January 22, 2023
Di Third Sunday for Ordinary Time (Year A)
Readings for Today
Listen for English
From dat time, Jesus begin preach and talk say, “Turn from una sins come back to God, because di kingdom of heaven don near.” Matthew 4:17
For Matthew Gospel, wey we read from today, we hear di first words wey our Lord talk as E begin His public ministry: “Turn from una sins come back to God, because di kingdom of heaven don near.”
Before we reach dis point, Matthew Gospel don tell us about Jesus family line, His birth, di story of di Magi, how di Holy Family run go Egypt, di killing of di Holy Innocents, Jesus baptism, di preaching of Saint John di Baptist and di forty days wey Jesus spend for desert. Now, after dese stories wey introduce Jesus life, we enter His public ministry.
Remember say dem just put John for prison, and dis one bring his public ministry to an end. So, di time for di Son of God to preach and do His ministry don reach. And even though Jesus continue di message of repentance wey John start, Jesus carry John words go further. Jesus add something wey John no fit add: “Di kingdom of heaven don near.”
As we still dey for di beginning of di season of Ordinary Time, e important make we understand dis change from di prophets of di Old Testament, wey John be di last among dem, to di preaching of our Lord for di New Testament. Di difference be say everything wey dem prophesy and point to for di Old Testament don now arrive. As Saint Jerome dey explain dis passage, e talk say as di Law of di Old Testament end, di Gospel begin. And of course, na only few short years remain before dis new era of di Gospel go reach fulfilment, when our Lord go offer His life for di salvation of many people.
As Jesus begin preach, His words challenge people, but dem still give plenty hope. As E talk say “di kingdom of heaven don near,” Jesus make di first people wey hear am develop interest and holy desire to know more. Di new message wey E proclaim about di Kingdom make His call for people to turn from sin come back to God softer.
One helpful thing wey we fit learn from dese first words of Jesus public ministry be say na dis way best pass to share di Gospel with people wey never dey follow Christ. Many times, when we see person wey dey live for serious sin, we wan judge and condemn am. But most times, wetin dem need pass na hope—hope say something wey far greater dey come when person turn from sin come back to God. True true, we need to speak against sin. But one of di ways wey dey work well pass na to first give di person wey dey listen hope of something wey far better pass di sin wey dem dey struggle with—especially, di hope of di Kingdom of God.
Today, reflect on how Jesus ministry bring something new, and how di first proclamation of di Gospel bring something new. As you dey do so, try imagine di holy desire to know more wey many people go don get when dem first hear Jesus preach. Soon, E go follow His preaching with many signs and wonders wey go confirm His message. But for di beginning, Jesus just plant hope inside di people wey hear am. As you dey think deeply about dis, think about di people for your life wey also need dis first feeling of hope and holy desire to know more about di Gospel, and pray make God inspire you and use you as instrument to carry dis message of mercy.
Lord, as You begin Your public ministry to proclaim di Kingdom of Heaven, You plant hope and holy desire to know more inside di minds and hearts of di first people wey hear You. Abeg, continue dis good work and use me as You wish, make I be instrument of dis hope for di people wey I dey meet every day. Jesus, na You I trust.
9 Days for Life Novena
January 19–27
Day four: January 22
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saint for Today – Saint Vincent, Deacon and Martyr—Memorial wey No Be Compulsory
Dem no dey celebrate am as liturgical memorial dis year because e fall on Sunday
Di main picture above: Make Your Light Shine, through flickr
