October 26, 2023
Thursday for di Week 29 for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
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Jesus tell im disciples: “I don come to set di earth on fire, and how I wish say di fire don already dey burn well well! One baptism dey wey I must receive, and my heart dey suffer well well until e complete!” Luke 12:49–50
Plenty things dey wey we fit learn from these teachings of our Lord. Jesus no only talk say, “I don come to set the earth on fire…” He still talk say na His desire make this fire “dey blaze!”
Fire get power. For example, fire wey dey blaze fit make gold, wey be precious metal, pure. When dem heat the gold until e melt, the things wey no pure go rise come the top, so dem fit remove dem easily. Fire fit also burn something finish. When fire wey dey blaze don burn finish, na only ashes go remain. Plenty great saints don reflect on fire as picture of how God wan make our souls pure. For example, Saint John of the Cross reflect deeply on this picture. He explain say to enter into union with God be like log of wood wey dey burn. At first, as the log begin burn, e dey make cracking and popping sounds. Na because the things inside the wood wey no pure, like water or sap, no dey burn the same way the wood dey burn. But as Saint John explain, as the log continue to burn, e go finally become one with the fire. At first, you fit tell the difference between the log and the fire when na only part of the log dey burn. But once the flames cover the whole log and all the things wey no pure don burn comot, the wood don become one with the fire. E dey glow, and light and heat dey come out from am.
When we reflect on these words of Jesus about His desire to “set the earth on fire,” we must first understand am as His desire to make our souls pure. Inside our souls, plenty things wey no pure dey, and dem need to comot if we go become one with God, so that His light and glory go shine through us. For this work of making us pure, we need to allow God bring our sins come the surface, so that we fit see dem and dem fit comot. But this one fit happen only if we allow the blazing fire of God’s love wey dey make us pure to take over us completely.
Many times for life, we dey satisfied with just managing for our journey of faith. We dey pray, go Mass on Sunday, and try to be good. But no be this kind life our Lord want for us. He want life wey the blazing fire of His love go take over completely. He want make we dey so free from sin that He fit become one with us, and make the light of His glory shine through our lives.
Today, reflect on this picture of fire wey dey blaze and make things pure. Think of gold wey dey melt until all the things wey no pure rise come the top. Or think of the picture of the log wey Saint John of the Cross use. God want much more from you. He want change you completely and use you for ways wey pass wetin you fit imagine. No fear to take the deep, wholehearted decision to allow the blazing fire of our Lord’s mercy, wey dey make us pure, to change you completely. And no wait until tomorrow before this one begin—light that flame today.
My Lord wey dey make me pure, You deeply desire to set my heart and soul on fire with the mercy of Your love wey dey change person completely. Abeg, give me the grace wey I need to allow You light this fire of love for my heart, so that e go truly blaze and take over everything inside me. Make this flame light fire deep inside my heart, so that You go shine brightly for my life and bring the warmth of Your love enter our world. 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
Picture wey dey above: Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Whole Universe, through flickr
