October 17, 2023
Tuesday for the Twenty-Eighth Week for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr—Ncheta
Day to Fast, to Stay Away from Meat, and to Pray for Peace for the Holy Land
Listen for English
After Jesus don talk finish, one Pharisee invite am to come chop for im house. Jesus enter and recline for table to chop. Di Pharisee surprise as e see say Jesus no wash im hand as their rule require before food. Di Lord tell am, “Oh, una Pharisee dem! Even though una dey wash di outside of cup and plate clean, inside una full of robbery and wickedness. Una fools!” Luke 11:37–40
E hard to imagine say Jesus go call person fool. But na exactly wetin E do be dat. Dis Pharisee just finish to listen as Jesus dey give different teachings, before e invite our Lord come im house for dinner, for wetin look like act of kindness. But as di passage continue, e clear say dis Pharisee no be Jesus friend. Instead, di way e welcome Jesus and show kindness na cover for di evil wey dey inside im soul.
Why Jesus answer am with such strong words, dey call di Pharisee fool? Na because dis Pharisee full of hypocrisy. Di things wey e dey do for outside no dey come from heart wey full of love and faith. Instead, na to show off e dey do dem. E dey pretend to be wetin e no be. Like many of di Pharisee dem, e put plenty attention for different outward rituals, like to carefully wash im hand before e chop. E believe say to do like dat na sign say e holy and e near God. But no be so. Im heart full of di habit of judging other people and believing say na only im righteous. E look down on other people and lift imself up. As e dey do so, e deceive other people and even deceive imself.
Di main message wey we must take from dis na say we must pay serious attention to wetin dey inside our heart. Our heart, di life wey we dey live for inside, must dey grow well with love for God and other people. We must put all our effort into making sure say we sincerely dey grow for virtue inside our heart. Na through prayer and humility we dey do dis. Humility go open our eyes make we see di truth about who we be. Prayer go give us strength to change as we dey see wetin need to change inside us. Na only then, when we clearly see di truth about who we be and dey rely through prayer on di grace wey we receive through prayer, we go fit become people wey truly get integrity and holiness. And na only then di holiness wey dey inside us go show for outside through wetin we dey do.
Today, reflect on dis powerful words of Jesus: “Una fools!” No vex because of dis words; na words of love from our Lord. Na Im strong effort to wake dis Pharisee up and lead am comot from im hypocrisy. Listen to dis words as if na you too dem dey talk to. Every one of us fit humbly gain from dis correction wey Jesus give with love. Every one of us need to humbly allow change to reach deeper inside us. Allow Jesus words to speak to you and show you di ways wey you need to change. Maybe your pride don lead you to dey judge other people inside your heart. Maybe e don blind you make you no see di sins wey you need to confess. If you fit listen to dis words as if na you dem dey talk to, then Jesus strong concern go reach you, and your eyes go open to wetin dey inside your soul wey need to change. No close your eyes to dis. Open your heart, humble yourself and listen.
My Lord wey Your love dey burn strong, You don speak words of love in many ways. Sometimes You dey gentle, and sometimes You dey firm. Abeg, give me the grace and humility wey I need to open my heart to the strong correction wey You dey give with love. Help me to see with true heart the ways wey I need to change my life, so that Your grace go transform my inner life and flow enter everything wey I dey do. I love You, my dear Lord. Help me to love You more. Jesus, na You I trust.
Day to Fast, to Stay Away from Meat, and to Pray for Peace for the Holy Land
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Saint for Today – Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop na Martyr—Memorial
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