Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Weekday for Advent
Readings for Today
O Antiphons for Advent
December 17–23
Listen for English
“My soul dey declare how the Lord great reach; my spirit dey rejoice in God my Savior.” Luke 1:46–47
One question wey people don dey ask since long ago na, “Which one first come, chicken or egg?” Well, maybe na question wey don stay like that because na only God know the answer to how E take create the world and all the creatures wey dey inside am.
Today, this first line from the glorious song of praise wey our Blessed Mother sing, the Magnificat, dey put another question before us. “Which one dey come first, to praise God or to rejoice in Am?” Maybe you never ask yourself that question before, but e good make you think deeply about both the question and the answer.
This first line for Mary song of praise show two things wey dey happen inside her. She “dey declare” and she “dey rejoice.” Think about those two things wey she experience inside her. We fit put the question more clearly like this: Mary declare how God great reach because joy don first fill her heart? Or joy fill her heart because she first declare how God great reach? Maybe the answer get small of both, but the way this line follow for Sacred Scripture suggest say she first declare, and na because of this, joy fill her heart.
This reflection no be just to reason about ideas or theories; instead, na something wey we fit really put for practice, and e dey help us understand our daily life well. Plenty times for life, we dey wait make God “inspire” us before we thank Am and praise Am. We dey wait until God touch us, make us experience joy, answer our prayer, and then we go respond with thanksgiving. This one good. But why we go wait? Why we go wait before we declare how God great reach?
We suppose declare how God great reach when life hard? Yes. We suppose declare how God great reach when we no feel say E dey present for our life? Yes. We suppose declare how God great reach even when we face the heaviest crosses for life? Yes, without any doubt.
No be only after we receive strong inspiration or answer to prayer we suppose declare how God great reach. No be only after we experience how God near us we suppose do am. To declare how God great reach na duty wey love put for our hand, and we must always do am, every day, for every situation, no matter wetin happen. The main reason why we dey declare how God great reach na because of Who E be. Na God E be. And that reason alone make Am deserve all our praise.
But one thing wey dey interesting be say, when we choose to declare how God great reach, both for good times and for hard times, e dey often lead us to experience joy too. E be like say the main reason why Mary spirit rejoice in God her Savior na because she first declare how E great reach. Joy dey come when we first serve God, love Am, and give Am the honor wey His name deserve.
Today, think deeply about these two steps: to declare and to rejoice. To declare must always come first, even if we feel like say nothing dey to rejoice about. But if you fit commit yourself to dey declare how God great reach, you go suddenly discover say you don find the deepest source of joy for life: God Himself.
Mother wey I love so much, you choose to declare how God great reach. You acknowledge the glorious things wey E do for your life and for the world, and as you declare these truths, joy fill your heart. Pray for me make I too dey seek to glorify God every single day, no matter the challenges or blessings wey I receive. Dear Mother, make I follow your example and share for your perfect joy too. Mother Mary, pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
See our resources for Advent and Christmas!
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Main image wey dey above: Visitation wey Franz Anton Maulbertsch paint
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