Homily For Thursday in Second Week of Easter, 16th April, 2026

Readings: Acts.5:27-33; Ps.34; John 3:31-36

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY WE MUST LEARN TO OBEY GOD’S AUTHORITY ABOVE HUMAN AUTHORITIES

As the persecution of the apostles continued, the authorities of the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin forbade the apostles from preaching in the name of Jesus, as we read in our first passage today. But the apostles spoke out boldly, saying, 'We should obey God rather than men.' They stood firm and witnessed all that they had experienced. Their testimony was directed by the Holy Spirit, who is given to all those who responded to God with the obedience that comes from faith.

So, they continued to preach in the name of Jesus, and their accusers could not stop them even though they had been strictly forbidden to do so. Such are the grace and courage we receive when we experience the power of the risen Lord. We will not be afraid to witness because we are convinced that Jesus is the One who comes from above, the One whom God has sent to speak the words of God.

He is the Word of God who came to bear testimony to what he has seen and heard just as we heard him telling Nicodemus in our Gospel passage, that anyone who believes in the Son has eternal life, but anyone who refuses to believe in the Son will never see life: the anger of God stays on him.

Dear friends, as Christians living in a world where our faith is being challenged every moment especially in this ugly situation of wars, corruption, kidnapping, greed and hunger everywhere. So, we must make costly choices of choosing to obey God rather than men and not give in because of persecution, hunger, poverty or our worldly ambition.

Everywhere we find ourselves, be it in business, relationships, politics and in family life, we have to make decisions about remaining honest, truthful, holy and faithful to our faith and commitments to God above that of any human authorities. So, we must be ready to stand firm in the faith we have found in God. We must learn to submit to the authority of the Lord above all other human authorities.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, give us grace and courage to constantly obey You above any human authority, especially in times of difficulty, hunger, strife, sickness, and persecution. Never let us deny You because of worldly pressures and difficulties or be put to shame, as we place all our hope in You. Amen. It’s a new day, be strong, be focused, for the Lord has promised to be with us till the end of time.

Homily For Wednesdays in Second Week of Easter, 15th April, 2026

Readings: Acts. 5:17-26; Ps.34; John 3:16-21

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED THE LOVE OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE AND SHARED IT WITH OTHERS?

Oftentimes, when we are passing through difficult times, we feel and think that God does not care about us. We feel that God has abandoned us in this passing world. We even feel that God has no connection with the activities of humanity. But this is not true, for our Gospel passage today talks about the relationship between God and humanity that inhabits the world.

Telling us that God loves the world and the humanity living in it. He loves it so much that He gave His only Son, who died a shameful and terrible death on a cross for the sake of His love. Yes, Jesus is God's love personified in our world. For God loves the whole world, His love is total and unconditional for every one of his creatures. This is why we who have benefited from the love of Jesus are the face of God’s love in our world today.

This love is what the apostles bear witness to in our first reading today, and for this, they were persecuted by authorities. We are told that the main motive for their displeasure was jealousy. The apostles were witnessing what they had experienced, and this attracted large crowds to the group.

So the authorities, out of jealousy, had the apostles arrested and thrown into the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates for them and told them to go back and continue preaching in the temple and bearing witness of God’s love for humility.

Dear friends, this is what we are called to do; we have, in one way or another, experienced the love of God so greatly and personally in our lives. It’s now time to bear authentic witness to this love to all humanity. We are to tell the world how deeply God loves them. We are to demonstrate this love to the world and let this love be felt by those who have lost hope in God especially at this time when humanity is struggling with the ugly situation of hardship.

We are the face of God’s love now, we are the channels of His love now. Therefore, let us extend this love in any form, gestures or manner possible to everywhere that it is lacking. A kind word, a single phone call, a text message, an act of forgiveness, a single prayer, sacrifice, patience and any form of generous act shown to anyone around you or as many people as you can reach out to today, reflect this love of God for humanity through you.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we have come to know and experienced Your love for humanity, give us the grace to reciprocate this love in the world by our ways of life using the gifts, talents and resources you have given us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you. 

Homily For Tuesday in Second Week of Easter, 14th April, 2026

Readings: Acts.4:32-37; Ps.93; John 3:7-15

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LIVING A CHRISTIAN FRATERNAL LIFE

One of the major problems in our world today is individualism; this, no doubt, is the cause of disunity, greediness and corruption that is really destroying humanity. To overcome this ugly attitude, we need to learn from the early Christian community as recorded in our first reading, which gives us an account of how the company of believers were of one heart and soul, deeply united with each other.

They bear witness to the central element of their faith, that is, loving God with all their hearts and with all their soul and loving their neighbours as themselves. Thereby bearing witness to the teachings of Jesus. They sold their belongings, brought the proceeds together, and distributed them to each according to their need.

This was possible because the Holy Spirit united them. It is the power of this Spirit that Jesus is talking about in our Gospel passage today when he said to Nicodemus: "The wind blows wherever it pleases; you hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. That is how it is with all who are born of the Spirit”.

This great gesture demonstrates what fraternal love really means. No one claimed anything as belonging to him/herself; everything was held in common. This shows us the social life of the early Church. But the question is, do we still have such sharing communities in our Church today?

Perhaps we may find such communal sharing in some communities of religious life with vows of poverty and total sharing of resources coupled with a life of material simplicity. Also, there may be other groups of lay people and some families who try to implement this Christian vision and value. But they are very few.

Dear friends, how many families are practising this great Christian fraternal living? How many societies in our churches are willing to maintain this tradition? This should be encouraged, especially at this moment when the world is passing through difficult times, and we are fast losing our great Christian values of communal and fraternal living.

There is a need for us to also extend it to the societies where these fraternal Communion and charity have been taken over by individualism, selfishness, corruption and greed. How I wish humanity would learn how to live in fraternal charity like the early Christian, then we will see that the world's resources will be enough for everyone. Therefore, let us unite again as one family.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we reflect on the attitudes and virtues of the early Church, give us the grace to imitate them as we cultivate the attitude of sharing our material and spiritual blessings with those in genuine need in our community especially in this difficult moment in our society and the world at large. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace-filled day.

Homily For Monday in Second Week of Easter, 13th April, 2026

Readings: Acts.4:23-31; Ps.2; John 3:1-8

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LORD, GIVE US COURAGE AND BOLDNESS TO PROCLAIM YOUR GOSPEL

Threats, intimidation, torture and fear are some of the powerful ways of silencing people from expressing their views, opinions, and faith. We can recall how these ugly attitudes were used to silence the youths in the recent past in our country, especially in the ugly event of the End-SARS protest, which brought about the Lekki toll gate shooting and killing of innocent people.

These very techniques and tools are what the chief priests and the elders used in intimidating the apostles in our first reading today, and the same systematic tools prevented Nicodemus from coming to Jesus except by night, as we read in the Gospel passage today.

Nicodemus was afraid and ashamed to be seen with Christ because of his colleagues, who might possibly threaten him. So he came in the night to seek knowledge. Here he came not to have knowledge about the state affairs, though he was a ruler, but about the concerns of his own soul and its salvation. Though he came by night, Jesus welcomed him and afterwards at the passion he proclaimed Christ publicly, hereby demonstrating and teaching us the power of courage.

Dear friends, these same courage and boldness were the prayerful request the apostles made to the Lord when they were threatened by the authorities never to preach in the name of Jesus. Now, the disciple knew that powerful forces were arrayed against them. They knew, as well, that Peter and John were determined to continue their witnessing.

So they prayed for strength to speak the Word of God with confidence and boldness and asked that in their expression of faith God should accomplish their works with signs and wonders in the name of Jesus. We all need this confidence and boldness if we are to effectively evangelise the people, especially at this moment when the world has lost interest in the things of God.

LET US PRAY: heavenly Father, as we struggle with the ugly situation of fear, intimidation and torture in our families, societies, country and the world at large, give us the grace, confidence and boldness to proclaim Your Word in the power of Your Spirit to penetrate the hearts of men and women of our generation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. May the Joy of the risen Lord be our strength.

Homily For Second Sunday of Easter, The Divine Mercy Sunday, 12th April, 2026

Readings: Acts.2:42-47; Ps.118; 1Pet. 1:3-9; John 20:19-31

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET BELIEVE

The event we celebrate today is meant for us to focus our attention once again on the Lord, to ask Jesus for his mercy on us and the whole world especially through his glorious and wondrous passion, which stands as a perfect offering for the redemption of humanity.

Little wonder Pope St. John Paul II in the Jubilee Year of 2000, instituted the Divine Mercy Sunday, which is to be celebrated every second Sunday of Easter to remind us that the joyful celebration of Easter season is also a time for us to appreciate once again that our Lord Jesus passed through the worst of sufferings and humiliations in his Passion, Death and Resurrection, and so won eternal life for humanity.

Hence, we need to have faith in the Lord and believe that through him there is hope for our salvation. This truly explains the words of Jesus to his disciples when he said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe”. This statement could be a central theme in our Gospel passage today.

The major issue here is the act of doubting. There is a foundational philosophical statement attributed to René Descartes, that says: "I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am" (dubito, ergo cogito, ergo sum). This statement highlights that the act of doubting one's own existence proves the existence of a thinking mind. It serves as a methodical, certain starting point, concluding that doubt and thinking are undeniable proof of existence.

Here, Jesus said to Thomas: “ Do not doubt but believe… for blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” This is because Thomas was lacking in faith and so was doubtful of the Lord’s resurrection but only to be humbled when the Lord himself appeared right before him. Thomas believed and said to the Lord, ‘My Lord and My God’. And the Gospel ended by saying that these are written that you may believe in Jesus and that believing you may have life in his name.

This also, is repeated in our second reading today, where we heard St. Peter saying: "You did not see him, yet you love him; and still without seeing him, you are already filled with a joy so glorious that it cannot be described, because you believe; and you are sure of the end to which your faith looks forward, that is, the salvation of your souls.”

Here we are told that through our love and faith, we have victory over the world and salvation for our souls. So, the purpose of this Gospel is for us, the readers to believe and so enjoy the promised blessing. Today no doubt, Millions of Christians have been strengthened in their faith by reading this Gospel, and millions of others have been brought to faith through it.

But, what about you and me who today have experienced the Lord and his mercies, having journeyed with Jesus as long as we have come to embrace the Christian faith? What can we say about our personal encounter and experience of the person of Jesus? Are we really convinced about the faith we profess? Are we still at the level of faith that is based on what we hear or read about Jesus? Or have we really and truly encountered the person of Jesus in such a way that our faith has no doubt anymore, such that we can truly say like St. Thomas, "My Lord and My God"?

Dear friends, are we still doubting like Thomas? Today, we are encouraged to believe without even seeing like Thomas. But this can really be very difficult in a world of empiricism, yet we are still called to truly embrace this faith without doubting despite all the ugly human attitudes that are kicking against our faith.

That is why, sometimes in our lives, we behave like Thomas; in fact, Thomas represents all of us who, in one way or another, have been doubtful of the presence of God in our lives. No doubt that there are many of us with different experiences at different levels of faith and devotion.

But at some point, we may have grown weak in our commitment to the Lord and begin to doubt his presence with us, based on our own experiences, or when we are distracted and tempted by many ugly desires for worldly things that will turn us away from the Lord.

More so, we have often placed God aside and forgotten about him, by prioritising other things in our lives. We have often treated him or things related to him as something not significant. There are times when we doubt the presence of God in our families, societies and even the Church.

There are times when we have doubted the presence of God in the Eucharist, in the sacraments and even in the activities of his ministers. Oftentimes, we are doubtful of the mercy of God, his love for us, his power to save, heal and protect us, as we go seeking help from other “sources” which will only worsen our situation.

Brethren, to be a believer in our world today can be really difficult, so we need to support each other. We need to strengthen our community life, especially during this difficult moment in our country and the world at large. The early Christians supported one another by praying, worshipping and sharing their resources and the word of God together, as we heard in our first reading today. For the people were loud in their praise, and the number of men and women who came to believe in the Lord increased steadily. And so many signs and wonders were worked among the people at the hands of the apostles.

Therefore, let us unite together as believers, and bear authentic witness to our faith. As we struggle in this dark moment in our lives when God seems far away from the world, let us ask him to help us to remove all forms of doubt, especially in this time when the Gospel is under all kinds of threats by faithless and ignorant people.

Nevertheless, let us ask God for His Divine Mercy in our lives, our families, societies and the world at large. Remember, the Lord is indeed merciful; he forgives us freely and generously, but we should not take his mercy for granted by dwelling perpetually in sin.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are encouraged to believe without seeing, this can really be very difficult in a world of empiricism, help us especially this trial moment in our world, never to doubt whatever you have revealed through your son, may we rather be steadfast in faith, joyful in hope and untiring in loving you and our neighbours, as the world hope to experience your Divine Mercy once again, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Divine Mercy Sunday to you and your household. 

Homily For Saturday in Octave of Easter, 11th April, 2026

Readings: Acts.14:13-21; Ps.118; Mark 16:9-15

Rev Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WE ARE CALLED TO BEAR AUTHENTIC WITNESS OF THE RISEN LORD TO HUMANITY

After the resurrection of Jesus, he appeared to his disciples on different occasions. Today in our Gospel passage, he appeared to the eleven apostles and commissioned them to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation. This is what Peter and John exercised in our first reading today.

Here, the rulers, elders and scribes were astonished at the great witness shown by Peter and John, so they tried to prevent them and other disciples from spreading any further the Good News about the risen Lord, by attempting to suppress them through fear and intimidation.

However, the disciples were not ready to give in to fear or pressure, for they were encouraged and strengthened by the Lord through the Holy Spirit, since they were no longer the same people who hid in the fear of the authorities. Instead, they openly rejected the orders from the Sanhedrin and continued to carry out the missions which God had entrusted to them.

Hence, the mandate of this mission has been repeated in our liturgy throughout this octave of Easter, to remind us of our mission as Christians. It also allows us to review our Easter experience, so as to examine ourselves to know the impact the week has made on us.

Dear friends, to what extent have we been able to bear witness to the world about the risen Lord? As disciples of Christ, we are mandated to share the Good News of salvation provided by Christ Jesus to all creation. We are to do so not just in silence, but in words and actions, which are seen in our ways of life.

So, friends, what can we do to ensure that the Gospel reaches out to all creation? How best can we spread this Good News, especially in this time of difficulty when the world is looking for answers to the fundamental reality of human life?

The answer to these fundamental questions is rooted in our first reading today, where we are made to know that the best way to preach the Gospel today is by our way of life. Today, many voices are preaching the Good News, but only a few are bearing authentic witness to the Gospel. Therefore, let our lives bear authentic witness to the Gospel of the Lord.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, give us the grace and courage to bear authentic witness of your Gospel in a world where people are confused and no longer pay attention to your word. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a peaceful weekend. 

Homily for Friday in Octave of Easter, 10th April, 2026

 

Readings: Acts.4:1-12; Ps.117; John:21:1-14

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WITHOUT THE LORD WE WILL TOIL IN VAIN

For any system or structure to remain firm and sustainable, such a structure must be well situated on a solid foundation known as a cornerstone. This is also applicable to most things we do in life.

Today in our Gospel passage, the disciples of Jesus, led by Peter, had left Jerusalem and gone all the way back to their native homes to resume their former ways of life as fishermen, because they had failed to understand that Jesus is the cornerstone of their lives and vocation. So they went fishing all night. After a whole night’s fishing, they caught absolutely nothing, tired and disappointed.

This night of futile fishing left them with empty nets and hopelessness. They have forgotten that without Jesus the cornerstone, they can do nothing. It was at this point that, suddenly, a stranger on the shore invited them for breakfast. Here, Jesus took the initiative and visited them as he engaged them in a dialogue, saying, “Have you caught anything?”

They reluctantly admit they have got nothing. Then, he said to them drop your nets on the right side of the boat and you will find something. They did so and were overwhelmed at the catch they had made. There were so many fish that they simply could not be taken into the boat. Thus, they recognise that it was Jesus, the cornerstone of their lives and mission.

Dear friends, when you are rooted in Christ our cornerstone, you will not toil in vain. So, like the disciples, we too must come to recognise Jesus as the cornerstone of our lives, who is there for us even at the most mundane moments of our daily lives. The truth is that we all need to have a strong root in everything we do. Without a strong root in the Lord, who is our cornerstone, we will not be able to stand firm when challenges of life hit us.

Little wonder, Peter tells us in our first reading, that Jesus is that stone which the builders rejected, but today is the cornerstone by which we are saved. Today, all over the world, people are struggling with different ugly situations. In fact, the world is in a state of confusion, people are suffering, their means of livelihood have been deprived, no food, no electricity no good water, crisis everywhere, poverty is on the increase, house rent is due and no one to run to, some families only look up to God for daily survival.

However, in the midst of these ugly situations, let us know that we are not left alone in our fears and sorrows, for Jesus, the cornerstone of our lives, is nearer to us now than before. We only need to have faith in him and acknowledge him as the cornerstone of our lives and families especially in this difficult moment. Let us be strong, steadfast, courageous and hopeful, knowing that the Joy of the risen Lord is our strength.

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, without you we will toil in vain, never cease to be the cornerstone of our lives, our families and the world at large. May the most vulnerable in our midst experience your grace, your help, your healing, your favour and interventions as we look up to you as our cornerstone. For you live and reign forever and ever. Amen. Have a fruitful day.