November 10, 2021
Wednesday for Week Thirty-Two for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Leo di Great, Pope and Doctor of di Church—Memorial
Listen for English
Jesus answer say, “No be ten people become clean? Where the other nine dey? Na only dis foreigner come back to thank God?” Then He tell am, “Stand up go; your faith don save you.” Luke 17:17–19
Our Lord give dis answer to the one person wey get leprosy before, wey come back to Jesus to thank Am. Ten people wey get leprosy don come meet Jesus. Dem stand for far, shout say, “Jesus, Master! Pity us!” As dem do so, Jesus heal all of dem. But the main thing for dis healing no be just the healing itself, but the way only one out of the ten show say e thankful.
Dis Gospel tell us say dis one person wey get leprosy before do five things to show how deeply e thankful. E come back, give God glory, do am with loud voice, fall for Jesus feet, and thank Am. Wetin e do na wonderful example for all of us!
To take another example, children often see the loving care wey their papa and mama dey give dem as something wey dem must get, and dem no dey value am. Na why plenty good papa and mama dey always remind their children to talk “thank you.” For our relationship with God too, we fit easily take the things wey God dey do to save us as things wey we must get. We fit easily see all the grace wey we receive as something wey we deserve, instead of gift wey come from mercy wey no get limit. When dis happen, we become more like the other nine wey no show Jesus how dem thankful as dem suppose do.
First of all, make we understand say no be because God need all dis praise na im make we dey thank Am. E no depend on our thanks to confirm His own worth. Dis one clear. God na God, and E no need our praise at all. But to give God deep praise and glory still dey very important. E dey important because we need dis good habit of thanking God, so that every day we go remember say everything we receive from God na gift wey we no work earn. We no fit work earn His love and grace. We no deserve am. But because of His mercy, E still choose to give us. And the only proper way to respond to mercy na to thank Am—to thank Am from deep inside our heart.
To thank God dey important because na the truth we dey acknowledge. We suppose always come back to our Lord after E don give us His grace. We suppose give Am glory with all our heart, and call out to Am with deep feeling. We suppose fall with our face for ground before Am, for His feet, both with our body and inside our heart, and thank Am again and again and again. To do so go always help us remember the truth say everything we get and everything we be na gift from God. Na gift of grace wey we no work earn and wey we no deserve.
Today, think deeply about how thankful your own heart dey. You dey often behave more like pikin wey dem don spoil, wey dey think only about imself, or you dey regularly notice how God dey freely show you His goodness? If your heart never full with thanks as e suppose be, then think deeply about dis one person wey get leprosy before. The way e thank God with all im heart na the most important part of dis story. For the end, e receive grace wey far plenty pass wetin the other nine receive, because im healing bring faith; and na that faith save no be only im body, but im soul too. Try to save your soul by following the faith of dis holy person wey Jesus don heal from leprosy.
My Lord wey full of grace, You dey pour Your mercy on me beyond measure. Without You, Jesus, I no get anything; but with You, I receive everything. Make I always know and understand how I need Your grace. And as You dey give me dis gift, make I respond with thanks from the deepest part of my heart, and so save my soul through faith. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saint of Today – Saint Leo di Great, Pope and Doctor of di Church
