April 13, 2024
Satide for di Second Week for Easter
Di Readings for Today
Saint Martin I, Pope and Martyr—Memorial wey no be compulsory
Listen for English
When dem don paddle di boat for about three or four miles, dem see Jesus dey waka on top di sea, dey come near di boat, and fear begin catch dem. But He tell dem, “Na Me. No fear.” John 6:19–20
On October 22, 1978, Pope Saint John Paul II officially begin im work as di 264th pope of our Holy Church. During im homily, di Holy Father talk say, “Brothers and sisters, make una no fear to welcome Christ and accept Im power.” Dem repeat di words “No fear” again and again throughout di time wey e serve as pope. For im book, Crossing di Threshold of Hope, wey e write to prepare for di new milenia, di Holy Father explain am like this: “When I talk these words for St. Peter’s Square, I don already know say my first encyclical and all my time as pope go connect with di truth of di Redemption. Na inside di Redemption we find di deepest foundation for di words “No fear!”: “Because God love di world so much that He give Im only Son” (cf. Jn 3:16).
This encouragement wey tell us make we no fear dey appear plenty times throughout di Bible. For di Old Testament, e appear for different ways pass one hundred times, and for di New Testament, e pass fifty times. Again and again, God want make we overcome fear, worry and anxiety. He want make we trust in Am for everything and put all our hope in Am.
Wetin you fear pass for life? For some people, fear dey come every day. E fit be say you no sure how you go get money to meet your needs, your health no good, your relationship don scatter, or you dey face difficulties for your mind, and other things like that. Plenty things dey for life wey fit easily tempt us to fear.
For di Gospel passage for today, Jesus waka on top water go meet His disciples when strong wind and waves dey disturb di Sea of Galilee. Di wind dey blow, and di waves dey worry dem. Even though these fishermen don spend plenty nights for di sea, Jesus choose to come meet dem for this moment, no be mainly to help dem reach land, but to teach all of us say no matter di kind “storm” wey we face for life, He go dey there in ways wey truly be miracle. Surely, none of di disciples ever expect to see Jesus dey waka on top water for middle of di night while di waves dey crash against their boat. But Jesus do this and talk those words, “Make una no fear,” because He want make we know say no matter wetin we dey struggle with for life, He dey there always, dey come meet us with love, and He go lead us safely reach di shore of His peace.
If fear na something wey you dey struggle with for your own life, then turn your eyes to di reality of di Redemption. Di Father send di Son come di world to save you. Jesus no come only to teach, or to inspire us, or to help. He come to save. To redeem. To destroy death, fear, sin and everything wey dey keep us away from di Father. Wetin He do to save us change di whole human race forever. If you understand this and believe am, then nothing fit take your peace away and fill you with fear.
Today, reflect on these short but powerful words: “No fear!” Imagine say you dey inside di boat with di disciples for night, as di waves dey toss una up and down and darkness surround una. Then see Jesus dey come meet you, dey talk those words. Know say He dey talk them to you for di darkest moments of your life, and say He no go ever leave you. Put your hope in Am, and allow wetin He do to save us through di Redemption to change your life forever.
Jesus, my Redeemer, I thank You say You come this world to save us. Thank You for di gift of di Redemption of di world. When temptation come make I fear and turn my eyes to di difficulties of di world, give me di grace wey I need to turn to You with hope and trust. Enter di storms of my life, dear Lord, and remove di load of fear wey I dey carry. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Scripture Meditations for Easter Season
Saint of di Day – Saint Martin I, Pope and Martyr
