Homily For Saturday, Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 3rd October, 2026. The Memorial of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus

Readings: Job 42:1-3.5-6.12-17, Ps.119, Luke 10:17-24

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE JOY OF OUR MISSION AS CHRISTIANS

In Christ's mission, many things can make us happy, and we often hope for more of them. But one goal should be the basis for all our desires. And this is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today, for when his disciples came back rejoicing with the report of how they were victorious on the mission he sent them.

Jesus said to them: ‘I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you. Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.

Here, Jesus made it clear that the true joy of our mission is to make heaven, and he warns us to be careful and make sure our priorities and motivations are found around this one goal of making it to heaven.

Little wonder Jesus, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Thus, if we are ready to open our hearts in humility and simplicity, God himself will reveal many things to us about himself.

Dear friends, this is exactly what happened in the life of Job in our first reading, for when he opened his heart to God, Job realised his faults, and he repented of his mistakes, and embraced the will of God for him as he remained faithful even in the most difficult times in his life. And God blessed and restored him even more than before, thereby telling us that those who hold onto God till the end, despite the trials and persecutions of life, God will bless and restore us to his glory.

This is also what we see in the life of St. Therese of the Child Jesus whose memorial we celebrate today. For when a priest told her that her falling asleep during prayer was due to a want of fervour and fidelity and she should be desolate over it, she wrote “I am not desolate. I remember that little children are just as pleasing to their parents when they are asleep as when they are awake.”

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are made to know that the true Joy of our mission is to make heaven, may we experience this true Joy of your heavenly kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful weekend

Homily For Friday, Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 2nd October 2026. The Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

 

Readings: Job 38:1-12-21,40:3-5, Ps. 139, Matt.18:1-5.10

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR GUARDIAN ANGELS

As humans, we often experience some level of favour, providence and protection which we do not expect. Sometimes we wonder how we managed to escape some dangerous actions on our way or what has inspired and sustained us in doing great works.

The answer to this question is found in the memorial we are celebrating today, that is, our Holy Guardian Angels whom God has set before us. Their function is to be our guide and protector in our constant struggle against the war that rages in our souls. In these angels, we celebrate God’s loving care for each and every one of us, for God sends them to guide and to protect us. They are higher beings than us, but God put them at our service.

The angels have one goal in mind, which is the glorification of God, which, for our sake, consists in our salvation and sanctification. They are prepared to do anything to procure our salvation and increase our sanctification. So, angels do protect us physically, but more than that, they protect us more spiritually, especially guiding and protecting our souls from the danger of sin and condemnation.

The Angels do this by putting in us a holy fear, or contempt for those evils we know we should avoid. They enlighten our minds to help us to know the good we ought to do and the evil we are to avoid; this they do by acting upon the sensible part of our souls, our emotions and sentiments, and so inspire us with joy, peace and favour of God. For God communicates his message to us through their mediation.

This is what we see in the life of Job in our first reading, where we heard how Job, although he was suffering and passing through many troubles, including his friends who abandoned him and even accused him of wrongdoing, remained committed to God in righteousness without blaming either God or the people for his misfortune. For he said: My words have been frivolous: what can I reply? I had better lay my finger on my lips. I have spoken once… I will not speak again; More than once… I will add nothing.

Thereby teaching each and every one of us how to cooperate with our guardian Angels to respond and react in the moment of trials and difficulties. Thus, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus tells us to be humble like little children in following the directives of our Guardian Angels. He also warned us not to mislead the little children in their faith or harm them, for their Angels in heaven are constantly interceding for them.

Dear friends, God has always provided and protected us. He often sends his Angels before us, but what is your relationship with your guardian angels? We need to have a good relationship with our guardian angels so they are always there to help us in our struggles. All we have to do is trust in the Lord and follow the directives that our Guardian Angels have proposed for us. They are always before God, interceding and praying constantly for us.

They often speak to us and communicate the message of God to us, but we are often too busy and distracted by the noisy things of this passing world, which the devil has been using to lead us astray. We cannot give in to his schemes if we remain faithful and attentive to our Holy Guardian Angels.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of our Guardian Angels; today we ask that, through their intercession, we may always find favour in your sight and before men. Let us always be defended by their protection and rejoice eternally in their company as we say: Angel of God, our guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits us here. Ever this day be at our side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. Have a fruitful day. 

Homily For Thursday, Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 1st October 2026. The Solemnity of Our Lady Queen & Patroness of Nigeria

 
Readings: Is.11:1-10, Ps.72, Eph. 2:13-22, Matt.2:13-14.19-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY HAVE WE FAILED TO BECOME THE LIGHT AND SALT OF OUR COUNTRY, NIGERIA?

Pondering the struggles, fears, tears, disappointments and betrayals that people are passing through every day to survive in this world, especially in our country, Nigeria. Some people have lost hope in themselves and in everything they do because a few individuals, driven by greed for power and wealth, have frustrated our country's progress. For there is no doubt that the root of all the problems in our world today is the love of power. For people are ready to do anything to be in power and to retain that power.

 This is what we see in the life of Herod in our Gospel passage today, where the Holy Family of Jesus had to flee to Egypt because Herod planned to kill an innocent child for the sake of retaining his power. This ugly attitude is not far from us today, especially in our country, Nigeria, which is in a state of distress because of the love of power and greediness among the people in power and even the common citizens.

The fact remains that the elements of good and bad seem inherent in the human person, little wonder the world involves both good and bad mixed. This will help us to understand the reason for the corruption, greediness, immorality, and social decadence in our country today. So as we are celebrating our country, Nigeria, at 66 since our independence, we thank God who has made it possible for us to witness this day.

But today’s celebration should plunge us into deep reflection about the ugly condition of this country. We need to ask ourselves, what have we done right? What have we done wrong? How can we do better and what will the future of this country be like? This is because our country, Nigeria, needs a radical transformation from greed and selfishness to love and goodwill in a sacrificial way.

This is because the rate of corruption and greed in this country is so appalling. People are never tired of acquiring and embezzling public funds for their own selfish gain. This shows that we have failed in our responsibility at different levels where we find ourselves.

For we have failed to give that taste of love, joy, goodwill, integrity, honesty, holiness, and compassion to our tasteless and corrupt families, societies and our country Nigeria. As a result, life has become short, brutal and hopeless, with no money; the little in circulation has no value; fuel is not affordable; no light, no food, no water, no good roads; and the cost of living is so high.

Dear Friends, why have we failed to be the salt and light of this nation? Why have we chosen to mingle with darkness? Why have we chosen to remain silent and lose the sweet taste of love and goodwill God has given us? Is it the case that Christians are not involved in making policies in our societies and the implementation of those policies? I don’t think so, for I know we are involved, but we have forgotten who we are, so we have been thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men of darkness and lawlessness.

The truth is that we need a radical transformation. A transformation that will bring about a new outfit that makes one a new person, with a new life, a new mind and a new way of doing things. And this is possible only when we understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of greediness; then we will be able to do things the right way and our country, Nigeria, will be great again.

This country will be transformed only when the power of love and goodwill supersedes the love of power and when everyone understands that leadership is sacrificial and crucial to every human development. A situation where justice and faithfulness become the habit of every one of us in this country. Hence, all we need is good leaders who are not hypocrites. Leaders who will be truly servants of the people at all levels of leadership, beginning from the self to the family, to societies and to our country.

So, can I be such a leader in my life, my family, in my society and in my country? If my answer is yes. Then, we can begin to experience that peaceful coexistence and blessings that the prophet Isaiah mentioned in our first reading and bring the hostility going on in our country to an end just like St. Paul said in our second reading that we shall no longer be strangers in our own country but true citizens with the saints not just here in our country Nigeria but also in the kingdom of God.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, out of selfishness and greediness we have committed a lot of crimes and injustices against one another, grant that through the intercession of Our Lady Queen and Patroness of Nigeria, we may resolve to have genuine love and goodwill in carrying out our activities in our country as you guide and direct us to learn how to do the right thing always by letting the power of love transform the ugly situation in our country. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy New Month, I wish you a blessed Independence Day celebration. 

Homily For Wednesday, Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 30th September 2026. The Memorial of St. Jerome

 

Readings: Job 9:1-12.15-16, Ps. 88, Like 9:57-62

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY MAKE EXCUSES FOR WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW?

The path to success is so rigorous, strenuous and competitive. The strong pass through it and are celebrated, while the weak will always quit or give up. Hence, many people have not been able to achieve their goals in life because they always have excuses. Oftentimes we hear people say, "I want to do this but...," "I could have done it but...," "I thought of it but..." I was almost there but...

This kind of attitude is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, when he said to someone, ‘Follow me’, the man replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’

Then another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.

Here, Jesus is emphasising that following him requires a life of total self-denial, and the man who requested to follow Jesus had not reflected thoroughly on what following Jesus would entail. So Jesus made it clear that following him would mean giving up many of the personal comforts that he enjoyed and perhaps took for granted.

However, it may seem that the Lord Jesus was very harsh when he said that those who have chosen to follow him and looked back were not fit for the kingdom of God or that those who died ought to be left on their own to be buried. This is not the case here; rather, Jesus is emphasising that to be his follower requires serious commitment and sacrifices at all times.

And this is what we see in the life of Job in our first reading where we heard how Job, although he was suffering and was passing through many troubles, friends who abandoned him and even accused him of wrongdoing, remained committed to God in righteousness without blaming either God or the people for his misfortunes. Thereby teaching each and every one of us how to respond and react in the moment of trials and difficulties.

And today, as we celebrate the memorial of St. Jerome, which marks the sixteen centuries that he has passed on, we recall his great contributions to the Church and the Christian faithful, especially for his compilation of the Latin translation of the Greek Bible. Jerome was involved in and experienced all sorts of worldly pleasures as a young student of philosophy.

But later, his conscience led him to conversion into the Christian faith as he renounced all of his past sinful ways of life and devoted himself deeply to the study of the Scriptures, from which come all his great works we still study today.

Dear friends, for us to succeed in life we need to pass through some rigorous steps and stop making excuses. Sometimes the rigour of the paths may seem difficult and impossible, but in the end they form the experience that will propel us to success and sustain us as well.

So as we journey through the rigorous path of success in our mission and vocations, let us be encouraged by the life of Job and St. Jerome, knowing that none of our sacrifices and contributions in the mission of Christ and his Church will be in vain.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, teach us how to faithfully embrace our vocation and mission in life without making excuses. And through the intercession of St. Jerome, may we be ever more nourished by your word and find in it the fount of grace to journey the path of life; we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day

Homily For Tuesday, Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A. 29th September, 2026. The Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels

 

Readings: Rev. 12:7-12; Ps. 103, John 1: 47-51

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

CELEBRATING THE ARCHANGELS THE DEFENDER, GUIDE, AND HEALER OF THE HUMAN SOUL

As Christians, for us to be fruitful in our given vocation in life, there is a need for us to build a personal relationship with God and building this relationship is not as difficult as some people think, because God desires to have such a relationship with us. He often manifests this through the instrument of angels and Archangels. Little wonder we celebrate today the three great Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, who are God’s most powerful instruments for safeguarding the human soul.

In these Archangels, we have a powerful link to God, especially in our constant struggle and the spiritual battle for the sake of our souls. They are categorised based on their responsibilities. Archangel Michael is known as the Prince and defender of the heavenly hosts. He defends us in battle and helps us to be humble, so that we may not fall into pride, ambition, greed and vanity like the devil, whom he defeated and sent away from heaven.

This helps us remain firm in our commitment to serving the Lord, as we read in our first reading today (Rev. 12:7-12). Archangel Gabriel is known as the Messenger of God. He helps us to have faith in God through his words so that we may always hope in God. Archangel Raphael is known for the manifestation of the healing and mercy of God, especially for souls corrupted by sin.

This shows us the extent to which God can go for the sake of saving humanity. The fact is that God loves us so much, and it is not about our love for him, but his own love for us. This is manifested in the life of Jesus who loves us personally and desires to share in our daily struggles through the angels and Archangels.

All he demands from us is to acknowledge his presence in our lives and cooperate with his grace, and when such a relationship is established our lives will change for good just like Nathaniel in our Gospel passage, who acknowledged that Jesus is the Son of God, for which Jesus commended him for his faith and went on to tell him that he shall see great things in heaven including the angels ascending and descending in the presence of God.

Dear friends, what is our experience of angels and Archangels? Is there any occasion where we can say that we have personally encountered or experienced the presence of an angel? What is our relationship with our guardian angels? If not, we should desire to have one through our daily activities.

For today, we are reminded that God, through the Archangels, manifests his power and presence in human activities, and so we are called to always cooperate with the will of God as directed by his angels and Archangels, who minister to us. We are called to build a personal relationship with God through His Archangels, who are there to defend, guide and heal our souls from sin and death.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, thanks for the gifts of your Archangels, whom you often send to guide and direct our affairs in life. Through their faithful direction and protection, may our lives advance boldly along the path of salvation, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Thanks to our Archangels may you continue to direct and guide our ways

Homily for Monday Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 27th September, 2026

Readings: Job 1:6-22, Ps.17, Luke 9:46-50

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING WHERE TRUE GREATNESS IS FOUND

As human beings, we often desire to be great and do whatever will make us feel great. Hence, our lives become competitive and comparative because greatness adds ego to our status. This competitive and comparative way of life is what the disciples of Jesus displayed in our Gospel passage today, where we heard how they were arguing about who was the greatest among them.

This is quite surprising for them to be arguing for such an intention just after Jesus had told them that he was going to be betrayed. This shows that his disciples had not grasped his teaching thereby exposing the danger between the mission of Christ and human ambition as a result of ignorance.

For Jesus, knowing the intentions of his disciples, showed them the way to identify true greatness and one who has such qualities using the image of a humble child. Here, Jesus surprised his disciples by linking true greatness to the humility and simplicity of a little child and also showed how children can be the subject of a parable that reveals the vanity and deception found in some great persons. Because children are docile, humble, teachable, loving, forgiven and dependent.

Thus, Jesus explains that in the kingdom of heaven, true greatness is found in humility, and children serve as a symbol of humility, for they are dependent on adults for everything, just as we also are dependent on God. Little children serve as a concrete symbol of the simplicity which is a condition for entering the kingdom of heaven. So, in children we see these great virtues of simplicity and humility being placed.

And these acts of simplicity and humility are what characterised the life of Job in our first reading today, where Satan said to God that Job’s faith was only strong because he was so blessed and protected by God, but if he should lose them all, then he would surely abandon God and curse him.

This was while God allowed Satan to attack Job and take away everything he had: his great possessions and his family. But Job, in simplicity and humility, remained faithful to God, saying: " Naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked I shall return. The Lord gave, the Lord has taken back. Blessed be the name of the Lord!’

Dear friends, today we see in the lives of the disciples the danger between human ambition and the mission of Christ especially in the midst of ignorance and pride. Therefore we are reminded that true greatness and ambition are found in humble service to others.

But this is exactly what many of us are lacking. For we are so proud, greedy, and selfish, for we are deeply attached to the pleasurable things of this passing world, which prevents us from seeking true greatness that leads to the heavenly kingdom.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, amidst the danger of human ambition in relation to your mission, we have become so engrossed in the competitive activities of this world, seeking to be great in things that are passing away, grant that, we may embrace true greatness rooted in the humble service of our neighbours, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed and fruitful week ahead.

Homily for the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, 27th September 2026

Readings: Ezek.18:25-28, PS. 25, Phil 2:1-11. Matt. 21:28-32

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

YOU CAN STILL REPENT AND DO THE RIGHT THING NO MATTER HOW GRIEVOUS YOUR SINS ARE

One of the gifts God gave humanity is freedom. This freedom, though, comes with great responsibility, since we are responsible for what comes out of how we manage it. We are free to choose whatever we like, but we are also responsible for the consequences of our choice.

However, because of our fragile nature, we often make grievous mistakes in our choices even when God has given us all the necessary guidelines towards making the right decision, but out of disobedience, we frequently fail to follow these guidelines. Today we are meant to know that we can still repent and do the right thing no matter how grievous our sins are. For repentance and obedience are necessary dispositions towards attaining our ultimate goal in life, which is eternal life.

This is exactly what our Gospel passage this Sunday is addressing, when Jesus, in the parable of the Two Sons, said to the chief priests and elders of the people, ‘What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, “My Son, you go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not go,” but afterwards thought better of it and went. The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, “Certainly, sir,” but did not go. Which of the two did the father’s will?’ ‘The first’ they said. Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you.

Here, we see how repentance and obedience helped this first son to make the right decision about his father’s request while the second son failed because of negligence, irresponsibility and disobedience.

The second son represents those of us Christians who promised to work for God’s kingdom but have failed, thereby excluding ourselves from the kingdom. While the first son represents those ‘sinners’ who first chose to go their own way but now have repented and begin to follow the way of the Lord, by so doing, they have gained access to God’s kingdom. So in the first son we see someone who reflected on his decision, realised that he was wrong, and decided to make it right by taking full responsibility for his decision.

This very disposition is related to what the prophet Ezekiel is addressing in our first reading today, when he said: if the upright man renounces his integrity to commit sin and dies because of this, he dies because of the evil that he himself has committed. But if the sinner renounces sin to become law-abiding and honest, he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins; he shall certainly live; he shall not die.

This is because the righteous would perish for their sins of disobedience, while sinners would be saved by their repentance and obedience. This tells us the importance of repentance and obedience, which are rooted in humility, for they are necessary dispositions towards attaining eternal life.

This disposition is also exactly what St. Paul tells us to imitate in the person of our Lord Jesus as we have in our second reading where he said: in your minds, you must be the same as Christ Jesus: who though his state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was obedient yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross. But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names.

This shows us the humble obedience and the great love that the Lord Jesus has for humanity. For he willingly humbled himself and bore the most painful and shameful burden of our sins on the Cross. Thereby teaching us the kind of selfless love that we all have been called to show in our daily lives especially in our relationship with others

Dear friends, in our journey of life, have we made wrong decisions but found it difficult to change our minds and put things right? Are we thinking of leaving the right path to follow the sinful paths because of the ugly condition we are passing through now? Are we thinking that our righteous ways of life have not been fruitful because sinners are gaining more ground than we do? Are we living in sin now thinking that God will not punish us? Or are we thinking that it is not possible to repent now because of the gravity of our sins?

The truth remains that God is watching and waiting for us to change our minds. He is waiting for us to decide to make things right and take responsibility for our actions. He is watching and waiting for us to repent and make the right decision, but his waiting can not be for eternity. All we need is the right disposition that is rooted in humble obeisance and repentance of our sinful and ugly ways of life.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we have often abused the gift of freedom which you have given us and have strayed from the path you have made for us as a result of our sinfulness. Give us the grace of true repentance and humble obedience as you guide us through the right path of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday and God bless.