October 22, 2023
Sunday wey be di 29th for Ordinary Time (Year A)
Readings for Today
Listen for English
Di Pharisees comot go plan how dem go take catch am for wetin e go talk. Dem send their disciples go meet am, together with di Herodians, say, “Teacher, we know say you na person wey dey talk truth, and say you dey teach di way of God according to di truth. You no dey worry about wetin anybody think, because you no dey look person position. So tell us wetin you think: E dey lawful to pay census tax to Caesar abi e no dey lawful?” Matthew 22:15–17
People don talk say, “di enemy of my enemy na my friend.” This one mean say two people wey be enemies to each other go often join hand if dem see chance to attack another enemy wey dem see as bigger enemy. Na wetin dey happen for Gospel of today be this. Di Pharisees and di Herodians see Jesus as their biggest enemy, and di two groups join hand plan how to trap Jesus, even though dem no like each other at all.
Di Pharisees hold their nation matter strong well-well, and dem dey follow di Law of Moses strictly. For their mind, di people no suppose pay tax to di Romans, and plenty people agree with dem. Di Herodians dey support di Romans, so dem dey support Herod too, di Jewish ruler wey di Roman Emperor appoint. One of Herod duties na to collect tax from di Jews for di Roman government to use. Dem fit even kill people wey oppose payment of tax to di Romans.
As di two groups join hand dey question Jesus, dem get only one aim: to put Am for trouble. If Jesus talk say e no lawful to pay tax to Caesar, Herod soldiers fit arrest Am. If Jesus talk say di people suppose pay tax to Caesar, di Pharisees fit turn di people against Am. Di question wey dem ask Jesus be like wetin go put Am for trouble no matter how E answer. Of course, Jesus answer perfect. E no break di Law of God, and E still avoid to break di law of di land. When dem hear His answer, everybody wey hear Am “wonder well-well, and dem leave am go their way.”
Di lesson wey we learn from this passage na lesson wey dey especially important to put into practice for family life. Disagreement dey often happen from time to time among people wey close to each other. When e happen, we fit try to trap di other person and use our cunning arguments make dem make mistake. When this kind thing happen between two people, di discussion fit turn to shouting, as each person dey only find fault for di other person. Di way to settle this kind matter simple. Na truth we must use settle every disagreement. Jesus do this one perfectly. E no attack when dem attack Am. E no defend Himself with arguments wey no get sense. E no run from di confrontation. E no twist di truth to favour Himself. Instead, E talk di whole truth openly and honestly, and E refuse to join His opponents for their trick.
Think about this question. What if na you dey Jesus position and di Pharisees come meet you ask you this question? Which answer you for feel tempted to give? Most likely, you for try answer dem for way wey go make dem happy. You fit whisper say, “We no suppose pay di tax, but no tell di Herodians say I talk so.” And if na di Herodians ask you that question, you fit feel tempted to give another answer wey go make dem happy.
Many times, when we feel say another person dey try trap us, condemn us, or challenge us, we dey worry more about how to defend ourselves than about di real truth. Fear fit catch us to talk anything wey go give dem reason to attack us. We go feel tempted to twist our answers instead of to talk straight from our heart with honesty. This one no go ever settle disagreement. Na only truth we fit use settle any matter.
Today, think about how you dey try settle disagreement when e happen. You dey behave more like di Pharisees and Herodians wey their only aim na to deceive, trap person and win? For those moments, you dey see di other person as enemy? Or you dey try be like Jesus wey no run from di discussion, but answer honestly and straight? Of course, e easy for Jesus to talk di truth because E no get any fault. For our own life, to talk di truth fit mean say we must admit our sin and ask for forgiveness when person confront us. But if our aim na di truth, di whole truth and nothing except di truth, then our discussions go follow Jesus example, and most times, peace go follow as we settle di matter.
My Lord wey dey always talk truth, Your wisdom complete and Your words na truth. I beg You, give me di gifts of wisdom and all truth, especially when disagreement arise. For those moments, I beg You, help me make I no respond with anger and begin defend myself, so that I go always be instrument of di unity wey You want. 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 John Paul II, Pope—Memorial Wey No Be Compulsory
Dem no dey celebrate am as liturgical memorial this year because e fall on Sunday
Main picture wey dey above: Jesus and di money Na Renáta Sedmáková
