January 20, 2024
Saturday for di Second Week for Ordinary Time
Di Readings for Today
Saint Fabian, Pope and Martyr—Memorial Wey No Be Obligation
Saint Sebastian, Martyr—Memorial wey No Compulsory
Listen for English
Jesus and His disciples enter the house. The crowd gather again, so dem no even fit chop. When His relatives hear about this, dem set out to go hold Am, because dem talk say, “E don lose im sense.” Mark 3:20–21
When you think about di suffering of Jesus, na how dem nail Am for cross go most likely first come your mind. From there, you fit think about how dem flog Am for di pillar, how E carry di Cross, and di other things wey happen from di time wey dem arrest Am reach when E die. But our Lord endure plenty other suffering as human being for our good and di good of everybody. Di Gospel passage above show us one of this kind experience.
Even though nobody really want pain for body, other kinds of suffering dey wey fit hard to endure just like that one, or even hard pass am. One na when your own family no understand you and dem treat you as if you no dey your right senses. For Jesus own case, e look like say plenty people for His wider family dey openly criticise Am well-well; of course, His own mama no join dem. Maybe dem jealous of Am and envy Am somehow, or maybe all di attention wey E dey get dey make dem feel shame. Whatever di reason be, e clear say Jesus own relative dem try stop Am from ministering to di people wey really dey long to dey with Am. Some people for His wider family make up di story say Jesus “no dey His right senses,” and dem try put end to how people dey know and admire Am.
Family life suppose be life wey people dey share together for love, but for some people, e don turn to source of sorrow and pain. Why Jesus allow Himself to endure this kind suffering? One reason na so E go fit identify with any suffering wey you dey endure because of your own family. Apart from that, as E endure am, E also bring redemption to this kind suffering, so that di pain wey you get for your family fit share for that redemption and grace. So, when you turn to God for prayer with your family struggle dem, you go get comfort as you know say di Second Person of di Most Holy Trinity, Jesus, di Eternal Son of God, understand your suffering from wetin E Himself experience as human being. E know di pain wey plenty family members dey feel because E don experience am Himself. And E fit look at every family suffering with di greatest compassion, so E go give each person wey ask di grace wey dem need, no be only to endure that suffering, but also to use am for good and for di glory of God.
Today, think about any way wey you need to hand over some pain for your own family to God. Turn to our Lord, wey fully understand your struggle dem, and invite Am to dey present for your life with His power and compassion, so that E fit turn everything wey you dey endure into His grace and mercy.
My Lord wey get compassion, You endure plenty things for this world, even as people for Your own family reject You and laugh You. I offer You my own family, especially the pain wey don dey among us. Abeg, come redeem all the struggles for family dem, and bring healing and hope to me and all the people wey need am pass. Jesus, na You I trust.
Novena for Life for 9 Days
January 19–27
Di second day: January 20
New for Lent 2024!
40 Days for Desert:
Waka with Our Lord for Lent
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saints for Today –
Saint Fabian, Pope wey be Martyr
