February 20, 2024
Tuesday for di First Week of Lent
Readings for Today
Listen for English
Jesus tell His disciples: “When una dey pray, make una no dey repeat empty words like people wey dey worship false gods, wey think say God go hear dem because of their plenty words. Make una no be like dem. Matthew 6:7–8
Remember say sometimes Jesus dey go stay by Himself and spend the whole night for prayer. So, e clear say Jesus support make we spend long time for sincere prayer, since He use His own example teach us. But clear difference dey between wetin our Lord do all night and wetin He condemn those wey dey worship false gods for, when dem dey “repeat empty words” with plenty talk. After Jesus condemn their way of praying, He give us the “Our Papa” prayer as example for our personal prayer.
The Our Papa prayer start by talking to God for way wey show deep personal closeness. This mean say God no be just one being wey get all power over the universe. We fit know Him personally, and we belong to His family—He na our Papa. Jesus continue the prayer by teaching us to honour our Papa as we declare say He dey holy, say He dey sacred. Na God, and only God, be the Holy One wey all holiness for life come from. As we acknowledge say the Father dey holy, we must also acknowledge Him as King and seek make He reign over our lives and the world. This one fit happen only when dem do His perfect will “for earth as dem dey do am for Heaven.” This perfect prayer end by acknowledging say na God dey provide everything we need every day, including forgiveness for our sins and protection from all evil.
After Jesus finish this perfect prayer, He explain the condition wey must guide us as we dey pray this prayer and every other prayer. He talk say, “If una forgive people their offences, una Father for heaven go forgive una. But if una no forgive people, una Father no go forgive una offences.” Prayer go get effect only if we allow am to change us and make us resemble the Father for Heaven more. So, if we want make our prayer for forgiveness get effect, we must live according to wetin we dey pray for. We must also forgive other people so that God go forgive us.
Today, think deeply about this perfect prayer, the Our Papa. One temptation be say we fit know this prayer so well that we no pay attention to wetin e really mean. If that one happen, we go see say the way we dey pray am resemble the way people wey dey worship false gods just dey repeat empty words. But if we understand every word with humility and sincerity, and we mean wetin we dey talk, then we fit dey sure say our prayer go resemble our Lord own more. Saint Ignatius of Loyola advise make we take time think deeply about every word for that prayer, one word at a time. Try pray like this today, and allow the Our Papa to change from mere repetition of words to true communication with the Father for Heaven.
Our Papa, wey dey heaven, make dem hold Your Name holy. Make Your Kingdom come. Make dem do Your Will for earth as dem dey do am for Heaven. Give us today the food we need for each day. And forgive us our offences, as we dey forgive those wey offend us. And no lead us enter temptation, but save us from evil. Amen. Jesus, na You I trust.
Meditations for di Sixth Day:
40 Days for di Desert & 40 Days for di Cross
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Scripture Meditation Dem for Lent
