Homily For Friday Third Week of Lent Year A, 13th March, 2026

 

Readings: Hosea 14:1-9, Ps. 81, Mark 12:28-34

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LOVE IS WHAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN TO US LOVE IS WHAT GOD WANTS FROM US

Often, when we face the realities of life, we want to know what our priorities should be. What should be the most important thing to focus our energy on? What should become the foundation of all the things we need to do?

In fact, we always desire to know what is required of us in this life. This is the deposition of one of the scribes in our Gospel passage today, who came to Jesus and asked him a question concerning which commandment is the greatest.

In response Jesus reminds them of the 'Shema Israel' - שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, the prayer that they knew and recited from their earliest years from which they learnt that the most important thing in life is to love God with all their heart, and with all thy soul, and with all their mind; that is, with all the powers and the more noble faculties of the soul, the mind, the understanding, judgment, and will. Jesus then added that to love one’s neighbour is the second priority.

This is just very practical because anyone who loves God will naturally love all God’s children, who are, of course, in a very real sense, our neighbours. We must love every single person because we are all created in the image and likeness of God. In other words, loving God with all our heart, with all our understanding and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves is what is required of us and it is the foundation of all the things we have to do.

Hence, it is not possible to separate the love of God from the love of neighbour, for it is one commandment with two parts which will be the criterion for the final judgement of God. Thus, Prophet Hosea in our first reading calls us to come back to the Lord our God, for our iniquity was the cause of our downfall. It is time to come back to the Lord, who loves us so much.

Dear friends, Love is what God has given to us, love is what God wants from us. For love is the centre of all the teachings of Jesus, for love is the purest gift that God has given to humanity. It is like the stream water, so innocent and pure.

True love is not hidden, it radiates from the innermost being of a person who experiences it. If we love God, then, we will see him in others and treat them justly and honourably. We will not hurt our neighbours but do our utmost best to live in peace with them.

I don’t know if you have ever loved someone and you show it, or someone loves you and you know it. The fact is that it actually feels right and awesome because love brings healing and wholeness into people’s lives. Love is peace, Joy, strength and passion. Love is stronger than death; it is the nature of God which we share.

Therefore, it is by loving God in our neighbours that we can share and experience this nature of God in us and by so doing we will conquer the world full of hatred, self-centeredness, greed and sin. The truth is that the absence of love is the cause of all the problems in our world today as most families exist by grace and not by love.

Imagine how wonderful the world would be if we all loved one another. How I wish we could invest our time and resources in ensuring love and unity in our dealings with one another. Believe me, we will not only be fulfilling the first and greatest commandments of God, but we will be building a happy humanity. Remember, God loves you so much.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in you, is the fullness of love. As we listen to your words today, may we truly love you and our neighbours and so conquer the world full of hatred, self-centeredness, greed and corruption. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a lovely day.

Homily For Thursday Third Week of Lent Year A, 12th March, 2026

 

Readings: Jer. 7:23-28, Ps. 95, Luke: 11:14-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

ARE YOU GATHERING WITH THE LORD OR SCATTERING? 

Having journeyed with the Lord in the Midst of all the ugly situations going on in the world today. It is time to examine our conscience to know if we are still truly with the Lord in this journey of faith.

This is the question we need to constantly ask ourselves because not all those who are journeying with us are really sharing the same faith and destination with us. Thus, how to identify those who are with us in this journey is what Jesus made clear in our Gospel passage today.

In this Gospel, Jesus said ‘he who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scatters.’ This statement was made when the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law accused Jesus of using the power of Beelzebub to cast out other demons. Hence, Jesus rebuked them, saying that the devil and demons would not have divided among themselves if they were to achieve their goal, which is the destruction of humanity.

Dear friends, today, as we listen to the words of God, we are called to turn back to God and abandon our sinful ways to be and remain with the Lord. Little wonder, in our first reading today, we heard prophet Jeremiah reminding us of the need to be with the Lord as we make our journey, thereby reminding us of the need to repent and to change our ugly ways of life. Therefore, we must make up our minds to follow the Lord. The world as we know it is offering us so many things, good and bad alike.

But sometimes the options are so confusing and we must make choices. To make the right choice, we need to make a fundamental choice that will form a solid base for all the choices we will be making in life. To make this fundamental option, we need to understand not just where we are physically but, where we are existentially in terms of our convictions, goals, desires, dreams and the destination of our soul in this journey of life.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we make the examination of conscience, help us to discover who we are and who we are journeying with. May we never be against you and your family, the Church, as we hope to remain united as one big family of faith, with one Father and one goal, which is to be united with you in your heavenly kingdom. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily For Wednesday Third Week of Lent Year A, 11th March, 2026

 

Readings: Deut. 4:1.5-9; Ps. 147; Matt 5:17-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE CHRISTIAN MISSION REQUIRES KEEPING AND TEACHING GOD’S COMMANDMENTS BY OUR WAYS OF LIFE

There is a clear difference between the early Christian community and present-day Christianity, especially in the mode of witnessing. The early Christian community practically preached the word of God by witnessing with their lives, while present Christianity are witnessing by preaching the word of God aloud with megaphones and all kinds of powerful sound systems, and some are not, practising what they preach, thereby misleading people and deceiving one another.

Hence today in our Gospel passage, Jesus is preaching to his disciples as he is instructing us, that the man who infringes even one of the least of his commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven. Here, Jesus points out that keeping and teaching the commandments of God is the sure way to achieving greatness not just here on earth but also in heaven.

So, as Christians, our duty is to teach and bear sincere witness to God’s commandments by our way of life. We need to start practising what we preach, and we need to do more of witnessing than preaching. It is not enough to recall principles, state intentions, point to blatant injustice and utter prophetic declarations and denunciation.

These kinds of words lack the real meaning of our faith unless they are accompanied by effective action manifested by our way of life. Hence we need to acknowledge that our authority as Christians comes from God who through Moses commanded us in our first reading not to forget the things our eyes have seen, nor let them slip from our heart all the days of our lives; rather, we should tell them to our children and to our children’s children.’

Dear friends, today Jesus tells us that he has not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to complete them, so we are not called to compromise the teachings and laws of God to suit our wrong motives and parade ourselves as Christians, teachers, pastors, or prophets. Rather we are called to witness and teach God’s commandments by our ways of life.

We must live in such a way that our actions should reflect the paternity of God in the way we live and serve others, knowing that true greatness is found in keeping and teaching the commandments of God, of which Jesus tells us that the greatest of these commandments is to love God and our neighbour.

Therefore, true greatness is rooted in our love for God and our neighbours, of which Jesus emphasised that it is worse to break one of these commandments, but to teach someone else to do the same is a terrible and evil thing to do.

Thus, we should ask ourselves today, " Am I breaking these commandments and teaching others to do the same through my attitude and way of life? Am I following my own opinions contrary to the commandments and laws of love which Jesus has taught us by his way of life? Or am I keeping and teaching these commandments through my attitude and by way of life? The answer to these questions is not far from us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, all good things come from you, as we struggle to sincerely witness our faith and keep your commandments, grant us the grace to keep and teach them by our way of life and so obtain the Joy of true greatness in this world and in your heavenly kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.

Homily For Tuesday Third Week of Lent Year A, 10th March, 2026

 

Readings: Dan 3:2.11-20, Ps. 25, Matt.18:21-35

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE DANGER OF UNFORGIVENESS

In our Lord’s prayer, which Jesus gave us as a pattern of all prayers and as a fundamental principle of Christian living, there is a portion that points out something so important. This portion says, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” (Matt. 6:12). By this prayer, we are making a covenant and commitment that will be a standard by which we are going to be judged as regards our relationship with others and with God. But often times we are not conscious of these principles, especially when we have to face the difficult moment of forgiving a grievous offence.

Thus, Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus, being conscious of this fact, asked Jesus in our Gospel passage today, saying: ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy times seven. And he practicalized his answer with an example of a servant who owed his master a great debt that he and his generation cannot pay.

But when he pleaded for mercy, the master forgave him all the debts. However, this same servant found a fellow servant who owed him as little as one hundred denarii, he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him and even when he pleaded for mercy, instead of forgiving him, he put him in prison according to the norms of the law until he had paid his debt.

This unforgiven servant did to his fellow servant what the master could have done to him, but did not. So, when the master heard how he treated his fellow servant, handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debts.” Jesus then said, this is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’ For God will apply the principle he has given us in our Lord’s Prayer, which will automatically put us where we properly belong based on how we have related with others.

In this story, we see the extreme estimate of the debt the servant owed his master, ten thousand talents. Even if he and his family had to work their whole life, they would never have been able to pay that debt. So, that’s a huge amount compared to the hundred denarii his fellow servant owed him; in fact, there was no comparison between the two debtors at all.

However, this will help us to understand the dangers of Unforgiveness and expose to us the consequences of this ugly attitude. It also helps us to understand that our debt before God is so huge and countless that we cannot pay it. Therefore we are bound, then, to have pity on others and forgive them from our hearts just as God had pity on us and forgives us our sins, for this is the only way to salvation.

Dear friends, there is no doubt that forgiving a grievous offence can be very difficult, but when this is done, it is like recovering a lost treasure that contains joy, peace, freedom and healing. That is why we must learn to forgive others from our hearts. Hence, are there people we have vowed not to forgive? Have people hurt us so much that we can’t forgive them? Have we offended people and cannot be humble enough to ask for their forgiveness? Do we think that our sins are so huge that God cannot forgive them? Are we finding it difficult to forgive those who have offended us?

This Holy season of Lent, we need to pray for God’s grace and courage to forgive people who have offended us, knowing that we are rebellious and proud people, and we lack the courage and disposition to forgive. So today, Jesus is asking us to learn how to forgive others always and unconditionally from our hearts, so that God will also forgive us always and unconditionally.

Therefore, we must never refuse to forgive or reject an offer of reconciliation in our relationship with God and with our fellow human beings and if this becomes difficult, bring it to Jesus in prayer just like Daniel in our first reading today when he prayed saying may the contrite soul, the humbled spirit be as acceptable to you as holocausts of rams and bullocks.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, today you have made us realise how unlimited your mercy is, as you exposed how huge our debts are in comparison with the little debts of forgiveness others owe us. As we make it a habit to forgive from the debt of our hearts all those who have offended us, may we discover and experience the hidden treasures that forgiveness brings. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace-filled day.

Homily For Monday Third Week of Lent Year A, 9th March, 2026

 

Readings: 2 Kings 5:1-15; Ps. 42; Luke 4:24-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

DO NOT LET PRIDE DISTRACT YOU FROM RECEIVING YOUR BLESSINGS

One of the forces that drives the world order today is pride. People can do anything to prove how powerful, influential, popular, wealthy and connected they are before everyone they encounter. 

Hence, at any little provocation, you see them ranting: "I will show you today who I am ", "by the time I finish with you, you will come to know me". I will do this, I will do that... just to prove who they parade themselves to be. Everywhere they go, they want to be highly recognised and do “eye service” by looking down on every other person. This ugly attitude is what the devil certainly wants us to have, so that we end up distancing ourselves from God.

The devil does not want us to be saved, and he would tempt us to be arrogant, jealous and prideful as we have in our first reading today in the story of Naaman the Syrian, who went to the land of Israel seeking healing from the leprosy he had been suffering from. But when Naaman sought the prophet Elisha, he was told to wash himself at the River Jordan seven times, and he would be healed. But he refused out of pride. 

This was exactly how the devil tried to prevent Naaman from finding healing, not just from leprosy but also from his sinfulness and lack of faith, by placing pride, ego and stubbornness in his heart. It was at this point that Naaman’s servant reminded him to be humble and accept the conditions for him to be healed, since it was a very easy thing for him to do. In the end, Naaman obeyed, humbling himself in obedience to God and was healed.

In the same way in our Gospel passage today, the people of Nazareth refused to listen to Jesus or believe in him because they stubbornly persisted in believing that what they had known earlier about Jesus as the Son of a mere carpenter shows that he could not have attained such power, authority and wisdom.

Their prejudices and ego prevented them from having faith as they hardened their hearts and minds against God. As such, the Lord could not do much in their midst, and in the end, making reference to the events of Naaman and the widow of Zarephath, he left his hometown because of their pride and lack of faith.

Dear friends, pride is the first capital sin, so do not let the devil, through pride and jealousy, distract you from obtaining God’s blessings. For we are called today to renounce pride and embrace the courage of humility. We must entrust ourselves humbly to the Lord, because only in this way will we be able to become docile instruments in his hands and allow him to do great things through us and in our lives. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes we have failed to humble ourselves because of pride, and this has deprived us of your blessings. As we listen to your words today, may we learn to humble ourselves and so obtain your blessings and favours. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and favourable week.

HOMILY FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR A, 8TH MARCH, 2026

 

Readings: Ex. 17:3-7; Ps. 95; Rom. 5:1-2.5-8; John 4:5-42

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

IF ANYONE IS THIRSTY, COME TO JESUS THE LIVING WATER

One of the most essential commodities for human survival is water. Water makes up most of the essential parts of the human body. In fact, life as we know it exists because of the properties of water. It is the most abundant resource on earth and fundamental to the survival of all living things.

We can just think about all the things we use water for daily and discover how important water is for the survival of humanity. I don’t know if you have ever been so thirsty while in a desert or where water is very scarce, then, you must have understood the value of water in relation to human survival. That is why in the absence of water, the feeling of thirst causes one to look for water at all costs to satisfy the external and internal stimuli of the human body.

With this, we can understand the situation of the people of Israel in our first reading today. For being tormented by thirst, the people complained against Moses at Massah and Meribah, and they put the Lord to the test, saying, ‘Is the Lord with us, or not?’ ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt?’ they said. ‘Was it so that we should die of thirst? Then, the Lord told Moses to strike the rock, and water would flow from it for the people to drink.’ This is what Moses did, in the sight of the elders of Israel. Here, the Lord quenched their thirsty tongue with water from the rock.

Consequently, in our Gospel passage today, we heard about water and human thirst. But this time a different kind of water and a different kind of thirstiness. That is, a living water and the thirstiness of the sinful souls of humanity. Here, Jesus came to a Samaritan town, and when a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’ The woman said to him, ‘What? You are a Jew and you ask me, a Samaritan, for a drink?’

 This is because Jews, in fact, do not associate with Samaritans. So, Jesus replied: ‘If you only knew what God is offering and who it is that is saying to you: Give me a drink, you would have been the one to ask, and he would have given you Living Water.’ You have no bucket, sir,’ she answered ‘and the well is deep.

Jesus replied: ‘Whoever drinks this well's water will get thirsty again; but anyone who drinks the water that I shall give will never be thirsty again: the water that I shall give will turn into a spring inside him, welling up to eternal life.’ Sir, said the woman ‘give me some of that water, so that I may never get thirsty and never have to come here again to draw water.’

This story demonstrates God’s will to satisfy the inner desire and thirst of the human soul. While the Samaritan woman represents sinful and poor thirsty humanity lost in sin, but desires to be united with God the fount of Living Water.

And as we know, “Living Water” is a biblical term which appears in both the Old and New Testaments. In Jeremiah 2:13, the prophet describes God as "the spring of Living Water”, who has been forsaken by his chosen people Israel. In the New Testament, Jesus, the Son of God, offers himself as the living water, who, through the Holy Spirit, will satisfy humanity's thirst for God.

Telling us that only the Lord Jesus can quench our inner thirst; he is the true living water. He wants us to drink of him to quench our thirst for holiness and righteousness, and to drink until rivers of living water flow out of our innermost being to all other creatures. Little wonder, throughout the scriptures, numerous verses show us God’s desire for us to be satisfied in Him, to drink from Him who is the living water.

As the Scripture says in John 7: 38: “out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.” But quite often, instead of feeling satisfied and watered, we feel dry, because we have not truly allowed ourselves to be watered by living springs of God’s grace and mercy. For only the Lord Jesus can truly quench our inner thirst for mercy and love.

Thus, the goal of Jesus is to help humanity recognise their greatest need, so he could supply us with the only gift that would meet that need, that is, the salvation and forgiveness of our sins. Humanity has spent all its energy trying to find love and acceptance in all the wrong places. Jesus offers us the living water of the Holy Spirit, the only thing that would quench our spiritual and emotional thirst.

Therefore, like the Samaritan woman, we can at times be so intent on getting our immediate needs and fail to see God’s hand reaching out to us in love, offering what will truly satisfy us. Because we have failed to understand that only Jesus can fill and satisfy our empty souls for eternity and also provide for our essential emotional needs now.

Dear friends, this world is filled with wells of water that promise to provide love, acceptance, wealth, fame, and self-worth but can never fully satisfy us. Therefore, whenever our souls are empty and the wells of this passing world run dry, look for Jesus and he will quench your thirst with his Holy Spirit.

Little wonder, St. Paul in our second reading today tells us that, it is by faith and through Jesus that we have entered this state of grace in which we can boast about looking forward to God’s glory. Because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which has been given to us.

Brethren, Jesus’ words of invitation echo in our ears and speak to the heart of each one of us, offering the water of eternal life that flows from God, as he repeats his words saying: If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. The first requirement is thirst. Everyone has spiritual thirst, for it is part of the human condition. Our needs, our thirst, are what we bring into our relationship with God. But the questions remain: What do we thirst for? What do we really desire? What do we request from God? The second requirement is to come to him.

This Holy season of Lent, Jesus invites us to take the initiative and come to him with our needs and thirstiness, so as to drink from the living water and be satisfied. Here, “drinking”, refers to believing, which means identifying oneself with Jesus, trusting him, receiving his teaching and obeying his commands. Such faith will enable us to receive the Holy Spirit and enter into an abiding relationship with Christ the true Living Water.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, the wells of this passing world have failed to satisfy our inner desires. Today, we turn to you like the Samaritan woman so that you can give us the living water of your love and mercy to quench our inner thirst for you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a happy and fruitful Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday Second Week of Lent Year A, 7th March, 2026

 

Readings: Micah 7:14-15.18-20, Ps. 103, Luke 15:1-3.11-32

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

SIN HAS SEPARATED US FROM GOD, IT IS TIME TO COME BACK

Every day of our lives, we make choices that we think are good for us. The root of any choice we make comes from the fundamental option we have made for or against God; to love or to be selfish, to be good or bad, to be holy or sinful. And any choice we make has great consequences, which can be positive or negative, as we have in the parables of the prodigal son in our Gospel passage today.

In this parable, we can identify three main characters: The Father, the elder son and the younger son. The three characters represent the attitude of a group of persons whom Jesus was addressing in the Gospel. First, the attitude of the tax collectors and sinners, who were seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say. Secondly, the attitudes of the Pharisees and scribes who complained, and then Jesus, who is seen as a righteous man who welcomes sinners and eats with them.

Looking at the attitudes of these three characters in the parable, we can deduce that the attitude of the Pharisees and Scribes depicts that of the elder son who is obedient to his father but passes judgment on his disobedient brother, the attitude of the tax collectors and sinners depicts the younger son who seeks reconciliation and forgiveness from his father. While the attitude of the Father can be seen in the person of God (Jesus) who went out to welcome the prodigal son (task collectors and sinners) and goes out as well searching for the elder and dutiful son (Pharisees and Scribes).

This parable applies to our present context, where the Church is seen as the merciful Father, who welcomes, accommodates and lavishes her love on both saints and sinners. For we are told in our first reading that no god can be compared with our God: taking fault away, pardoning crime, not cherishing anger forever but delighting in showing mercy? Meanwhile, the saints and the righteous ones in the Church are seen as the elder son who is obedient and faithful to the Father. While sinners, unbelievers are seen as the prodigal son who has travelled to a far distant country seeking to come back to the Father.

But the questions we should ask ourselves are: where do I belong in the whole picture of this parable? Am I lost in sin? Have I travelled far away from God and His Church? Where am I now in my relationship with God, what is the state of my life? What is my attitude towards my neighbour, my family, my father, mother, and children? What is my attitude towards those who have offended me in grievous ways? What is my attitude towards notorious sinners (armed robbers, murderers, prostitutes, drunkards, drug addicts, womanisers, liars, the wicked, greedy and corrupt politicians and people)? Can I accommodate them if they repent?

Dear friends, God is calling us to repentance. Sin has taken us away from God. It's time to come back; we are lost in a faraway land of sin. It's time to come back. It doesn't matter what we have done, how sinful we may have been, no matter how grievous. God is waiting for us to come back. He wants to hear us say, like the prodigal son: I will arise and go to my Father and say Father, forgive me for I have sinned against heaven and before you.

Friends, God wants to meet us at the confessional, he wants to meet us in the Eucharist, he wants to meet us in those persons we have offended and those who have offered us. He wants to meet us in those whom we have refused to forgive. He wants to meet us in our families, in your husband, your wife, your children, your neighbours, your colleagues in the office and market place. He wants to meet you in that man who is suffering in prison and hospital because of your unforgiveness. All he wants us to do today is to say, " I'm sorry to those whom we have offended and to forgive those who have offended us.

The choice is yours, don't wait until it's too late. Why not put a call to someone today and say to him or her, " I'm sorry, I have forgiven you, I just realised how wrong I have been, please forgive me. If we can do this, then we will see how blessed our life will be in this Holy season of Lent and we will find reason to rejoice at Easter. Remember that conversion is not just about sinners becoming holy, is more than that. It is about experiencing and acknowledging the love of God every day of our lives. God loves you personally.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, sin has separated us for your love. As we listen to your words today, may we come back to you just like the prodigal son, with a repentant heart and a strong will to remain faithful like the dutiful son, knowing that you, as our merciful Father, await our return. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed weekend.