April 7, 2022
Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Readings for Today
Saint John Baptist de la Salle, Fada—Memorial
Listen for English
Jesus tell the Jews say: “Amen, amen, I dey tell una, anybody wey keep my word no go ever see death.” So the Jews tell am say, “Now we know for sure say evil spirit dey control you.” John 8:51–52
E hard to imagine any worse thing wey person fit talk about Jesus. Dem really think say the evil one dey control Am? E be like so. Wetin dem talk about the Son of God sad well-well, and e strange. Na God Himself, for the person of Jesus, dey offer promise of eternal life here. He dey reveal the holy Truth say to obey His Word na the road to happiness wey no go ever end, and say everybody need to know this Truth and live by am. Jesus dey talk this one freely and openly, but the answer wey some people wey hear this message give dey cause deep disappointment, dey spoil His name with lie, and dey full of wickedness.
E hard to know wetin dey go on for their mind wey make dem talk this kind thing. Maybe dem dey jealous Jesus, or maybe dem just confuse well-well. No matter wetin cause am, wetin dem talk cause serious harm.
The harm wey this kind talk cause no really affect Jesus like that; instead, e harm dem themselves and the people wey dey around Am. Jesus Himself fit handle anything wey people talk about Am, but other people no fit. E important make we understand say our own words fit cause serious harm to ourselves and to other people.
First of all, their words harm dem themselves. As dem talk this kind wrong thing for public, dem begin follow the road of stubbornness. E go take plenty humility to take back this kind talk later. Na so e still be with us. When we talk something wey harm another person, e hard to take am back. E hard to later beg for forgiveness and heal the wound wey we don cause. Na our own heart the harm first affect, because e hard to leave our mistake behind and move forward with humility. But we must do this if we want repair the harm.
Secondly, this talk still harm the people wey dey listen. Some fit don reject this wicked talk, but others fit don think about am and begin wonder whether evil spirit really dey control Jesus. Na so dem plant seeds of doubt. All of us must understand say our words dey affect other people, and we must try hard to talk with the greatest care and love.
Today, tink well about the things wey you dey talk. You don tell other people anything wey you now realize say no correct or fit mislead dem? If na so, you don try to repair the harm by taking back wetin you talk and asking for forgiveness? Tink well too about how e easy to join other people for talk wey get bad intention. You don allow this kind talk influence you? If na so, make up your mind say you no go listen to this kind wrong talk, and look for ways to talk the truth.
Lord of all Truth, give me the grace to dey talk holy words wey go always give You glory and show the eternal Truths wey dey alive for Your Heart. Help me also to recognize the lies wey surround me for this world of sin. Make Your Heart sift out the errors and allow make dem plant only seeds of Truth for my own mind and heart. Jesus, na You I trust.
Reflection Thirty-Four – “Water Dey Hungry Me”
(Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent)
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Scripture Meditation Dem for Lent
Saint of the Day – Saint John Baptist de la Salle, Fada—Memorial
