Homily for the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, 6th September 2026. World Day of Prayer For The Care of Creation

Readings: Wis. 13:1-9; Ps. 18; Col.1:15-20; Matt. 6:24-34.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE FUNCTION OF HUMANITY IN GOD’S CREATION

One of the greatest privileges given to humanity in the world is to manage God’s creation. This is not only a privilege but also a great responsibility and function of the human person: to ensure that what God has entrusted to our care is well cared for.

But a deep reflection on the history of how humanity has carried out this great responsibility shows that we have often neglected our duties towards God’s creation. Though we can not neglect the fact that we have, in little measure, enhanced the work of creation while creating more harm to created things.

Little wonder, this season the Holy Mother Church, through our Holy Father, the Pope, calls our attention to the need for us to pay serious attention to the care of Creation, and our liturgical celebration today focuses on this very important theme.

So today we are meant to understand that the care of creation means respecting and protecting our natural ecosystem and environment as a gift from God. A gift that reminds us of our duties and functions as stewards of God’s Creation. Therefore, we should develop a relationship with the rest of the created order in such a way that we live truly fulfilled and dignified lives in accordance with the mind of God the Creator, who said that all he created was very good.

Hence, the Holy Mother Church has been writing about the care of creation in her documents, and Pope Francis brought these documents together in Laudato si, where he talked about the human ecosystem, saying that we can better understand the importance and meaning of each creature if we contemplate it within the entirety of God’s plan.

With this notion, we can fundamentally understand why the call to care for creation becomes very important. Because, we are part of an order willed by God. And, being at the top of that order, we have a duty to care for the gift of the environment entrusted to us.

Hence, our readings today call our attention to this very fact. In the first reading, we are told that from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator. For if we have the power to know so much that we could investigate the world, how did we fail to find sooner the Lord of these things?

And St. Paul in our second reading made us know that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities all things were created through him and for him.

While in the Gospel we are meant to consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe us?

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and our heavenly Father knows that we need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be ours as well.

Dear friends, we are God’s special vessels entrusted with his special gift of creation. We must understand our functions towards his creation. We are stewards, we act as caretakers of the earth rather than absolute masters. We must have an Interconnection with what has been entrusted to us. This means protecting the environment, caring for human life, and vulnerable communities.

We have the moral responsibility of governing the ecosystems. Our disregard for the natural inhabitants of creation damages the relationship between humanity and the Creator. Therefore, we must be careful how we use created things with regard to the problem of consumerism. For we often desire to have and to enjoy created things rather than to nurture and grow them. We consume the resources of the earth in an excessive and disordered way. We think that we can make use of the created things without respecting the principles that guide them.

Hence, we are called to conserve resources and reduce wastage of resources, especially food and mineral resources. We are to eat locally grown food, avoid excessive packaging, and compost organic material, respect natural inheritance and grow more mature in management. Pope Francis, in Laudato Si ', says that “The human person grows more, matures more and is sanctified more to the extent that he or she enters into relationships, going out from themselves to live in communion with God, with others and with all creatures. This is the essence of today’s celebration.

LET US PRAY:

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of creation, forgive us for those moments we have failed to respect and care for creation out of our rebellious and proud behaviour, give us the grace and courage to care for creation and to correct one another in fraternal charity as we also learn to accept corrections when corrected. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed Sunday celebration.

Homily for Saturday Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 5th September, 2026

 

Readings: 1Cor4:6-15, Ps.145, Luke 6:1-5

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE MEANING OF THE LAW AND ITS RIGHT INTERPRETATION AND IMPLEMENTATION

Because of the weak and fragile nature of the human person, God made very good and practical laws that he wanted his people to obey, but over time these laws have been multiplied, turned upside down, and misinterpreted in such a way that they have become complex and difficult to obey.

God's law is the law of love, justice, mercy and freedom, for he describes himself as a merciful and compassionate God. This freedom enables us to follow the spirit of the law. Therefore, Jesus comes to bring people back to the law's original intention. He doesn’t come to abolish the law, but to show what God’s original intention was concerning the law.

 This is what our Gospel reading is addressing today. On a Sabbath, Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples were picking ears of corn, rubbing them in their hands and eating them. But some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing something that is forbidden on the Sabbath day?’ Jesus answered them, ‘So you have not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry? And he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is master of the Sabbath.’

Here, Jesus made it known to the Pharisees that they had made the Sabbath too stressful for the people; they were nothing but fault-finders and self-righteous people. The Law was interpreted by the elders and the priests, who passed it down as strict sets of rules and regulations that restricted the activities of the people on the Sabbath,

This often makes many people forget the very reason, purpose and essence of the Sabbath itself. Because the Law was strictly enforced on the people, those who did not obey were often treated with dishonour, just as the Pharisees did to Jesus and his disciples. Pharisees are known for their judgmental and comparative attitude, which makes them feel superior to others.

And this ugly attitude is what St. Paul is addressing in our first reading when he said: ' Keep to what is written.’ It is not for you, so full of your importance, to go taking sides for one man against another. So, St. Paul, using the example of himself, reminded us of the need to be humble and not to look down on others or be judgmental by our comparative attitude. This he did by showing and reminding everyone how he had humbled himself and laboured so hard for the sake of the people.

Dear friends, today Jesus teaches us the original intention of the Sabbath laws in relation to human needs. We should not be legalistic with the law; rather, we should identify the spirit of the law, which is rooted in love, justice and mercy and then follow it. This is what Jesus and his disciples did when, for the sake of their basic human need for survival, go against the ceremonial Sabbath day regulations of not plucking the grain or doing any work.

Also, we are called not to be judgmental, fault-finders and self-righteous people like the Pharisees who, under the cover of the law, planned to judge and condemn the actions of Jesus and his disciples. Therefore, we should rather humble ourselves and focus our attention on what God really want from us, which is to love him and to love our neighbours as well.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, oftentimes, we condemn and judge people based on what the law states without examining and applying the essence and spirit of the law; grant that in our relationship with others, we may begin to apply the true law, which is rooted in love, justice and mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a peaceful weekend. 

Homily For Friday, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 4th September 2026. Readings: 1Cor4:1-5, Ps. 36, Luke 5:33-39 Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING THE DANGER OF MIXING OUR OLD LIFE OF SIN WITH THE NEW LIFE OF GRACE

Oftentimes, we find it difficult to let go of our ugly old ways of life because we are so attached to them. But we must get rid of them if we want to follow Jesus. Little wonder, Jesus, in the Gospel passage today, talks about the importance of pouring new wine into fresh wineskins and the need to avoid using a new cloak to patch an old one.

He said: nobody puts new wine into old skins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins, run out, and the skins will be lost. No; new wine must be put into fresh skins. And nobody who has been drinking old wine wants new. “The old is good”.

Here, Jesus continues to show that he is bringing something new which should not be mixed with the old. So, the fresh wineskins refer to a new heart that has put off the old cloak and looks forward to the new wine of grace through the process of conversion, where we embrace the gift of new life that Jesus is offering to humanity. A gift that differentiates his disciples from other people.

This is so because the Pharisees and the Scribes observed the relationship between the disciples of Jesus and the disciples of John the Baptist as regards their new ways of doing things. So they came to Jesus and asked him questions regarding their manner of fasting and feasting. Jesus used this opportunity to educate them about the New Life of grace which he has come to offer humanity.

For Jesus is the groom and as long as he is around, it would be inappropriate for his disciples to fast. And as his bride, he loves us with a deep and everlasting love. He pays all our debts; he supplies all our daily needs; he sympathises with us in all our troubles; he bears with all our infirmities, and does not reject us because of our weaknesses. However, a time will come when the groom will no longer be with us, then we will surely fast. Telling us that fasting should be done at the right time for the right reasons.

Thus, St. Paul tells us in our first reading, that the Lord alone is our judge. So, there must be no passing of premature judgment. We should leave that until the Lord comes; for he will light up all that is hidden in the dark and reveal the secret intentions of our hearts. Then will be the time for each one to have whatever praise he deserves, from God.

Dear friends, today we are meant to understand the danger of mixing the old life of sin with the new life of grace. 

So we are called to let go of our old sinful ways of life in order to embrace the New Life of Grace God is offering us. Therefore, what is that old garment in our lives that we are patching with the new? What is that old wine of habitual sin that we are pouring into the new wineskins of our redeemed and purified souls?

Today we are called to give a fresh response towards embracing this New Life of grace which Jesus is offering us. As we think about these, let us struggle to avoid our old sinful ways of life and fully embrace the new righteous way of life that God is offering us today.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, You are the source of our New Life; grant us the grace of true and total conversion to find such great Joy in Your abundant Life of grace and mercy through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed and peaceful day. 

Homily For Thursday, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 3rd September 2026. The Memorial of Pope St. Gregory The Great

Readings: 1Cor 3:18-23, Ps. 23, Luke 5:1-11

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

HAVING AN ENCOUNTER THAT LEADS TO TRUE CONVERSION

There is something deep and unique about every person; sometimes it takes personal experience to discover it. I don't know if you have ever had an experience that made you realise the emptiness of this life, a kind of experience that turns your pride into humility, sinfulness into righteousness.

This is the kind of experience that Simon had with Jesus in our Gospel passage today, which made him realise his emptiness and fall to his knees before Jesus, confessing his unworthiness. This is because Jesus had said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’

And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signalled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus, saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.’ But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.’

This encounter brought true conversion to Simon and his companion, changing their destiny from fishermen to fishers of men. For they obeyed the Lord who told them to put out into the deep waters, and as soon as they followed His instructions, they netted so many fish that the whole boat could not take it.

This glorious event manifested the power and grace of God at work in us especially when we humble ourselves. And St. Paul in our first reading said: make no mistake about it: if any one of you thinks of himself as wise, in the ordinary sense of the word, then he must learn to be a fool before he really can be wise. Because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.

Dear friends, like Simon and his brothers, we are called to reflect on our personal encounter with God, an encounter that brings true conversion. But how have we personally experienced God? When was our spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that is not based on what people have told you of him?

In case we have not personally encountered him, all we need to do is sincerely seek God in those common events in our lives. Then, we will realise how much God is willing to reveal himself to us. Just like Pope St. Gregory the Great, whose memorial we celebrate today, he had a personal encounter with the Lord, which propelled his effort in spreading the Gospel message and, by so doing, converted many more souls to the Lord.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, every day is an opportunity to encounter you through different events that occur in our lives. Grant that we may have a personal encounter with you and uniquely experience you in our daily activities, and through this experience discover our purpose in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a favourable day.

Homily For Wednesday, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 2nd September 2026.

 

Readings: 1Cor 3:1-9 , Ps. 33, Luke 4:38-44

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

GOD MAKES EVERYTHING GROW, WE ARE ONLY HIS INSTRUMENTS IN THE WORLD

Every day, every moment, God is working on us so that we can work with him just the way engineers and builders take their time to construct a building plan which an architect has drawn, and this is done in different stages with different instruments.

Some are meant to begin from the drawing of the plan; some join at the pegging, digging and casting the foundation; some specialise in laying the blocks, casting the floor, raising it to the lintel, roofing, plastering, painting and furnishing. But in all this, God is the Master planner who determines what becomes the outcome of the whole structure, but not the instruments he uses.

This is the message St. Paul is trying to communicate to us in our first reading today: it does not really matter who we encounter on our journey of life; only God makes things possible in our life. Other things are only God's fellow workers, his field and also his building. He said this because the people were busy causing division among the instruments God used to minister to them.

They said, ‘I am for Paul’ and ‘I am for Apollos’? But St Paul said to them: “What is Apollos and what is Paul? They are servants who brought the faith to you. Even the different ways in which they brought it were assigned to them by the Lord. I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God made things grow. Neither the planter nor the waterer matters: only God, who makes things grow”.

This is clearly demonstrated in our Gospel passage, when Jesus healed Simon's mother- in- law and others with several diseases as he goes about preaching the Good News of God's kingdom, a purpose for which he came into this world. Thereby demonstrating God's ultimate role and power in our lives.

Dear friends, it does not matter who God has used in ministering to us, what really matters is what God has done and the message he wants to communicate. So, as disciples of Christ, we have the grave obligation to announce the Good News taught by Jesus. We are to bear witness to the truth we have found in Christ. But we should not make ourselves the centre of attraction; rather, God should be at the centre while we make ourselves available instruments in his hands.

Therefore, as God's field and building, no matter the stage we are at with him, what really matters is our cooperation with his grace and plans for us. Let us learn to make God the centre of attraction and not the instruments he uses to accomplish his plans. Remember, you are not God, you are only his instruments in the world. For we are people the Lord has chosen for his heritage.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as your workers and your field, you have invested so much in us; help us to be great instruments in your hands through Christ our Lord. Amen. As you go about your duties, may the favour of God be upon you now and always.

Homily For Tuesday, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 1st September, 2026. HAPPY NEW MONTH

 

Readings: 1Cor2: 10-16, Ps. 145, Luke 4:31-37

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

RECOGNISING THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF JESUS OVER EVIL

From the Scriptures, Jesus seems to have lived in a world of hostility and conflict between good and evil, as well as political witch-hunting, family divisions and demonic possession, just like we have it in our societies today. For there is no doubt that there is an active presence of evil in the world, which manifests itself in different forms.

So every day we struggle against the malice of the evil ones, and people are doing everything they can to overcome them. But often, when children of God are confronted with evil, they don't know what to do and out of fear they fall victim and are helpless because they are ignorant of the power and authority of God in them.

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, we heard how the people of Capernaum, and even the demoniac, recognised that the Divine Authority of Jesus in the world brings victory over the evil ones. For his teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority.

And the man who was possessed by the devil shouted at the top of his voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the devil, throwing the man down in front of everyone, went out of him without hurting him at all. Astonished, they said to one another, ‘What teaching! For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits and they come out.’

Here the demons recognise Jesus as the power of God. His power over the demons directly defeats 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 confront evil and overcome it.

Little wonder St. Paul, in our first reading, tells us that the Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God. For we have received the Spirit that comes from God, to teach us to understand the gifts that he has given us. Therefore, we have possessed through the Spirit the power and authority over the evil ones.

We are no longer unspiritual, for an unspiritual person does not accept anything of the Spirit of God: he sees it all as nonsense. But a spiritual man can judge the value of everything, and his own value is not to be judged by anyone, for we have the mind of Christ.

Dear friends, what is our notion about the authority and power of Jesus? Do we still have any doubt about the authority of Jesus? How much of this authority dwells in you? Today the demoniac identified the source of Jesus’ authority as divine, have you personally identified the divine authority of Jesus in your life?

If you have not, why not ask him to activate his power and authority once more in your life, because we have received the gift of his power in our baptism. All we need is to put it into active use, then we will obtain the desired results.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are often ignorant of the power and authority of the Holy Spirit which you gave us on the day of our baptism; may we recognise this divine power and authority once again in our daily struggles with the evil forces in our world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful and prosperous New Month

Homily For Monday, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 31st August, 2026

 

Readings: 1Cor2:1-5, Ps. 119, Luke 4:16-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHEN YOU NEGLECT PEOPLE YOU LOSE WHAT THEY CAN OFFER YOU

Often, we treat and respect people based on our knowledge of their background and status, so we fail to see the image of God in them or what God is doing through them. This is because our judgment is the product of human wisdom, and when our faith is based on this kind of wisdom, we are bound to neglect and treat others with contempt.

This is the situation in our Gospel passage today. For when Jesus came to Nazareth, his own town, where he had been brought up, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day as he usually did. He taught the people about his mission as prophesied by the prophet Isaiah, and at the end he said to them, ' This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’

And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips. But in contempt they said, ‘This is Joseph’s son, surely? As they ridiculed him, Jesus said ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country. For this reason they tried to kill him.

Here, we see Jesus, who preached inclusion, find himself excluded. His listeners were frightened at his message, and because of familiarity, he was rejected by his own people who glory in their wisdom, which is based on their knowledge of his humble background. This is because they lack true faith as they depend on their human knowledge and philosophy.

This kind of ugly attitude is what St. Paul is addressing in our first reading today when he said: During my stay with you, the only knowledge I claimed to have was about Jesus, and only about him as the crucified Christ. Far from relying on any power of my own, for I came among you in great ‘fear and trembling’ and in my speeches and the sermons that I gave, there were none of the arguments that belong to philosophy; only a demonstration of the power of the Spirit. And I did this so that your faith should not depend on human philosophy but on the power of God.

Dear friends, our relationship with Jesus should not be based on this kind of philosophy; rather, it should be based on our personal experience of the power and love of God in our lives. For it is this personal experience that will help us to embrace his words convincingly and never look down on anyone, but see in all the light of God's presence. Therefore, we are called today to be accommodating and never try to treat anyone with contempt, because anyone can be a potential vessel of God's blessings to us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, out of pride and ignorance, we have often treated people with contempt because of their humble background. Help us today to realise that everyone is a potential instrument of your blessings, and so learn to accommodate people. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed week ahead.