June 14, 2022
Tuesday for di Eleventh Week for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Listen for English
“But I dey tell una, make una love una enemies and pray for people wey dey persecute una, so that una fit be children of una Father for heaven.” Matthew 5:44-45a
This command from our Lord no easy to follow. But na command to love.
First, He dey call us to love our enemies. Who be our enemies? We hope say we no get “enemies” for the sense of people wey we don deliberately choose to hate. But people fit dey our lives wey we dey face temptation to vex for, and wey dey hard us to love. Maybe we fit see anybody wey we dey struggle to get along with as our enemies.
To love dem no necessarily mean say we must become their best friends, but e mean say we must work towards getting real affection wey go make us care for dem, show concern for dem, understand dem and forgive dem. E fit hard to get this kind feeling for everybody, but na wetin we must aim for.
The second part of this command go help. To pray for people wey dey persecute us go help us grow for the right kind of love and affection wey we need to develop. This part of love clear well well, even though e still hard well well.
Think about people wey dey very hard you to love. People wey you dey vex for. E fit be person for your family, person for your workplace, your neighbour, or person from your past wey you never settle with. E agree with this Gospel passage to admit with honest heart say at least one person dey, or maybe more than one, wey you dey struggle to get along with, whether the struggle dey show outside or e dey only inside your heart. To admit this na simply to talk true.
Once you don know who this person or these people be, think whether you dey pray for dem. You dey regularly take time to place dem for God hand through prayer? You dey pray make God pour His grace and mercy on dem? This one fit hard to do, but na one of the things wey fit do you the most good. E fit hard to show dem love and affection, but e no hard to deliberately choose to pray for dem.
To pray for people wey dey hard us to get along with na key to allowing God make true love and concern for dem grow for our hearts. Na way to allow God reshape our emotions and feelings, so that we no go need to continue to hold on to anger or even hate.
Today, make you commit yourself to pray for the person wey dey hardest for you to get along with. Most likely, this prayer no go change your love for the person overnight, but if you commit yourself to this kind prayer every day, as time dey go, God go gradually change your heart and free you from the load of anger and hurt wey fit stop you from getting the love wey He want make you get for everybody.
Lord wey Your love dey perfect, I dey pray for di person wey You want make I pray for. Help me make I love everybody, especially people wey e hard to love. Put my feelings towards dem for di right order, and help me make I free from any vex. Jesus, na You I trust.
Novena to di Sacred Heart
Dates for di Novena: June 15-23, 2022
June 24, 2022: Solemnity of di Sacred Heart
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
