August 10, 2023
Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr
Listen for English
Anybody wey love im life go lose am, and anybody wey hate im life for this world go keep am for eternal life. John 12:25
This na one of the many powerful things wey Jesus talk, wey fit even shock person. Similar talk from Jesus dey inside all the four Gospels. For this version wey John write, e use the words “love” and “hate.” As we love our lives, we dey lose them, but as we hate our lives, we dey keep them. When person first read am, e fit think say dem mistakenly exchange the words “love” and “hate.” Person fit conclude say wetin Jesus mean to talk na, “Anybody wey hate im life go lose am” and “anybody wey love im life go keep am.” But no be wetin He talk be that. Wetin He really talk na the opposite.
We must understand say the words “love” and “hate” for here no carry the meaning wey we normally dey give them. For this passage, Jesus dey use the word “love” to mean say person dey think only about imself or dey put imself for centre of everything. And He dey use the word “hate” to mean say person no dey put im own interest first, but dey give imself as sacrifice. In other words, anybody wey dey live only for imself go lose everything for the end, but person wey truly no dey put im own interest first and dey give imself for others go gain everything for the end.
This deep teaching of our Lord hard to understand without the gift of grace. Our human sense alone fit struggle to accept say life wey person no dey put im own interest first na good life. With human sense, e easy to conclude say e far better make we put ourselves above everybody. Human sense fit conclude say na to get riches, high position, power and respect from everybody go bring happiness and the “good life.” But this kind life wey person dey think only about imself and put imself for centre of everything, even though e fit attract us as human beings, na really the road to lose everything wey truly good. Instead, na only when we allow God’s grace to guide our human sense we go reach the conclusion say to no put our own interest first better pass to dey think only about ourselves. To no put our own interest first mean say our eyes always dey on wetin go benefit the other person. E mean say we no go just siddon dey think only about ourselves. E mean say we give ourselves completely to serve God and our neighbour, no matter wetin e go cost us. We must give everything away as we dey serve and love God, and na only through this way God dey give us back more than wetin we fit ever hope for.
Saint Lawrence, wey we dey honour today, na deacon and martyr for the third century. This great saint truly give up everything, even im own life, so that e go fit tell God “Yes.” As deacon for the Cathedral Church for Rome, dem put am in charge of sharing gifts for poor people wey need help. For August of the year 258, the Emperor issue one decree say dem must kill all clergy. After dem kill the pope, dem come for Lawrence, and before dem kill am, dem tell am make e hand over all the riches of the Church. E ask for three days to gather those treasures, and during those three days, e share everything wey e fit share give poor people. Then, for the third day, e present imself before the prefect. Wetin e bring no be the material wealth of the Church, but the true wealth. E bring poor people, people wey no fit waka well, blind people and people wey dey suffer, and e declare say the Church truly rich and say the people wey dey with am na the true treasures of the Church. The prefect vex and sentence Lawrence to death by fire, and Lawrence freely accept am.
Today, reflect on the high Christian calling wey you don receive: to live life wey you no dey put your own interest first at all, but dey give yourself completely in every way. If you notice say most times na yourself you dey always think about, then try to change that habit. Turn your eyes to God and to serving other people. Try to care more about wetin the people around you need than wetin concern only you. Do am because na wetin Jesus dey call us to do be this, and if He dey call us to this kind life wey we no dey put our own interest first, then we must know and believe say e worth am for the end.
My Lord wey give Yourself as sacrifice, na because of love You give Your precious life for everybody. As You give Your life completely, You bring salvation to those wey go accept this glorious gift. Help me no be only to open myself to this gift wey You freely give, but also to follow Your example of life wey no put self first, as I give myself to serve You and other people. Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr, pray for us. 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 Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr
