November 28, 2022
Monday for First Week of Advent
Readings for Today
Listen for English
“Lord, I no worthy for You to enter my house; just talk the word, and my servant go well. Because me too na man wey dey under authority, and I get soldiers wey dey under me. I go tell one, ‘Go,’ and e go go; I go tell another one, ‘Come here,’ and e go come; and I go tell my slave, ‘Do this,’ and e go do am.” Matthew 8:8–9
Na man wey sabi well how to use authority talk these words. Na Roman centurion e be, and e talk say e himself na “man wey dey under authority” and say e get soldiers wey dey under am too. So, for im everyday life, e dey follow orders and give orders wey people suppose obey.
When people use authority well, na gift wey dey help put society, family life, the life of the Church and even our own lives in order. True true, when people use authority wrongly, to oppress and mistreat others, e dey cause plenty damage. But to use authority, by itself, na action wey fit do plenty good.
Jesus Himself really admire the Roman centurion for the Gospel passage wey we quote above. Jesus talk about am say, “Amen, I tell una, I never find anybody for Israel wey get this kind faith.” Just imagine say na you the Son of God talk this kind thing about! One reason why Jesus admire am na because the centurion accept say e no worthy for Jesus to come im house. This na humility, because the centurion see clearly say e no worthy. But Jesus also admire am because the man show clear and sure faith for the authority wey Jesus get to heal im servant from far away. E no hesitate to declare im belief for this authority of our Lord.
For our own lives, we often dey fall short for this matter. When we face difficulty (like the sickness wey this centurion im servant dey suffer), instead make we turn to God with full confidence wey no dey shake, we dey turn inward and focus only on ourselves. We go begin worry, fear, doubt, confuse, and sometimes even vex. When any of these things dey show for us, no be because of the difficult situation wey we dey face; na because our faith no strong enough and we no get enough confidence for the almighty authority of our Lord.
For the matter of the Roman centurion im servant, na God im will make Jesus heal the servant im body, and na so He do am. But for the countless challenges wey we dey face every day for life, God fit answer us in different ways. One thing wey must always remain firm for us na to dey sure say God want use His loving authority for our lives, as He choose, if we trust Am and invite Am to take control.
Today, reflect on how Christ im authority dey perfect. You believe say He fit use His perfect power for your life? You believe say na His authority we need to put your life, your family, our Church and even our world in order? As you dey pray today, submit yourself to Christ im authority, and allow yourself to marvel as you see all the things wey He fit do.
Almighty Father, I put my life and every situation for my life wey need Your power and control for Your hand. Abeg, put my life and the lives of people around me in order, and make us live in harmony. Make all Your children learn to put themselves more fully for Your hand as their loving God. Jesus, na You I trust.
See All Our Materials for Advent
Novena to the Immaculate Conception
November 29-December 7
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Advent
Main picture above: Jesus and the Centurion wey Paolo Veronese paint, through Wikimedia Commons
