September 10, 2023
Sọnde Nọmba 23 for Ordinary Time, Year A
Readings for Today
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Jesus tell His disciples: “If your brother sin against you, go tell am wetin e do wrong, when na only you and am dey there. If e listen to you, you don win your brother back.” Matthew 18:15
Person need plenty humility and pure heart to tell another person about im sin in a way wey go make am listen and repent. Most times, when we tell another person about im sin, na anger dey push us pass love. We no suppose tell another person about im sin because e hurt us and we want make guilt pain am as payback. We no suppose face another person about im sin to disgrace am or harm am. We suppose only bring up another person sin because we love am, we don already forgive am, and now we want make e free from im sin for im own good. When na so e be, and na only this reason dey move us, e fit easier for the other person to accept correction.
But we no suppose look this teaching only from the side of how we dey tell other people about their sins. We must also look am from the side of how other people dey tell us about our own sins. We dey sin every day. We dey sin against people wey we love every day. So, try think of somebody wey close to you wey point your sin out to you. How you dey react when this kind thing happen? Maybe if the person do am with the purest intention and compassion, you go listen. But what if na anger make am do am? Even though this no be the best way for person to take tell you about your sin, e no give you right to reject wetin e talk. So, na good spiritual practice to listen whenever anybody bring something wey concern your sin come meet you, no matter how dem bring am. If, after you listen and humbly examine wetin dey concern dem, you see say dem dey right, even if na only for some part, then the response wey show love na to show sorrow, apologise, and make firm decision to change. But if, after you humbly examine wetin dey concern dem, you no believe say you don sin, then na time for you to gently and with compassion try tell that person say the judgment wey e rush make about you no true.
This passage give three stages to follow one after another when you wan tell person about im sin. First, na between only you and the person. Second, na with two or three other people. Third, na for the presence of the Church. To start, try put the second and third ways aside and look only the first one. The aim of this talk between only you and the other person na to settle with each other. E good to put plenty effort into thinking about how well you dey handle this kind matter, because if you fit do am well, you no go need the second or third way to address the matter.
The number-one enemy of settling with each other na pride. Pride na habit wey dey make us think about ourselves first and above every other thing; for the worst cases, na only ourselves we dey even think about. Pride no dey allow us examine ourselves. We no dey see our sin again, and we dey become restless the moment person point am out or e cause problem. Of course, the opposite of pride na humility. Na this virtue dey help us forget ourselves and care only about other people. When person dey grow in humility, the evil one go always tempt am with thoughts like: What about you? Na you dey right and na dem dey wrong! This no fair! Dem no suppose treat you like this! We must always reject these thoughts wey dey tempt us. Na only when we humble ourselves we fit understand the sense wey dey inside humility. To person wey get pride, humility go look like foolishness. But humility na true wisdom.
Today, think about how humble you dey when somebody tell you wetin dey concern am about your sin. How you dey react? You dey notice say you dey vex and dey defend yourself when this happen? If na so, talk true to yourself and accept say this na pride; this na your sin. Take time think about the best and humble way wey you suppose respond when another person tell you about your sin. If to settle with each other na the first thing wey matter to you for any relationship where hurt don enter, then that holy and humble desire go guide you to fit settle with everybody for your life.
Lord wey full of mercy pass all, You come this world to bring us back into peace with You and with one another. Abeg, show me my sin and give me the humility wey I need to see am, so that I go repent and turn back to You. Help me also to open my heart to the many ways wey You dey show me my sin, especially through other people for my life. Jesus, na You I trust.
Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows
Traditionally, dem dey pray am September 7–15
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