February 21, 2024
Wednesday for di First Week for Lent
Readings for Today
Saint Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor of di Church—Memorial Wey No Be Compulsory
Listen for English
As more people still dey join di crowd, Jesus tell dem, “Dis generation na evil generation; e dey look for sign, but dem no go give am any sign except di sign of Jonah.” Luke 11:29
E be like say different kinds of people dey di crowd. First, some people believe in Jesus with all dia heart. For example, di Twelve leave everything behind to follow Am. Im mama and different other holy women believe in Am and follow Am faithfully. But as di crowd dey grow, e be like say plenty people dey among dem wey dey question Jesus and want some kind proof of who He be. So, dem want sign from Heaven.
Sign from Heaven for be proof wey people fit see with dia eyes to show who Jesus be. Na true say Jesus don already do plenty miracles. But e be like say dis one no reach for dem. Dem want more—and dat desire clearly show say dia heart stubborn and dem lack faith. So Jesus no fit give dem di sign wey dem want, and He no go give dem.
Instead, Jesus talk say di only sign wey dem go receive na di sign of Jonah. Remember say di sign of Jonah no be something wey go really attract person. Dem throw am from di side of boat enter water, and whale swallow am. E stay inside di whale for three days before di whale spit am out for di shores of Nineveh.
Jesus own sign go resemble dis one. He go suffer for di hands of di religious leaders and government authorities, dem go kill Am and put Am for tomb. Then, after three days, He go rise from death. But for Im Resurrection, He no come out with rays of light for everybody to see; instead, after He rise from death, He appear to people wey don already show faith and wey don already believe.
Di lesson for us be say God no go use powerful public displays of Im greatness, like wetin we dey see for Hollywood films, to convince us about matters of faith. Instead, di “sign” wey dem offer us na invitation to die with Christ, so dat each of us fit begin experience di new life of di Resurrection. Dis gift of faith dey inside us; e no be outward display for everybody to see. To die to sin na something wey each of us dey do inside our heart, and other people fit only see di new life wey we receive through di witness of our lives wey don change.
Today, reflect on di true sign wey God don give you. If you be person wey still dey wait for some sign from our Lord wey you fit see clearly, no wait again. Look di crucifix, see Jesus suffering and death, and choose to follow Am by dying to all sin and selfishness. Die with Am, enter di tomb with Am, and allow Am bring you out with your inner life renewed dis Lent, so dat dis one and only sign from Heaven fit transform you.
My Lord wey dem crucify, I fix my eyes on di crucifix, and for Your death I see di greatest act of love wey anybody don ever know. Give me di grace wey I need to follow You reach di tomb, so dat Your death go overcome my sins. Dear Lord, set me free as I dey make dis Lenten journey, so dat I go fit share fully in Your new life of di Resurrection. Jesus, na You I trust.
Meditations for di Seventh 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
Saint for Today – Saint Peter Damian, Bishop na Doctor of the Church
