January 22, 2024
Day to Pray Make Law Protect Pikin Dem Wey Dem Never Born – USA
Outside USA: Monday for di Third Week for Ordinary Time
Saint Vincent, Deacon and Martyr—Memorial wey no be iwu
(Dem dey celebrate am on January 23 for USA)
Listen for English
Di scribes wey come from Jerusalem talk about Jesus say, “Beelzebul don possess am,” and “Na through di prince of demons e dey drive demons comot.” Mark 3:22
By this time, Jesus don fully enter di work wey E dey do openly among di people. E don heal sick people and people wey no fit waka, drive plenty demons comot, call di Twelve Apostles and give dem authority over evil spirits, and preach di Good News to plenty people. Just before this Gospel passage, some people from Jesus own extended family don criticize Am, dey claim say Jesus no dey for Im right senses. Then di scribes begin condemn our Lord openly.
Di scribes find demself for difficult position. Dem see Jesus drive demons comot from people wey demons possess, so dem need find explanation for am. Dem conclude say Jesus fit drive demons comot through di power of di prince of demons. Jesus come answer di criticism of di scribes by pointing out say di way dem condemn Am na sin against di Holy Spirit. Jesus explain say every sin fit get forgiveness except di sin against di Holy Spirit. E talk say “anybody wey blaspheme against di Holy Spirit no go ever get forgiveness, but e dey guilty of sin wey go last forever.” Why e be like that?
For this case, di sin against di Holy Spirit no be only di false condemnation wey di scribes talk against Jesus. First of all, di main thing for their sin na say dem stubbornly refuse to change. Dem talk wetin no true about our Lord, and that one na grave sin, but wetin worse pass be say dem do am in such a way wey dem still hold their error tight. Dem refuse to humble demself and think again about their error. Na this stubbornness leave dem with “sin wey go last forever.”
Maybe di most important lesson wey we fit learn from this passage be say we must no stubbornly remain inside our pride. We must always dey humble and ready and willing to examine our actions again. Humble heart go help us always remember say e easy for us to miss road for life. And even though this one go dey happen from time to time in different ways, if we remain humble and ready to change, we go always fit receive God mercy and get forgiveness. But if we dey proud and continue to refuse to admit our errors, then we too fit dey guilty of sin against di Holy Spirit.
Today, think well about any way wey you dey tend to stubborn for your life. To stand firm fit be virtue when e mean say you hold di Gospel and di will of God tight without shaking. But you must always deliberately examine again di path wey you dey follow, so that you fit change when that path begin turn comot from di Truth of God. Humble yourself today and allow God voice to lead you back from any errors wey you dey struggle with now.
My merciful Jesus, I dey sin every day, and I go still dey fall short of following You perfectly. Na because of this I dey thank You for Your mercy wey plenty well-well. Abeg, help me make I always dey open to that mercy by examining di decisions wey I dey make for life again and again. Give me humble heart, dear Lord, make I always repent and turn back to You when I miss road. Jesus, na You I trust.
9 Days for Life Novena
January 19–27
Day four: January 22
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saint for Today – Saint Vincent, Deacon and Martyr—Memorial wey no be iwu
(Dem dey celebrate am on January 23 for USA)
Day of Prayer for Law to Protect Children Wey Never Born—Memorial for USA
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