September 12, 2023
Tuesday for Week Twenty-Three for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Di Holy Name of di Blessed Virgin Mary—Memorial Wey No Be Must
Listen for English
And He come down with dem, come stand for one open place where di ground level. Plenty of His disciples and many people from all Judea and Jerusalem and di coastal area of Tyre and Sidon come to hear Him and make dem receive healing from their sicknesses; even people wey unclean spirits dey torment receive healing. Everybody for di crowd dey try to touch Him because power dey come out from Him and dey heal all of dem. Luke 6:17–19
Di Gospel of Luke present to us wetin people don traditionally dey call di “Sermon for Level Ground.” Almost everything wey Luke put for this sermon dey for Matthew “Sermon for Mountain” too. But Matthew add some teachings wey no dey for Luke. Matthew sermon get three chapters, while Luke own get only one.
For this introduction to di “Sermon for Level Ground,” wey we go dey read from throughout this week, Luke point out say plenty people come from far and near to listen to Jesus. Many Jews dey among this crowd, but many people from Tyre and Sidon, di land where people dey worship other gods, dey among dem too. And wetin draw so many of dem come? Dem come to “hear” Jesus preach and “to receive healing.” Dem want hear di words of Jesus because He dey speak with great authority and for way wey dey change people lives. And di healing power wey Jesus show amaze dem especially. Di last line for di passage above really stress this desire to receive healing. “Everybody for di crowd dey try to touch Him because power dey come out from Him and dey heal all of dem.”
E worth to note say Jesus perform plenty powerful miracles as He dey carry out His public ministry. This happen especially when He begin His ministry. For many people, He almost become famous overnight, and people for many towns around dey talk about Him. But e still worth to note say, as time dey go, Jesus put more emphasis on His teaching than on di miracles.
Wetin dey draw you to our Lord? Maybe if God dey perform plenty miracles today wey people fit clearly see, e go amaze many people. But miracles wey concern di body no be di greatest work of our Lord, so dem no suppose be di main focus of our relationship with Him. Di main reason wey suppose draw us to our Lord na say His holy Word dey enter deep inside us, dey change us and dey draw us into communion with Him. We fit see this clearly from di fact say, now wey di Gospel message don take deep root and di Church don form, miracles wey concern di body no dey happen often. Dem still dey happen, but no be di same way dem happen when Jesus first start His public ministry.
Today, reflect on di main reason wey dey draw you to our Lord. Seek His living Word wey He dey speak deep inside your heart. Di most important miracle wey dey happen today na di change wey dey happen inside person. When person hear God speak, respond to that Word and allow Him to change im life, this na one of di most important miracles of grace wey we fit ever experience. And na this be di main reason wey suppose draw us to Him, make us seek Him and follow Him wherever He lead us.
My Lord wey dey work miracles, abeg draw me come near You, as You dey teach me for di wilderness of my inner life, where I dey quiet and stay alone. Help me to look for You so that I fit hear Your Word wey You dey speak to me to give me new life. Make I always listen to You so that Your holy Word go change me more and more, make I become di new creation wey You want make I be. Jesus, na You I trust.
Novena wey we dey pray to Our Lady of Sorrows
According to tradition, dem dey pray am September 7–15
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Saint of Today – Di Holy Name of di Blessed Virgin Mary
