July 28, 2023
Friday for Wik 16 for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Listen for English
“The seed wey dem plant among chuku-chuku na the person wey hear the word, but worry about things of this world and the way riches dey attract am choke the word, and e no bear fruit. But the seed wey dem plant for good ground na the person wey hear the word and understand am, wey truly bear fruit and produce hundred or sixty or thirty times wetin dem plant.” Matthew 13:22–23
Today, Jesus dey make the meaning of the parable wey He tell the crowd clear to His disciples. He explain wetin the seed wey dem plant for footpath, for ground wey get plenty stone, among chuku-chuku and for good ground mean. The quotation wey dey above na the last two of those explanations. When we look well at wetin the seed wey dem plant for good ground mean, we see say na people wey hear, understand and bear fruit. And the amount of fruit wey dem bear no be the same. One thing wey this parable dey tell us be say to hear and even understand the Word of God no reach. We go face plenty temptations wey go hinder the Word of God for our lives. Make we look at each one small.
First, plenty people don receive the blessing to hear the Word of God. Plenty people don attend classes about the faith, their parents and other people don teach dem, and dem don attend Church services, but dem never allow wetin dem hear enter deep enough for dem to understand am. To hear the Word of God different well well from to understand the Word of God. One reason be say when we hear and understand the pure Word of God, e dey challenge us reach the deepest part of who we be. If person truly understand the Word of God, that person no fit continue as if e no concern am. The person must change. And the change must complete. If the person no do so, good fruit no fit come out for im life reach the level wey God want.
But even to understand and change no reach. This na because the enemies of our soul, wey Christian tradition dey call the world, the flesh and the devil, go strongly attack anybody wey receive the Word of God and decide to live by that Word. For example, if you fully accept wetin Jesus teach about to forgive other people, as soon as you choose to forgive, plenty temptations go most likely come to make you stop to dey forgive. Pride, anger, hurt, the lies of the evil one and the world go all try to stop you from forgiving other people completely. Or take, for example, the call to live without allowing your heart hold on to “riches” at all. Wetin Jesus teach about true poverty for spirit, as e different from true riches for spirit, need deep conversion wey hard to reach. So, to overcome the way “riches dey attract person” hard well well.
For the end, if your soul truly be good ground wey fit bear plenty fruit, and if you allow the purest and complete teaching of the Gospel enter deep inside your soul to change you for every way wey God want change you, then this mean say you don overcome each and every temptation wey come against you. You don reject the temptations wey come from greed, pride, anger and things like dem. You don embrace humility, reject the honour wey the world dey give, put worry and anxiety aside, and na only the powerful, gentle, holy and clear Voice of God dey direct your life. This one need plenty prayer, plenty cleansing inside your soul, complete dedication and obedience wey no dey shake to the Word of God wey He speak to you through the Gospels and deep inside your conscience. And even among people wey reach this level of holiness, the fruit wey their lives bear depend on how fully dem dey always live by the Word of God wey dey guide dem.
Today, reflect on this high calling from our Lord. To reach the goal of making your heart ground wey good well well for the Word of God need commitment and determination wey no dey give up. Plenty temptations go fight against anything wey go make your heart good ground. Try look inside your own heart today. Talk true to yourself. How good the ground of your heart be? The Word of God dey grow there? And if e dey grow, e dey produce fruit wey plenty pass measure? Commit yourself to become that good ground where dem plant the Word of God, wey no go only bear good fruit, but go bear good fruit hundred times wetin dem plant.
My Lord wey dey ask much from me, You want make di soul of everybody wey You don create become di ground wey pure pass and wey fit bear fruit pass, where di seed of Your Word fit grow and bear fruit well-well. Abeg, help me make I give myself fully to this holiness wey deep reach root, my dear Lord. My life na Your own. Abeg, make me pure, change me, shape me and make plenty good fruit grow inside me. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
