Thursday, November 28, 2024
Di Readings for Today
USA: Day to Thank God—Memorial wey No Be Must
(For countries wey no be USA, see di reflection for Thursday for Wik 34)
James Tissot, e dey public domain, tru Wikimedia Commons
Listen for English
“No be ten people dem cleanse? Where the other nine dey? Na only this stranger come back to give God thanks?” Then E tell am, “Stand up and go; your faith don save you.” Luke 17:17–19
Dem save am by faith as e show gratitude! This na wonderful story for us to think deeply about today as we celebrate the national holiday of Thanksgiving!
Even though Thanksgiving Day no be holy day wey Church specifically set aside, to dey give thanks na important part of our Christian faith. Today Gospel show this, as Jesus heal ten people wey get leprosy. And how all of dem react na something wey we suppose notice. Nine of dem receive healing and go face their own business; dem no come back to the One wey heal dem to thank Am. But one come back. This one man, wey leprosy suddenly comot from im body, return to Jesus, give Am glory, fall for Im feet and thank Am. This man na stranger, na Samaritan, but e show faith wey all of us must try to follow. We see this Samaritan faith because e know say no be only to get thankful heart for the grace of healing; e still need to show the thanks.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, we remember say, among all the things wey we must give thanks for, nothing dey more important than to thank God for the graces wey E don give us, wey person no fit measure. But as the story show, e really easy to overlook how important e be for us to respond to God blessings. Na only ten percent of the people wey get leprosy respond with this kind show of thanks. So today, e go help us to look well at the many reasons why we suppose give thanks and make effort to show God that thanks.
First, God create us because of love. This no be small gift. Na the first gift wey E give us, and many times we dey take am as something wey no need our attention. God no need to create us. E no need to create you. But E still do am. And the gift of life, the gift of soul wey no go ever die, na something wey we must never overlook, but always rejoice for.
Second, God enter the condition wey we dey after our fall into sin, through the Incarnation inside the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. As E do this, E raise our fallen human nature reach height wey nobody don ever know before. Human nature and divine nature unite in the Person of the Son of God and Son of Man wey become human being. We must give thanks for this gift wey we no earn, and wey dey fill us with wonder and reverence.
Third, we know the rest of the story. God, in the Person of the Son wey become human being, suffer, die and rise again. As E do this, E make am possible for every sin wey we commit to clear away. As we die with Am, E dey invite us to rise with Am. And as we rise with Am, E dey invite us to share in Im glory for Heaven.
Last, for each and every person life, God dey give us graces wey we no fit count every day. But like children wey too much pampering don spoil, we many times overlook these blessings and take dem as if dem no get value. Examples here no go enough. If you want get thankful heart, e really important make you learn to see these blessings for your own life. Too many times, na our struggles and pain we dey focus on. But the blessings plenty, and the more we turn to our Lord and surrender ourselves to Am completely, the more the blessings dey flow.
Today, think deeply about the kind attitude wey you get towards the many blessings wey God don give you. Start by thinking about the main blessings of God creation and the things wey E do out of love to save us. From there, try think deeply about the many small ways wey God don dey with you, guide you, give you strength and bless you well-well. If you no dey see these things clearly, use today to listen with full attention so that God fit show dem to you. As you see your blessings, respond like this one man wey get leprosy. Turn to Jesus, give Am glory, fall for Im feet in prayer and thank Am. As you do this, you go full with the same faith wey dey save, wey God give this one man.
My Lord wey get open hand pass all, You don give me blessings wey pass wetin I fit imagine. I don understand say I no go ever fully understand how good You don be to me, and I no go ever fit thank You enough. Abeg, fill me with thankful heart. Help me to see wetin You dey do for my life and to respond to You like this one man wey get leprosy. Jesus, na You I trust.
Read More – Day to Thank God
Prayers and Reflections for Advent
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Meditations on Scripture for Ordinary Time
For countries wey no be USA, see di reflection for Thursday for Wik 34
Readings Wey You Fit Choose for Mass
To Dey Ready, Every Time
November 28, 2024
Thursday for Wik 34 for Ordinary Time
Di Readings for Today
Listen for English
“And then dem go see di Son of Man as E dey come inside cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin happen, make una stand straight and raise una head because di time wey God go redeem una don near.” Luke 21:28
Dis passage wey dey above na di end of some teachings wey Jesus give about di suffering and persecution wey go come for dis world. But E end His teachings with dis talk wey dey above, wey give us great hope as we dey wait for Jesus to return in glory. Dis passage talk about di prophetic vision wey Daniel see (Daniel 7:13–14), wey make fear catch Daniel well-well when e see am. E see di great persecution wey go come, and how all evil go scatter when di Son of Man return.
When you think about di final coming of Christ and your own death wey dey ahead, wetin dey come your mind? If one angel tell you say tomorrow na di day, di day wey di Son of Man go return with all His splendour and glory to bring dis world to an end and pronounce His judgment on am, how you go take react? Fear go catch you well-well? Joy go full your heart? You go get hope? You go confuse? Maybe you go feel small of each one. About dis time, Jesus talk say “nations go dey troubled” and say “People go die of fear as dem dey expect wetin dey come upon di world.” So how you dey feel about dis day wey our Lord don promise?
E clear say di people wey go “die of fear” na people wey dis day go meet when dem no prepare at all. To meet di Son of Man, di Son of God, di Saviour of di World and di Judge wey dey forever when you no prepare at all suppose make fear catch you. For example, imagine say you plan one big dinner party, but you mix up di days. Di day reach, and you no dey expect anybody until di next wik, but plenty guests begin arrive. Imagine how worry and shame go catch you. Dat kind experience no go be anything compared with how e go be if we no prepare for Christ judgment when we stand before Am for di time of our death, and later for di Last Judgment when di world end.
Di good news be say, for dat day, dem tell people wey truly prepare through life of faith and service to God will without selfishness, “make una stand straight and raise una head because di time wey God go redeem una don near.” If you do everything wey you fit do to prepare for dat day, e go be day wey you dey wait for with di greatest hope and joy. You go truly fit stand straight, look towards di Judge of Everybody wey dey come, and receive di reward wey go last forever, wey E really want give you. But na only if you truly ready for dat day through life wey follow Christ example completely, you go experience dis.
Today, think deeply about dat final day. Imagine everybody wey God ever create as dem stand before di Judgment Seat of Christ. Every sin and every virtue go show clear for dat day. Wetin dey everybody mind and heart go show for light as God reveal dem to everybody. And people wey live faithful life go rejoice as dem see God justice and His mercy join together as E dey pronounce His judgments. If dis day dey make you fear, think about why e be so. If you no dey look forward to dis decisive moment, then maybe you need to think more deeply about wetin you need to do so you go ready fully. Prepare yourself today. No wait. Our Lord fit return any time. No let E meet you when you no ready.
My Judge wey dey forever, You promise say You go return to earth for one definite time to make justice complete. Make I always dey ready for dat day through life wey I dey live in union with You and Your holy will. Dear Lord, I pray make dat day come quick, and make all Your children ready to meet You when You come. Jesus, na You I trust.
Prayers and Reflections for Advent
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
For USA, see di reflection for Thanksgiving Day
Readings Wey You Fit Choose for Mass
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