July 11, 2022
Monday for di Fifteenth Week for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Benedict, Abbot—Memorial
Listen for English
Jesus tell His Apostle-dem: “Make una no think say I come bring peace for di earth. No be peace I come bring, na sword. Because I come set man against im papa, daughter against her mama, and wife against her husband mama; and person enemies go be people from im own household.” Matthew 10:34-36
Na typing mistake be this? Jesus really talk this one? This na one of those passages wey fit puzzle us and confuse us small. But Jesus dey do this kind thing every time, so e no suppose surprise us. So wetin Jesus mean? E really want bring di “sword” and division instead of peace?
When we dey read this passage, e important make we use every other thing wey Jesus don ever teach take understand am. We must use all His teachings about love and mercy, forgiveness and unity, and other things like that, take understand am. But even with all this, wetin Jesus dey talk about for this passage?
For di most part, E dey talk about one of di things wey di Truth dey cause. Di Truth of di Gospel get power to join us deeply with God when we accept am completely as di Word of Truth. But another thing wey e dey cause na say e dey separate us from people wey refuse to join with God inside di Truth. No be this we dey plan to cause, and we no suppose use our own will or plan cause am. But we must understand say as we dey put our whole self inside di Truth, we dey also put ourselves for disagreement with anybody wey fit dey against God and His Truth.
Di way people dey live and think today dey try preach wetin we dey call “relativism.” This na di idea say wetin good and true for me fit no good or true for you, but even though all of us get different “truths,” we still fit be one happy family. But that one no be di Truth!
Di Truth (wey start with capital “T”) na say God don establish wetin right and wetin wrong. E don set His law about right and wrong over everybody, and nobody fit cancel am. E don also make di truths of our faith known, and nobody fit cancel those ones. And that law true for me just as e true for you or any other person.
This passage above dey show us one serious reality wey suppose make us think well: as we reject every kind of relativism and hold on to di Truth, division fit still happen between us and other people, even people for our family. This one dey sad and e dey pain. Jesus give us this passage especially to strengthen us when this kind thing happen. If division happen because of our sin, shame on us. If e happen because of di Truth (wey we present with mercy), then make we accept am as something wey come because of di Gospel. Dem reject Jesus, and e no suppose surprise us if dem reject us too.
Today, think deeply about how ready you dey and how willing you be to accept di whole Truth of di Gospel, no matter wetin go happen because of am. Di whole Truth go set you free, and sometimes e go also show di division wey dey between you and people wey don reject God. You must pray for unity inside Christ, but you no suppose agree to bend di Truth just to bring unity wey no be real.
Lord of di Truth, give me di wisdom and courage wey I need to accept everything wey You don reveal. Help me to love You pass everything else and to accept whatever go follow because I dey follow You. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saint for Today:
Saint Benedict, Abbot—Memorial
Picture we dem Feature: Carl Oesterley, Public domain, through Wikimedia Commons
