January 29, 2024
Monday for di Fourth Week for Ordinary Time
Di Readings for Today
Listen for English
“Wetin concern You with me, Jesus, Son of God Wey High Pass All? I use God name take beg You, no torment me!” (Jesus don dey tell am, “Unclean spirit, comot from di man!”) Jesus ask am, “Wetin be your name?” E answer, “Legion na my name. We plenty.” Mark 5:7–9
For most people, this kind encounter go cause serious fear. This man wey dem write im words above na man wey plenty demons possess. E dey live for hillside, among different caves near di sea, and nobody want go near am. Na violent man, wey dey cry out day and night, and all di people for di town dey fear am. But when this man see Jesus from far, something wey surprise people happen. Instead make Jesus fear di man, na di plenty demons wey possess di man begin fear Jesus. Jesus then command di plenty demons make dem leave di man and enter one herd of about two thousand pigs instead. Di pigs run down di hill straight into di sea and drown. Di man wey demons possess come normal again, wear cloth, and im mind come sound. Everybody wey see am surprise.
E clear say this short summary of di story no explain well di terrible fear, deep wound for mind, confusion, suffering, and other things wey this man endure for di years wey demons possess am. And e no explain well di serious suffering of this man family and friends, or di trouble wey im possession cause for di people of di town. So, to understand this story better, e good make we compare wetin everybody wey di matter affect experience before and after. E hard well-well for everybody to understand how this man take change from person wey demons possess and wey im mind no sound, to person wey calm and fit reason well. Na why Jesus tell di man say, “Go house meet your family and tell dem everything wey di Lord, because of Im pity, don do for you.” Think of how joy, confusion and difficulty to believe wetin happen go mix together for im family mind.
If Jesus fit change di life of this man wey one Legion of demons possess completely, then nobody dey wey no get hope at all. Too often, especially inside our families and among old friends, some people dey wey we don conclude say dem no fit get redemption again. Some don stray so far from di right way that e be like say hope no dey for dem. But one thing wey this story tell us be say hope never finish for anybody—not even people wey plenty demons possess completely.
Today, think deeply about anybody for your life wey you don give up on. Maybe dem don hurt you again and again. Or maybe dem don choose to live for serious sin. Use wetin this Gospel teach take look at that person, and know say hope always dey. Open your heart make God work through you for deep and powerful way, so that even di person wey you know wey e look like say no fit get redemption at all go receive hope through you.
My Lord wey get power pass all, today I dey offer to You di person wey I dey remember, wey need Your grace of redemption pass everybody. Make I no ever lose hope say You get power to change im life, forgive im sins and bring am back to You. Use me, my dear Lord, make I be instrument of Your mercy, so that e go come know You and experience di freedom wey You really want make e receive. Jesus, na You I trust.
Books for Lent:
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Main picture wey dey above: Healing of di person wey evil spirit possess, through Wikimedia Commons
