March 7, 2024
Thursday for di Third Week of Lent
Readings for Today
Saints Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs—Memorial
(Memorial wey no compulsory if e fall for weekday for Lent)
Listen for English
“But if na with God finger I dey pursue demons comot, then di Kingdom of God don reach una.” Luke 11:20
God Kingdom fit reach us for different ways. Di words from today Gospel wey dey above come from di middle of di story where Jesus drive demon comot from one man wey no fit talk. Once di demon comot, di man wey no fit talk begin talk, and everybody wonder. Even though some people wonder and their faith grow because of wetin happen, other people turn their wonder into thinking wey no follow reason.
Di thinking wey no follow reason for some of dem be say dem see wetin Jesus do, but dem no want accept say His power na from God. So, some of dem talk say, “Na by di power of Beelzebul, di prince of demons, e dey drive demons comot.” Dem no fit deny say Jesus drive demon comot, because dem see am happen with their own eyes. But dem no gree accept say Jesus na God, so dem rush conclude, without good reason, say na by di power of “di prince of demons” Jesus do wetin E do.
Dis stand wey some people dey take, wey no follow reason, na one of di most dangerous stands wey person fit take. Na stand wey come from stubborn heart. Dem see di amazing evidence of God power at work, but dem refuse to respond with faith to wetin dem see. For people wey stubborn like dis, when di Kingdom of God reach dem, as Jesus talk above, dem dey react with violence and anger, for way wey no follow reason. Dis kind reaction too common today for di world outside religion. For example, plenty media wey no get religious focus dey always react with violence and without reason to everything wey be part of di Kingdom of God. Because of dis, di evil one dey easily lead many people astray, and dis dey cause confusion and disorder.
For people wey get eyes to see clearly, dis rejection of God Kingdom with violence and without reason dey very clear. And for people wey get faith and heart wey open, di pure message of di Gospel be like water for soul wey dry well-well and dey thirsty. Dem take am in fully, and e dey refresh dem well-well. For dem, when God Kingdom reach dem, dem dey get strength, inspiration and strong holy desire to spread God Kingdom. Thinking wey no follow reason dey disappear, and God pure Truth dey prevail.
Today, think deeply about your heart. You dey stubborn for any way? Any teaching from Christ and His Church dey wey you dey face temptation to reject? Any truth dey wey you need to hear for your own life, but you dey find am hard to open your heart to am? Pray make God Kingdom reach you today and every day, and as e dey reach you, make you be powerful instrument wey God go use establish His Kingdom for dis world.
My glorious King of everything, You get all power and full authority over everything. Abeg, come use Your authority for my life. Come establish Your Kingdom. I pray make my heart always open to You and to di direction wey You dey give. Jesus, na You I trust.
Meditation Dem for Day Twenty:
40 Days for Desert & 40 Days for di Cross
Rosary Novena for Nine Months with Cardinal Burke
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Scripture Meditation Dem for Lent
Saint for Today – Saints Perpetua and Felicity, Martyrs
