June 2, 2023
Fraide for Week Eight for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saints Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs—Memorial Wey No Be Obligation
Listen for English
Di next day, as dem dey comot from Bethany, hunger dey catch am. E see one fig tree wey get leaves from far, so e go check whether e go see anything for di tree. When e reach there, e no see anything apart from leaves; no be di season for fig fruit. Then e tell di tree, “Make nobody ever chop your fruit again!” And im disciples hear am. Mark 11:12–14
Dis story different well-well, and e dey interesting. Di first thing wey e tell us be say Jesus na human being fully. As human being, hunger catch Am. But dis story tell us plenty pass just say hunger catch Jesus. E for don know say no be di season for fig fruit to grow, but E still decide to look for fig fruit. And when E no see any, E curse di fig tree, and as we read later for dis chapter, di tree dry up and die. Dis action na sign wey E use teach Im disciples, because dem hear Am as E curse di tree, and later dem see say di tree don dry up.
Saint Bede, one of di early Church Fathers, tell us say dis action of Jesus get deeper spiritual meaning. Di tree stand for di many people wey Jesus meet, and wey E still dey meet today, wey no bear good fruit for their lives. Dem na di Pharisees and other people wey practise their faith only for wetin people fit see outside. Saint Bede tell us say di leaves stand for di outward things of di faith, and di way di tree no get fruit stand for di holiness and good works wey no dey grow from inside dem. Dis lesson tell us say Jesus dey demand plenty from us. E don make up Im mind to find good fruit for our lives. E want make we truly become holy. And when na only outward things E see, E go rebuke us with love, and even take those outward things comot.
Which good fruit our Lord want find for your life? How E want make your growth for holiness show clear? You just dey do wetin people expect, attend Mass and say some prayers, but you no dey bear plenty fruit of virtue, compassion, mercy and goodness? You dey talk say you believe in our Lord, but you no dey preach di holy Gospel with both your words and your actions? If our Lord come meet you, as E come meet dis fig tree, wetin E go find?
To be Christian no be something wey concern only you and God. To be Christian mean say you must give yourself so fully to serve God and other people, so that God fit do wonderful things through you. Di Christian faith must bear good fruit for your life, and through you, for other people lives. And e must bear di fruit plenty.
Today, think deep about this holy picture of Jesus as E dey waka go meet this fig tree, dey check am for fig fruit. See this tree as picture of your soul, and notice the hunger wey dey our Lord heart. As E dey look you and your life, E go see wetin go satisfy His hunger? E go find holiness and good works wey dey show? Or E go find little or nothing apart from wetin you dey claim for outside say you be Christian? Give yourself fully to true holiness wey plenty and wey dey show, and this go satisfy our Lord hunger.
My Lord wey dey demand plenty from me, You dey call all Your followers to holiness wey dem go live out, wey dey change lives, wey dey show clear and wey dey bear fruit for Your Kingdom. Help me make I be Christian no be only for name, but especially for action. Make my life truly bear di good fruit of holiness, and make You use dat holiness satisfy di spiritual hunger of Your people. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Saint for Today – Saint Marcellinus and Saint Peter, Martyrs
