(If una dey celebrate Ascension for your diocese today, read the reflection below. If no be so, go to the next reflection and come back to the reflection on Ascension on Sunday.)
Our Lord Im Ascension (Year B)
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Jesus tell im disciples: “Make una go everywhere for di whole world and proclaim di Gospel to every creature. Anybody wey believe and receive Baptism go get salvation; anybody wey no believe go receive condemnation.” Mark 16:15–16
Today, we dey celebrate one more step towards the completion of the mission of the Son of God. Human beings don sin for the beginning of time and fall from the innocence wey dem get from the beginning. God begin immediately to prepare the world for the gift of eternal redemption, as He establish covenant with Noah, Abraham and Moses. He raise different prophets and kings to prepare His people more for wetin dey come. Then, when the right time reach, God enter our world through the Blessed Virgin Mary. Later, Jesus, the Son of God, begin His public ministry: He dey teach, perform miracles, gather the faithful to Himself, die, rise again, and then appear to His disciples to prepare dem for the Ascension. The Ascension complete the mission of the Son of God. Today, we dey honour that final moment when God the Son, in His human nature wey don transform and rise from death, go up to the Father by His own power. He carry our humanity along with Himself, so that all human beings fit go up with Him.
As we dey celebrate Jesus Im Ascension, we must first look at everything wey lead to that moment and try to join ourselves with all those events wey happen before am. We must listen to the words of the patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament. We must especially listen to wetin Jesus teach for the New Testament and accept His words with all our heart, without delay. And we must join ourselves with His own death, die to sin, so that we too fit share in His Resurrection. Today, we must also see the invitation wey all of us receive to go up with Jesus to the Father. We must understand say we get invitation to follow Jesus go where He don go, if only we believe, accept and live out everything wey happen before this glorious moment.
Di Ascension na di end of Jesus’ life for Earth, but na also di beginning of how we take dey share for di life of Heaven. As Jesus dey go up, E give Im disciples di mission to go out and “preach di Gospel to every creature.” Dem suppose preach to everybody about God’s plan of salvation wey begin for di time of Adam and Eve and reach completion with di Ascension.
Today, think deeply about how God dey call you, no be only to share in this glorious moment of Jesus Im Ascension, but also to go out and do everything wey you fit do to draw other people enter this new life. Think deeply about Jesus, wey still dey speak to you today, dey invite you to bring other people come that mountain. As you dey teach your friends, your family and everybody wey God don put for your care to share the Gospel with, you dey carry out Christ Im mission to “go into the whole world,” to gather the people wey scatter into the one flock of Christ, so that one day dem fit go up with Him into eternity.
My Lord wey don ascend, everything wey happen throughout history na preparation for that moment when You draw fallen humanity enter Heaven to stay with Your Father forever. Help me to always listen to Your holy words and obey dem, so that I too go share in Your Ascension. Dear Lord, use me too to go out and draw plenty other people come meet You, so that the Kingdom go full with all those wey You don call. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Read More – Ascension
Prayer Meditation for di Ascension
(Dem dey use the reflection wey dey below when dem move the Solemnity of the Ascension go the Sunday wey dey come.)
May 9, 2024
Thursday for the Sixth Week of Easter
Readings for Today
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So some of His disciples tell one another, “Wetin this thing wey He dey tell us mean: ‘Small time, una no go see Me, and after another small time, una go see Me,’ and ‘Because I dey go meet the Father’?” So dem talk say, “Wetin be this ‘small time’ wey He dey talk about? We no know wetin He mean.” John 16:17–18
How about you? You know wetin Jesus mean? Abi wetin He talk dey confuse you just as e confuse these disciples? Even though pride fit tempt you to claim say you understand everything wey Jesus teach finish, the humble and honest truth be say you probably resemble these disciples well well for the way dem no understand. And that one no necessarily mean say your condition bad.
First, the way these disciples no understand show say dem take Jesus serious. Dem no just act as if the matter no concern dem. Dem care, dem get interest, dem want understand, and dem must don get some faith in Jesus. If no be so, dem for no pay attention to Him. But no be so dem do. Dem listen, try to understand, discuss wetin He teach, think about His words and humbly agree say dem no understand.
Jesus no dey find fault with dem because dem dey confused. He see say dem dey try and say dem get some faith. Even though these disciples dey confused, Jesus continue to speak to dem with figures of speech instead of to talk straight and clear. One reason why Jesus dey use figures of speech na because the message wey He dey teach get deep meaning. No be something wey person fit understand quickly and easily, or know finish. The mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven deep well-well, dem wide, and dem get spiritual meaning wey pass ordinary understanding, so the only way to begin understand dem na to first get faith. Faith no mean say you understand everything finish. Faith na supernatural gift wey make you believe even when you never see and understand everything finish. The certainty dey come from God, no be from your own ability to reason. But faith always dey lead person to understand deep pass. So, as these disciples declare their faith, dem also begin understand. And even though Jesus dey speak with figures of speech like this, these disciples finally choose to believe. Later for this chapter, dem conclude say, “Now we understand say You know everything and say You no need anybody to question You. Because of this, we believe say You come from God” (John 16:30).
If you see say different matters about faith, God, how person suppose live and other things like these dey confuse you, or if the different mysteries of life itself, or your own life in particular, dey confuse you, no fear to admit say you no understand. To admit say you no understand na to humbly accept the truth, and this humility go be one helpful step towards the gift of faith.
Today, think well whether you dey struggle at all with the attitude say the mysteries of life no concern you. If na so, make up your mind to resemble these disciples more, as dem deliberately try hard to understand everything wey Jesus talk. No fear to admit say you no understand, and to carry wetin dey confuse you come before our Lord. Try hard to receive the gift of faith, and allow that small spark of faith become the road wey go lead you to understand the many mysteries of life more deeply.
My Lord wey full of mystery, You and all di mysteries of di Kingdom of Heaven deep so much that nobody go ever fit fully understand how deep, how wide and how beautiful dem be. Abeg, dear Lord, open my mind make I understand You more deeply, so that I go fit profess my faith in You and in everything wey You don choose to reveal. I truly believe, my God. Help me where I no believe. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Di main image wey dey above: Christ Dey Wash di Feet of di Disciples, wey Paolo Veronese paint, through Wikimedia Commons Advertisement
