October 9, 2021
Saturday of Week 27 for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint John Henry Newman (Memorial for England and Wales)
Saint Denis, Bishop, and Im Companions, Martyrs—Memorial wey no be Obligatory
Saint John Leonardi, Fada—Memorial wey no be Obligatory
Listen for English
As Jesus dey talk, one woman from di crowd shout tell Am, “God bless di belle wey carry You and di breast wey You suck.” Jesus answer, “Instead, na people wey hear di word of God and obey am God bless.” Luke 11:27–28
Dis short Gospel reading show us plenty about wetin make person be somebody “wey God bless” for life. Jesus especially see people as those wey God truly bless when dem do two things: “hear di word of God” and then “obey am.” Even though dis fit look very clear when we first read am, many times e hard pass as e look.
Di first step to life wey God bless na to hear di Word of God. To “hear” mean say we do far more than just know wetin dey inside di Gospel dem. To hear mean say no be only to know everything wey our Lord don reveal; e also mean say we don truly take am put for heart and understand everything wey our Lord want make we do.
You don hear our Lord? E important to understand say di Gospel dey alive. For another way, to know di Word of God no be di same thing as to read one old book of lessons. Instead, to hear di Word of God mean say we dey hear one Person: di Son of God, wey dey speak to us and guide us for every step of our life. God Word suppose dey speak to us every moment of every day, dey move us to do dis one and avoid dat one. Dis dey happen as we make prayer and close communion with our Lord our habit all through life, and through dis communion, we dey always pay attention to Im voice.
To hear di Son of God Himself, di Word wey become flesh, must also mean say we obey everything wey E tell us. In fact, if we no follow di gentle command to love wey E dey always give us, we no go fit hear Am clearly at all. We go become confused, and di many other voices for our world go easily begin direct us, so dat we no go fit recognise di glorious path wey our Lord don choose for us.
Today, think well about whether e dey hard you in any way to both hear God voice and obey am. If na dis you dey struggle with, give yourself again to time wey you go use humility and all your heart take seek to know Am. Tell our Lord say you dey sorry because you no dey pay attention to Am, and make you set your mind to seek Am and find Am. Reject di confusion and worry of life, reject di many other voices of “wisdom” for our world, and listen for Im gentle but clear voice. E dey always speak. E dey always call you. E dey always present. Open di eyes of your soul and give Am all your attention. And when you sense say E dey speak to you, answer Am with all your heart, without holding anything back, and obey Am fully. As you do so, you go discover wetin e mean for our Lord to truly bless you.
My blessed Lord, Your glory pass everything, and You dey invite me and all di things wey You create to share for Your own life. Give me di grace wey I need to turn away from di confusion and deceit of life, so dat na only You I go hear and na only Your voice I go answer. My dear Lord, I give myself to Your holy will. As I dey do so, abeg give me every blessing wey You want give me. 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 John Henry Newman (Memorial for England and Wales)
Saint Denis, Bishop, and Im Companions, Martyr Dem
