June 27, 2024
Taosde for Wik 12 for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor—Memorial Wey No Be Compulsory
Listen for English
When Jesus finish to talk these words, di crowd wonder well-well at wetin He teach, because He teach dem like Person wey get authority, no be like dia scribes. Matthew 7:28–29
Na these lines end di Sermon for di Mountain wey dey Matthew Gospel chapters 5–7. For that long sermon, Jesus talk about plenty matters and give us summary of everything wey we need to know for our life of faith. For these last lines of His sermon, di words “wonder well-well” and “authority” suppose catch our attention. Why di crowd wonder well-well at wetin Jesus teach? Na because His teaching na new teaching, and e rest on new authority wey di people never experience before.
Di authority wey di scribes take teach come from wetin dem know about di traditions wey earlier teachers hand over to dem. Di scribes study hard for long time, then dem teach wetin dem don learn. Na this kind religious teaching di people don dey used to receive.
But when Jesus come, He make di crowd wonder well-well, because He speak with new authority wey dem never see before. Jesus authority come from who He be Himself. E no rest on wetin He don study and learn from people wey come before Him. Instead, when He speak, no be only say na He Himself dey speak di New Law of grace; na He also be di Author of di Law and di source wey e come from.
Try think deeply about wetin authority mean. For example, pikin know say im parent get authority over am. Sometimes e fit no like am, but e understand say no be im dey set di rules for di house; e must follow di rules wey im parents set. Or think about di authority wey government leaders get. For example, officers wey dey enforce di law get authority wey dia office put for dia hand. No be only say dem sabi di law well; dem fit also enforce am, and everybody know this.
For di same way, no be only say Jesus know about di new truths wey full of glory wey He teach. No be just say He learn dem from di Father for Heaven, then use mouth pass dem on. Instead, when He teach, He teach as di One wey know di New Law of grace, di One wey di Law come from, and di one and only Person wey dem send to establish and enforce this New Law.
Today, think deeply about di New Law of grace and mercy wey our Lord teach, especially as e dey inside di long Sermon for di Mountain. To read those words pass just something wey we dey study and learn. Di words demself get life; na di Word of God. When we read dem, di same authority wey di crowd experience for Jesus time become present to us. Everything wey Jesus teach na new thing then and now; e deep, e get deep meaning, e dey change life, and e get life. And when He teach am, He also establish His divine authority to enforce am for di world. This na good news, because His New Law no be something wey He dey force on people; na di one and only source of freedom and new life. Think deeply about this New Law of our Lord, and pray make you come more fully under im authority.
My Lawgiver wey full of glory, You teach as Person wey get authority. Today, as dem dey read and proclaim Your holy Word, You still dey use Your new authority of love and mercy wey full of glory. Abeg, help me make I listen to You and always put myself under Your authority, so that na Your New Law of grace go rule my life. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Saint of di Day – Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor
Di main image for up: Jesus dey teach, through Adobe
