September 5, 2024
Thursday for Week Twenty-Two for Ordinary Time
Readings for Today
Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta—Memorial wey no be compulsory
Listen for English
When Simon Peter see dis, e fall for Jesus knees and talk say, “Lord, comot from me, because I be man wey dey sin.” Luke 5:8
Think well about dis thing wey Simon Peter do, wey touch heart deeply. Jesus don just start His public ministry, and to heal Simon mother-in-law na one of His first miracles. After dat, Simon see as Jesus heal plenty other sick people and drive plenty demons comot. Then, small time after dis first set of miracles, Jesus enter Simon boat and tell am say, “Go where di water deep, and let your net dem down make you catch fish.” As soon as Simon obey, e catch fish so plenty dat dem need another boat to come help dem. Di way Simon respond to dis other miracle na wetin dem write above.
Three things happen for dis passage. First, “Simon Peter see dis…” Even though na with im eyes e see am, we suppose understand say dis im “seeing” go deeper pass wetin eye fit see. No be only di best day wey e don ever get for catching fish Simon Peter see. E see God grace dey work through Jesus, and wetin e see touch am deep for im heart. Jesus use fishing, wey be one of di main things for Simon Peter life, to show His divine power. For one way, Jesus use fishing take teach Simon dis lesson so dat e go really understand am.
Secondly, di way Simon respond dey perfect. As Simon experience dis divine miracle, e recognise im sin at once. Even though we no know wetin Simon sin be, e clear say dis encounter with our Lord make am remember at once whatever wrong e don do. Maybe e don struggle for years with one sin wey e dey always fall into, or maybe e don do one very serious wrong wey still dey trouble im mind. But all we know be say dis powerful miracle wey touch Simon life directly make am recognise im sin.
Thirdly, Simon fall for Jesus knees and tell di Lord make E comot from am. Even though Jesus mercy so great dat E no go ever comot from am, Simon no only recognise say e no worthy to dey for Jesus presence; e still show wetin e believe through dis humble action of repentance.
Wetin Jesus do? E talk say, “No fear…” And when dis new disciples reach shore, “dem leave everything follow am.”
Each one of us must meet our Lord for dis same way. We must see Jesus. We must pay deep attention to Am. We must recognise His presence, hear His voice and see wetin E dey do for our life. If we do dis well and through faith, then our one-on-one encounter with our Lord go shine light on di sin wey we need to repent of. No be so dat we go remain inside guilt and shame; instead, na so dat we too fit humble ourselves before Jesus and admit say we no worthy of Am. When we admit dis well with humble heart, we fit dey sure say Jesus go still tell us, “No fear.” We must then answer His words of comfort by making di same choice wey Simon and di others make. We must dey ready and willing to leave everything behind so dat we fit follow Am.
Today, reflect on dis picture of Simon Peter wey kneel down before Jesus. See im humility and honesty. See how sincere e dey and wetin e recognise deep for im heart. And see how e understand di divine power of Jesus wey dey before am. Pray make you too see our Lord, face di reality of your sin, humble yourself before Am and hear Am dey call you to change your whole life and follow Am completely wherever E lead you.
My Lord wey dey comfort me, You show Your almighty power to Simon Peter through di normal work wey e dey do every day. You allow am see Your divine power dey work. My dear Lord, help me too to see You dey work for my life. And as I see You, help me to humble myself before You and admit say I no worthy. As I dey do dis, I pray make I still hear You tell me, “No fear,” so dat I fit stand up follow You wherever You lead me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Prayers for di Election and di Nation
Novena wey go last nine weeks from September 3 – November 4
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
Saint for Today – Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta—Memorial wey no be must
