July 5, 2021
Monday for Week 14 for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Anthony Zaccaria, Priest—Memorial wey Person Fit Choose to Celebrate
Saint Elizabeth of Portugal—Memorial wey Person Fit Choose to Celebrate
One woman wey blood don dey flow from her body for twelve years come from His back and touch the tassel wey dey His cloak. She tell herself, “If I fit just touch His cloak, I go well.” Jesus turn, see her, and talk say, “Take heart, My daughter! Your faith don save you.” And from that hour, the woman well. Matthew 9:20–21
This woman get strong faith well-well! She don suffer for many years, and she still dey suffer as blood continue to flow from her body. How she take know say if she touch Jesus cloak, she go well? The only answer na faith. Faith no be just to dey wish for something or dey hope. Faith na knowledge wey person sure of, wey come through special grace and revelation from God, and wey make person freely agree to believe. God speak for her heart, she listen, she respond, and she well.
One thing wey dey really inspire person for this Gospel story na the humility wey this woman show as she come meet Jesus. She no feel say she need to disturb Jesus, talk to Him, or trouble Him with her problem. Instead, with humility, she use the gift of faith wey she get take present her need to Jesus, inside her heart and without any word. And she receive the grace of God, because God dey see the heart and dey answer this kind humble and sincere faith.
Think how e go be if everybody get this kind deep faith for our Lord. Think how e go be if all of us know, with full assurance deep inside us, say God go take care of every need wey we get. And think how e go be if we turn to our Lord every day with every need, with this same deep assurance. If we fit do like that, then our Lord go fit continue to care for us for every way.
One important part of this woman healing na say na God the Father speak to her and invite her to touch the cloak of His Son Jesus. And na Jesus sense the healing wey she receive, because He dey perfectly united with the will of His Father. So, to touch Jesus cloak no be just one magic act wey go make the woman receive anything wey she want. Instead, na her answer to the invitation wey the Father give her inside her heart.
For our lives, we must make effort to do the same thing. Too many times, we dey carry wetin we prefer go meet God and tell Him wetin we want make He do. God no dey answer that kind request. Instead, we must seek His will…and only His will. This woman know say she go receive healing, because God the Father speak to her for her mind and heart and inspire her to touch the cloak of Jesus His Son. She respond, and the healing happen. God must speak first, we must hear and respond, and then His will go happen.
Today, think deeply about the gentle Voice of God as He dey speak to you deep inside your heart. You dey hear Him? Wetin He dey invite you to do? Which healing He want give you? As you dey think deeply about God Voice, try to respond only to Him. Put aside all the things wey you prefer and your own ideas about wetin God suppose do, and seek only wetin He dey tell you. Tell Him “Yes,” do am with full assurance and firm belief, and trust say anything wey He tell you, if you get faith for wetin He talk, He go do am.
My gentle Lord, You dey speak to me day and night, dey call me to the healing wey I need. Help me to hear Your Voice and to answer You with faith. Make my faith and confidence for You grow strong and become the source of the glorious things wey You dey do for my life. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Saints for Today –
Saint Anthony Zaccaria, Priest
Picture wey we feature above: Around the table for tea, by Thomas De Witt, through Wikimedia Commons
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