February 26, 2021
Friday for di First Week of Lent
Readings for Today
Listen for English
“Settle with di person wey get case against you quickly as una still dey road dey go court. If not, di person go hand you over to di judge, and di judge go hand you over to di guard, and dem go put you for prison. Amen, I dey tell you, dem no go release you until you don pay di last penny.” Matthew 5:26
Na legal advice about criminal case or civil case and how to avoid prosecution our Lord dey give here? No, no be so at all. Na picture of Himself as di just Judge He dey show us. And He dey urge us to show mercy to anybody and everybody wey we fit see as our “opponent.”
E dey very important to forgive another person. We no suppose ever refuse to forgive. But to forgive alone no even reach. Di final goal must be to reconcile, and this one go far pass forgiveness. For this Gospel above, Jesus dey urge us to “settle” with people wey dey against us, and this one mean say make we reconcile. Di RSV version of di Bible put am like this, “Quickly make friends with di person wey dey accuse you…” To work so that “friendship” go grow between you and person wey don accuse you, especially if di accusation na lie, go far pass just to forgive am.
To reconcile with another person and bring back true friendship mean say you no only forgive, but you still do everything wey you fit do to make sure say relationship of love dey between you and that person again. E mean say both of una leave wetin dey pain una for back and start afresh. Of course, both people need to cooperate with love for this one to happen; but for your own part, e mean say you go work hard to bring about this reconciliation.
Think about somebody wey don hurt you, and because of that, your relationship with am don spoil. You don pray before God and forgive that person? You don pray for that person and ask God to forgive am? If na so, then you don ready for di next step: to reach out to am with love so that una relationship go mend. This one need great humility, especially if na di other person cause di hurt, and especially if e never tell you sorry and ask you to forgive am. No wait for am to do so. Find ways to show that person say you love am and you want make di hurt heal. No keep reminding am of im sin or keep grudge for your heart. Make na only love and mercy you dey seek.
Jesus end this teaching with strong words. Di main point be say, if you no do everything wey you fit do to reconcile and restore una relationship, you go answer for am. Even though this one fit first look like wetin no fair, e clear say e no be so, because na this kind deep mercy our Lord dey offer us every day. Di sorrow wey we get for our sin no go ever reach wetin e suppose be, but God still dey forgive us and reconcile with us. Wetin a grace! But if we no offer this same mercy to other people, we dey, in effect, limit wetin God fit do to offer us this mercy, and we go need to pay back “di last penny” of our own debt to God.
Today, reflect on di person wey come your mind, wey you need to reconcile with fully and make relationship of love grow again between una. Pray for this grace, commit yourself to am, and look for chances to do am. Do am with all your heart, and you no go ever regret your decision.
My Lord wey full of mercy pass all, I thank You as You dey forgive me and as You dey love me with love wey perfect and complete. Thank You as You dey reconcile with me even though my sorrow for my sins no perfect. Dear Lord, give me heart wey dey always seek to love di sinner wey dey my life. Help me to show mercy to di fullest, as I dey follow di example of Your divine mercy. Jesus, na You I trust.
40 Days for the Foot of the Cross – Reflection Nine – The World No Welcome Am
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Scripture Meditation Dem for Lent
Di picture wey dey above: Di Son Wey Squander Im Property Don Return
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