December 3, 2023
First Sunday for Advent (Year B)
Readings for Today
Listen for English
“Jesus tell His disciples: “Make una dey watch! Make una dey alert! Una no know when di time go reach.” Mark 13:33
Which time our Lord dey talk about? Na di time wey He go come. But make we understand say, even though He don come meet us once as human being long time ago, and even though He go return again as human being to judge di living and di dead when time end, He no dey ever stop to come meet us day and night through di gift of grace wey dey change us. You dey pay attention as He dey come so? Or you dey miss di blessings of God grace wey nobody fit count, wey He wan give you every day, throughout di day?
Plenty things dey for this world wey dey distract us. Di way riches dey attract us, di way we dey satisfy all our bodily desires, and di constant noise from modern media, electronic gadgets and things like dem dey distract us. All these things, and plenty other things wey dey distract us every day, dey make am very hard to dey “watch” and dey “alert” all di time. Na because we no fit keep our attention on things without limit. Even though some people fit learn to do different things at di same time to some extent, nobody fit continue to divide their attention between God presence and di things of this world wey dey distract us.
Some people fit argue say we need to take part in di affairs of di world today. Say e no possible to dey pray all di time and think only about God. But people wey fit dey tempted to think like this no understand di kind attention and watchfulness wey God dey call us to get.
To dey watch and pay attention simply mean say na God dey di centre of our life, and na Him be di reason and purpose for everything wey we dey do every day. We no fit divide di love and service wey we dey give God. We no fit keep some time for di world and other times for God. Instead, everything wey we dey do, every day, throughout di day, must get God glory and di fulfilment of His perfect will as di central and only purpose of our life. So, if we dey take part in di affairs of di world, use social media, do housework, work extra hours, and other things, we must always think well about this simple question: “Lord, I dey do this for Your glory and according to Your will?” We no suppose ever fail to ask ourself this question. We must always make God glory and di fulfilment of His will di main purpose and reason for everything wey we dey do. If we fit live like this, we go discover say e go dey easier and easier to always pay attention to God will and watch for am everywhere.
Today, think well about wetin you dey give your attention most times. Wetin you dey think about pass every day? Wetin you dey pay attention to and watch for pass? If your answer to that question no be di way God and His grace dey continue to move your heart, then take note of that fact. Humbly pray make you fit change and begin develop di habit wey go change you, as you dey keep your attention on our Lord every day, so that na Him go dey guide you every day and na Him you go dey focus on for everything.
Lord of all grace, You dey come meet me day and night, dey talk to me, dey call me, and You want guide me. Make I learn to give You all my attention every day, so that na only You and Your holy will go always lead me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Novena for the Immaculate Conception
November 29 – December 7
Saint Andrew im Christmas Novena
As tradition be, dem dey pray am 15 times every day from November 30 go reach Christmas Eve.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saint for Today – Saint Francis Xavier, Priest
Dem no dey celebrate am as liturgical memorial this year because e fall on Sunday
