Monday, August 29, 2022
Memorial of di Suffering of Saint John di Baptist
Listen for English
The girl hurry go back to the king front, come make her request, “I want make you give me John the Baptist head for tray now-now.” The king heart pain am well-well, but because of the oaths wey e don swear and the guests wey dey there, e no want break the promise wey e make to her. So e send person wey dey execute people at once, with order make e bring John head come. Mark 6:25-27
Dis sad story, about how dem cut off John di Baptist head, show us plenty things. Above all, e show us di mystery of evil for our world and how God, by His will, dey allow evil to flourish sometimes.
Why God allow dem cut off St. John head? E be great man. Jesus Himself talk say nobody wey woman born great pass John di Baptist. Yet, E allow John to suffer dis great injustice.
St. Teresa of Ávila once tell our Lord, “Dear Lord, if na so You dey treat Your friends, no wonder Your friends few like dis!” Yes, throughout history, God don clearly allow people wey E love to suffer well-well. Wetin dis dey tell us?
First of all, make we no forget di clear fact say di Father allow di Son to suffer well-well and make dem kill Am for terrible way. Di way Jesus die cruel and shocking. Dis mean say di Father no love di Son? Not at all. So wetin e mean?
The truth be say suffering no be sign say God no dey pleased with person. If you dey suffer and God no give you relief, no be because God don abandon you. No be say He no love you. In fact, wetin most likely be true na the opposite.
Di truth be say John di Baptist suffering na di greatest sermon wey e fit ever preach. E bear witness to di love wey e get for God wey no dey shake, and how e take all im heart commit imself to wetin God want. Di “sermon” of John suffering get power because e choose to remain faithful to our Lord despite di persecution wey e endure. And for God eye, John faithfulness get value wey no get measure, far pass for am to continue to live for body or di suffering wey e endure for body.
Today, think deeply about your own life. Sometimes, we dey carry heavy cross and beg our Lord make E take am from us. Instead, God dey tell us say His grace dey enough and say E want use our suffering as testimony of our faithfulness. So, di answer wey di Father give Jesus, di answer wey E give John and di answer wey E give us na call to enter di mystery of our suffering for dis life with faith, hope, confidence and faithfulness. No ever allow di hardship of life stop you from remaining faithful to wetin God want.
Lord, make I get the strength of Your Son and the strength of St. John the Baptist as I dey carry my own crosses for life. Make I remain strong for faith and full of hope as I dey hear You dey call me to embrace my cross. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saint for Today – The Suffering and Death of Saint John the Baptist, Martyr
