Homily For Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 30th July 2026

Readings: Jer.18:1-6, P 146, Matt 13:47-53

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

A CLAY IN A POTTER’S HAND

A story was told of a beautiful clay pot used to decorate a garden. The clay pot was the point of attraction to all, including its fellow ordinary clay. One day, the ordinary clay approached the beautiful clay pot and said, 'We do not doubt that you are clay, just like us.' But how come you have become so beautiful and special that everyone admires you?

The clay pot smiled and said: There was a time when I was nothing but a dumb lump of red clay. Then, one day, a Potter came with a digger and a hoe, dug me out of the dumb lump, painfully separated me from my fellow clay and brought me to his house. I cried out, but he ignored me.

He rolled and pounded me on a wooden table several times without mercy. I cried out, " Don’t do that! Leave me alone!’ But the Potter suddenly placed me on a spinning wheel and spun around and around and around until I lost all consciousness. Just when I thought it was over, he placed me carefully into an oven which is hotter than hellfire.

Why me? I cried out in anguish! But the potter only smiled and gently said: because you are special! I struggled, yelled, knocked and broke several times, but the Potter was patient and meticulous in ensuring that I adjusted to his will. Realising that I cannot win, I surrendered completely to the will of the Potter, and he only nodded in understanding and quietly said: “It is not over yet!

Then he pulled me out of the oven, and when the heat cooled, he carefully picked me up and dusted away some dirt, and behold, I was transformed, looking so beautiful and special. And the potter smiled and said: This is what you are meant to be. For God has made you into a special vessel for a special purpose.

This story reflects what the prophet Jeremiah is telling us in our first reading today: God is the Potter, and we are the clay. God has created humanity as beautiful clay in his hands to be moulded into a beautiful and special vessel for the heavenly kingdom. But humanity has sinned and rebelled against God and his plan for us. Unless we repent and turn away from our sinful ways we will all perish.

Hence, we are called to repentance, for there will be a day of judgement of which Jesus, in our Gospel passage, used a parable to describe that the kingdom of heaven will be like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in fish of all kinds.

When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are of no use. Here, Jesus is telling us that the kingdom is open for all, but not all can be suitable to dwell in it; only those who, on the judgement day, are found suitable can be admitted into the kingdom.

Dear friends, all God requires from us is for us to let him mould us into the heavenly vessels that he planned for humanity. There is no doubt that sin has destroyed our original nature, but just like when the potter was shaping clay in his hands, and he formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. So will God re-mould us into a new vessel for his heavenly kingdom if we repent from our pride and sinful ways of life?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, sin and pride have separated humanity from your plans for us; today, we come to you like clay in a lump, be our Potter once again and re-mould us into that heavenly vessel which you planned for us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

Homily For Wednesday, Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 29th July, 2026. The Memorial of SS. Martha, Mary and Lazarus

 

Readings: Jer. 15:10.16-21; Ps. 59; Luke 10:38-42

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS?

Today we celebrate the memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus, very close family friends of Jesus. In this family, we see what should be a good example of our attitude towards Jesus in our families. In our relationship with Jesus, we often struggle to understand what Jesus requires of us.

Oftentimes, we worry about so many things in life, and this often distracts us from relating to Jesus properly. But Jesus will always have a way of teaching us how to relate to him despite our different charisms and dispositions.

This is what is playing out in our Gospel passage today, where we heard the story of how Martha was so busy trying to make Jesus comfortable as he visited them at their house in Bethany.

But when Martha observed that her sister Mary was not helping out in the preparation, but was rather busy listening to Jesus, she said to Jesus: “Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her”.

Here, Jesus is not condemning this great sacrificial virtue nor condoning laziness. Rather, he is saying that being busy without listening and listening without doing is completely worthless. Because in our relationship with him, Jesus wants us to learn how to listen to him even in our busy schedules.

Hence, he gently corrected the impression of Martha, who was too busy and distracted with so many things that she risked losing sight of what is really important: listening to Jesus. This is because Martha gives the impression that Mary is just sitting there doing nothing. But, in fact, she was listening to Jesus.

However, Jesus is not telling us to be content with sitting down to listen to his word, for he always insists that the best way of listening to his word is by putting it into practice. His objection to Martha is that she was too anxious and distracted by many things, so she was not able to really listen to him, and for Jesus, listening is the best option.

This act of listening to God is what we see in the life of the prophet Jeremiah in the first reading today as we heard the Lord saying to him: I will make you

a bronze wall fortified against this people. They will fight against you but they will not overcome you, because I am with you to save you and to deliver you.

Dear friends, in our relationship with Jesus, are we more of a listener or more of an accommodating and caring person? Are we more like Martha, Mary or Lazarus for they were all close family friends of Jesus? Today, many of us are so busy and anxious about so many things that we have no time to listen to God speaking to us and addressing the situation we are actually busy trying to solve.

Today we are called, like Martha, to pause and listen, so that we can hear God speaking to us and directing us towards the right path. Remember Martha, who was known as a friend of Jesus, loved to welcome him into her home.

Let us also learn from her, for it is a great virtue to be hospitable and caring, especially when we spend quality time listening to God and letting him direct and guide us towards carrying out our daily tasks without being distracted by the things of this passing world.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are anxious and worried about so many things, but indeed only one thing is needed, give us the grace to truly listen to your word and so have a caring and hospitable family just like St. Martha, Mary and Lazarus. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily For Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 28th July, 2026

 

Readings: Jer.14:17-22, P 78, Matt 13:36-43

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY HAVE WE CONSTANTLY FAILED TO LISTEN TO GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS

One of our great music legends Bob Marley said in one of his songs titled Natural Mystic:

There's a natural mystic

Blowing through the air

If you listen carefully now you will hear

This could be the first trumpet

Might as well be the last

Many more will have to suffer

Many more will have to die

Don't ask me why

Things are not the way they used to be

I won't tell no lie

Everyone has to face reality now.

This song aligns with the topic of our message today and also with current events in our country, as the situation in our societies today calls us to listen carefully to the cries and lamentations of all those who are suffering, just as Jesus did.

This can be linked to our Gospel passage today because, for many days now, we have been listening to Jesus telling us about the kingdom of God and the need for us to prepare to embrace it. On most occasions, Jesus used parables to communicate the importance of this message. Having listened to him carefully, his disciples in our Gospel passage today asked him to explain the parable of the wheat and the darnel and he said:

 “The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed are the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them, the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time.

Then, the Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that provoke offences and all who do evil and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Listen, anyone who has ears!”

What is most important in this message is for us to “Listen carefully”. This is because the world as we know it is coming to an end, for the day of reckoning is very close at hand. This could be the first trumpet might as well be the last. For it is obvious from the signs we are seeing around us today, especially with the situation in our societies. How can we interpret the signs of these times, the signs that tell us that there is no peace or tranquillity in this passing world?

Many are suffering, and many more will have to suffer from the greediness of others. Many have died, and many more will have to die. Many are perishing in sin; many more will have to perish if we refuse to repent of sin and greediness.

And God says through the prophet Jeremiah in our first reading: “Tears flood my eyes night and day, unceasingly, since a crushing blow falls on the daughter of my people, a most grievous injury. If I go into the countryside, there lie men killed by the sword; if I go into the city, I see people sick with hunger”.

Dear friends, do these signs make us afraid of the second coming of the Lord or do we joyfully await its coming? Because the explanation of this parable gives us an account of what will happen on the day of reckoning. And today, we are called to examine our conscience to know where we are concerning our vocation as Christians.

What will be our lot if the Lord calls us today? Will we be among the virtuous who will shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father? Or among those who will be thrown out of his kingdom and sent into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth?

The answer to this question is available in our consciences, and if we listen carefully now, we will hear, for things are not the way they used to be; we all have to face reality now. Every day is a golden opportunity; today may be the only opportunity for us to change our sinful ways of life and embrace God completely.

PRAYER: Lord God, as we listen carefully to your word, let the groans of your children come before you; help us to embrace your word and be prepared to embrace your kingdom on the day of reckoning. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you

Homily For Monday, Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A. 27th July, 2026

 

Readings: Jer.13:1-11; Ps. Deut. 32;

 Matt. 13:31-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING THE PARABLES IN OUR LIVES

Using a simple story to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson has always been one of the characteristics of Jesus when addressing the people regarding very important things. By couching his teaching in parables, Jesus made certain points much clearer to his audience.

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, where he told us two parables: the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the Leaven, using them to describe the nature of God’s kingdom, which he came to establish in the hearts of humanity.

In the scriptures especially in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus used the mustard seed in two different analogies. First, in today’s Gospel passage, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed growing from the Word of God spoken to the hearts of his few disciples, which will grow and spread to the hearts of all humanity. This analogy focuses on the size of the seed that grows into a mighty tree, providing shelter and salvation to all.

The second analogy of the mustard seed is found in Matt. 17:20. In this analogy, Jesus is not speaking of the size of the mustard seed, but the faith of the people as that of a mustard seed.

Telling us that just as the mustard seed responds to the word of God and grows into a mighty tree, so will the faith of the people grow into a great vessel through hearing and doing the word of God. However, God has given humanity the freedom to choose whether to hear his word and embrace the faith so as to bear fruits of the kingdom or to reject it and perish.

Nevertheless, these two analogies of the mustard seed symbolise the humble beginnings of the Christian faith, which is well nurtured and watered by the Holy Spirit to grow and give life and hospitality to all the people of the world. However, we know that there are good-for-nothing seeds present in this world to deceive people from listening to God’s word.

Such seeds include: fear, regrets, doubt, jealousy, hatred, disrespect, greediness, lying, gossip, impurity, wickedness and all sorts of sinful acts. Those who embrace these good-for-nothing seeds follow the dictates of their own hard hearts and will soon be thrown away as good-for-nothing, because they have not listened to God’s words.

Therefore, let us not embrace such good-for-nothing seeds; rather, we should learn to embrace the mustard seed of faith entrusted to us and nurture it. We must let the word of God dwell in our hearts and bear great fruit that will become a great instrument for God’s salvation for humanity. We are also entrusted with different seeds of responsibilities that seem very little, like a mustard seed, but are we nurturing them to grow into great trees for God’s Kingdom?

Dear friends, in the world today, we have different kinds of responsibilities in the form of seeds. But the question remains, what kind of seeds are we embracing and watering in our lives today? Are we watering valuable mustard seeds of faith and love or weeds of fear, regrets, doubt, jealousy, hatred, disrespect, greediness, lying, gossip, impurity, wickedness and all kinds of sinful deeds that will destroy us?

Today, we are called to quit watering these weeds because that's what the enemies want, and we must not fall into their traps. Rather we are called to nurture and water those valuable mustard seeds of faith, love, holiness, hospitality, obedience, charity and make them our values of life. For when we feed and water such values, they will grow stronger like the mustard tree where people may find solace and so build up God’s kingdom.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as you sow the seeds of your word and faith in our hearts, give us the grace to grow it into the mustard tree of love, holiness and hospitality. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful week ahead.

Homily for the Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 26 July, 2026

 

Readings: 1kings 3:5.7-12, Ps 119; Rom. 8:28-30; Matt. 13: 44-52

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

OBTAINING YOUR ULTIMATE TREASURE OF LIFE REQUIRES THE SACRIFICE OF ALL THAT YOU HAVE

Every day under the terrible scourges of the sun and noisy streets, people struggle to acquire things that they value as treasures of life. The quarrelling and fighting in our streets, the early morning rush, the traffic jam, the aggressive words we give and receive every day, all just to acquire things of this life and make them our treasures of life. And people are never tired of acquiring properties for themselves and their future generations, forgetting that all these things will pass away sooner or later, just as we ourselves will expire from this world. Thus, this Sunday we are called to reflect on what should be our ultimate treasure and how we can acquire it.

In our first reading and the Gospel, we heard of the need to focus our attention on the search for the ultimate treasure. And for King Solomon, his greatest treasure was the wisdom and discernment to govern the people entrusted to him. So when the Lord appeared to him in a dream not long after he had succeeded his father, King David, the Lord told him to ask whatever he wanted, and it would be given to him. In a display of wisdom, Solomon asked for a listening heart to understand how to discern between good and evil, enabling him to govern God's people effectively.

Though he would have asked for more power, glory or wealth, he asked for the wisdom to discern the good from the bad and to be able to lead the people of God wisely in the ways of the Lord. The Lord was pleased with Solomon's request and promised to bless him and his people with a wise and discerning mind like none before and after him. So, the wisdom that he obtained was not so much of selfish desire or for personal gain, but for his office as a leader. And as we know, wisdom and discernment are part of the characteristics of heavenly treasures.

Little wonder, in the Gospel, Jesus used three parables to describe to the people that the kingdom of God is the greatest and ultimate treasure anyone can and should acquire. He said to them: the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.

Again he said, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it. And lastly, he said, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in fish of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use.

Here, the first and second parables describe the kingdom of God as the ultimate treasure that cannot be compared to anything whatsoever we have in this world while the third parable tells us that the kingdom is open for all but not all can be suitable to dwell in it, only those who on the judgement day are found suitable can be admitted into the kingdom.

Using these parables Jesus explains what the kingdom of heaven is like and what we need to do in order to acquire it. The essence of these parables is to remind us that the kingdom of heaven is so precious and great, that it is worth more than our entire life and our worldly possessions and treasures.

 Therefore, we must do all that it takes to ensure that we acquire it, losing it over the temporal pleasure, joy, glory, fame, power and influence of the things of this passing world will be complete foolishness. For none of them last forever, and what good is it for us to gain the whole world but lose our soul out of God’s kingdom? Thus, St. Paul in our second reading tells us that God co-operates with all those who love and desire his kingdom, those who are called according to his purpose. For those he called he justified, and with those he justified he shares his glory.

Dear friends, in the midst of false and perishable treasures around us, what is your ultimate treasure of life? If the Lord should allow us to make a request for what our heart desires, what would you request? Solomon sought an understanding mind to govern and care for God’s people. He wanted the ability to discern between good and evil. He recognised that a selfish attitude could not sustain his kingdom, so he requested heavenly treasure.

Today how many of us are paying attention to this ultimate heavenly treasure? What is our ultimate treasure in this life? How many think and search for this ultimate treasure of our souls? How many desire to personally discover God in their life? How I wish we would understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of losing our soul out of greediness for the things of this passing world. Then, we will sincerely desire to experience God personally, because in him lies the ultimate treasure of life. And discovering God personally is the greatest treasure one can ever have.

PRAYER: Almighty God, the world is full of distractions from false treasures; give us a wise and discerning heart to give up all our attachments to worldly possessions in pursuit of the heavenly and ultimate treasure of your kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you. 

Homily for Saturday, Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 25th July, 2026. The Feast of St. James, Apostle

Readings: 2Cor 4: 7-15, Ps 126:1-6, Matt: 20:20-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

IF YOU WANT TO BE GREAT, LEARN TO SERVE HUMANITY SACRIFICIALLY

As human beings, it is always our desire to be great. This desire is what makes us utilise the unique gift God has given us, from which we serve Him and our neighbours responsibly. However, human greediness and selfishness have made us see greatness as domination and subjection of others competitively and comparatively. Today as we celebrate the feast of St. James, we heard in our Gospel passage how the disciples of Jesus were struggling with this competitive and comparative attitude.

This is because the mother of James and John, sons of Zebedee, came with her sons to make a request from Jesu,s, saying, ‘Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ And Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking’. ‘Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ ‘Very well,’ he said ‘you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.”

So, other disciples became angry because James and his brother John, through the intercession of their mother, desired to have key leadership positions in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus. But Jesus let them know that the transcendent power and authority to lead belong to God and whoever He wishes to share it with.

Here, Jesus prophesied that James and his brother John would "drink of the same chalice" of suffering as himself, since the two brothers had asked to be seated at his right and his left in his kingdom, and he told them that they would be with him in a far different way than they expected.

Tradition has it that James suffered martyrdom for the sake of the kingdom, for he was beheaded in Jerusalem at the orders of Herod Agrippa. His death is the only biblical record we have of the death of one of the Apostles, and he was the first to give his life for his Master. He embraced true greatness not by domination and subjection, but in service, sacrifice and dedication to the faith he had found in Jesus, which he wished to share with others.

So, today we celebrate the feast of a great man, who along with his brother John and Peter was part of the inner circle of Jesus. So like St. James, we are encouraged to seek true greatness in humility of service and sacrifice even at the point of losing everything.

 And St. Paul also encouraged us in our first reading to be steadfast for we are affiliated in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. Knowing that true greatness is found in humble service and not in domination or subjection of others. For good leaders serve the community; they subdue arguments and divisions; they maintain unity in times of distress and act as role models for the young, just like St. James.

Dear friends, today, we are all called to seek true greatness in humble service of others and not in subjection and domination of others. We are called to utilise the unique gift God has given us and use it to serve Him and our neighbours responsibly in any capacity we find ourselves, bearing in mind that one should not strive to be a leader but a servant because leadership is a gift from God. Remember, true greatness is found in our sacrificial service to others, not in competitive and comparative subjection and domination of others.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you have taught us that true greatness is found in the sacrificial service to humanity, give us the grace to live a life of sacrifice and humility. And through the intercession of St. James my our lives be a good example of true greatness. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful weekend.

Homily for Saturday Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 25th July, 2026

 

Readings: Jer. 7:1-11; Ps.84; Matt. 13:24-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM OF EVIL IN OUR SOCIETIES

Oftentimes, when we reflect on the ugly events that happen around us, we wonder why God, who is so good and all-powerful, permits the evil we see and experience in the world He created. And sometimes, the evil ones are so cruel that we wish that God should just wipe them away from the face of the earth, and when this does not come to pass, we complain and even doubt the power of God over this evil.

The answer to this ugly phenomenon is found in the parable of today's Gospel passage. Here the sower has sown good seed in his field for a healthy wheat harvest. But in the dark of night, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. When the plants came up and bore grain, the weeds appeared as well.

What Matthew most likely refers to as weeds is darnel or cockle, a harmful weed that closely resembles wheat and is common in Israel. The difference between darnel and real wheat is evident only when the plants mature and the ears appear.

So, when the servants notice the weeds, their first response is to question the quality of the seed. Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from? When the master replies that an enemy has sown the weeds, the slaves are anxious to take care of the problem, to root those nasty weeds immediately.

But the master restrains his servants, saying that in gathering the weeds they would uproot the wheat along with them. He orders them to let both grow together until the harvest. Then he will send out his reapers to collect and burn the weeds and to gather the wheat into his barn.

However, this will not be easy because it is not always easy to distinguish between the weeds and the wheat, as their roots are often intertwined below the ground. Thus, rooting out the weeds would uproot the wheat as well, doing more damage to the crop than leaving the weeds to grow.

Dear friends, most of us are victims of the evil weeds and darnels of this passing world. But are you a good seed or the evil weed of this passing world? What shall we do when our good works are intertwined with the evil weeds of this passing world?

Today, as we wish to remove these weeds in our lives, Jesus wants us to learn how to be patient and trust God in times of trouble and tribulations, for he alone knows the best time and how best to deal with the evil ones. For when that time comes He will gather all evildoers and throw them into the furnace of fire.

But the problem is that we are not patient with the Lord, we often behave like the Israelites in our first reading today, who have failed to listen to God, for we have chosen to dwell in sin and are intertwined with the sinful weeds of this world.

Thus, we heard the prophet Jeremiah saying: Amend your behaviour and your actions. Put no trust in delusive words. Yet here you are, trusting in delusive words, to no purpose! Stop doing evil and learn to do good so that you will be saved. Therefore, we must learn to be patient with the Lord especially as we struggle with the troubles and tribulations of this passing world.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, our hearts are full of weeds of different corruptions and evil planted by the evil ones. As we wait on you, may you guide and protect us from the malice of the evil ones. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Have a fruitful weekend.