September 27, 2021
Monday for di Twenty-Sixth Week for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest—Memorial
Listen for English
Argument start among di disciples about who among dem be di greatest. Jesus know wetin dey inside their hearts, so He take one child, put di child for His side, and tell dem, “Anybody wey welcome dis child for My name welcome Me, and anybody wey welcome Me welcome di One wey send Me. Because di person wey small pass among all of una na di person wey be di greatest.” Luke 9:48
Dis talk between Jesus and His disciples happen shortly after three things happen. First, e happen after di disciples return from di first mission wey Jesus send dem go. Second, na after Peter declare im faith, say Jesus na “di Messiah of God.” Third, e happen after di Transfiguration, when Jesus take Peter, James and John go up di mountain to show dem His glory. After these three things happen, e be like say competition begin show among di disciples. Maybe some of dem dey jealous because of di faith wey Peter declare, or maybe di disciples wey Jesus no take go up di mountain of di Transfiguration dey envy di others small. But whatever cause am, Jesus address di desire for empty glory wey just dey begin among di disciples.
As Saint Cyril of Alexandria dey explain dis passage, e point out say, for spiritual battle, di devil first plan na to stir up desires of di flesh inside our souls, so that desire for those pleasures go continue to hold us captive. But when person fit escape these lower desires of di flesh, di devil go then stir up spiritual sin; that is, selfishness and desire for empty glory. Na dis desire for empty glory, di desire make people see person as di greatest, di disciples dey struggle with.
Our Lord talk to di disciples after He “know wetin dey inside their hearts.” Dis sentence dey very important. Di main point be say Jesus notice say di desire for empty glory just dey begin. To use example, when weed just begin grow, e easy to pull am out with im roots. But if dem leave am make e grow for some time, e go harder to pull di roots out, and to do so often dey affect di other plants and di ground around di weed. Na so sin still be. As Jesus gently bring one child come their midst and talk say “di person wey small pass among una na di person wey be di greatest,” He dey help dem remove dis “weed” of di sin of empty glory before e grow deep roots for their lives. As Jesus continue to talk with di disciples, He continue to act gently, as He dey correct di small mistake for di way dem dey think.
E important make we understand dis, because our Lord always want deal with our sin di very moment wey e begin. If we open our hearts to di quiet ways wey His grace dey move us, as e gently dey redirect wetin we dey do di moment wey we begin miss road, then di attention wey we pay to His correction of love go help stop us from putting deeper roots inside our mistake, no matter wetin di mistake be. To build di habit of always examining ourselves dey help well well for dis matter. When we get dis habit, we no go see our Lord as Judge wey harsh and dey always find fault; instead, we go see how He dey gentle and how He dey care. Dis picture of Jesus as He gently bring one child before di disciples to teach dem wetin true greatness be suppose help us understand say we no suppose ever fear these gentle ways wey grace dey move us.
Today, reflect on our Lord as He appear before you and gently address di small sins wey you dey struggle with. Of course, you must first deal firmly with all serious sins. But once all serious sin don comot from your life with their roots, pay attention to di gentle and merciful ways wey grace dey move you. Na through these ways Jesus want remove every small sin with im roots from di time wey e begin, and even every spiritual fault. To pay attention to these graces na di surest way to grow for holiness and allow our Lord lead you enter His glorious will, so that you go truly great inside His Kingdom.
My Jesus wey full of mercy and gentleness, I thank You for di many ways wey You dey come meet me and show me Your love and grace. Abeg, help me see clearly di ways wey I must change, so that even di beginning of di smallest sin for my life go comot with im roots. I love You, my Lord. Help me love You with all my heart. Jesus, na You I trust.
Novena to St. Thérèse, di Small Flower
September 22-30
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Saint for Today – Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest
