Homily for Thursday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 13th August, 2026

Readings: Ezekiel 12:1-12, Ps.78, Matt. 18:21-19:1

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY WE MUST LEARN TO FORGIVE PEOPLE UNCONDITIONALLY FROM OUR HEARTS

In the Gospel of Matthew 6:12, we have the prayer our Lord Jesus gave us as a pattern of all prayers and as a fundamental principle of Christian life. In this prayer, there is a portion that points out something so important. This portion says, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us. ”

By this prayer, we are making a covenant and commitment that will be a standard by which we are going to be judged as regards our relationship with others and with God. But oftentimes we are not conscious of these principles, especially when we have to face the difficult moment of forgiving a grievous offence.

Thus, Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus, being conscious of this fact, asked Jesus in our Gospel passage today, saying: ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy times seven.

And he illustrated his answer with an example of a servant who owed his master a great debt that he and his generation cannot pay. But when he pleaded for mercy, the master forgave him all the debts. However, this same servant found a fellow servant who owed him as little as one hundred denarii, he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him and even when he pleaded for mercy, instead of forgiving him, he put him in prison according to the norms of the law until he had paid his debt.

This unforgiving servant did to his fellow servant what the master could have done to him, but did not. When the master heard how he treated his fellow servant, he said to him: “You wicked servant! I have forgiven you all your debt because you appealed to me. Were you not bound then to have pity on your fellow-servant just as I had pity on you? And, angry, the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debts.”

Jesus then said, this is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’ For God will apply the principle he has given us in our Lord’s Prayer, which will automatically put us where we properly belong based on how we have related with others.

In this story, we see the extreme estimate of the debt the servant owed his master: ten thousand talents. Even if he and his family had to work their whole life, they would never have been able to pay that debt. Because a denarius is a day's wage for a common workingman. While a talent is 6,000 denarii, or 20 years of daily wages. That means he would need to work 6,000 days to earn one talent and we are talking about ten thousand talents.

So, that’s a huge amount compared to the hundred denarii his fellow servant owed him; in fact, there was no comparison between the two debtors at all. However, this will expose to us the ugly attitude of unforgiveness and also help us to understand that our debt before God is so huge and countless that we cannot be able to pay it.

Dear friends, we must learn to forgive people, but having experienced the infinite mercy of God, how are we dealing with our unforgiving attitude? Are there people we have vowed not to forgive? Have people hurt us so much that we can’t forgive them? Have we offended people and cannot be humble enough to ask for their forgiveness? Do we think that our sins are so huge for God to forgive? Are we finding it difficult to forgive those who have offended us?

There is no doubt that forgiving a grievous offence can be very difficult, but when this is done, it is like recovering a lost treasure that contains: joy, peace, freedom and healing. And today Jesus is asking us to learn how to forgive others always and unconditionally from our hearts, so that God will also forgive us always and unconditionally.

For we heard the Lord in our first reading today saying through the prophet Ezekiel: Son of man, you are living with that set of rebels who have eyes and never see, ears and never hear, for they are a set of rebels; they will surely go into exile, into banishment.

Therefore, we must never refuse to forgive or reject an offer of reconciliation in our relationship with God and with our fellow human beings and if this becomes difficult, bring it to Jesus in prayer as you contemplate his patience, humility and mercy.

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

Homily for Wednesday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 12th August, 2026

 

Readings: Ezekiel 9:1-7;10:18-22, Ps.113, Matt. 18:15-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE RIGHT PATH TOWARDS FRATERNAL CORRECTION AND RECOLLECTION

As humans, we are not perfect because of our contingent nature, so we are likely to offend one another in any relationship we find ourselves in. As a result of this, one of the major challenges we face in most relationships today is the ability to properly correct and reconcile with one another, especially when one is straying from the norms set up for the good of the relationship.

In our Gospel passage today Jesus gave us the practical steps we need to follow to correct and reconcile with one another to build a stronger relationship when he said, ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the Church as a community; and if he refuses to listen to the Church, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.

Here, Jesus calls for fraternal correction in any relationship we find ourselves in, for we are responsible for one another, and these steps and stages give room for reconciliation. This fraternal correction must always be inspired by real charity which is one of the spiritual works of mercy. However, this is never an easy task, especially when one has to bear the sacrifice of forgiveness because forgiving a very grievous offence is one of the most difficult things to do.

However, forgiving a grievous offence is like recovering a lost treasure that contains: joy, peace, freedom, a healthy mind and healing. But how often do we seek to recover this lost treasure in our lives caused by unforgiveness? Hence, Jesus today calls us to persistently seek reconciliation until we gain our brothers and sisters back whenever they have offended us.

If they refuse to be reconciled, we should pray for their conversion, for that is how Jesus taught us to treat the pagans, the tax collectors and sinners. For in all our proceedings, we should seek direction in prayer, knowing that God manifests his mercy when he transforms people and leads them to conversion, as he changes us and turns us from selfish and rebellious individuals into truly loving persons.

Dear friends, it is our duty, obligation and responsibility to ensure in a fraternal charity that our fellow brothers and sisters, friends and neighbours, colleagues and collaborators are corrected and guided whenever they are in need or go astray. Every one of us has the responsibility to strengthen our relationship and be a good example for one another as we work the path towards our salvation.

This is exactly what the vision of the prophet Ezekiel in our first reading is addressing, for Ezekiel saw what happened when the glory of God departed from the Temple and the city, because of the sins of the people which brought about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple of God by the Babylonians, as seen by Ezekiel who was then in exile in Babylon. However, God, through this vision, showed how his grace and mercy will be made present among the people who embrace his call for repentance, reconciliation and fraternal correction.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are rebellious and proud people; we lack the courage and disposition to accept corrections; help us 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 favourable day.

Homily for Tuesday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 11th August, 2026. The Memorial of St Clare of Assisi

 

Readings: Ezekiel 2:8-3:4, Ps.119, Matt. 18:1-5.10.12-14

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

TRUE GREATNESS IS FOUND IN THE HUMILITY OF LITTLE CHILDREN

Human life and activities are always competitive and comparative in nature; that is why we are often anxious to recognise or be recognised as the strongest, wisest, cleverest, richest. We will always want to know the most beautiful, the most handsome, the most talented, and the greatest in virtually everything. Little wonder, the most lucrative business and adventures are found among those activities that are competitive, such as sports, entertainment and politics, because greatness gives more ego to our status.

This competitive and comparative way of life is what the disciples of Jesus displayed in our Gospel passage today, when they asked Jesus, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? For they were curious to know which one of them. But Jesus showed them the way to identify greatness and one who has such a quality by offering them two strong images: that of the humble child and a dependent sheep.

Here, Jesus surprised his disciples by linking true greatness to that of humility and simplicity of little children 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, as 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 find these great virtues of simplicity and humility. Hence, parents should encourage their children to participate in activities where they display these virtues.

Meanwhile, in the parable about the lost sheep, Jesus presents to us the images of a dependent sheep and a caring and loving shepherd who searches for the wandering sheep. For he invites us to embrace true greatness in humble service to others, especially the weak and the vulnerable, as we imitate God who never abandons anyone even the lost "sinners".

This is exactly what the prophet Ezekiel demonstrated to his people who were lost as they rebelled against God and needed to be brought back to God as we have it in our first reading today, where the Lord made him great by offering him the scroll to eat and then said Son of man, go to the House of Israel and tell them what I have said.’

This is similar to that of St. Clare of Assisi, whose memorial we celebrate today. She was a woman of great faith and humility, who was known for her great piety, love for God and humble service to the poor. And together with other women dedicated themselves to God’s service through prayer and holiness as they founded the religious order of the Poor Clares, as a group inspired by the life of St. Francis of Assisi.

Dear friends, let us learn to be humble like little children even in the midst of our competitive and comparative nature. For today we are reminded that true greatness is found in humility and in humble service to others. But this is exactly what many of us are lacking. Because most of us are so proud, greedy, and selfish, as we are deeply attached to the pleasurable things of this passing world

This, of course, prevents us from seeking true greatness that leads to the heavenly kingdom. And as a result, many of us are lost sheep, but Jesus, the good shepherd, is searching for us and guiding us on the path towards reconciliation and redemption, so that we may find the path towards the salvation God has offered to all humanity.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are lost, for we are so much engrossed with 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. God bless you. 

Homily for Monday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 10th August, 2026. Feast of St. Lawrence

 

Readings: 2 Cor. 9:6-10, Ps.112, John 12:24-26

Fr. Rev. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HOW TO YIELD A RICH HARVEST OF HEAVENLY THINGS

The way people are so engrossed with acquiring the things of this passing world at the detriment of things that edify the soul makes me wonder if we are actually learning anything from the lives of those who have passed away from this world.

Have we taken time to reflect on where all of us and the beautiful things of this world will be in the next ten, twenty, forty, eighty and hundred years for those who are strong? I believe the answer to this question will leave a deep silence in our souls as it exposes the foolishness of human greed and selfishness.

Little wonder that Jesus, in our Gospel passage today, tells us that unless a wheat grain falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest. Anyone who loves his life loses it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Here, Jesus is telling us that the only way to save our lives is by total detachment from the things of this passing world. We must sacrifice the pleasurable things of this world for the sake of the heavenly kingdom because they are not going to follow us when the time comes for us to leave this world. For attachment to things of this world is a distraction from the things of heaven. But when a soul dies to the things of this passing world, it yields a rich harvest of heavenly things.

Therefore, what are the things I value so much that need to die for me to live more fully in Christ? Because, like a wheat grain, we must sacrifice by dying to the things of this world to yield fruit that will sustain us for eternity. Hence, we need to ask ourselves today, what does God require from us in this world? Why are we in this world, and where are we going from this world?

Dear friends, all the Lord wants from us is to serve him, to love him and to love our neighbours as well. And Jesus says in our Gospel, If a man serves me, he must follow me, wherever I am, my servant will be there too. For if anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.

This is exactly what St. Lawrence, whose memorial we celebrate today, did. Lawrence was one of the deacons of Rome and, as such, was greatly involved in the many important decisions and works in the very heart of the Church in Rome. During the persecution, St. Lawrence was confronted by the Roman prefect, acting on behalf of Emperor Valerian, who demanded that he surrender all the properties and material wealth of the Church.

Lawrence assembled before the Emperor all the poor, the infirm, the sick and the destitute and presented all of them before the Roman prefect as the true property and wealth of the Church. Then, the Emperor was filled with anger; he ordered that Lawrence should be arrested, imprisoned, and eventually martyred by being roasted alive on a gridiron, which was made even hotter by the anger of the prefects.

As they were burning him, he joked and asked his torturers to turn him over since he was "done" enough on that side. The deacon cheerfully offered himself to the Lord Jesus. Tradition has it that most people in Rome became Christian as a result of the faithful life and the death of this one humble deacon, who let the seed of his life die to yield a rich Heavenly harvest.

Today the life of St. Lawrence is a great encouragement to us, calling us to the sacrificial life of love for God, the poor and the Church. And St. Paul, in our first reading today, tells us about the great rewards awaiting all those who had been generous in giving and loving the poor and the needy.

For the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide us with all the seed we need and make the harvest of our good deeds a larger one, just like St. Lawrence, who showed us a great example by his great generosity, love, and genuine concern for the poor and the Church.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, Today, we saw in St. Lawrence a great example of how to live, and how to die faithfully to the Gospel. As we reflect on his life, may we come to love you more and strive to detach ourselves from the negative influence of pleasurable things in this passing world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed week.

Homily for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 9th August, 2026

 

Readings: 1Kings 19:9.11-13, Ps 85, Rom. 9:1-5, Matt. 14:22-33

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

LORD SAVE US FROM THE EVIL STORMS OF THIS PASSING WORLD

A boat is a craft made for transportation, fishing, or cruising on the water, propelled by oars or wind. It is a full house, a complete and secure vessel. The fishermen and the marine men who are in the sea business know the value of a boat and what it means to be in a boat faced with heavy storms.

Little wonder, in the Scriptures, Jesus often uses the boat to teach and instruct the people and his disciples. On the occasion of our Gospel passage today, Jesus instructed the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side. When evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea storm.

So as the waves were breaking over the boat, the disciples were afraid and needed help from anywhere. It was at this point that they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and he said to them: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid”. But Peter said, ‘If it is you, Lord, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus.

Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he became afraid and began to sink. So he cried out ‘Lord! Save me!’ Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. And as they got into the boat the wind ceased. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’

In this Gospel passage, we can foresee a gesture which signifies the chosen people of God on a transit of faith, frightened by the guilt of sin and wounded by the waves of the sea, the abode of evil forces and monsters of this world. Today Jesus is inviting us to journey on this boat of life with an unwavering faith and a repentant heart so that our storms of struggles will cease.

Because the world is being tossed around by the waves of evil forces the enemies of humanity, inflicting hardships, sickness and sorrows on us. But Jesus is inviting us to come into his boat with faith so that we can find life, peace and grace to overcome our struggles.

Just the way God called prophet Elijah out of the cave of fear and starvation to encounter Him at Mount Horeb, as we have it in our first reading today. So, there came a mighty wind, so strong that it tore the mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake came a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came the sound of a gentle breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave; there he encountered the Lord in the gentle breeze.

Thus, Elijah encountered the Lord in a moment of stillness and silence, reminding us that God can not be found in the violent storms of life, but in the deep silence of our hearts even in the midst of the storms of life. Hence, we should not let all the challenges, trials and difficulties we encounter in this crazy world make us lose sight of God’s presence, but they should lead us to God.

And this is what St. Paul is struggling with in our second reading when he said My sorrow is so great, my mental anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and blood to know and understand their place in God. This no doubt is what most people are passing through in our societies today.

 Dear friends, the world is full of crowds and caves of different storms, and so many people are trying to find ways to fix their problems. Today Jesus is inviting us to come into his boat of life with an unwavering faith and a repentant heart, and we will find peace of mind. For his boat is the safest vessel where all our storms can be subdued. Where humanity can find solace, where all our struggles will cease, where hope for the future is guaranteed.

Therefore, I don't know the great storms of doubt and fear in your soul today? I don’t know how deep your sorrows of constant failure and disappointment are? I don’t know how long or deep you have been involved in the evil going on in this world? All I know is that if today we come to Jesus, the boat of life, with great faith in God, the storms in our lives will cease, and then we will worship God in sincerity and freedom.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for being with us this far in our daily struggle of life, grant that the violent storms and waves of bondage in our lives will end in a wonderful calm that brings peace in our souls. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you the best of God’s favour and blessings today and always.

Homily For Saturday, Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 8th August, 2026. The Memorial of St. Dominic

Readings: Habakkuk 1:12-2:4; Ps. 9; Matt 17: 14-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY WE HAVE FAILED TO EXPRESS THE FAITH PROPERLY AND OBTAIN POSITIVE RESULTS

Oftentimes, we think and wish that we have enough faith to face whatever challenges come our way. However, the fact remains that we can only truly understand the level and capacity of our faith when we are faced with a situation that overwhelms our physical and mental abilities. Then we will realise that what we think we have as faith is nothing but a shadow of reality. Such was the situation with the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today.

A man came up to Jesus begging him to deliver his son, whom he had brought to the disciples, but they were unable to cure him. But Jesus said to them ‘Faithless and perverse generation!’ ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I endure you? Bring him here to me.’ And he rebuked the devil, who immediately came out of the boy and he was cured from that moment.

Then the disciples came privately to Jesus. ‘Why were we unable to cast it out? They asked. He answered, ‘Because you have little faith. I tell you solemnly, if your faith were the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it would move; nothing would be impossible for you.

Here, Jesus gives two reasons why the disciples failed to cure the boy. The first is connected with their own moral condition and disposition, as they were only depending on their own personal abilities. Secondly, and more importantly, is their lack of faith. Though they had, indeed, shown some faith by making even the attempt at the expulsion of the devil.

But they had acted half-heartedly and had not displayed that perfect confidence and trust which alone can bring success and make all things possible. Thus, Jesus decided to use the analogy of a mustard seed to give them a lecture about having a perfect and complete faith that moves mountains.

The mustard seed, as we know, is the smallest of all seeds, which grows to produce the largest of all shrubs. So with the analogy of the mustard seed in relation to faith, Jesus supposed that, if we have the smallest faith that is genuine, we can do all things. Just like the mustard seed produced the largest of all herbs.

Therefore, if we begin to nurture our faith to grow and strengthen from a small, humble beginning, it will grow to the point that it can help us to perform and achieve greater things and conquer the most difficult situations that, at first, would appear impossible.

So faith moving mountains implies the spiritual and divine ability to make difficult and stumbling situations vanish. And this is obtained when we are rooted in God through sincere love. This is what we see in St. Dominic whose memorial we celebrate today. Through his personal experience of God, he has helped the faithful to renew their faith and commitment in God and their society through the deepening of their spiritual lives, especially through the use of the rosary as a prayer, which eventually became one of the most popular of all devotions in the Church, through which countless souls have been converted to the Lord, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Dear friends, if we want to grow in faith, we must cultivate the humble habit of a mustard seed, which, though small, has the potential of becoming great when exposed to a fertile environment. For us to have the faith that moves mountains, we must be well-disposed to embrace the power of God in our lives; we must desire to have a personal experience of the power of God at work in the world and acknowledge that in him comes our victory over every situation we encounter.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, faith is your supernatural gift to humanity, grant that we may embrace this gift even as little as that of a mustard seed, to move out of our lives the tough mountains that are crushing us in our daily lives. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a joyful weekend.

Homily For Friday, Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 7th August, 2026

Readings: Nahum 1:15.2:2.3:1.6-7, Ps. Deut. 32:35-41, Matt 16:24-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE SACRIFICIAL NATURE OF FOLLOWING THE LORD

Reflecting on the continuous hostility, persecution and influential powers of the things of this world, I think it is time for us to really think twice about our faith as Christians, whether we are ready to live out our faith in the midst of these ugly situations in our societies, which is getting tougher every day. If we are willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision towards our discipleship in a personal and radical way.

Little wonder Jesus, in our Gospel passage today, says: ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it, but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life?

Here Jesus knowing what awaits us in this world, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level, especially in a situation where our faith and Christian values have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excess desires for worldly pleasures, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God.

Thus, these hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our life experience. Here comes the moment when we have to make radical and difficult choices as disciples of Jesus. It’s time for us to take up our Cross in a sacrificial way and follow the Lord.

But what is the cross we are called to take up? Taking up our cross could mean faithfully facing our daily challenges with all their difficulties. It is accepting who we are and what we have and using them to the glory of God.

The way of the cross is a way of sacrifice, a way of commitment, a way of love, forgiveness, mercy and compassion, which aim towards the good of the other person. It can be a costly service to a loved one who is ill; it can be embracing illness, even terminal illness or other personal weaknesses; this makes no sense except when we relate it to the suffering of Christ through faith in God.

Dear friends, don’t ever think that it is easy to follow the Lord. Little wonder God, through the prophet Nahum in our first reading today, promised us that he will not abandon his faithful people in the darkness of this passing world. For he shall crush the wicked and all those who have oppressed his people.

He has promised to stand by us in the midst of persecution and suffering. For a while, we might suffer, but in the end, those who remained faithful to him will be victorious while the oppressors will be rejected, crushed and destroyed.

Thus, to share the glory of Christ, we must share His suffering, because it is impossible to follow Jesus without accepting the cross and acknowledging and embracing all that life has to offer us. So it’s time to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully follow Jesus.

But how much are we willing to let go for the sake of following him? Why are we finding it difficult to follow Jesus? What are those habitual desires and possessions that are holding us back from making this radical decision today? It is time to come to God with all our hearts, for tomorrow may be too late.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts towards you, give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires and as we do this, may the cross of Christ be a shining example in our daily struggles, to hold firm in our faith despite all the sufferings and persecutions we may encounter. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.