January 20, 2021
Wednesday for Second Week for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Fabian, Pope and Martyr—Memorial Wey No Be Obligation
Saint Sebastian, Martyr—Memorial wey No Compulsory
Listen for English
Then E tell the Pharisees, “Law allow person to do good for Sabbath instead of evil, to save life instead of to destroy am?” But dem keep quiet. Jesus look round at dem with anger, and E feel sorrow because their heart don hard. E tell the man, “Stretch out your hand.” The man stretch am out, and im hand become well again. Mark 3:4–5
Sin dey spoil our relationship with God. But heart wey don hard dey cause even more damage, because e dey make the damage wey sin cause continue. And the more person heart hard, the more the damage dey become permanent.
For the passage above, Jesus vex with the Pharisees. Many times, anger na sin, because e dey come from lack of patience and lack of love. But for other times, anger fit be good when na love for other people and hatred for their sin dey cause am. For this case, Jesus feel sorrow because the Pharisees heart don hard, and na that sorrow bring His holy anger. His “holy” anger no make Am begin condemn people without sense; instead, e move Jesus to heal this man for the Pharisees front, so that dem go soften their heart and believe in Jesus. Sadly, e no work. The very next line for the Gospel talk say, “The Pharisees go out, and immediately dem begin plan with the Herodians against am, to kill am” (Mark 3:6).
We must do all we fit do to avoid heart wey don hard. The problem be say people wey their heart don hard no dey usually gree accept say their heart don hard. Dem no dey gree listen or change their mind, and many times dem dey see only theirself as righteous. So, when people get this spiritual sickness, e dey hard for dem to change, especially when somebody point the problem out to dem.
This Gospel passage dey give you important chance to look inside your own heart with honesty. Na only you and God need to dey part of this inner examination and discussion. Start by reflecting on the Pharisees and the bad example wey dem show. From there, try to look at yourself with full honesty. You dey refuse to listen or change your mind? You don hold your beliefs so tight that you no even gree consider say sometimes you fit dey wrong? Any people dey your life wey you and dem get quarrel wey never settle? If any of these things true for you, then e fit really be say you get the spiritual sickness of heart wey don hard.
Today, reflect on your own soul and your relationship with other people with all the honesty wey you fit get. No hesitate to stop to dey defend yourself and open your heart to wetin God fit wan tell you. And if you notice even small sign say your heart dey tend to hard and refuse to change, beg our Lord to enter and soften am. This kind change dey hard, but nobody fit measure all the blessings wey dey come from am. No hesitate, and no wait. For the end, the change go worth all the effort.
My Lord wey love me, today I open myself to examine my own heart, and I pray make You help me always dey ready to change whenever e dey necessary. Help me especially to see any part of my heart wey don hard. Help me overcome every refusal to listen, stubbornness, and the way I dey see only myself as righteous. Give me the gift of humility, dear Lord, so that my heart go become more like Your own. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saints for Today –
Saint Fabian, Pope and Martyr
Also
Saint Sebastian, Martyr
Main picture above: Jesus Heal the Man Wey Im Hand Don Wither
