July 24, 2023
Monday for Week 16 for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Sharbel Makhlūf, Priest, Hermit—Memorial Wey No Be By Force
Listen for English
For di judgment, di queen of di south go rise together with this generation and condemn am, because she come from di far ends of di earth to hear Solomon wisdom; and something wey great pass Solomon dey here.” Matthew 12:42
For dis passage, Jesus talk about di Queen of Sheba wey travel about 1,400 miles from di south of Arabia, wey most likely dey for either di place wey dem dey call Yemen or Ethiopia today, to meet King Solomon. Di queen don hear plenty things about Solomon, about im wealth and wisdom, and she wan find out whether everything wey she hear na true. So she make di long journey and stay with am for about six months, as tradition tell us. After she spend time with am, wetin she see really impress her, and she give am gifts of gold, spices and precious stones. She tell am, “I no believe wetin dem tell me until I come see with my own eyes say dem no even tell me half of am. Your wisdom and di way you prosper pass wetin I hear” (1Kings 10:7).
Solomon really impress dis queen from another country. Her journey, gifts and words show di deep respect and admiration wey she get for am. Jesus use dis story to show di simple truth say Jesus Himself great pass Solomon by far, and say di way people suppose treat Him must pass di way di queen treat Solomon by far. But Jesus also make am clear say, for di Last Judgment, dis queen go rise and condemn di scribes and Pharisees because dem fail to recognise di wisdom of Jesus and His kingship. Instead, dem come meet Jesus dey look for signs and proof of Who He be.
For our own lives, di example of di Queen of Sheba suppose truly inspire us. She herself get power and wealth, but she still want learn from Solomon and benefit from di great wisdom wey God give am. Her example suppose move us to do everything wey we fit do to turn to our Lord every day and seek His wisdom.
Jesus wisdom dey reach us through plenty ways. Di Gospels dey especially important as source of di most important lessons for life. Personal prayer, to read about di lives of di saints, and to study di teachings of our Church na still important ways wey we dey receive di wisdom wey God give us. As you dey think about di many ways wey dey open to you to grow for God wisdom, try make di Queen of Sheba example inspire you. You get di same zeal wey she get? You ready to give plenty time and effort to learn holy things? You desire to journey go meet Jesus di way she desire to journey go meet Solomon?
One of di biggest things wey dey stop person from seeking this holy wisdom na sloth, wey mean laziness. E dey become easier and easier to use our minds pursue things wey no need any serious thought. Plenty people fit easily spend many hours for front of television, computer or mobile devices and waste precious time and energy. Zeal for God and to dey seek di many truths of di faith must become di cure for laziness for our lives. We must want to know. And we must do everything wey we fit do to make that holy desire grow inside us.
Today, reflect on di long journey wey this queen travel to seek Solomon wisdom. As you dey do so, check whether you dey show di same zeal wey she get, and how much you dey devote yourself to seek God wisdom. For where you dey fall short, let her example inspire you. Jesus greatness and wisdom pass Solomon own without any limit, and we don get full access to Am through prayer and to learn holy things. If you go make that holy journey to our Lord with strong determination, then, unlike di scribes and Pharisees, your day of judgment go be glorious.
My Lord wey get all Wisdom, You great pass even di kings wey get wisdom pass, in a way wey no get limit, and Your glory pass anything wey I fit imagine. Abeg, fill me with zeal, my dear Lord, so I go seek You with all my heart and journey come meet You every day. Abeg, guide my prayer and my study so I go receive Your wisdom and You Yourself. 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 Sharbel Makhlūf, Fada, Hermit
