June 5, 2021
Saturday for Ninth Week for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr—Memorial
Listen for English
Jesus sit down opposite the place wey dem dey put offering money, dey watch how the crowd dey put money inside. Plenty rich people put big-big money. One poor widow come too, put two small coins wey their value na just few cents. Mark 12:41–42
As soon as Jesus see this widow put her coins wey worth “few cents,” love move His heart. At once, He use this chance teach His disciples one lesson. He call dem come explain say this poor widow don give pass everybody because “from inside her poverty, she don give everything wey she get, everything wey she dey use sustain her life.”
The way our Lord dey judge open-handedness different well-well from the way the world dey judge am. Wetin e mean to get open hand? To get open hand surely concern how you dey use your money. But e still concern your time, strength, commitment, and every other part of your life. According to Jesus, to get open hand na to give everything wey you get, “everything wey you dey use sustain your life.”
You dey reach this goal when you make God and His holy will the centre and the most important part of your life. You no fit hold anything back from Him! This one mean say if you wan strive to become perfect, you must give out everything wey you own? Maybe the best answer na both “Yes” and “No.” The answer na “Yes” because, for inside our heart and spirit, we must completely free ourselves from attachment to anything wey no be part of God perfect will. The answer na “No” because, for most people, na part of His holy will make you get house, motor and other property, and make you enjoy other material comforts with your family and friends. The main thing na make your heart free from attachment and make your main focus be to give God glory and serve His holy will completely. Love for God and your neighbour, and freedom from selfishness, na wetin go guide these decisions.
With all this wey we don talk, some people surely dey for our world wey dey live life of excess and dey satisfy every desire. Because of this, their heart don tie well-well to their life of extravagance. Some people too wey no get much material things get the same kind attachment for their heart to wetin dem no get. For example, how e for be if this poor widow, instead of giving her last few cents, sit down for the Temple area dey watch rich people put big-big money, and allow jealousy and greed grow for her heart? This kind attitude for her heart for go completely against the open-handed spirit and trust wey she gain as she give everything with open hand. True open-handedness na basic attitude wey suppose guide our life. E mean say we don choose to imitate our Lord by giving our whole self completely to His holy will. And this one include to see everything wey we own as wetin belong to Christ, to serve His holy will.
Think deeply today whether material things and wealth dey control you pass as you dey control dem. Na desire to get more dey control you, and you dey struggle with attachment to the things wey you get in ways wey no right? You fit make love for God and love for your neighbour the main focus of your life, and use everything wey you get for these purposes, according to God will? Think deeply about the open-handedness wey dey this humble and poor widow heart, and allow our Lord use her holy example teach you how to get open hand.
My Lord wey get open hand, na You dey give us every good thing. You dey enrich our life with Your love and mercy, wey be the true treasures wey we must seek. Fill my heart with the same open-handedness wey this poor widow show, so that I too go imitate the way she give her whole self completely as she dey imitate You. Jesus, na You I trust.
Novena to the Sacred Heart
Dates for the Novena: June 2-10, 2021
June 11, 2021: Solemnity of the Sacred Heart
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Saint of the Day – Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr
Main image for up: The Widow Small Offering
