October 20, 2023
Friday for di Twenty-Eighth Week for Ordinary Time
Di Readings for Today
Saint Paul of the Cross, Priest—USA: Memorial wey No Be Must
Listen for English
“Nothing dey covered wey dem no go uncover, and no secret dey wey people no go know. So anything wey una don talk for darkness, people go hear am for light, and wetin una don whisper behind doors wey dem lock, dem go announce am from roof of houses.” Luke 12:2–3
Just before dis passage wey we quote above, Jesus tell His disciples: “Make una beware of di yeast—that na, di pretence—of di Pharisees.” Dis one happen after Jesus don condemn wetin dese leaders dey do, one after another, with plenty direct words for di chapter before dis one. Jesus take di harm wey dia actions dey cause very serious. So, after He face dem talk directly, He turn to His disciples to warn dem about di consequences wey dese leaders wey dey pretend fit bring.
Person wey dey pretend say e get good character, when di truth be say e just dey deceive imself and dey try deceive other people, na hypocrite. Na why Jesus help His disciples by telling dem say all truth go come out for light at last. So, everybody go later see every good deed and know di good wey dey inside am, and every evil plan, no matter how dem hide am, go later come out for light.
Even though many people wey hear dis passage fit first feel tempted to think about other people wey dem believe say dey commit dis sin of pretence, e fit help us far more if each of us reflect on dese truths for im own life. Di simple message wey Jesus dey preach be say we must be people wey dey truthful for every way. We must tell ourselves di truth and make sure say we really know wetin dey happen inside us, and see ourselves only as God dey see us. Dis way of telling ourselves di truth and living straight na one of di best ways wey we fit take prepare ourselves for eternal life. E go really sad if we live our whole life dey pretend for outside say we be wetin we no be, only for di whole truth to come out for our final judgment, when e don too late to change.
To tell ourselves di truth fit hard. E normal make we want to be good, to be holy, and to want make other people see us like that. Na why we dey often show only di best side of ourselves, while we hide plenty other things wey fit make us feel shame or even disgrace us. And even though we no get moral duty to tell everybody about every sin wey we dey struggle with inside us, e necessary for us to face di sin ourselves, with di grace of God.
One practical way to do dis na to reflect well on di Scripture passage above. Jesus make am clear say, one time and for one way, everything wey dey inside our heart and mind go come out for light. For some people, dis one go happen, by di grace of God, during dis life so that dem fit change. For others, dese secrets go only come out for light for dia final judgment. But di truth be say everything wey we be, everything wey we dey think, and everything wey we dey do for secret go come out for light. And if dis one make you fear somehow, that one good. Sometimes we need holy fear to encourage us to look inside ourselves and deal with everything wey we dey hide from others.
Today, reflect on how important e be to strive to live with true openness and straight heart. Di best way to do dis na to live every day as if everybody fit see everything wey dey inside your heart. If that one mean say you need to change for some way so that your mind go dey at peace about wetin go later come out for light, then work hard to make that change here and now. Di opposite of di pretence wey make Jesus strongly condemn di Pharisees na to dey honest and sincere. Take time reflect on dese beautiful virtues and pray make di Lord give you dem, so that you fit live with true and straight heart here and now, as you prepare for that glorious day of judgment, when everybody go “know” everything and dem go “announce am from roof of houses.”
My Lord wey dey reveal wetin hide, You dey see everything. You know my heart for every way. Abeg, give me di grace to see myself as You dey see me and to know wetin dey deep inside my heart as You know me. As di deepest truths about who I be dey become clear to me, I dey pray say I go also get di grace to change with sincere heart, so that I go fit truly glorify You with wetin I dey do and become person wey go truly inspire everybody. Jesus, na You I trust.
Novena to Saint Jude
For Situations and Cases wey don reach Desperate Stage
Person fit pray am any time for di year, especially October 19–27
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Saint for Today – Saint Paul of di Cross, Fada
Di main picture above: Christ and di Pharisees wey Lawrence W. Ladd paint, through Wikimedia Commons
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