Monday, July 15, 2024
Memorial for Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of di Church
Readings for Today
Readings for Monday of di Fifteenth Week for Ordinary Time
Listen for English
“Anybody wey love im papa or mama pass Me no deserve Me, and anybody wey love im son or daughter pass Me no deserve Me; and anybody wey no carry im cross follow Me no deserve Me.” Matthew 10:37–38
When we first read am, dis teaching of our Lord fit look hard. But when we understand am well, e dey clear say e dey help us put our relationship with God and with our family for di right order, inside love and truth. To follow dis command no go ever make us lack love for our family; instead, e go help us love only with di heart of Christ.
Wetin dis teaching of Jesus require from us? To put am simply, if person for our family, or any other person, expect us to do wetin dey against di will of God, we must choose di will of God instead of wetin dem expect. To understand dis one better, think about how person fit choose to love “papa or mama” or “son or daughter” pass God. For example, make we say one pikin choose to leave di right way for im moral life or life of faith, and di pikin want make im parents support am for im sin. But di parents stand firm for wetin dem believe about right and wrong, and because of love, dem no support di sinful way of life wey dia pikin don choose. Dis one go especially hard for di parents if di pikin vex and begin condemn dem, dey claim say dem dey judge am and dem no get love. Wetin di pikin really dey ask na, “Mama and papa, una must love me pass God and His laws.” And if di parents no support di wrong way of life wey dia pikin dey live, dia relationship fit wound deep. Maybe na one of di reasons why Jesus follow dis command talk say, “and anybody wey no carry im cross follow Me no deserve Me.” Love always get di Cross inside am. Sometimes, na cross of personal sacrifice and to give yourself for others. Other times, na cross wey come when people misunderstand our love, and di people wey we really love pass think say we “no get love.” When parents truly love dia pikin, wetin go matter to dem first and pass everything na di eternal salvation of dia pikin and make di pikin live good moral life. Dem no go choose “friendship” with dia pikin instead of truth.
Na so this same truth still concern every relationship wey we go get, and even our “relationship” with society as a whole. As time dey go, more and more people dey demand say all of us must support dem for behaviour wey, for wetin e really be, no follow correct moral order and dey against wetin God want. Dem dey tell us say if we stand against these choices wey some people dey make, e mean say we dey judge people and hatred dey our heart. But na this same thing Jesus dey talk about. If we choose to “love” other people pass God and His holy will, wey mean say di thing wey we put first na to make people “feel” say we support dem for di immoral and confused decisions wey dem dey make, then we no really dey love dem at all. At least, no be with di love of God. Instead, we dey put their sin before di truth wey dem really need to know, so that dem fit gain freedom and enter true relationship of love with di God of Truth.
Today, reflect on true love. Love na true love only when e get im foundation and centre for God and every moral law wey He don give. Reflect on your own relationships, especially with your family and di people wey close to you pass. You dey love dem with di pure love of God? Your love still stand firm inside di will of God? Or sometimes, you dey choose to bend di truths of faith and moral life so that you go satisfy di wrong things wey others expect from you? Kindness, gentleness and compassion must always dey. But moral truth must dey just as much too, and e must be di foundation of every virtue wey we dey practise for our relationship with everybody. No fear to love others only with di mind and heart of God. Na only dis way you fit get true love for everybody for your life, so that you go help save dia souls.
Lord of All, You dey call everybody to love You with all dia mind, heart, soul and strength. You dey call all of us to hold firm to every truth wey You don speak. Give me di courage and love wey I need, no be only to love You pass everything, but also to love others with Your love alone. Help me to embrace Your Cross when dis one hard, so that I go be better instrument of di love wey You get for everybody. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Saint for Today – Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor
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