ pure bread. Make una pray to Christ for me, make the animals be the means wey go make me become sacrifice wey dem offer to God.
No pleasure for this earth, no kingdom for this world fit benefit me in any way. I prefer to die in Christ Jesus pass to get power reach the farthest ends of the earth. Na only the One wey die in our place I dey seek. Na only the One wey rise from death for our sake I dey desire.
This statement dey inspire person and e get power, but one important thing dey inside wey we fit easily miss as we dey read am. Na this: e easy for us to read am, marvel at im courage, talk about am to other people, believe the witness wey e give, and so on…but still no take even one step to make this same faith and courage become our own. E easy to talk about the great saints and let their lives inspire us. But to really follow their example hard well-well.
Think about your own life as today’s Gospel passage take show am. You dey freely, openly and fully acknowledge Jesus as your Lord and God for front of other people? You no need to dey go about as Christian wey dey force im faith for people face. But you must let your faith and love for God shine out without holding back, freely, clearly and completely, especially when e no comfortable and e hard. You dey hesitate to do this? E fit well be say you dey hesitate. E fit well be say all Christians dey hesitate. Na why St. Ignatius and the other martyrs be great examples for us. But if dem remain only examples, then their example no dey enough. We must live out the kind witness wey dem give and become the next St. Ignatius for the witness wey God dey call us to live out.
Today, think well whether na only inspiration you dey get from the martyrs, or whether you really dey follow their example. If na only inspiration you dey get, pray make the witness wey dem give bring powerful change for your life.
Lord, thank You for the witness of the great saints, especially the martyrs. Make their witness help me live life of holy faith as I dey follow the example of each one of dem. Na You I choose, dear Lord, and today I acknowledge You for front of the world and put You above every other thing. Give me the grace to live out this witness with courage. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saint for Today – Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr
