July 17, 2021
Saturday for di Fifteenth Week for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
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Di Pharisees go outside go plan together against Jesus, how dem go kill Am. When Jesus know this one, E comot from that place. Plenty people follow Am, and E heal all of dem, but E warn dem make dem no let people know who E be. Matthew 12:14–16
This passage continue to talk say Jesus go one place wey people no too dey, to fulfil wetin Prophet Isaiah prophesy (Isaiah 42:1–4). That prophecy na di first of wetin dem dey call “Di Songs of di Servant Wey Dey Suffer.” For these songs or poems wey Isaiah write, dem show us di Messiah as person wey God go send on mission, wey go suffer injustice because of other people, wey people go reject, and wey dem go finally clear Im name and lift Am high. Di mission of di Servant Wey Dey Suffer na to bring justice and salvation to everybody, including di Gentiles.
For that time, di thought of one king wey go be di Messiah still dey strong for plenty people mind. Dem dey expect one messiah wey go be political leader and wey go lead di people of Israel comot from oppression, so that dem go become one free nation wey get wealth and power. But Jesus do di opposite. Instead make E gather army to fight di evil plans of di Pharisees and overthrow di Romans, Jesus comot from their front and invite people make dem come meet Am for healing and to receive Im teachings.
Jesus fulfil di prophecy of Isaiah completely as E become di Servant Wey Dey Suffer. And because Im role as Messiah different well-well from wetin plenty people don expect, Saint Matthew point us to di prophecy of Isaiah for di Old Testament, to show us clearly say Jesus truly na di Messiah wey God promise. Na just say E no be di kind of messiah wey plenty people expect. E be Person Wey humble and gentle for heart. E be Person Wey go redeem people through di Blood wey E shed for Im Cross. And E be Person Wey go bring salvation reach all people, no be only di people of Israel.
One lesson wey this one teach us be say, even today, we fit expect things from God wey no agree with who E be. E easy for us to bring our own idea of wetin God suppose do and wetin true justice demand. But we also read for Isaiah, “Because My thoughts no be una thoughts, and una ways no be My ways, na wetin di Lord talk. Because just as heaven high pass earth, na so My ways high pass una ways, and My thoughts high pass una thoughts” (Is. 55:8–9).
Just as e must don hard for di people of Israel to accept di Messiah wey God promise as servant Wey dey suffer and Wey dey redeem all people through that suffering, na so e dey often hard for us to accept our Lord as E be. E hard to drop our own ideas of wetin we want make God do, and e dey hard pass when E call us make we share for Im own suffering and life of service. To serve, suffer, sacrifice our lives, and other things like these fit hard to accept. But na di way of our Lord be this—na di way of di Servant of God Wey Dey Suffer.
Today, think deep about wetin you dey expect from God. You get long list of things wey you think say God suppose do? You dey pray for that list of your own ideas, as you dey think say if you ask reach, God go grant wetin you ask? If wetin you dey ask come from Im perfect will, then to pray for them with faith go make dem happen. But if dem come more from you and your own ideas of wetin God suppose do, then all di prayers for this world no go make dem happen. If na this struggle you dey face, try start afresh as you turn your eyes to di Servant Wey Dey Suffer for di salvation of everybody. Think deep about di truth say God’s thoughts and ways dey most times far above your own thoughts and ways. Try humble yourself before di Servant Wey Dey Suffer, and leave all ideas wey no come from Im Heart.
My Servant Wey Dey Suffer, I thank You for Your suffering and death, and for di redemption wey come from Your sacrifice of love. Help me drop all di wrong things wey I dey expect from You, dear Lord, so that na only You and Your mission of salvation go guide me. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Di main image wey dey above: Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay
