April 23, 2023
Third Sunday for Easter (Year A)
Readings for Today
Listen for English
“But we bin dey hope say na him go redeem Israel; and apart from all this, today na di third day since these things happen. But some women from our group don surprise us well-well: dem go di tomb early for morning and dem no see him body; dem come back come report say dem truly see vision of angels wey announce say he dey alive.” Luke 24:21–23
Di day wey our Lord rise from di dead, some of di women wey bin dey follow am go di tomb to anoint Jesus body, but dem see say di tomb dey empty. One angel tell dem about Jesus Resurrection, and then these women go tell di disciples wetin dem see. Na so dem record how di disciples react: “but their story be like nonsense to dem, and dem no believe di women.”
Later that day, two of those disciples wey dey doubt dey trek go di town of Emmaus. As dem dey go, dem dey “discuss and argue” about wetin don happen to Jesus and wetin these women tell dem. Their words show clear say dem confuse well-well and dem don lose courage because of wetin dey happen. Dem bin meet our Lord during His public ministry. Dem bin listen to His powerful teachings. Dem see His miracles with their own eyes. Dem bin get hope say na Him be di Messiah. But then dem see as dem arrest am, disgrace am, beat am, nail am for cross and kill am. Jesus death really affect dem and make dem begin question their faith in am. And even after dem hear say He don rise, dem still no fit bring themselves to believe. Na so dem take travel di road to Emmaus—with discouragement, confusion and doubt.
As these disciples dey waka go, our Lord appear to dem, but dem no recognise am for di form wey He take rise from di dead. Dem tell am about their confusion, and Jesus finally tell dem, “Oh, una no get sense at all! Una heart too slow to believe everything wey di prophets talk! No be so Christ suppose suffer these things before He enter His glory?” After Jesus continue to explain di Scriptures to dem, dem dey hungry to hear more. Dem ask this stranger to stay with dem, and He stay. That evening, Jesus break bread with dem, and for that sacramental act, dem recognise am before He disappear from their sight.
We must see ourselves inside these disciples. Plenty things dey for life wey fit make us lose courage. When we dey struggle to follow wetin God want, but things no turn out as we expect, temptation fit come make us doubt. Why e be like that? Wetin dey cause doubt? Pass any other thing, doubt and discouragement dey come because we no understand di perfect plan wey God get for our lives.
If these disciples bin understand from di beginning everything wey Jesus explain to dem for di road to Emmaus, dem for no lose all hope. Dem for no lose hope. Na so e still be for us: when we begin lose hope for our lives, di main reason na say we no understand well di divine plan for our lives. We no see say God dey allow certain things for His glory. He dey allow certain hardships so that our faith and trust in am go deepen. When we no see say God dey allow things happen according to His will, we go lose courage and become confused.
Today, think deeply about these two disciples. Dem get di great privilege to spend plenty time with our Lord during His public ministry, to see His miracles and hear His preaching. But when di Cross come, dem doubt and lose all hope. Make di witness of these disciples show you any way wey you too dey fall into temptations like their own. You get complete hope in God and His plan for your life? Or you dey allow di different crosses wey you dey endure confuse you and lead you to doubt? Allow our Lord to appear to you through prayer and show you His perfect plan. Open your heart to di gift of understanding: trust say God wisdom go comot every temptation wey dey push you to doubt, and put trust and hope for their place.
Lord wey get perfect wisdom, Your plan for my life dey perfect and glorious pass wetin anybody fit imagine. Too many times, I no dey understand Your will, and I dey fall into confusion and doubt. Abeg, open my mind to Your truth and help me see everything as You dey see am, so that I go always waka with hope and trust in You. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saints for Today –
Saint Adalbert, Bishop and Martyr
We no dey celebrate am as liturgical memorial this year because e fall on Sunday
Scripture Meditations for Easter Season
