Friday, December 23, 2022
Weekday for Advent
Readings for Today
Saint John of Kanty, Fada—Memorial wey No Be Must
Listen for English
Immediately, im mouth open, im tongue come free, and e begin talk, dey bless God. Luke 1:64
Dis verse show di happy ending of how Zechariah first fail to believe wetin God reveal to am. Remember say nine months before dat time, as Zechariah dey do im priestly duty to offer sacrifice inside di Holy of Holies for di Temple, di glorious Archangel Gabriel, wey dey stand before God, come visit am. Gabriel tell Zechariah di good news say im wife go get belle for her old age, and say na dis pikin go prepare di people of Israel for di Messiah wey dey come. Wetin a great privilege dat one for be! But Zechariah no believe. Because of dis, di Archangel make am no fit talk for di nine months wey im wife carry belle.
Di punishments wey di Lord dey give na always gifts of Im grace. God no punish Zechariah because of bad mind, or just to make am suffer punishment. Instead, dis punishment be more like penance. For good reason, e receive di penance wey humble am: e no fit talk for nine months. E be like say God know say Zechariah need nine months to stay quiet and reflect on wetin di Archangel talk. E need nine months to think deeply about di miracle of im wife belle. And e need nine months to think deeply about who dis pikin go be. And dose nine months bring di result wey God want: im heart change completely and turn to God.
After dem born di pikin, people expect say dem go name dis first boy pikin after im papa, Zechariah. But di Archangel don tell Zechariah say di pikin name go be John. So, on di eighth day, di day wey dem circumcise im pikin and present am to di Lord, Zechariah write for one writing tablet say di baby name na John. Dis na act of faith and sign say e don turn completely from unbelief to belief. And na dis act of faith remove di doubt wey e get before.
For every one of us, times go dey when we no go believe with di deepest faith. Na why Zechariah be example for us of how we suppose handle di times wey we fail. We handle dem by allowing di consequences of our past failures to change us for good. We learn from our mistakes and move forward with fresh, firm decisions. Na wetin Zechariah do be dis, and na wetin we must do if we want learn from im good example.
Today, reflect on any sin wey you don commit wey don bring painful consequences for your life. As you dey think deeply about dat sin, di real question na wetin you go do from here. You dey allow dat past sin, or lack of faith, to rule and control your life? Or you dey use di times wey you fail before to make fresh, firm decisions for di future, so you go learn from your mistakes? To follow Zechariah im example need courage, humility and strength. Try make dis virtues become part of your life today.
Lord, I know say I no get enough faith for my life. I no dey believe all di things wey You dey tell me. Because of this, many times, I no dey put Your words into practice. Dear Lord, when I suffer because of my weakness, help me know say this suffering and every other suffering fit bring glory to You if I renew my faith. Help me, like Zechariah, to always return to You, and use me as instrument to show Your glory. Jesus, na You I trust.
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December 17–23
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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.
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