June 30, 2023
Fraide for Wik 12 for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Di First Martyrs for di Church for Rome—Memorial Wey No Be Must
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When Jesus come down from the mountain, plenty people follow am. Then one man wey get leprosy come near, bow down to honour am, and talk say, “Lord, if You want, You fit make me clean.” Matthew 8:1–4
To show another person honour na to show deep respect and regard for am for everybody to see. Na wetin this man wey get leprosy do to Jesus. E “bow down to honour am.” But the man do pass that one. E still show im strong faith say Jesus fit heal am if He want. And Jesus really want am. Jesus stretch out Im hand touch the man wey get leprosy and talk say, “I go do am. Make you clean.” And with that, the man become clean.
Di first thing to notice for dis passage na say Jesus “touch” di man wey get leprosy. Na something wey dem forbid, because people wey get leprosy no clean, and to touch dem fit spread dia disease. But Jesus go against dat custom and touch di man, to show am di dignity wey e get as human being.
E good make we think about this question: Who show the other person greater honour? Na the honour wey the man wey get leprosy show Jesus greater? Or na the way Jesus touch am and make am clean greater? Even though we no need to compare these two actions, e go help us to reflect on this deep truth: Jesus really show this man wey get leprosy, wey dem regard as person wey no clean, one kind of honour.
As we don talk before, to show another person honour na to show deep respect and regard for am for everybody to see. No doubt, na exactly wetin Jesus do. No be only honour He give the man wey get leprosy as He touch and heal am; through this action, He still show Im love and respect for this man for everybody to see.
Of course, the honour wey we owe God dey different from every other honour. Na the honour of worship. We must bow down before Am, surrender our whole life to Am without holding anything back, and trust Am completely. We must honour Am as God and show our love as e proper. But apart from the almighty power wey Jesus show through this miracle, He still give us example of how we must treat other people. Every person, because God make dem for Im image and likeness, deserve the highest respect wey we fit give, and dem deserve make we show that respect for everybody to see. We must always try to honour and respect other people, and show that honour and respect so that others go see am. This one dey especially hard when other people regard the person wey we suppose respect as person wey “no clean.” The man wey get leprosy na just symbol of the many kinds of people wey the world regard as people wey no clean and wey no worthy. Criminals, poor people, people wey dey confused, sinners, people wey no get home, people wey oppose us for politics, and every other person for this world deserve our highest respect and deep regard. To do this no mean say we dey justify their sin; instead, e mean say we dey look beyond wetin dey outside to see the dignity wey dem get as human beings.
Today, reflect on the honour wey this man wey get leprosy show Jesus. Then reflect on the honour wey Jesus show this man as He confirm, for everybody to see, the dignity wey the man get as human being. Who for your life this man represent? Who be the person wey people regard as person wey “no clean” because of the condition of im life, the sin wey e dey commit, or the shame wey people attach to am? Who God dey call you to reach out to and touch with love and respect, for other people to see? Look for the person wey be like this man wey get leprosy for your life, and no fear to follow this holy example of how to show honour wey our Lord give us.
My holy Lord, You deserve all adoration, glory and honour. Na You and only You deserve our worship. Help me make I continue to discover Your presence wey hide for the lives of people around me. Help me especially to see You for the people wey be like the man wey get leprosy for our own time. Make my love and respect for dem flow from my love for You, and make e follow the example of Your love for everybody. 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 –Di First Martyrs for di Church for Rome
