February 20, 2022
Sunday Number Seven for Ordinary Time, Year C
Readings for Today
Listen for English
“Make una stop to judge others, and dem no go judge una. Make una stop to condemn others, and dem no go condemn una. Make una forgive, and dem go forgive una.” Luke 6:37
You dey judge other people? E easy to judge another person. Sometimes, we fit meet person and immediately judge am for one way or another. Maybe, when we first meet am, e no show us the kind friendliness wey we expect, so we judge am straightaway. This kind thing fit even happen sometimes before we meet the person. Or e fit happen between us and people wey we don know for long.
You dey condemn other people? Condemnation dey come for two ways. First, we fit don judge another person wrongly, and this one go make us condemn am wrongly too. Second, we fit judge one situation correctly, say the person really commit one sin, but we come act as if we get right to condemn am. We dey act as if we get right to pass sentence on am.
To judge and to condemn others no be part of the good character wey Christian suppose get at all. Dem no dey help our life, and dem no holy for any way. So, na through mercy and forgiveness we fit overcome them.
You dey forgive? Most times, to forgive no easy. We must forgive, even as we know say we dey quick to judge and condemn another person. First of all, forgiveness dey heal this habit of condemning others, because e dey acknowledge say person do wrong, but e still forgive am without insisting say dem must give the person wetin we fit call “punishment.” To forgive no mean say the wrong thing wey happen good, or say e no happen at all. Instead, forgiveness for this matter dey clearly recognise sin as sin. But once e don acknowledge the sin, e dey forgive am. This one dey very important when we wan forgive person wey close to us. To pretend say hurt or sin no happen at all no dey ever help us, but to forgive the sin wey really happen dey always help us.
When na matter of judging others, forgiveness dey go beyond just forgiving sin. Forgiveness must also carry us reach where we no go even judge another person about im fault. We go hold back from judging. We see this one especially for wetin Jesus talk for the Cross when E say, “Father, forgive dem, dem no know wetin dem dey do.” E no even allow Himself judge the people wey dey condemn Am to death. E no hold anything against dem, and E take am say na good intention dem get. “Dem no know wetin dem dey do.” This one need love and mercy wey deep well-well.
Today, think deeply about how you fit forgive completely. Start by leaving the habit of condemning another person because of im sin. Then try to allow our Lord draw you one step nearer to His perfect heart wey full of mercy, as you leave even the habit of judging others. Let God be the judge. As for you, make na only to forgive you dey seek.
Lord wey get mercy pass all, help me forgive everybody wey don offend me and everybody wey I dey vex with. Free me from the heavy load of condemning and judging others, and replace these habits with Your heart wey full of mercy. Make I follow Your example of perfect forgiveness for my life. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Reflection for Video: Make You Love Your Enemies?
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
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