Homily For Friday First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 17th January, 2025. The Memorial of St. Anthony Abbot

 

Readings: Heb.4:1-5.11, Ps. 78, Mark 2:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

GET UP PICK UP YOUR STRETCHER AND GO HOME

The sin and evil going on in the world are putting our faith to the test and most people are giving in to this scheme because they lack the strong will to withstand the suffering, sickness and problems that befall us as a result of these evil actions.

People are running ups and downs, seeking solutions. While the evil ones are taking advantage of the ugly situation to destroy the faith of the people. In fact, one may begin to wonder if there is still hope for the restoration of humanity from this ugly situation. But the fact remains that God is able and willing to heal and restore humanity once again.

This is evident in our Gospel passage today when some people brought to him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven.’ But some scribes doubted his authority to forgive sins, and Jesus, knowing what was in their minds, said: ‘Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts?

Now, which of these is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ he said to the paralytic, ‘get up, and pick up your bed and go off home.’ And the man got up and went home.

Here, we see the power and authority of Jesus towards the restoration of the paralytic man carried by his friends. A gesture that signifies the restoration of humanity paralyzed by sins and evil.

So Jesus will always begin by forgiving our sins, for sin seems to be the root of the sickness. But sin may be pardoned, yet the sickness remains; the sickness may be healed, yet the sin not pardoned. But for Jesus, healing is holistic for those who have faith in God.

However, this is what the scribes and the Pharisees failed to understand as they doubted and opposed the power and authority of Jesus just like some of us often do. And those who behave like this, the Lord says, that they will never enter his rest as we heard in our first reading today.

Dear friends, today, we are called not to be like the scribes who were enslaved by their pride and desire to maintain their prestige in society. They doubted the power and authority of Jesus and rejected the message of truth. Jesus rebuked them, showing us that truly he has power and authority not just to heal and forgive us but to restore us and all humanity to our formal glory.

Therefore, we are also called to imitate the great faith and love of the friends of the paralytic, the love and faith that radiate from the innermost being of those who exercise it. Let us like them, learn to love and help one another. Because the absence of love is the cause of all the problems in our world today.

Today most families exist only by grace because of the absence of love. How I wish we could invest our time and resources in ensuring love and goodwill in our dealings with one another; believe me, the world will be a temporary home for everyone.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are paralyzed by the sins and evil we are committing against you and the world you created out of our pride, greed and selfishness. As we come to you in faith, forgive us our sins, heal and restore us once again. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Thursday First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 16th January 2025

 

Readings: Heb.3:7-14, Ps. 95, Mark 1:40-45

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HOW TO APPROACH JESUS FOR HEALING AND RESTORATION 

In the scriptures and even in our daily lives there is no doubt that the compassionate love of Jesus in solidarity with human sufferings is evident.  Little wonder, we have great events in the scriptures that illustrate the compassionate concern of Jesus in the struggles of humanity and how he wishes to set us free from the shackles of our troubles. 

This is evident in the occasion of our Gospel passage today, where a leper, came up and bowed low in front of Jesus and said to him, if you will, you can make me clean. Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I will! Be clean!’ And immediately his leprosy was cured at once. 

Here, the leper was despised, feared, shunned and rejected in society, but when he approached Jesus in humility, he became the object of divine attention. We, too, just like the leper, are in need of healing, including the healing that comes from the touch of Jesus. All we need is to approach Jesus in humility, and we will become a person of divine attention. 

More so, the story of this leper is a good example of how sinners can and should appeal to Jesus for cleansing, especially from their sins. We should come in faith knowing that God is always willing to cleanse every sinner who comes to Him. 

So, let us sincerely turn to God once again with all of our hearts and with all of our strength, just like the leper who came to Jesus with faith, knowing that he could heal him and make him better. 

This is what all of us must have as well, a strong and genuine faith in God. If only we would listen to him today and not harden our hearts as we heard in our first reading today; who knows, today may be our great opportunity to be restored, and what is needed is to put our faith in action and say Lord if you will you can restore me. 

Dear friends, I don’t know what type of leprocious problems you are passing through? Are you weighed down by sin or sickness? Are you feeling helpless and rejected? Or do we know people who are helpless and need some help? Do we feel the need for Jesus’s help in some parts of our life? Let us pause for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at us. How does he see us? What are you saying to him and what is he saying to you? 

Brethren, Jesus in solidarity with human sufferings, wishes to set us free from sickness, troubles, challenges and manipulations from the evil ones. He desires to be with us as we struggle every day to overcome the challenges in our lives, in our families, society and the world at large. Therefore, we should not be afraid to approach Jesus for healing and restoration, all we need is an active faith like the leper in our Gospel passage today.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, humanity is in deep darkness caused by different forms of leprosies and only you can heal and restore us. For you know our innermost being and the challenges we are facing today, come to our aid, we pray and cleanse us from all our physical, emotional, economic and spiritual leprosies; we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Wednesday First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 15th January 2025

 

Readings: Heb.2:14-18, Ps. 105, Mark 1:29-39

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

EXPERIENCING THE HEALING POWER OF JESUS

As Jesus continued to carry out his mission of preaching, he also showed compassion and care for those who were passing through difficulties. This shows the love and mercy of God for humanity. 

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, when Jesus returned from preaching in the synagogue to Simon Peter's house, behold Peter's mother-in-law was sick with fever. 

This is not a minor sickness in the ancient world. A fever was not only debilitating for a short while but was often a symptom of a condition that would lead to death. Thus, our first reading today clearly described how and why the coming of  Jesus and, by taking up our human nature, made it possible for him to identify himself with the struggles of humanity as he embraced us with his love, compassion and care. For he came to heal us from our sins and from all the afflictions we encounter.

So, when Jesus approached Peter’s mother-in-law, he simply raised her and the fever left her. And she immediately begins to serve them, something she was unable to do because of her illness.  

Thus, she was able to render her service to the first Christian communities. She was healed and restored with new strength so that she may again rise and take up her proper place in the community of God’s people. 

Dear friends, God cares for our well-being and is always ready to help us in our struggles so that we can be well-disposed to serve him. Hence, whenever we are sick both physically or spiritually and are cured of this sickness, it is tempting to sit back and accept people’s good wishes and congratulations. 

These should not be our attitudes, we should rather learn from Peter’s mother-in-law that healing is not just to make us well but to enable us to become active again in rendering service to God and humanity.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, we are sick in need of your healing and compassion. As we struggle every day to serve you and humanity, heal all our illnesses and give us the grace to get up and become more active again to render more quality services to you and our communities. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a favourable day.

Homily For Tuesday First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 14th January 2025

Readings: Heb.2:5-12, Ps. 8, Mark 1:21-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO SPEAK AND ACT WITH GOD’S GIVEN AUTHORITY AND POWER

Oftentimes, whenever we want to communicate something important, it is always the case that we need to back up such activities or messages with authority. And when this is lacking, people may not take our activities or message seriously.

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, we heard people referring to the authority by which Jesus speaks and carries out his mission. For he spoke and acted with God-given authority.

This is even more evident in the manner in which he was able to rebuke the man possessed by an unclean spirit. These spirits are malicious beings that might be demons or fallen angels who have followed Satan to rebel against God.

They may appear mighty and powerful, as Satan, but in the end, none of them were able to rise against God. For God alone is the source of all power and authority.

So Jesus, being the Son of God, wants to show us that he has been given all the power and authority over the evil ones. And through him, we have been given all authority and power over those spirits.

This is what we heard in our first reading today, for we are told that God has given dominion over all things to man, and not to any of the Angels.

Dear friends, it is obvious to everyone that Jesus had authority, his authority does not come from his position in life or from worldly power. Rather, his authority comes from his relationship with God his Father. He listened to his voice and spoke his words.

Therefore, we must learn to carry out our Christian responsibilities with authority and power, just like Jesus. And if we want to speak with authority, we must learn to spend time with God, listening to his voice and doing his will.

Hence, today we are called to recognize that the presence of Jesus in the world brings about victory over the evil ones. The unclean spirit recognized Jesus as the power of God. His power over demons is a direct defeat of the evil one while the restoration of the possessed man signifies the inauguration of God's kingdom in the world.

Now, Jesus has given us the gift of his presence in the person of the Holy Spirit, which God has bestowed on us in our baptism. In this gift resides the power and authority to evangelize the world and to confront evil and overcome it.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in a world full of evil and intimidation, we need your authority once again to speak and stand for what is right and just. As we struggle with our daily tasks, may we be courageous, knowing that the same Jesus who delivered the possessed man can heal our fears, anxieties and worries, for his presence sets us free from evil manipulations, he who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Remember, the power to overcome resides in you. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Monday First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 13th January 2025

Readings: Heb. 1:1-6, Ps. 97, Mark 1:14-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THEY LEFT EVERYTHING AND FOLLOWED THE LORD

Today marks the beginning of the Season of the Ordinary Time in this current Liturgical year. Today we are reminded of our call and vocation as Christians, which is well illustrated in our Gospel passage today.

The Gospel gives us the account of the calling of the first Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, the four fishermen, Peter and his brother Andrew, as well as James and John, the sons of Zebedee, whom he called just right after he began his ministry after his baptism at the Jordan.

Here, we heard how Jesus called them, and they responded by leaving everything behind, their boat, their families and their profession, to follow the Lord. Today, we are called like these Apostles to follow Jesus, and following Jesus means leaving behind the life we have now and embracing the new life he is offering to us.

When we opt to follow Jesus, our life revolves around him. It’s no longer what we feel like doing, but what his word instructs us to do. It also means leaving behind our sinful ways of life and embracing the holiness of life.

And this is what our first reading today is emphasizing, telling us that at various times in the past and in different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, who is the radiant light of his glory and the perfect copy of his nature, sustaining the universe by his powerful command. Thus, he is the one calling us to follow him.

Dear friends, in this call of following the Lord, what have we left behind? What have we sacrificed? Today, we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are as regards our vocation as Christians. How have we personally experienced Jesus?

When was your spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that is not based on what people told us of him? In case we have not personally experienced him, all we need to do is sincerely seek God in those common events in our lives, and we will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are reminded of our call to follow your Son Jesus, as we respond to this call, may we find inner joy in our soul that will prompt us to spread the Good News of the Gospel with faith and conviction. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful week ahead.

Homily For Sunday The Feast of The Baptism of The Lord Year C, 12th January, 2025

 

Readings: Is. 40:1-5.9-11; Ps. 104; Titus 2:11-14.3:4-7; Luke 3:15-16.21-22.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

BAPTISM A MOMENT OF PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH THE TRINITY

Today, we celebrate the feast of the Lord’s baptism, an event which marks the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of the first part of the Ordinary Time of the liturgical calendar. However, this feast is not just about the Lord’s baptism, but our baptism as well and the renewing of its grace in our lives. The celebration of the baptism of Jesus reminds us of our identity and mission as Christ's faithful.

Today’s feast reminds us of who we are and our obligations and commitment to God on the day we were baptized. This feast reminds us that Jesus received baptism not because he needed it; rather, it is to sanctify the water of baptism and also identify himself with his people, who, as a result of John's preaching, are now aware of their sins and their need for repentance.

So, from our readings today, we heard Prophet Isaiah in our first reading talking about the promise of God’s salvation and the coming of the One through Whom God would redeem all of His people. He also talks about how God would send a servant to prepare a way for his coming.

In our Gospel passage, we see the manifestation and God’s confirmation of these two personalities. For when John had baptized all the people and while Jesus, after his baptism, was at prayer, heaven opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily shape, like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, saying: ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

 In the second reading, we heard Paul telling us that God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; that we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives here in this present world.

And while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come, Paul stressed the importance of professing our faith in Jesus Christ, which is an essential aspect of the rite of Baptism. This, of course, shows God's revelation to mankind, especially about the mystery of the Trinity. A Moment of Encounter with the Trinity and also a moment of revelation of the true identity and mission of Jesus.

Thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC 1279 emphasizes that by our baptism, we become adoptive sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, members of his Church, heirs of heaven and temples of the Holy Spirit.

So, we are incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made sharers in the priesthood of Christ. Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other Sacraments (CCC 1213).

Hence, let us come and receive the immortality that flows from baptism through the testimonies of water, Spirit and Blood which bear witness to the love of God for humanity. We are told by one ancient author that this is the water that is linked to the Spirit, the water that irrigates Paradise, makes the earth fertile, gives growth to plants, and brings forth living creatures.

In short, this is the water by which a man receives new birth and life, the water in which even Christ was baptized, and the water into which the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove. And whoever goes down into these waters of rebirth with faith renounces the devil and pledges himself to Christ. He comes up from baptism, throws off his servitude, and becomes an adopted son of God and a co-heir with Christ, resplendent as the sun and purified.

Therefore, the baptism of Jesus reminds us of our mission that is, to experience the presence of God within us and share it with others, to acknowledge our own dignity as God’s children, to live as children of God in thought, word and action, to lead a holy and transparent Christian life.

We are not to desecrate our bodies with impurity, injustice, intolerance, jealousy or hatred in order to grow daily in intimacy with God and be co-creators in building up his Kingdom on earth.

Hence, every baptism is a moment of decision, a moment of identification with the people of God, a moment of approval, a moment of conviction, a moment of certainties and assurance, a moment of equipment and indeed a moment of personal encounter with the Trinity.

Dear friends, today is a special day for us to remember the graces we have received at baptism in order to renew them. We can recall that on the day of our baptism, we were anointed with the Oil of Catechumens, the sign of Christ's gentle strength, to fight against evil.

Also, blessed water was poured over us, an effective sign of interior purification through the gift of the Holy Spirit. We were then anointed with Chrism to show that we were thus consecrated in the image of Jesus. A white cloth was placed on our forehead as a sign of purity.

More so, the candle lighted from the Paschal Candle was given to us as a symbol of the light of Faith which our parents, godparents and ourselves must continually safeguarded and nourished with the life-giving grace of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, this is another day for us to renew our baptismal promises, consecrating ourselves to the Holy Trinity and rejecting Satan and all his empty promises, which our world is constantly projecting to us through all means of media and social communications.

So, as we enter the first half of the ordinary time, we are called to reactivate the grace and gift we received at our baptism in order to faithfully carry out the mission entrusted to us by the Lord.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift and grace of baptism. As we celebrate today’s feast may we rediscover in a new way the beauty of our baptism and so be filled with the grace and joy of Christ’s presence, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Have a fruitful Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday After the Epiphany of the Lord, 11th January, 2025

Readings: 1 John 5:14-21, Ps.149, John 3:22-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO BE HUMBLE IN FULFILLING YOUR ROLE IN THE MISSION OF CHRIST

As Christians, one of the mandates that Jesus gave to us is to proclaim the Good News of our salvation, for in this mandate, every one of us has a special role to play. But the question is, what is our role in the mission of Christ, and how are we playing this role?

Today’s Gospel passage presents to us the humility with which John the Baptist plays his role in the mission of Christ. John knew who he was in the sight of God. He knew his strengths and his weaknesses; he knew that his life was centred on Christ.

This was not a burden for him, for he clearly understood God’s sovereignty; he understood who Jesus was. He rejoiced in the coming of Jesus and his role in the mission and life of Jesus. He knew he was the announcer of Good News, but not the Good News itself.

However, he did not have to make a public show of himself. He was not out to promote his ministry or reputation. Even though it seems as if he is becoming insignificant when Jesus arrives, he does not feel so. He aimed to identify Jesus to the people, which he did with all humility as we heard him say, “he must increase, but I must decrease”.

Thus, John shows us what it means to be a true disciple of the Lord. As disciples, we should not allow pride, ambition, ego and selfish desire to dictate how we live our lives. If not, we will easily be carried away by worldly temptations and lose our way by falling deep into the trap of sin.

Rather, we are called to be humble and to be faithful to God at all times. Hence, St. John, in our first reading today, tells us to struggle to free ourselves from sin and reject the path of sin so that we will not end up being trapped more and more in the path of sin, for this may make us end up in eternal damnation if we are not careful.

Dear friends, we all have a significant role to play in the plan of God, John understood his role in the mission of Christ and showed great humility in exercising it. But do we have any clue of what our role is in the mission of Christ? In what ways do we exemplify humility in the little task entrusted to us? Let us learn from John the Baptist how to humbly exercise our role in any task or mission entrusted to us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, John the Baptist humbly remarked that it was only right that while his Lord and Master increased in importance and prominence, he should decrease, thereby showing and teaching us what it means to be humble servants and disciples. As we contemplate his life, may we learn to be humble in carrying out the mission and vocation entrusted to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a peaceful weekend.