July 28, 2024
Sunday Nọmba 17 for Ordinary Time (Year B)
Readings for Today
Listen for English
Then Jesus take di loaves of bread, give thanks, and share dem give di people wey sit down lean body to chop. Na so He still give dem as much fish as dem want. When dem don chop belleful, He tell His disciples, “Gather di pieces wey remain, so dat nothing go waste.” John 6:11–12
Di people wey dey present for dis miracle wey make bread and fish plenty need to travel before dem reach there. First, dem follow Jesus go di other side of di Sea of Galilee, and then dem follow Him climb one mountain for place wey far from town. Dis one get meaning because e tell us say miracle wey great like dis fit happen only for people wey get faith and act according to dat faith. Jesus for easily do dis miracle for di Temple for Jerusalem or for one synagogue where people dey doubt Him. If He do am like dat, plenty people wey no believe Him and wey dey criticize Him for see His almighty power with dia own eyes. Jesus for still do dis miracle for Nazareth, His hometown, for di presence of His other family members and friends. Maybe if He do am like dat, dem for come believe in Him. But Jesus no do dis wonderful miracle for places where faith no dey. Instead, He go one place wey far from town, where na only people wey truly want dey with Him dey present.
Notice say di things wey Jesus do to perform dis miracle resemble di way He take establish di Holy Eucharist during di Last Supper. We read for up say Jesus “take di loaves of bread, give thanks, and share dem…” Even though all di four Gospels record dis miracle, for di Gospel of John, e prepare di way for Jesus’ teaching about di Bread of Life, where Jesus teach say, “Na Me be di bread of life; anybody wey come meet Me no go ever hungry, and anybody wey believe in Me no go ever thirsty.” So, we suppose see dis miracle wey make bread and fish plenty as teaching about di Eucharist. Na for di Eucharist Jesus dey feed us with food wey plenty sotey e dey overflow. Di Eucharist na di gift of His own very life and di food wey go bring us to eternal life.
Sadly, e be like say na only very few people dey ever discover di gift of di Eucharist. Plenty people dey see dia participation for Mass as duty wey dem must fulfil, instead of invitation to share for di life wey dey overflow. Di only way we go discover dis life wey dey overflow, wey God give us through di Eucharist, na to work to imitate di faith of di people wey Jesus feed for dat mountain. Again, di people wey receive dis miracle need to travel either round di sea or across am, and climb mountain. Na so e still be for us: di only way we fit take part for di Eucharist in way wey go bear fruit na to make serious effort. Di journey we dey make na journey of faith, and di mountain we dey climb na mountain of prayer. Unless we believe deeply in our Lord, believe in di power of di Eucharist wey dey overflow and fit transform us, faithfully seek di Eucharist every week and do so with prayer, we no go ever receive food in dis way wey dey overflow.
Today, reflect on wetin Jesus’ journey to dis place wey far from town represent, as He go there to perform dis wonderful miracle. See dis journey wey dem dey invite you to make as journey to discover di grace wey dey overflow, wey God give you through di Most Holy Eucharist. Di only way you go receive dis grace na to commit yourself to di journey of faith and prayer. No miss dis opportunity. No ignore di wonderful value of dis Gift. Seek our Lord and discover His Gift of grace wey dey overflow as you take part for di Holy Mass in way wey dey bear fruit.
My Lord wey dey truly present for di Eucharist, You dey call me to climb di mountain of faith in di Most Holy Eucharist through prayer and determination. Make I discover di great value of di Holy Mass more deeply, and seek to receive food from You in dis way wey dey overflow. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
