June 16, 2021
Wenesde for Week Eleven for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Listen for English
“When una dey fast, make una no squeeze face like people wey dey pretend. Dem no dey take care of how dem look, so that other people go see say dem dey fast. Amen, I dey tell una, dem don receive their reward. But when una dey fast, make una rub oil for una head and wash una face, so that other people no go see say una dey fast, except una Papa wey dey hidden. And una Papa wey dey see wetin dey hidden go reward una.” Matthew 6:16–18
Plenty people today don abandon di holy practice of fasting. Fasting na powerful way to do penance, and e dey bring plenty benefit to di soul. When person deny imself some kind food and drink, and choose instead to take simple food from time to time, like bread and water, or to chop less food, e dey strengthen di soul well-well and prepare di person to receive plenty spiritual blessings. Too often, na to satisfy our body we dey live for, and we dey fall inside di trap of always trying to satisfy our appetite. But this one get bad effect: e dey tempt us to neglect di spiritual desire to become holy, wey matter pass. When we deny ourself things wey dey sweet our senses from time to time, we dey more ready to seek di true enjoyment wey dey last, wey only God grace fit give. So, this passage above take am say we dey fast regularly and dey deny ourself some other things too.
You dey fast? You dey regularly deny yourself some other things too? To pray every day, read di Scriptures, learn about di lives of di saints, and regularly take part for di Sacraments—all these dey draw us closer to God and make us holy. But fasting and denying ourself some things still dey very important, so we need to try make dem part of how we dey grow for spiritual life.
For this passage, Jesus dey call us especially to seek di reward for inside our soul wey fasting and denying ourself some things dey bring. E point out say if we use fasting as way to make other people praise us, we go lose di spiritual benefits of our fasting. We must pray, fast and give alms in way wey go remain hidden as much as possible, so that wetin we dey do go truly come from our heart, and no be to receive di earthly reward of other people admiring us.
Also, we fit apply di lesson wey this Gospel dey teach to other parts of our life. For example, if you dey suffer from sickness, or any kind body pain or discomfort, of course you suppose seek di medical care wey you need. But these body problems still dey give us another chance to grow for spiritual life when we accept dem quietly for inside our heart. Even our pain or discomfort fit turn to grace if we choose to accept am with joy, offer am to God as sacrifice, and keep am to ourself as gift wey we give God quietly.
Today, think deeply about how you dey fast, and about every other chance wey you get each day to offer God sacrifice quietly for inside your heart. If you dey suffer from any daily cross wey pass your control, try turn am to spiritual offering to our Lord. And if you fit freely choose to fast regularly, try commit yourself to this practice with prayer. Try do am every week, especially on Friday, to honour di sacrifice wey our Lord make on Good Friday. No think say these hidden sacrifices no get much value. Make dem regular part of your spiritual life, and God go give you plenty spiritual riches from Heaven.
My Lord wey offer Yourself as sacrifice, You deny Yourself plenty earthly enjoyment, especially when You fast for forty days for desert. Help me to take this duty to fast seriously and to discipline my appetite. And help me to do am in hidden way. Make my life continue to follow di example of Your perfect sacrifice, so that I go become more like You every day. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
