February 3, 2021
Wednesday for Fourth Week for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Blase, Bishop and Martyr—Ncheta wey no dey compulsory
Saint Ansgar, Bishop—Ncheta wey no dey compulsory
Listen for English
“No be the carpenter be this, Mary pikin, and broda of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? And no be im sista dem dey here with us?” And dem vex because of am. Mark 6:3
After Jesus don travel through the villages, dey do miracles, dey teach the crowd dem and dey gain plenty followers, E return to Nazareth where E grow up. E fit be say Im disciples happy to follow Jesus return to Im hometown. Dem think say Im own townspeople go happy well well to see Jesus again because of the plenty stories about Im miracles and the way E dey teach with authority. But wetin go soon happen go surprise the disciples well well.
After Jesus reach Nazareth, E enter the Synagogue to teach, and E teach with authority and wisdom wey confuse the people for there. Dem tell one another, “Where this man get all this from? Which kind wisdom be this wey dem give am?” Dem confuse because dem know Jesus. Na the carpenter for their town wey work for many years with Im papa, wey be carpenter too. Na Mary pikin, and dem know Im other relatives by name.
The main difficulty wey Jesus townspeople get na say dem don know Jesus well well. Dem know Am. Dem know where E dey live. Dem know Am as E dey grow up. Dem know Im family. Dem know everything about Am. So, dem wonder how E fit be anybody special. How E come fit dey teach with authority now? How E come fit dey do miracles now? So, dem surprise well well, and dem allow that surprise turn to doubt, judgment and criticism.
This same temptation na something wey all of us dey face pass as we fit realize. Many times, e dey easier to admire person wey we no know from far than person wey we know well. When we first hear about somebody wey dey do something wey deserve admiration, e easy to join others admire the person. But when we hear good news about somebody wey we know well, temptation to feel jealousy or envy, to doubt the person and even to criticize am fit come easily. But the truth be say every saint get family. And for every family, broda and sista dem, cousins and other relatives fit dey wey God go use do great things. This no suppose surprise us—e suppose inspire us! And we suppose rejoice when our good God use people wey dey close to us and wey we know well to do mighty things.
Today, reflect on the people wey you know well for your life, especially your own family. Check whether you dey struggle to see beyond wetin dey outside and to accept say God dey live inside everybody. We must always try to discover God presence all around us, especially for the lives of people wey we know well well.
My Lord wey dey present always, thank You for the countless ways wey You dey present for the lives of people all around me. Give me the grace to see You and love You for the lives of people wey dey closest to me. As I dey discover Your glorious presence for their lives, fill me with deep gratitude and help me to recognize Your love wey dey come through their lives. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saints for Today – Saint Blase, Bishop and Martyr
Main picture wey dey above: Jesus Dey Unroll the Book for the Sinagog, by James Tissot
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