October 30, 2021
Saturday of the Thirtieth Week for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Listen for English
“When person invite you come wedding feast, no sit down for the place of honour for table. E fit be say the person don invite another guest wey get honour pass you, and the host wey invite una two fit come meet you talk say, ‘Give this man your place,’ and then shame go catch you as you go take the lowest place.” Luke 14:8–9
This parable get plenty things wey we fit learn. First of all, make we note say this kind thing wey fit bring person low no go make true saint feel shame. Instead, the saint go happy to give another person the seat of honour. In fact, e dey very likely say the saint go don take the “lowest” place straightaway, because this kind worldly honour no go mean anything to am. But for this time, Jesus no dey speak to saints wey dey live holy life. Na people wey dey struggle with desire for worldly respect E dey speak to. This show say the people wey Jesus dey speak to no too sure of their own worth, and dem no get healthy sense of their own value.
The beautiful thing be say Jesus meet these people for the level wey dem dey, as E tell dem parable wey dem fit relate to. Na these guests dey the dinner wey one of the leading Pharisees arrange, and dem invite Jesus too. Wetin Jesus want do na to gently share with dem the truth say to dey humble far better pass to dey proud. Na when person humble imself and lift other people up, to show the dignity and value wey dem get as human beings, e go find true joy and honour. This lesson hard to learn.
When most people dey among other people, dem dey struggle with comparing themselves to others. “She fine pass me” or “E succeed pass me” or “Dem go school well-well,” and other things like that. This habit wey common often dey come because person no sure of im own worth as human being. But if you fit get complete peace about who you be, if you love yourself the way God love you, then you go get more freedom to love other people, see their dignity, and even rejoice for the ways wey dem dey succeed and receive honour.
Jesus end Im parable as E talk say, “Because everybody wey lift imself up, dem go bring am low, but the person wey humble imself, dem go lift am up.” For person wey dey think the normal worldly way, this truth fit hard to understand. E fit hard to understand the great value wey dey for to dey humble. But to dey humble simply mean to see yourself for the light of truth, the way God see you. Person wey dey humble no need other people to praise am or hold am high. God love for am don do. For that reason, person wey dey humble no only love imself as God love am, but e also get freedom to put all im attention for wetin go benefit other people. Na pure love be this. And this love fit happen only when person dey live fully with humble heart.
Today, think deeply about this gentle teaching wey Jesus give people wey really lack humble heart. Try see how Jesus care about dem and how E no want make dem feel shame, but want free dem from the heavy load of not being sure of their own worth. If you be person wey dey struggle with this, think deeply about how our Lord dey gently invite you to embrace humble heart. Pray for this virtue and sincerely practise am. Know say to gain this virtue go open door for plenty freedom for your life.
My Lord wey dey humble, You know Yourself perfectly, and You love Your own holy soul with the same love wey the Father for Heaven get for You. Abeg, help me discover who I be. Help me see myself as You see me. Make the wrong desire for earthly honour and worldly respect never become heavy load for me. Instead, I pray make this glorious gift of humble heart take deep root for my soul. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
