Wetin Dey Important Pass for Life

September 9, 2021
Thursday of the Twenty-Third Week for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today

Saint Peter Claver, Priest—Memorial for USA

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If person slap you for one cheek, turn the other cheek give am too. If person take the cloth we you wear ontop, no hold back even the one we you wear under am. Give everybody we ask you for something, and if person take wetin belong to you, no demand make e return am. Luke 6:29–30

This teaching go don shock the first disciples of Jesus. First of all, remember say Jesus teach these words with spiritual authority we make people we open their heart sure say wetin Jesus teach na truth. Remember too say, as Jesus dey teach these deep spiritual lessons, E dey do plenty miracles. So, because of these things, His new followers go don know say wetin Jesus teach na truth. But how dem go fit accept this kind teaching with all their heart?

Even though plenty people we dey explain Scripture go try point to the deeper spiritual truths we Jesus dey teach, first try take His words just as E talk them. E really talk say you must turn the other cheek give person we slap you, give the cloth we you wear under to person we thief the one we you wear ontop, and give everybody we ask you for something, without ever demanding make person return wetin e take from you. These lessons no easy to accept!

One thing we these powerful lessons dey teach us na say something dey for life we important far pass the shame of slap for cheek and make person thief your property. Wetin be that thing we important pass? Na the salvation of souls.

If we spend our life dey demand justice for this world and punishment for people we do us wrong, we no go fit put our mind on wetin important pass. We no go fit put our mind on the salvation of people we do us wrong. E easy to love people we dey good to us. But our love must reach everybody, and sometimes, the way we must show love to another person na to freely accept the injustice we dem do us. Great power dey inside this act of love. But we go fit love another person like this only if wetin we deeply desire na their eternal salvation. If all we want na justice for this world and compensation for the wrong we dem do, we fit get am. But that one fit cost them their salvation.

Sometimes, we fit fall for the trap of thinking say dem must correct every wrong here and now. But e clear say no be wetin Jesus teach be that. His wisdom deep far pass that one. E know say to show another person deep mercy and forgiveness, especially when dem don hurt us well-well, na one of the greatest gifts we fit give. And na one of the things we fit do we fit change our own souls most deeply. When love dey pain us because e cost us our worldly pride, especially when we completely let go of the injustice we dem do us, then our act of love for that person get great power to change am. And if that act change am, then this one go be the reason for your joy for all eternity.

Today, reflect on any way we this hard teaching of Jesus dey difficult for you. Who come your mind as you dey think deeply about this teaching? Your strong feelings dey rise against this command of love from Jesus? If na so, then you don discover the particular area we God want make you grow. Think about anybody we you get matter against, and think deeply whether you desire their eternal salvation. Know say God fit use you for this mission of love if you go love the way our Lord command.

My Lord we get mercy, Your love pass wetin my mind fit understand. Your love complete, and E dey always seek wetin good for the other person. Give me grace, my dear Lord, to love with Your heart and to forgive reach the way You don forgive. Use me, especially, as instrument of salvation and mercy for the people for my life we need am pass. Jesus, na You I trust.

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Main image we dey above: Sermon for the Mountain by I.Makarov, from Wikimedia Commons

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