October 19, 2021
Tuesday for Week 29 for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Listen for English
Jesus tell His disciples: “Tie una waist well and light una lamps. Make una be like servants wey dey wait for their master to come back from wedding, ready to open door sharp-sharp when e come knock.” Luke 12:35–36
Wetin “Tie una waist well” mean? This expression, wey people no too dey use today, mean “make your belt tight.” Normally, e refer to person wey wear long robe wey no let am move fast and freely. So, to tie your waist well mean say you go tuck di long robe inside your belt and make di belt tight, so that you go ready to use your body do work. People also dey use di expression often to encourage those wey dey prepare for battle to get ready. So, as picture-language, this expression simply mean make person ready for something wey hard or wey go test am. E mean make person dey watch well and dey ready. For spiritual matter, Jesus dey tell His disciples make dem ready for di spiritual battle wey dey wait for dem.
Then Jesus tell His disciples make dem light their lamps. That expression fit get different meanings, like “No remain for di darkness of sin or lack of knowledge” or “Make di light of love shine as you dey go through life” or “Allow di light of truth to shine inside your mind.” So, with di light of faith, dem suppose dey ready and dey watch well, ready to do everything wey di Lord send dem to do.
For di end of today Gospel, Jesus talk say di disciples go truly get blessing if dem continue to dey watch well, even reach di second or third shift of night watch. Some Church Fathers understand this as something wey point to three stages for person life: childhood na di first watch, middle age na di second, and old age na di third watch.
As we don understand these meanings, one message wey we fit take from this Gospel be say Jesus dey call us to dey watch well for our faith every moment of our life. For those wey don live many years, e fit help to look back and see how una don remain faithful for every stage of una life. God want use you for many ways when you be pikin, through your middle age, and even for old age. Di journey of faith no suppose ever end. Instead, your faith suppose continue to dey deep as you dey grow old. But this one go only fit happen if you “tie your waist well” and “light your lamps.” You must continue to dey watch well, continue to pay attention to di light of faith, and continue to dey ready to act every time God move your heart to act.
Today, reflect on di journey of faith and service to God wey E call you to follow all through your life. To be Christian no be just something wey you enter because dem born you inside am. If dem born you inside di faith, think well especially about wetin you don do all through your life to make that faith deep and strong every day. Think well whether you don take care to answer di countless ways wey di Holy Spirit dey move your heart to spread di light of faith to other people. If you don truly remain faithful all through your life, then thank God and commit yourself again to remain faithful for di rest of your life. If you no don get enough faith or watch well and pay attention to wetin God want, then put that matter for di hands of God wey get mercy, and make up your mind from today to do everything wey you fit do to answer wetin God want, di very moment wey God call.
My Lord wey get mercy pass all, I thank You for di countless ways wey You don speak to me all through my life, as You dey call me to carry out my mission of faith and love for this world. Today, I promise You say I go always dey watch well and pay attention to You every time You call. Use me, dear Lord, so that I fit bring di light of Your Gospel wey dey save to di world wey need help. Jesus, na You I trust.
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