Homily For Saturday Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 30th May, 2026

 

Readings: Jude 17.20-25, Ps. 63; Mark 11:27-33

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING AND EMBRACING THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF JESUS

In our dealings with people, we are often requested to make reference to authorities to back up our claim to know or possess anything. And when such authority is not available our proposal may not be taken seriously. Little wonder our Gospel passage today presents to us the fundamental question concerning the source of Jesus’ authority, namely, whether it is divine or human.

Here, after Jesus drove away the traders from the courts of the Temple, the chief priests and elders questioned the source of his authority, for they were more concerned to learn whether Jesus had received the proper human authorisation.

In response, Jesus draws their attention to John the Baptist and his authority, and by so doing, he implies that the source of John's authority is the source of his as well. Thus, anyone who correctly identifies the source of John's authority will identify the source of Jesus’ own as well.

Therefore the questions we need to ask ourselves are: What is our notion about the authority of Jesus? Do we have any doubt about the authority of Jesus? How much of this authority dwells in you? The crowds identified the source of John and Jesus’ authority as divine. Have we personally identified the divine authority of Jesus in our lives? Why not ask him to manifest his power and authority once more in your life?

Dear friends, we need to open up our hearts to truly embrace the authority of the Lord Jesus. We need to build up our interior lives around his authority, so as to be closer to God and continue to prepare ourselves physically and spiritually for the coming of our Lord Jesus in our hearts and our souls.

For there he awaits our response to his invitation to holiness and love. Little wonder St. Jude in our first reading today said, when some have doubts, reassure them; when there are some to be saved from the fire, pull them out; but there are others to whom you must be kind with great caution.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, in your divine authority we build our confidence and hope. May you continue to direct and guide our ways and bring our plans and purposes to a successful end. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a happy and fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 29th May, 2026

Readings: 1Peter 4:7-13. Ps. 96; Mark 11:11-26

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE LORD WANTS TO PURIFY OUR SOULS, WHICH ARE HIS TEMPLE 

The temple, as we know, is described as the sacred dwelling place of God. That’s sacred space where humanity encounters the Divine presence of God. It is a symbolic space where God desires to live together with humanity and rule the world through them. Therefore it is very important to ensure that such Sacred Space (Temple) is kept sacred at all times.

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, after Jesus had cursed a fig tree for not being fruitful, we heard a very brief story of how he entered the temple in Jerusalem and drove away the traders from the courts of the Temple saying: “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations?

But you have turned it into ‘a den of thieves’.” So he chased out all the dishonest, selfish and greedy merchants who were making profits by cheating the faithful pilgrims who came to the Temple to worship God.

Here Jesus was not just concerned with cleansing the temple of Jerusalem, but also the temple of the human heart, that is, our souls. He is objecting to the corruption of the sacred. Our body and soul are a temple of the Lord and belong to him alone. It is a sacred space, a house of prayer which must not be given over to the false gods of money, greed and sin.

So, by clearing the Temple, the Lord has also urged us all to clear our own spiritual temples, that is our body, mind, heart and soul, in which God dwells, so that we will actualise the fruit of the gift God has given us.

Hence we are told in our first reading today that each one of us has received a special grace, so, like good stewards responsible for all these different graces of God, we should put ourselves at the service of others. If you are a speaker, speak in words which seem to come from God; if you are a helper, help as though every action was done at God’s orders; so that in everything God may receive the glory, through Jesus Christ.

Dear friends, our souls are the sacred dwelling of God’s Temple. Thus, it should be made sacred at all times by ensuring that we get rid of all corruptions, wickedness, pride, ego, greed, wrath and all other sorts of evils within us.

We must resist them and strive to inspire and help one another to keep our Temple sacred. For Jesus wishes to cleanse the temple of our soul by removing what has corrupted it, to purify it for worship, and make it a dwelling place for God in prayer. But are we willing to let him cleanse us?

LET US PRAY: Merciful Father, we are your temple, yet we have let the selfish desires for the things of this passing world to corrupt us so deeply. As we embrace your Words today, may we experience the joy of the purification of our body and soul through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a joyful day.

Homily For Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 28th May 2026

 

Readings: 1Pet. 1:18-25; Ps.147; Mark 10:46-52

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR NEED AND HOW ARE YOU PRESENTING IT TO GOD

There is no doubt that Jesus has demonstrated his compassionate love for humanity in various ways, especially to the poor, the sick, and those possessed by unclean Spirits. This attitude of Jesus, which springs from the love of God the Father, constitutes the basis of the Church’s liberating activity, which is rooted in our faith in God.

Little wonder, in our Gospel passage today, Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, gives us a complete lesson about faith, expressed with total simplicity in the presence of Christ Jesus. He had faith enough to call out to Jesus as he passed by, even when he was scolded by the people close to him, his need for Jesus was so great that he cried all the louder, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!

Then Jesus asks an unusual question “What do you want me to do for you?” So even though his need was obvious, Jesus wanted him to mention it. In the same way today, Jesus is asking us: " My child, what do you want me to do for you? Why not, like this blind beggar, tell Jesus your need?

Even though he knows your needs, you still need to present them before him. This blind man needed his eyesight restored, so he said aloud to Jesus, “Lord, that I may see!” And Jesus said: ‘Go your way; your faith has saved you.’

Here, we see a man whose faith led him to put off his former identity and cry in the hope of restoration. Bartimaeus’s faith involves proclamation, prayer, liberation, personal encounter and following of Jesus. More so, Jesus, in this healing, reveals his compassion towards human suffering and wants us to imitate Bartimaeus’s faith in our struggles and challenges of life.

Dear friends, what is that one thing you need in your life? Have we ever felt helpless and neglected? Do we feel the need for Jesus’s help in some part of our lives? Do we know people who are helpless and need some help? How strong is our compassion towards them? Let us look at them for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at them. How does he see them? Why not, in faith, present our needs before Jesus, who is willing and ready to help us?

 For St. Peter, in our second reading today reminds us that we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

So, like Jesus, each one of us is called today to reach out to people around us who are really in need of our assistance. This includes our family members, our neighbours, our colleagues and others whom we encounter in life. The truth is that you may be the only person who can bring the healing and compassion of Jesus into their lives.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we present our needs before you today, may we experience once again your compassionate love and grant our hearts' desire according to your Holy will, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you God’s favour and blessings

Homily For Wednesday, Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 27th May 2026

Readings: 1Pet. 1:18-25; Ps.147; Mark 10:32-45

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HAVING THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARDS POWER AND THE INFLUENTIAL THINGS OF THIS WORLD

One of the most unattractive attitudes of many of our leaders today is their love of power; people are willing to do anything to acquire it. People kill, kidnap, blackmail and condemn others because of their ambition to hold power and sustain it. This ugly attitude of mankind is well displayed in our Gospel passage today when the two sons of Zebedee requested that Jesus promise that they should sit one at his right hand and the other at his left in his kingdom. 

This unfortunate request was made while Jesus was telling his disciples about his passion and death. But instead of reflecting on the seriousness of the words of Jesus, they were busy quarrelling over who grabs power, as most people do today. When the other ten heard about the request made by these two sons of Zebedee, they were indignant with the two brothers. Perhaps because they had misinterpreted Jesus’ teachings about the Kingdom and presumed that it would be a kingdom in which they would have honour and prestige, like most people think today. 

But Jesus called them and said, ‘You know that among the pagans the rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. 

Dear friends, true greatness is found in sincere service to others and not in over-ambition for power nor by plotting against others. This ugly attitude is what we often experience in our families, societies and our country today. Where people do all kinds of evil to grab power and sustain it. 

Little wonder St. Peter in our first reading today said: Remember, the ransom that was paid to free you from the useless way of life your ancestors handed down was not paid in anything corruptible, neither in silver nor gold, but in the precious blood of a lamb without spot or stain, namely Christ. You have been obedient to the truth and purified your souls until you can love like brothers, in sincerity; let your love for each other be real and from the heart. 

Friends, I don’t know what your experience has been regarding serving others. I don’t know which of the characters in our readings can best describe our attitude towards power. Are we like the sons of Zebedee? Is our attitude like that of the ten disciples? Is our attitude like that of the pagan rulers who lord it over others? Whichever category we fall in, today we are called to be humble like Jesus who came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. 

Therefore, as leaders, we should see ourselves as servants and not seek status beyond our reach or plot the downfall of others. Remember, ambition can be a good thing but only if it is kept in check and if pursued for the right reason, that is, to serve others. 

 LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are often consumed by excess love for power, which we often misuse and abuse.  As we listen to your teaching today, may we learn to use the power and authority entrusted to us in humble service for the common good of all. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a favourable day.

Homily For Tuesday Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 26th May 2026. The Memorial of St. Philip Neri

Readings: 1Peter 1:10-16; Ps.98; Mark: 10:28-31

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

CAN WE SACRIFICE EVERYTHING FOR THE SAKE OF FOLLOWING THE LORD?

In our world today, people can go to great lengths to acquire properties, treasures, fame, influence, and power, just to secure their future and that of their tenth generation. But we hardly take time to prepare for our spiritual life or sacrifice for the sake of our souls about the Kingdom of God.

This is exactly the mindset of most people today, and this is not different from the disposition of some of the disciples of Jesus. Little wonder Peter in our Gospel passage today, asked Jesus a very important question about sacrificing everything for the sake of following him. So, in response, Jesus said to him: ‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, not without persecutions now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.

Here, Jesus is reassuring us that all those who have given everything, committed their time and efforts, and are making sacrifices for the sake of his kingdom, will not be disappointed nor left without rewards. Their reward in the end will be truly great, for God remembers those who love him and have given themselves for his sake. He will guide them and remain with them throughout their journey no matter how tough it may be.

Hence, we heard St. Peter in our first reading saying: Put your trust in nothing but the grace that will be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. Do not behave in the way that you liked before you learnt the truth; rather, make a habit of obedience: be holy in all you do, since it is the Holy One who has called you, and scripture says: Be holy, for I am holy.

Dear friends, what would be the most difficult thing for us to give up if Jesus were to ask us to do so? Those things we are so attached to and would not like God to ask us to give up for the sake of following him. Will you let go of things such as money, houses, credentials, love of power, pride and wealth or our relationship, our job, our habits and attitudes? These will be extremely difficult because we are living in a world of materialism and egoism.

But the Lord is asking us to leave them and follow him for we will surely be rewarded for sacrificing them for the sake of his mission. Also, whatever we possess that will separate us from our mission of following Jesus and loving our neighbours, today we are called to give them up and come follow the Lord because in leaving them for the sake of Jesus, we gain all in abundance.

LET US PRAY, Lord God, we are distracted by the things of this passing world. Through the intercession of St St. Philip Neri, give us the grace to let go of things that often separate us from your Mission and the obstacles on our way to your Kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful day. 

Homily For Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, The Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church (Mater Ecclesiae), 29th May, 2026

Readings: Gen. 3:9-15.20, Ps.87; John 19:25-34

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

BEHOLD MARY OUR MOTHER

As the Holy Season of Eastertide comes to an end with the celebration of Pentecost yesterday, the Church continues with the second phase of Ordinary Time in the liturgical calendar. This begins with the memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church.

 Although today’s Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church is new, the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Mother of the Church, is very ancient. It was Pope Francis, who established the celebration of this Memorial in 2018, which is to be celebrated annually on the day following the Solemnity of Pentecost. Pope Francis said he wished to establish this Memorial in order to encourage the growth of the maternal sense of the Church in the pastors, religious and faithful, as well as a growth of genuine Marian piety.

Hence, the Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church, is established to remind us that Mary is indeed the Mother of all of us. For as God’s chosen people, Mary has been entrusted to us to be our own loving Mother, and to whom we have also been entrusted as her own beloved adopted sons and daughters, through Christ, her Son, who shares his divinity with us as he elevates our humanity, as we have it in our Gospel passage today, when Jesus entrusted his mother to John saying: Woman, behold your Son, then to the disciple he said, Behold your mother.

Here, Mary assumes the role of the Mother of the Church, while the disciple represents all of us Christians, who are members of God’s Church and therefore have become children of Mary, God’s own beloved Mother, and she is indeed, the Mother of the Church, the Mother of all Christians. Thus, Mary had always been with the Church as she has always been with the Apostles and the other leaders of the Church, for she is full of grace and has borne Christ, who is the Head of the Church.

So, it is worth honouring her with the title Mater Ecclesiae, the Mother of the Church. For she was the New Eve who resisted the temptations of Satan and remained completely faithful to the Lord as she followed her Son, the New Adam, to the foot of the Cross. Thereby fulfilling the Lord’s prophecy at the very beginning, as we heard in our first reading today.

Dear friends, as we celebrate Mary, as our Mother, the Mother of the Church and the Help of all Christians, we entrust all our struggles, suffering, persecutions, challenges, trials and difficulties into her maternal care, to remain faithful and survive through the turbulent times and challenges of our time.

We also pray for our country, Nigeria, that through the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, God may intervene in the ugly situations in our country. Let us learn to remain faithful like Mary and not take our faith for granted. Let us remain steadfast, knowing that Mary, the Help of all Christians, is our Mother and Consoler.

LET US PRAY, Lord God, as we celebrate the Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church and Help of Christians, grant through her intercessions, all the graces and courage we need to conquer all our fears and challenges of life, and so look forward to the coming of Christ our Lord and Saviour. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Pentecost Sunday Year A, 24th May, 2026

 

Readings: Acts 2:1-11; Ps.104; 1 Cor. 12:3-7,12-13; John 20:19-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

Today, the solemnity of Pentecost, we have gathered like the disciples of Jesus who, after the preaching, the passion, death, resurrection and the ascension of Jesus, were afraid and ashamed to talk about Jesus. So they locked themselves in a room praying and waiting as we have done for the past few weeks now, waiting for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, that Promised Paraclete as Jesus directed us.

Yes, today the Promised Paraclete has come, the Comforter has come, the purifying fire has come. Today all children of God are empowered once more to conquer the world with the Good News of Christ's salvation. Today, the fears, the shame, the weakness of sins, the lukewarmness, the lockdown and all the barriers that hold us captive in the upper room have now been consumed by the power of the Holy Ghost, which we are receiving today. For we have been set free and empowered to transform the world once again with the truth of the Gospel of Christ.

This power is what we receive in our Gospel passage today, when Jesus came and stood among his disciples in their lockdown and fearful situation and said to them as he is saying to us today: ‘Peace be with you, As the Father sent me, so am I sending you. And after saying this he breathed on them and said: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.” As he is saying to you now: Receive the Holy Spirit!! Gba Ẹmí Mimọ!

Karɓi Ruhu Mai Tsarki! Nara Mmụọ Nsọ!

This Gospel passage takes us today to the Upper Room, where, after the Last Supper and the tragic events of his passion and death, a sense of loss and fear had saddened the hearts of the Apostles. But their sadness will not be long, for he will not abandon them, he will not leave them, orphans. He will send the Consoler, the power of Love, the Spirit of the Father, and this Spirit will enable them to understand that his work is a work of love: love of the One who gave himself, love of the Father who has given him and love for humanity whom he has come to save.

This is the mystery of the Pentecost we are celebrating today as we have it in our first reading, When on the Pentecost day the disciples were in a room of fear and shame, and suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.

These gifts of the Holy Spirit are grouped into seven with twelve fruits. The seven gifts include: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. While the fruits which are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory are as follows: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.

Among all these gifts and fruits, love is the most important of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, just as it is also the most important of all the Christian virtues. Without love, all the good things we have received and accomplished mean nothing. Love helps us share in the image of God that Jesus offers us, so that we can live a life of the spirit. The Holy Spirit illuminates the human spirit and reveals in it the image of Christ Crucified and Risen, to become more like him, bearing the image and instrument of the love which flows from Christ. It is in this image of love, that the greatness of the Pentecost event is perceived.

Hence, St Paul advised us in our second reading to embrace the Spirit of love that will help us to accommodate each other’s gifts and talents, for though separate individuals, we are united as one body and one Spirit in one baptism. For there is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of us. This tells us that the gift of the Holy Spirit is meant to be put into use for the good of humanity. But this is not always the case. Because, sometimes we let our gifts be dormant.

Little wonder, St. Hilary in his treaties on the Trinity said that: faculties of the human body, if denied their exercise, will lie dormant. The eye without light, natural or artificial, cannot fulfil its office; the ear will be ignorant of its function unless some voice or sound is heard; the nose will find no work or purpose if it cannot perceive any scent. This is not because the faculty is absent, but rather because it is never put into use. So, there will be no experience of its existence.

This is the same with the soul of man, unless through faith it has appropriated the gift of the Spirit, then it will have the innate faculty of apprehending God. For the Spirit has been given to each according to the measure of his willingness to receive it in his soul. This Holy Spirit we must seek to have in abundance and then hold fast by faith and obedience to the commands of God.

Dear friends, how well are you disposed for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit? What is your disposition towards the outpouring of the Holy Spirit? Some people have come today to receive the Holy Spirit without adequate preparation. Some are prepared just to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. Some have come with an extra basket, while some have come with a secured vessel to obtain as many gifts as possible.

Today the power of the Holy Spirit of love has been poured upon us, so we are called and empowered to go into the whole world and proclaim the Good News of God’s love for humanity. For there are many people in our world today who have not experienced the true love of God in their hearts, because they are distracted by various worldly concerns and selfishness, as they keep hurting each other and causing more trouble in the world.

Therefore, let our actions and deeds bear the fruit of this love of God not only to such people, but to our fellow brethren by showing genuine care and concern for each other. Let us not close our doors of love because, we continually want to feel secure and do not want to be disturbed by others or by God.

Rather let us like the apostles break open the doors of our hearts, for Christ overcome our enclosure to bring us love and peace and build a bridge between heaven and earth, so that we can climb up on this bridge of love to reach him and together with him, we too can reach all humanity, beginning with our families members, our societies and to the ends of the Earth.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we lift up our hearts together with Mary our mother in the Spirit of Pentecost, singing the Veni Sancte Spiritus, may the Holy Spirit of love come down upon us wherever we may be and fill our hearts with the fire of His love. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love. Amen. Wishing you a Spirit-filled Pentecost celebration.