Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Solemnity for All di Saint Dem
When Jesus see di crowd, E climb di mountain, and after E don sit down, His disciples come meet Am. E begin teach dem, E talk say: “Blessed na di people wey poor for spirit, because di Kingdom of heaven na their own.” Matthew 5: 1–3
Today we dey celebrate one of di solemnities wey get glory pass for our Church! Today we dey honour every saint, whether Church don canonize dem or not. Our Gospel passage show di road wey these saints follow enter Heaven. When dem dey earth, these great men and women live as people wey poor for spirit, wey get holy sorrow, gentleness, hunger and thirst to do wetin right before God, mercy, peace, heart wey pure, and even persecution. Each of these Beatitudes end by stating di reward wey people wey live like this go receive: Heaven, comfort, satisfaction, mercy, to see God, to be children of God, and rewards for God Kingdom wey pass wetin we fit imagine.
Di Beatitudes dey invite us to reach di highest level of holiness. Dem no be for people wey no get strong heart or people wey their spiritual life no hot and no cold. These Beatitudes show us di highest level of holy living and challenge us reach inside our heart. But every effort wey we put into living these Beatitudes get value here for earth and, for di end, for Heaven. Make we look small at two of these Beatitudes.
Di second Beatitude talk say people “wey dey mourn…go receive comfort.” This Beatitude get something wey make person think. Why e dey holy to mourn? To put am simple, this kind holy mourning mean say you no only get holy sorrow for your own sins, but you still get this holy sorrow when you see di plenty evil for our world. This one dey very important today. First, e suppose clear well-well say we must get holy sorrow for our own sins. When you get this sorrow, e mean say your conscience dey work. And when your conscience dey work, this holy sorrow go move you to admit di wrongs wey you don do against God and work hard to change. But we must still get holy sorrow when we see di plenty evil for our world. Too often today, people dey weaken this Beatitude by presenting acceptance of everything as something good. Dem dey tell us say we must not judge, and although this one na true when e concern judging another person heart, di way di world dey present this worldly “virtue” dey try lead us to play down di fact say sin na evil, whether person agree or not. Our world wey dey put God aside dey tempt us to ignore plenty truths about good and evil wey no depend on wetin people think, and wey God dey use guide us into all truth. But as Christians, di first thing we must do na to hate everything wey our Lord teach say na evil in itself. And when we come face-to-face with ways of life wey go against wetin right, di proper response must be holy sorrow, no be to accept grave sin. To mourn because of another person bad choices na true act of love towards dem.
Di fourth Beatitude dey call us to get “hunger and thirst to do wetin right before God.” This mean say we no only get holy sorrow for our sins and di things for our world wey be evil in themselves, but we still allow hunger and thirst for truth and holy living to fill us. This desire must become like fire inside us, wey dey move us to do everything we fit do to make God Kingdom grow everywhere. This Beatitude dey help us overcome di attitude of not caring, and e dey inspire us to bring change even when all kinds of opposition face us. And na love and every other virtue wey follow am dey give this desire strength.
Today, reflect on this beautiful truth: God dey call you to become a saint. And di surest road to become a saint na di Beatitudes. Read dem carefully. Meditate on dem and know say dem dey show you how God dey call you to live. If one of these Beatitudes touch you in a special way, spend time to focus on am. Work to let these graces take root inside you, and God go do wonders for your life. One day, E go make this solemnity for our Church become true celebration of di good life wey you live.
My Lord wey holy pass all, You dey reign now for Heaven, and You want make Your glorious Kingdom stand firm for earth. Give me di grace wey I need to seek holiness with all my heart, and especially to follow wetin You reveal for di Beatitudes as di road wey I go take. I pray make I become true saint for this world, and make You use me to make Your Kingdom grow now and for all eternity. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Read More– All di Saints—Solemnity
