December 15, 2022
Thursday for the Third Week of Advent
Readings for Today
Listen for English
Na this person Scripture dey talk about when e say: See, I dey send my messenger make e go before you; e go prepare your way ahead of you. I dey tell una, among all the people wey women don born, nobody great pass John; but even the person wey small pass for God Kingdom great pass am.” Luke 7:27–28
Saint John the Baptist truly great. Na im be the prophet wey God promise, wey Isaiah talk about beforehand: the “messenger” wey go come before the Christ, the Messiah. Plenty people believe say God make John holy inside im mama womb, when e jump for joy as e encounter Christ presence during the Visitation. After that, John faithfully carry out im mission as the last of the Old Testament prophets, and e die before Jesus give Im life to save everybody. Na for these reasons people dey regard John as the greatest among the people wey women don born, before the glorious gift of salvation for Christ come.
Of course, after Jesus praise John for im greatness, Jesus still point out say even “the person wey small pass for God Kingdom” great pass John. Na simply because everybody wey now belong to God Kingdom don receive one gift wey John no enjoy for this life. God give us the gift of grace so that we go truly share for the divine nature. Through baptism, grace make us share for God own life. This change wey reach the very root of who we be na something wey John the Baptist no share in until after im death, when Jesus open the gate to salvation.
Imagine say na you be John the Baptist. Imagine say you receive this responsibility wey great well-well and this privilege wey hard to believe: no be only to be Jesus blood cousin, but also to receive the call to preach to the people, so you go prepare dem for Jesus ministry and the gift of salvation. That one for be great privilege!
But according to wetin Jesus talk, all of us don receive something wey even great pass that one. The privilege wey we receive no be only to get blood relationship with Jesus, but for our very soul to change, as we dey share for Im divine nature. We get the privilege to become completely new creatures through grace. And we still get the privilege to receive the call to go out and prepare the way for Christ inside other people lives.
Sometimes, we fit take the gift of salvation as if e no mean anything. E easy for us not to understand how great this gift be. Because of this, we fit fail to get grateful heart and fail to get holy wonder for wetin we don become for Christ.
One of the main messages of Advent be say God become man so that we fit share for Im divinity. The prayer wey priest dey pray for Mass as e dey mix water and wine show this truth in one beautiful way: Through the mystery of this water and wine, make we come share for the divinity of Christ, wey humble Imself to share for our human nature. Wetin a great gift! God call us to truly share for Christ divinity! This gift make us members of God Kingdom, and e far greater than even the gift wey John the Baptist receive for im life for this earth.
Today, reflect on the wonderful gift wey you don receive through Christ life, death and resurrection. If you don fall inside the trap of not being grateful for this gift, use this Advent season to wake your awareness again and renew your gratitude for everything wey God don do for you.
My Saviour wey be God, I thank You for this gift of grace wey dey fill me with holy wonder, wey You don give me as You invite me to truly share for Your divinity. Make I dey understand this gift more and more, and make I remain grateful forever for everything wey You don do for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Saint Andrew Christmas Novena
As tradition be, dem dey pray di Saint Andrew Christmas Novena prayer wey dey below 15 times every day from November 30, di Feast of Saint Andrew, reach Christmas Eve.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
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