June 13, 2022
Monday of di Eleventh Week for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Anthony of Padua, Prist and Dokita of di Chọch—Memorial
Listen for English
“But I dey tell una, make una no resist person wey dey do evil. If person slap you for the right side of your face, turn the other side give am too.” Matthew 5:39
Na teaching wey hard to accept be this!
Jesus really mean this thing? Plenty times, when person do us wrong or hurt us, we fit quickly begin find reasons to push this Gospel passage aside and assume say e no concern us. Yes, na teaching wey hard to believe, and to live by am hard pass.
Wetin e mean to “turn the other side of your face give am”? First, make we look the words as dem be, no be as figure of speech. Jesus mean wetin E talk. Na Him be the perfect example of this. No be only slap dem slap Am for face; dem still beat Am mercilessly and hang Am for cross. And wetin E answer be, “Father, forgive dem, dem no know wetin dem dey do.” So, Jesus no dey call us to do anything wey E Himself no ready to do.
To turn the other side of your face give person no mean say we need to cover the cruel things wey another person do or talk. We no suppose pretend say the person no do anything wrong. As Jesus Himself forgive and ask the Father to forgive, E acknowledge the serious injustice wey sinners do Am. But the main thing be say E no allow their wickedness drag Am enter wickedness too.
Plenty times, when we feel say another person don throw mud for our body, as people dey talk, temptation dey come make we throw am back sharp-sharp. Temptation dey come make we fight and push the bully back. But the main way to overcome another person wickedness and cruelty na to refuse to let am drag us enter the mud. To turn the other side of our face give person na one way to talk say we no go lower ourselves enter foolish quarrel or argument. We refuse to join talk or action wey no get sense when we meet am. Instead, we choose to calmly accept wetin the person do and forgive, so that the person wickedness go show clear to the person and to other people too.
This no mean say Jesus want make we remain forever for relationships where dem dey mistreat us pass wetin we fit bear. But e mean say all of us go face injustice from time to time, and we need to handle am with mercy and forgive without delay, instead of allowing am drag us enter paying wickedness back with wickedness.
Today, think deeply about any relationship wey hard for you. Especially, think about how ready you dey to forgive and to turn the other side of your face give the person. If you do this, e fit bring you the peace and freedom wey you dey find for that relationship.
My Lord wey dey forgive, help me make I follow Your example of great mercy and forgiveness. Help me make I forgive people wey don hurt me, and help me make I overcome any injustice wey I face. Jesus, na You I trust.
Novena to di Sacred Heart
Novena dates:June 15-23, 2022
June 24, 2022: Solemnity of di Sacred Heart
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saint of Today – Saint Anthony of Padua, Prist and Dokita of di Chọch
Main image wey dey above: As Dem Use Thorns Crown Am, by Caravaggio, through Wikipedia
