CELEBRATING THE SAINTS: A REMINDER OF OUR FUTURE GLORY

 Thirty- first Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 1st November, 2020. Solemnity of All Saints.

Readings: Rev. 7:2-4.9-14, Ps.24, 1John 3:1-3, Matt. 5:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

CELEBRATING THE SAINTS: A REMINDER OF OUR FUTURE GLORY

Today the Church celebrates three special events, first one is the gift of another new month of which I say happy new month to all of us. The second is the thirty-first Sunday in ordinary time year A. The third which is so important is the solemnity of All Saints. The Church as we know is not  just the physical structure we have all over the places. It is much more than that. The Church is the body of Christ which everyone of us are member by the virtue of our baptism. 

This Church is divided into three groups, that is the militant Church, the suffering Church and the triumphant Church. The militant Church are all of us especially the baptized who are still inhabiting and struggling with the human flesh. Immediately after death we belong either to the suffering Church or the triumphant Church. The suffering Church are the souls that belong to the body of Christ but are still in need of purification. While the triumphant Church are the souls of the saints which we are celebrating today.

Thus, every first November, the Church presents to us the solemnity of All Saints. A day we celebrate the triumphant Church that is all the saints known or unknown to us who have triumphed victorious to heavenly glory, which of course reminds us that we are called to grow in holiness and to become saints. That is our primary goal in life. 

This solemnity dates back to 7th century, and the occasion of its introduction was the conversion of the ancient Roman Pantheon into a Christian Church. For emperor Phocas gave the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV, who converted it into a Church and dedicated it to the blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints about the year 608. But later in the year 731, Pope Gregory III consecrated a chapel in St. Peter’s Church in honour of all the saints and since then the solemnity of All Saints has been celebrated all over the world.

Therefore, in this great in event, we are called to imitate the  heroic virtues of the saints by living a life of beatitudes as peace makers, pure of heart, meek, humble and merciful as Jesus teaches us in our Gospel passage today. And in our first reading St. John in the book of revelation tells that these saints are the people who have been through the great persecution, and they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb, of which in our second reading he made us to know that we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; but when it is revealed we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is. And everyone who entertains this hope must purify himself and try to be as pure as Christ.

Dear friends, this solemnity remind us of our universal vocation to holiness, it strengthens us in our struggles towards our goal which is to attain eternal life.  It helps us to recall our communion with saints. It reminds us that we are pilgrims on this earth and also it strengthens our faith in the teachings of the Church. No doubt all of us wants to become saints and  oftentimes we really want to live a holy life but there are always obstacles on our way to holiness, these obstacles make us become so aware of our sins, our weaknesses and our failures. 

Yes, we are sinners, but so were the saints. They only relied on God’s mercy and grace and so we too. We cannot become holy through our efforts alone we need to cooperation with the grace of God. Remember, anything worth having is worth making sacrifices for, and the more it’s worth, the more significant sacrifices we should be willing to make for it. If holiness is necessary for one to attain heaven. Then it worth all the sacrifices Jesus mentioned in the beatitudes. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as militant Church on earth, there are lot of troubles and challenges we are struggling with, help us through the intercession of all the saints, to overcome them and so make it triumphantly to your heavenly kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy new month and a blessed Sunday celebration.

LET US LEARN TO BE HUMBLE AT ANY LEVEL WE FIND OURSELVES

 Saturday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 31st October, 2020.

Readings: Phil. 1:18-26, Ps  42, Luke 14:1.7-11

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

LET US LEARN TO BE HUMBLE AT ANY LEVEL WE FIND OURSELVES

One of the virtues the world needs more is humility, this virtue is really lacking in our society today because pride has become a way of life which most people wishes to embrace. Hence we often hear people saying in a very proud way, do you know who I am? By the time I finish with you then you will fear me. We hear people taking all sorts of honorific titles whether  merited or not, they want to be addressed and recognized so gloriously at every public events.

This should not be our attitudes or disposition for Jesus in our Gospel passage today while addressing the Pharisees told a parable about humility saying: When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

Here, we see the important of humility, we see how humility can help to elevate someone from nothing to something great. While pride can bring down the might into nothing. The truth is that, humility is not a way of glory, but a road of surrender that leads to passion and death of ones self. It is  a way of sacrifice, a service to others at the price of self- sacrifice. That is why many people do not want to be humble. 

Dear friends, it may seem so difficult to embrace the virtue of humility especially in our society today, but this virtue has a lot to offer us both as individuals or as a group. In fact, our world is in need of humble men and women, because a good society is built on all kinds of commendable virtues such as humility. 

Therefore, it is time for us to put off our old self which is led by pride the first capital sin, in order to put on a new person born of humility, love, compassion, contentment, purity, forgiveness etc. So let us work heard to add more virtues in our activities and behaviour for blessed are those who are virtuous for they easily solve their problems. Thus, why not try humility in solving those difficult and challenging moments in your life. Just try to be humble because it works like miracle.

LET US PRAY:  Heavenly Father, we have often failed to follow the example of Christ humility which he has taught us. As we are reminded once again the need to be humble, give us the grace to truly be humble at any level we find ourselves, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and peaceful weekend.

JESUS THE COMPASSIONATE LORD CARES ABOUT US NO MATTER THE SITUATION

 Friday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 30th October, 2020.

Readings: Phil. 1:1-11, Ps  111, Luke 14:1-6

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

JESUS THE COMPASSIONATE LORD CARES ABOUT US NO MATTER THE SITUATION

Most times when we reflect on the relationship between Jesus and his audience, we wonder how he was able to manage all the situation placed before him even when it seems as if he has no escape root. Such is the situation in our Gospel passage today when on a Sabbath day Jesus went for a meal in the house of one of the leading Pharisees who had invited him; of which they watched him closely. Because in front of him was a man with dropsy, and Jesus addressed the lawyers and Pharisees saying: ‘Is it against the law to cure a man on the Sabbath, or not?’ But they remained silent, so he took the man and cured him and sent him away.

Here, we see Jesus who always honour all his invitation whether from the poor or the rich, friends or ‘enemies’ including Pharisee and Sadducees whose invitation was a trap to set him up. But Jesus cannot be trapped, rather he used the opportunity to teach us that no Sabbath law, no religious restriction, can ever forbid us from being compassionate and caring for the poor and the sick.

Dear friends, we must learn to be compassionate no matter the situation we may find ourselves, because Jesus has always been compassionate. For St. Paul in our first reading tells us that this kind of attitude  will help us to become pure and blameless, and prepare us for the Day of Christ, when we all will reach the perfect goodness which Jesus Christ produces in us for the glory and praise of God.  But we need to ask ourselves, are we willing to show love, compassion and care especially to those who need our love and care?

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often wish to be compassionate and caring like you. But we often failed because of fear and lack of proper disposition. As we listened to your words today, may we find the courage to be compassionate and caring, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with.

PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD SO AS TO QUENCH ALL THE FLAMES OF THE EVIL ONE

 Thursday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 29th October, 2020.

Readings: Eph.6:10-20, Ps  143, Luke 13:31-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD SO AS TO QUENCH ALL THE FLAMES OF THE EVIL ONE

In this world we struggle with so many things and we often encounter ugly events and challenges that cause us sorrows and ties. And most times we don't know how to manage those moments. This is because there is an active presence of evil in the world which manifest itself in different forms. So everyday is a struggle against the malice of the evil ones, and people are doing everything they can to overcome them. 

Today, St. Paul in our first reading encouraged us to be strong and prepared against the attacks and assaults from the evil one and it’s wicked forces. He said: Put on the whole armour of God so as to be able to resist the devil’s tactics. For it is not against flesh and blood that we have to struggle, but against the principalities and powers originated from the darkness of this world. So stand your ground, with belt of truth buckled round your waist, and put on integrity of life for a breastplate, wearing shoes on your feet with that eagerness to spread the gospel of peace and always carrying the shield of faith so that you can use it to put out the burning arrows of the evil one. And then take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. He told us to be firm in our faith in God and to be ready to resist those who are going to try to harm us and bring us down.

This is exactly what Jesus did in our Gospel passage today when some of the Pharisees warned him to leave the area where he was teaching because Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great was after him. This warning was just a way of trying  to get rid of Jesus by frightening him using external forces and authority under the name of Herod. But Jesus was not moved by all their threats. For he knows that his mission is part of  God’s larger plan which can not be interrupted by any external forces and authority. Hence, he ignored them and continued with his work of healing the people and liberating them from evil ones

 

Dear friends, our lives are in God’s hands for we are part of God’s larger plan and nothing will happen to us which is in conflict with God’s wishes and plans for us. All we need is to embrace the whole armour of God in faith, with belt of truth buckled round our waist, and put on integrity of life for a breastplate, with eagerness to spread the gospel of peace while carrying the shield of faith so that we can use it to put out the burning arrows of the evil ones, using the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. By so doing overcome the ugly situation we face everyday in our societies today.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, everyday is a struggle against the malice of the evil ones, and oftentimes we don’t know what to do. As we embrace your words today, grant that we may find the courage and strength to conquer our fears and struggles against the evil ones, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you and fruitful day.

YOU ARE FELLOW CITIZENS OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD WITH THE APOSTLES OF WHICH CHRIST IS THE CORNERSTONE

 Wednesday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 27th October, 2020. The Feast of Ss Simon and Jude, Apostles

Readings: Eph.2:19-22, Ps  19, Luke 6:12-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

YOU ARE FELLOW CITIZENS OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD WITH THE APOSTLES OF WHICH CHRIST IS THE CORNERSTONE

Will you leave? We you care? Will you risk? Will you let  the Lord to lead you? These are questions of great demands which every true disciple must constantly reflect through in life, in order to be aware of the seriousness of the commitment required of everyone of us as a disciple of Jesus. This great demand is presented to us in our liturgy today as we celebrate the feast day of too great apostles St. Simon and St. Jude and our readings propel us to reflect on our call to discipleship. 

In the Gospel we heard how Jesus after deep prayers called from among his disciples twelve apostles of which Simon and Jude were part of the twelve. Simon also known as the Zealot, was a member of the Zealots, the extremists who fought for the freedom of the Israelites against the Romans at the time of Jesus. While, St. Jude often referred as St. Jude Thaddeus, was a member of the extended family of Jesus.

These  two apostles along with others followed the Lord faithfully throughout his ministry. Simon though a member of the Zealot, abandoned his previous life as a freedom fighter to a great missionary along with St. Jude Thaddeus who was the probable author of the Epistle of St. Jude. These two apostles together served the Lord and reach out to many peoples and evangelized may nations. That is why both of them are celebrated together today, because of their missionary zeal and commitment to God even to the very end of their lives.

 

Tradition has it that Simon spread the Gospel to places like Persia and Armenia, Egypt and Ethiopia and along with Jude, they evangelized throughout Judea, Samaria, Persia, Armenia and other places. Sadly, after many decade of their missionary activities, these two great apostles were martyred in Lebanon. They committed themselves wholeheartedly to the mission of Christ and his Church, they converted many, established firm foundations of the Christian faith in many places. Little wonder St Paul in our first reading tells us that we are fellow citizens of God’s household that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone.

Dear friends, evangelization is the very nature and essence of the Church. And Jesus gives us the mandate and the commission to evangelize, that is, to announce the Good News to all the nations and to spread the Gospel to every creature. This commission is shared by all those who are baptized both priests and lay faithful. Everyone has a particular responsibility to share in the work of proclamation of the Gospel. Today, we should ask ourselves, how have we proclaimed the Gospel to the world? What efforts are we making to ensure that the mandate Christ entrusted to us is carried out effectively in our generation? 

Therefore, at this moment when the world is confused, because we have removed God out of our daily lives, at this time when we have placed our hope in the activities of the human person who seems to have taken the place of God, at this time when our governments, scientists, doctors, lawyers, professors and even pastors assumed the place of God, which of course have brought about the ugly situation we are facing in our societies today. We and reminded once again about our very mission, for it is time to take this mandate very seriously, because it is our responsibility to fulfil our promises to God and ensure that the Christian faith is preached and sustained in the world and by so doing save humanity once again from sin, death and destruction.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are lost in this world, we are confused because we have cut ourselves off from You our cornerstone, as we come back to you once again, please give us the grace to preach the Gospel following the examples of saints Simon and Jude, may we learn from their teaching and walk faithfully in the footsteps of Christ and by so doing draw humanity back to You once again.  We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

WATERING THE MUSTARD SEED OF FAITH AND YEAST OF GOD’S WORD IN THE HEARTS OF HUMANITY TO BUILD UP THE KINGDOM OF GOD

 Tuesday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 27th October, 2020. 

Readings: Eph.5:21-33, Ps 128 , Luke 13:18-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WATERING THE MUSTARD SEED  OF FAITH AND YEAST OF GOD’S WORD IN THE HEARTS OF HUMANITY TO BUILD UP THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Oftentimes when addressing the people regarding things that are very important, it has always been one of the characteristics of Jesus to use a simple story to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. So, 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 Yeast, using them to describe the nature of God’s kingdom which he came to establish in the hearts of humanity. 

In these parables, Jesus compared 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 to become a might tree that gives shelter and salvation to all. Here also, Jesus is not just 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 might tree, so will the faith of the people grow into 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. 

More so, this analogy of the mustard seed symbolizes the humble beginnings of the Christian faith which is well watered by the Holy Spirit to grow and give life and hospitality to all the people of the world. However, we need to know that there are good for nothing seeds present in this world to deceive people from listening to God’s word, seeds such as: 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. And St. Paul in our first read encouraged us to embrace the good seeds of God’s words in our families by giving us the principles that will guide the relationship between husband and wife using the analogy of the relationship between Christ and his Church. 

Dear friends, in the world today, we have different kinds 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 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, we 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 in our hearts, give us the grace to water and grow it into the mustard tree of faith, holiness and hospitality that will usher us into your kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

GOD’S LOVE AND CARE FOR HUMANITY CANNOT BE RESTRICTED BY HUMAN LAWS AND REGULATIONS

 Monday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 26th October, 2020. 

Readings: Eph.4:32-5:8, Ps 1 , Luke 13:10-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

GOD’S LOVE AND CARE FOR HUMANITY CANNOT BE RESTRICTED BY HUMAN LAWS AND REGULATIONS

From the scriptures, it seems like every encounter that the Pharisees had with Jesus were always aimed at finding faults with what Jesus is doing. But to their greatness surprise, Jesus will always escape and used that opportunity to communicate an important message to the people. Such was the occasion of our Gospel passage today. When on a Sabbath day Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a woman was there who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that left her enfeebled; she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright. 

When Jesus saw her he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are rid of your infirmity’ and he laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God. But the synagogue official was indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, and he addressed the people present saying: There are six days when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the Sabbath. Then Jesus said, this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years was it not right to untie her bonds on the Sabbath day? 

Here the synagogue official affirms that the Sabbath is not an appropriate time for God to manifest his compassion and mercy.  But Jesus on the other hand claims that God’s actions cannot be dictated to or restricted by humans. Because God’s mercy and healing know no limits of time or place, if we but sincerely turn to God.  Hence, we see how Jesus demonstrated his compassionate care for humanity, for the most important thing for God in this world is the human person. That's why he makes all efforts to save humanity from damnation. He desires to see us making effort to becoming faithful and holy. His mercy is so deep that he propose it as the guiding principle for the perfect fulfillment of the laws of life. 

Thus, Jesus in this passage have to teach us that humanity’s welfare should not be neglected because of laws and regulations. That nothing should restrict us from doing good to people not even the laws Sabbath. Therefore, in as much as we desire to honour God’s laws we must seek the good of people as well. This is what the Pharisees have failed to understand, for they are rather fault- finders and self- righteous people, who only wish to mislead the oppress and suppress the truth and the good works of others, just because of their selfish desires to sustain their ego, pride and their worldly ambition. But we should not be like them, rather we should be compassionate and merciful for that is what we are called to do. 

And St. Paul in our first reading, calls us to imitate God as children of his that he loves and follow Christ loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God. He also calls us to examine our lives to see if there is any root of pride and sexual immorality in us a sinful act which even the pagans condemned. 

Dear friends, today we are called to constantly do good to everyone. We are called not to be faults-finders who are blindfolded by pride. We must also renounce all sorts of immoral actions and wickedness that may destroy the purity of our souls. Therefore, let us be compassionate and merciful for that is what we are called to do in this life.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often failed to listen to your teaching because of our selfish desires and pride, help us to always listen to you and be willing to do good always as we resolve to live a life of purity and humility. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week ahead.

LOVING GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR ARE THE GREATEST PRIORITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

 Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 25th October, 2020

Readings: Ex. 22:21-27, Ps.18, 1Thess. 1:5-10, Matt. 22:34-40

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LOVING GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR ARE THE GREATEST PRIORITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON

Due to the fragile and contingent nature of the human person, there are so many principles we need to embrace in order to ensure peaceful coexistence with one another and with our environment. These principles have a way of assuring us   peace and success in whatever we do, but neglecting these principles will bring about grave consequences. Hence, when we are faced with the realities of life, we want to know the principle that should be our first priority and the foundation of every other principles.  In fact, we are always desire to know what is required of us in this life. 

This is partially the deposition of the Pharisees in our Gospel passage today, who after they have exhausted all their energy trying to see how they can discredit the teachings of Jesus who had just silenced the Sadducees, they came together and one of them asked Jesus question concerning which commandment is the greatest. In response Jesus reminded them of the 'Shema Israel', the prayer that they knew and recite from their earliest years from which they learned that the most important thing in life is to love God with all their heart, and with all thy soul, and with all their mind; that is, with all the powers and the more noble faculties of the soul, the mind, the understanding, judgment, and will. Jesus then added that, to love one’s neigbhour is the second priority. 

Here, Jesus gave us the fundamental principle that should guide human existence. He made it clear that loving God and our neighbours are the greatest priority of the human person. In other words, loving God with all our heart, with all our understanding and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves is what is required of us and it is the foundation of all the things we have to do. And Jesus set as a standard for all to see, not just by the love he was able to show to people, but  by the depth of love which he showed by dying and rising for our salvation. 

This principle of love especially that of loving our neighbours is what we have in our first reading where we were told not to molest the stranger for we all are strangers in the world. We must not be harsh with the widow, the orphan, the poor, the less privileged, if we do, they will surely cry out to God, and be sure he shall hear their cry; his anger will flare and he will surely visit the oppressors with the same sword of which they used against the poor, as we have seen in our country today. 

Therefore we are called to show love to our neighbours especially the poor, the widow and the orphans. We are called not to embezzle public resources meant for the good and well-being of the poor. Rather we are called to learn from the early Christian community who embraced this principle of love in a very practical way as we have it in our second reading today where we heard St. Paul saying: you observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your instruction, and you were led to become imitators of us, and of the Lord; and it was with the joy of the Holy Spirit that you took to the Gospel, in spite of the great opposition all round you. 

  

Dear friends, love is the center of all the teachings of Jesus, for love is a gift from God to humanity. It is like the stream water, so innocent and pure. A true love is not hidden, it radiates from the innermost being of a person who experience it. If we love God, then, we will see him in others and treat them justly and honourably. We will not hurt our neighbours but do our utmost best to live in peace with them. The truth is that, the absence of love is the cause of all the problems in our world today as most families exist by grace and not by love. The rate of corruption and greediness in this country is so appalling. People are never tired of acquiring and embezzling public funds for their own selfish gain and now they are on the run. 

So there is no doubt, we need a radical transformation. A transformation that will brings about a new out fit that makes one a new person, with a new life, a new mind and a new way of doing things. And this is possible only when we understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of greediness, then we will be able to do things the right way.  For this country will be transformed only when the power of love and goodwill supersedes the love of power and then, justice and faithfulness become the habit of everyone of us in this country. How I wish we can invest our time and resources in ensuring love and unity in our dealings with one another. Believe me we will not only be fulfilling the first and greatest commandments of God, but we will be building a happy country, a happy society and a happy family. 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, in you we have the fullness of love, grant that we may truly love you and our neighbours and so conquer the world full of hatred, self-centeredness, greed and corruption, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful Sunday celebration.

EVERY MOMENT OF OUR LIVES IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REPENT LESS WE PERISH

 Saturday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 24th October, 2020. 

Readings: Eph.4:7-16, Ps 122 , Luke 13:1-9

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

EVERY MOMENT OF OUR LIVES IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REPENT LESS WE PERISH

With the ugly situation in our country today, there is no doubt that  both the poor and the rich are testifying to it. Hence, we can fill the struggles, the killings, the tears, the disappointments that people are passing through everyday. In fact, some people are losing hope in themselves and even in everything they do, as they run up and down seeking for solutions. The poor are seeking for daily bread, upliftment and favour, the rich are seeking for protection and good health, while the evil ones are taking advantage of the situation to destroy the little hope and faith of the people. All these are signs from God who gives us the opportunity to repent from our sinful ways of life.

This is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today when he said: “Do you suppose the Galileans who suffered like this were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Then with a parable of the barren fig tree, Jesus demonstrated how God has made every moment of our lives an opportunity for us to repent and be fruitful. This is clear when he said in the parable, “Look, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”  

Such is God’s patience with us for he gives us the opportunity to turn away from our sinful and ugly ways of life. Repentance is the key message of this Gospel, for Jesus makes it clear that those who suffered and were killed were not worse offenders than others, rather he uses the opportunity to call us to repentance. Note that, the purpose of this message is not for condemnation but redemption. This is what St. Paul is emphasizing in our first reading saying: we shall not be children any longer, or tossed one way and another and carried along by every wind of doctrine, at the mercy of all the tricks men play and their cleverness in practicing deceit. But if we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together.

Dear friends, this call for repentance shows us that it is not too late for us to repent, for this may be the last opportunity. Because we can never tell what will happen in the next moment. We can never tell who is the next to die, we can never know the form it will take or where it will occur, all that matters is for us to repent now that we still have the opportunity. For none of our great martyrs of the on going protest knew that it going to happen that way. Therefore, let us repent now, for repentance helps us to be well disposed in life and for death. It helps us to live right and at peace with God and with one another. It gives us the courage and confidence to face any situation without fear of death.

LET US PRAY: Almighty ever living God, You are the author of our lives, freedom and salvation, all we have are yours, thank you for being with us in our daily troubles, struggles, fears, tears, hope and joy, may you provide for the poor, console the troubled, heal the sick, protect and put simile on the faces of your children today and always. May you grant eternal rest to the souls of the depart, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and safe weekend.

READING THE SIGNS OF OUR TIME

 Friday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 23rd October, 2020. 

Readings: Eph.4:1-6, Ps 24 , Luke 12: 54-59

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

READING THE SIGNS OF OUR TIME

As human person, we often tried to discern the event happening around us in order to predict what can be the outcome of such event in the future. We often read the signs of nature in order to make prediction of what will happen in the future. Little wonder Jesus while rebuking the crowd in our Gospel reading today said: when you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times.

Here, Jesus condemned the ugly attitudes of the crowds for they can read the signs of nature and so predict the future, but now out of jealousy and selfishness they have failed to recognize the truth by refusing to acknowledge in Jesus one who comes from God, one who speaks God’s word and acts in the power of God. So Jesus rebuked them for such hypocritical attitude. While in the second aspect of the Gospel, Jesus is asking us to put things right while there is still time. 

Thus St. Paul in our first reading implore us to lead a life worthy of our vocation. To bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience by preserving the unity of the Spirit, knowing that we are one Body, one Spirit, sharing the same hope in one Lord, one faith, one baptism in one God who is Father of all.

Dear friends, there are so many signs around us today. What is our disposition towards this signs? Can we identify this signs of our time? How can we understand and interpret them? Are we reading the hand of God in what is going on around us especially in our country? How are we called to respond to this signs? What do we think Jesus would do if he is living with us now? Today, Jesus is calling us to discernment and action towards the signs we see in the world we are living in now.  

Though, it is very easy to condemn the ugly situation going on in our country, but are we learning anything from it. Are we having any sense of guilt and repentance. Why allow this evil to linger in us by getting into endless arguments and deception when we already know what is right? Why wasting so much time arguing about unnecessary things while missing out the main points that are more basic and challenging. I think is time we come back to the real issues which are justice, honesty, transparency, equity, equal respect for human life and properties. These are the things we all need to put right at all levels and sectors we find ourselves.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, in every event that happens to us, you said, has your mark on it. Help us to discern the signs of our time, in order to embrace your will for us and to follow you wherever you may lead us as we struggle to overcome the ugly situation in our country. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. May God protect and keep us safe.

LIVING OUT OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH IN A VERY RADICAL AND PRACTICAL WAY

 Thursday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 22nd October, 2020. 

Readings: Eph.3:14-21, Ps 32. , Luke 12: 49-53

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

LIVING OUT OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH IN A VERY RADICAL AND PRACTICAL WAY.

The way things are going in our societies today, we really need to think twice about our faith as Christians, whether we are actually ready to live out our faith in the midst of the ugly situation in our country today. Because the hostility, brutality, persecution and the influential power of the things of this world which has eaten deep into the minds of our leaders are not stopping soon, rather, it will be getting tougher unless we stop it now once and for all. 

Therefore, if we are really 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, for this days, it is not enough to say am a Christian, we must convincingly and radically practice our faith by following the example of Lord Jesus. 

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level when he said: 'Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law’. 

Here, Jesus does not directly intend to cause tensions and divisions in family life, but he wants us to accept the consequences that comes with the truth of the Gospel teaching, more importantly, when it comes to living out the Gospel message in a radical way, especially in a situation where our family values have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excess desires for worldly pleasures and possessions, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God. 

So, these hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our life experience, because there are moments when we have to make radical and difficult choice as disciples of Jesus. These moments may wield the sword of division or separation among those people and things which are so dear to us. 

However, Jesus does not endorse we engaging in armed conflict, but he warns that we have to struggle to put him first, before family ties, knowing that divisions will surely occur as people have to decide to be for or against God. Hence, he states that the cost of discipleship extends to one even losing his life. Because, following Jesus demands the sacrifice of all that one has. 

For none of us can become his true disciple if we do not give up our excess desire for worldly pleasures and possession, and pay our unreserved loyalty and allegiance to God over all other competing loyalties in our lives including family, self-interest, and possessions. And St. Paul in our first reading prayed for us to grow strong in faith and love from God our Father whom every family, whether spiritual or natural, takes its name

 

Dear friends, we are called today to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully live out Christian faith and morals. But how much are we willing to let go for the sake of our faith in God? Why are we finding it difficult to follow Jesus? What is that habitual desires and possessions that are holding us from making this radical decision today? It is time to come to God with all our hearts, for tomorrow maybe too late.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts towards your, give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires and attitudes, so as to hold firm in our faith despite losing people and things that are dear to us, as we ask you to heal and transform our nation once again. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

WILL YOU BE READY WHEN THE LORD SHALL COME?

 Wednesday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 21st October, 2020. 

Readings: Eph.3:2-12, Isaiah 12, Luke 12: 39-48

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WILL YOU BE READY WHEN THE LORD SHALL COME?

Oftentimes when I observed how footballers, boxers, athletes, also engineers, doctors and farmers, business men and women devote time and energy in rigorous preparation towards achieving their goals. I realized that adequate preparation is the secret and foundation of every successful event. Then I said to myself, if we can go to this length of rigorous periods of preparation just for things of this passing world, it will be even more demanding when it has to do with preparing for eternal life. 

However, if we can devote such time and energy towards our spiritual life which we often neglect, we will be more awake and prepared for the day of the Lord. This is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today, when he said to his disciples: “be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’ Then he used the parable of faithful and wise steward to make this point clearer. And he concluded by saying: when a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’

  

In this passage we have two commands at the beginning and at the end which are not quite the same. The first command is based on God’s coming at a “day” when you do not know and the second have to do with managing the responsibility entrusted to us. For, just like the householder’s ignorance of the time when the thief would come is the reason why he does not watch. Thus, our ignorance of the day and time should be the reason for our watchfulness in order to prevent being robbed. So the image of the thief is chosen to illustrate the unexpected approach of the second coming of Christ which will be a great surprise to those who are asleep as they will be robbed of Heaven and even their earthly treasures.

Hence, Jesus commanded us to stay awake, because we do not know either the day or the hour when the Lord will come. And St. Paul in our first reading says:  I, who am less than the least of all the saints have been entrusted with this special grace, not only of proclaiming to the pagans the infinite treasure of Christ but also of explaining how the mystery is to be dispensed. So, how are we managing the responsibility entrusted to us, especially the responsibility of managing our lives and also the lives and properties entrusted to us on a great deal of which great deal is expected from us? 

Dear friends, as we struggle with the ugly situation that has  led us to continue with the protest against all the evil and corruption well captured under the “End SARS” protest. We must be courageous, wise, patient and prudent, knowing that our lives as Christians demands that we should be alert. We should be prepared at all times and be ready to make sacrifices like the faithful and wise stewards. We should be watchful for we know neither the day nor the hour when the Lord will call us. Hence, we are reminded today that this world is passing away, so we need to stay awake and be ready, as we look into our inner being, our interior life in order to embrace the life of holiness and self-control that will help us to be more prepared. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often failed to listen to your warnings concerning the things of this passing world and the need for us to stay awake and be ready for your coming, give us the grace and wisdom to be well prepared to stand before you whenever you call us. And as we struggle with the protest against our bad and selfish leaders, may you protect us and grant eternal rest on those who have lost their lives on account of this ugly situation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

HAPPY ARE THOSE WHOM THE LORD FINDS AWAKE AND READY WHEN HE COMES

 Tuesday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 20th October, 2020. 

Readings: Eph.2:12-22, Ps.84:9-14, Luke 12:36-38

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

HAPPY ARE THOSE WHOM THE LORD FINDS AWAKE AND READY WHEN HE COMES

There are two most important events in our life as a human person. One is well known, prepared and are constantly celebrated, that is, our birthday. The other, which is the ultimate, is not known and less attention and preparation is being made for it, that is, the day of our departure from this world. 

So, Jesus knowing how important this day is, instructed his disciples in our Gospel passage today saying: “Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, wait for him, for happy are those servants if he finds them ready when he comes.”

Here we have a scenario which illustrate the unexpected approach of the coming of Christ which will be a great surprise to those who are asleep as they will be missing out the heavenly joy and also be deprived of their earthly treasures. But for those that shall be found awake and ready, the Lord's coming will be a happy day, while for those that are not prepared, it will be very dreadful. Thus our ignorance of the day and time of his coming is the reason for our watchfulness, so we must be awake and ready at all times. 

And St. Paul in our first reading made us to know that we are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: we are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. We are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. For this the reason, we should be more prepared and ready for that glorious day of the Lord.

Dear friends, we are called today to be ready. We are called to repentance. We are called to embrace the new life the Lord is offering us. We are called to a life of constant struggle towards perfection in order to embrace the Lord whenever he comes. Therefore, preparation is the key word. Let us not be deceived when the world suggest to us that the day of death is not coming soon and so forget who we are, and then, the day and time will take us by surprise.

Rather, let us be like those wise servants who are prepared at all times for the coming of the master. Thus, we must change our disposition especially as regards our attitude towards the things of this passing world in order to embrace more of the things that will lead us to our heavenly kingdom for we are nothing but travelers in this world.

LET US PRAY, Lord God, today you ask us to be ready for your coming, increase in us the desire to be prepared and ready for that inevitable event of death, so that whenever it comes, it will not be a shock to us, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. It's a lovely day, may God bless your efforts and grant success to the works of your hands.

BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS, FOR HUMAN LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST ONLY ON WORLDLY POSSESSIONS

 Monday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 19th October, 2020. 

Readings: Eph 2:1:10, Ps.100, Luke 12:13-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS, FOR HUMAN LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST ONLY ON WORLDLY POSSESSIONS 

Material possessions are gifts from God and he alone gives us the right to them. But what we possess is meant to help us grow in our relationship with God and neighours not to separate us from them, because if we are not careful, too much love for material possession can be an obstacle on our way to God’s Kingdom. Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today warns us against covetousness and excessive attachment to worldly possessions which he greatly emphasized with the story of the rich Man Harvest. 

In this story a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land, thought to himself, “What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.” But God said to him, “Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then.

Here, Jesus tells his disciples about the need to live a life of detachment. He used this story to teach his disciples and all of us about the futility of worldly desires and it’s pursuits. Thereby showing us the foolishness of human greed, as well as pride and ego. For in this man we see the uselessness of human selfishness, covetousness and excess worldly possession, as he constantly focused only on himself saying I will do this, I will do that, ‘my goods, my fruits, my barns, my soul, etc, without any interest or room for his neighbours or the poor. He has no thought of God, nor of his own servants. If he had looked a little beyond himself, he would have seen many places where he could have bestowed his crops.  Thus, there is need for us to constantly prune ourselves from excess love for material possession of this passing world. 

The fact remains, that, material possessions in themselves are good, for we would not survive for long without them, but excess attachment to it at the expense of eternal life is grade one suicide. No doubt, it is difficult to give out or share our possession, but the ones who give up everything are the ones who receives more in this life as well as in heaven. For St. Paul tells us in our first reading that, we all like those in the past are living sensual lives, ruled entirely by our own physical desires and our own ideas; so that by nature we were as much under God’s anger as the rest of the world. But God loved us with so much love that he was generous with his mercy: when we were dead through our sins, he brought us to life with Christ.

Dear friends, detaching and sharing what we possess with others especially the poor is a sure way to finding life, peace, happiness. And Jesus is telling us that it will be difficult for us to enter his kingdom when we choose to attach ourselves in the riches of this passing world. Though material possessions are gifts from God and he alone gives us the right to have them, but what we possess is not meant to separate us from God, rather, they should help us to grow in our relationship with God and neighours.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are living in a world where materialism is the order of the day, help us to learn how to live a life of detachment and prune us always from the sin of covetousness and pride, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week.

WHOSE IMAGE AND INSCRIPTION ARE IN THE COIN YOU POSSESS IN YOUR LIFE

 Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 18th October, 2020. Mission Sunday

Readings: Is 45:1.4-6, Ps. 96, 1Thess.1:1-5 Matt. 22:15-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHOSE IMAGE AND INSCRIPTION ARE IN THE COIN YOU POSSESS IN YOUR LIFE

At the time of Jesus, one of the great means of exchange is the use of coin, A coin as we know is a small, flat, round piece of metal used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender use in order to facilitate trade. They are most often issued by the government with a particular images, numerals and inscriptions. It is a very important commodity use in payment of taxes and other important goods, this gives great value to anyone who has enough for it in his possession.

So in the occasion of our Gospel passage today, when the Pharisees and Herodians attempted to trap Jesus using the mandatory law of paying tax to Caesar. It was a serious trap for Jesus, because a negative response from him would make him a serious enemy of Rome; a positive response would make him lose the trust of his own people, who generally detest paying this tax. Thus, Jesus said to them: “why do you set this trap for me? Bring me a coin and let me see it.’ They handed him one and he said, ‘Whose image and inscriptions is it?’ Caesar’s they told him. Jesus said to them, ‘Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.’ This reply took them completely by surprise.

But what do this reply means? Here Jesus requests a coin; he secures the coin; he inquires about the image and inscription of the coin; and they respond by identifying the coin with Caesar. In the context of these actions Jesus is probably holding the coin this implies that the true image of the coin is in his possession but the empirical image and inscription of the coin are the sum total of the things that belong to Caesar. In order words the true image and inscriptions of anything comes and belongs to God. However the empirical image of corruption, greediness, pride, operation and deception that are found in this coin belongs to Caesar and should be rendered back to him.

 Thus, Jesus affirms, that one’s obligation to the government is necessary as long as it is for the good of all, while insisting that one’s obligation to God is always greater and this should be done by rendering the true image of the coin to God which ultimately belongs to Him. And this is what prophet Isaiah is pointing out in our first reading as he expatiate on the relationship between faith and politics which was well demonstrated in the person of Cyrus whose right hand God had used to subdued nations and uncovered the loins of kings. 

In the same light, St. Paul in our second reading encouraged the Church of Thessalonians to remember their faith, love and hope in God even in the midst of their struggles against the political powers and authority around them.

Dear friends, in our struggles against the ugly political powers and authorities of our generation, we all, in one way or the other possess the coins of this life, but whose image and inscription are in the coin we possess. Are we possessing the coin with the true image and inscription of God or the coin with the empirical image of sin, corruption, greed, selfishness and deception? Today as we celebrate the Mission Sunday, Jesus is telling us to render back to the Caesars of this world all the ugly and sinful coins in our possession for they belong to Caesar. While rendering to God the true image of the coin with the inscription of love, mercy, justice, forgiveness, charity and holiness for they truly belongs to God.

LET US PRAY: O God, whose providence never fails in its design, grant that we may always render to you what really belongs to you, as we do away with all that offends you and our fellow neighbours, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful Mission Sunday celebration.

THE “UNFORGIVABLE” SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

 Saturday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 17th October, 2020. The Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch

Readings: Eph 1:15-23, Ps. 8, Luke 12:8-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE “UNFORGIVABLE” SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

Today, as Jesus continues to instruct his disciples on how to relate with him, he made a very vital statement that is so important and different from his usual messages, when he said in our Gospel passage today: “if anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of men, the Son of Man will declare himself for him in the presence of the angels. But the man who disowns me in the presence of men will be disowned in the presence of God’s angels. Everyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

From this frightening passage, Jesus reveals to us that sins no matter how grievous can be forgiven, but there is a particular sin that will not be forgiven. That is, the sin against the Holy Spirit. But what is this sin against the Holy Spirit? And why would it not be forgiven? The sin against the Holy Spirit is rooted from ones outright rejection of God’s grace of salvation offered to us through the Holy Spirit ‘s incessant invitations, and warnings. This happens when the will of a person is hardened against God’s mercy and goodness.

Hence the sin against the Holy Spirit is “unforgivable” because it is the sinner himself who rejected God’s forgiveness. This is so, because God respects the freedom which He has given us, for he respects a sinner’s decision to firmly refuse to be forgiven. Thus, this sin, traditionally has been seen as a sin of final impenitence, or presumption, which occurs in a situation where someone sinned gravely and then either fails to have any sorrow for that sin or simply presumes on God’s mercy without truly repenting. And this lack of sorrow closes the door to God’s mercy. 

To make this clearer, Pope Pius X in his catechism made us to know that there are six elements of this sin against the Holy Spirit which includes: Firstly, by despairing of God’s salvation, which occurs when a person completely loses hope of salvation by judging and undermining the divine mercy of God.

Secondly, by presumption of God’s salvation, this occurs out of pride, when a person cultivates in his soul an idea of his own perfection by believing that his salvation has been guaranteed by what he has done. Thirdly by denying the truth of faith recognized as such by the Magisterium of the Church, by considering his personal understanding to be greater than that of the Church and the teachings of the Holy Spirit even after an exhaustive doctrinal explanation. This attitude is referred as the sin of heresy. 

Fourthly, by envying the grace that God gives to other people. This occurs when one detests other peoples gift and possession wishing to have everything alone, thereby  going against the law of love for one’s neighbour. Fifthly, by obstinacy, this occurs when someone resolved to remain firmly in sin and continue in error even after receiving the light and help of the Holy Spirit by separating him/herself from God’s will and rejection of His salvation. Lastly, by final impenitence. This occurs as a result of complete rejection of God and the invitation of the Holy Spirit, during ones entire life time even at the hour of death.

Dear friends, we must be very wise for there are many false prophets and teachers operating under the power of the devil leading people away from God. Today Jesus is promising us the Spirit of truth that will give us a special sign for distinguishing true doctrine and true teachers from the false ones. Therefore, let us constantly ask the Holy Spirit to give us the grace of discernment in order to distinguish between good and false prophets and teachers in order not to let them lead us to sin against Him (Holy Spirit). 

And as we celebrate the memorial of St. Ignatius, one of the most prominent of all the early Church fathers, who helped to establish solid foundation for the Church in Antioch and also the Universal Church. He wrote extensively to the other Church communities. But was martyred by being thrown to wild beasts in the amphitheatre, where he defended his faith to the very end. Let us also be true Christians in our way of life, words and deeds. Let us learn to put our trust in God who has promised to keep us from falling away from the true faith we have found in His Son Jesus. 

LET US PRAY: O God, you promised to send us the Spirit of truth, grant we pray, that we will always stand and witness to the truth we have found in Jesus against all the false influential prophets and teachers in our society today and never to sin against the Holy Spirit. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.

FEAR NOT, FOR YOU ARE MORE VALUABLE THAN MANY SPARROWS OF THIS PASSING WORLD

 Friday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 16th October, 2020.

Readings: Eph 1:11-14, Ps. 33, Luke 12:1-7

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

FEAR NOT, FOR YOU ARE MORE VALUABLE THAN MANY SPARROWS OF THIS PASSING WORLD

The word “FEAR” is often defined as an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. Little wonder, threats, intimidation, torture and fear are some of the powerful ways of silencing people from expressing their views, opinion and faith. Hence, Jesus knowing the difficulties and challenges his disciples will encounter, needed to train and instruct them properly, so that they can stand firm in the midst of threats, oppositions and persecution that may bring fear in their midst.

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus continues with his instruction on what it means to be a firm disciple in respect to the mission he is about to entrust to his apostles. He began by saying,  what I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy five sparrows for two pennies? And yet not one is forgotten in God’s sight. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. Fear not: you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

As disciples, these encouraging words of Jesus are very apt especially now that we are passing through difficult moment of killings, brutality, poverty, sickness, persecution, intimidation, greed, immorality, wars, famines, genocide in our families, societies, country and the world at large. This ugly condition can make someone to completely lose hope in humanity and also in God. But Jesus do not want us to lose hope, rather he wants us to be that firm and strong disciples that will stand firm and courageously face the ugly situation we encounter everyday. For Jesus needs firm disciples that will speak and stand for his Gospel no matter the cost. 

He says, we should not fear the threats, intimidation, torture and brutality of people who claim to be powerful because of the office they occupied. We should not give in to some of these powerful ways of silencing people from expressing their views, opinion and faith. Yes all over the world, there are wars against injustice, protests against intimidation and brutality of innocent people especially in our country. Hence, we the youths are out seeking for justice, equity and good governance. We must not stop or give up in our struggles. We must continue to speak and condemn evil without fear, but with the assurance that the Lord is with us, despite everything that we may be suffering and enduring because of the sins and wickedness of evil ones. 

Dear friends, as disciples of Jesus, our purpose in life is to become like him in deeds and in character. By so doing we will have confident that God will enable us to carry out the work that he has entrusted to us even in the midst of persecution, knowing that neither the human person nor the devil can affect our soul. We can be confident of God’s intimate care for us, because He knows even the numbers of the hairs on our head. Thus, as true disciples of Jesus we must have confidence and remain firm in faith even in the midst of persecution, intimidation, brutality, sufferings and sickness, because, His love and care for us surpass all our challenges.

 

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, our society is full of threats, intimidation, brutality, torture and fear from people who are entrusted with authority and ought to protect the interest of humanity. Grant us we pray, the grace to resist their evil and ugly attitude and to stand firm in the midst of all the oppositions and persecutions we may encounter in our daily lives, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a blessed and peaceful day.

GOD IS REPROACHING OUR UGLY ATTITUDES OF PRIDE AND SELFISHNESS

 Thursday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 15th October, 2020. The Memorial of St. Teresa of Avila

Readings: Eph 1:1-10, Ps. 98, Luke 11:47-54

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

GOD IS REPROACHING OUR UGLY ATTITUDES OF PRIDE AND SELFISHNESS

Today in our Gospel passage Jesus continued with his reproach on the Scribes and the Pharisee for hardening their hearts from the teaching of Jesus, and therefore behaving like their ancestors. Little wonder, Jesus in his reproach said: woe to you who build the tombs of the prophets, the men your ancestors killed! In this way you both witness what your ancestors did and approve it; they did the killing, you do the building. But the scribes and the Pharisees began a furious attack on him and tried to force answers from him thereby setting traps to catch him out in something he might say.

Here, Jesus was speaking to the people on the ugly attitudes and wickedness of humanity well manifested by the Scribes and Pharisees in the various occasions when we ought to obey the Lord but preferred to live and act in accordance to our own selfish and proud attitudes. Hence by reproaching us, Jesus is reminding us that this is not the right path for us to follow, instead, we should be more faithful and pay more attention to God’s words and teachings which he had repeatedly communicated to us through the prophets, of which we often rejected and killed the prophets. In a similar way, Jesus despite all the signs and wonders he had done for humanity we still refused to have faith in him. 

However, St. Paul in our first reading says: blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ. For he chose us in him before the foundation of world, that we should be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence. A life which St. Teresa of Avila embraced so deeply and became a renowned mystic and holy woman. For with the help of St. John of the Cross, she was a very important figure in the renewal and reformation of the Carmelite order through which she established the Discalced Carmelites. She is one of the few female Doctors of the Church because of her immense contribution to the faith through her writings and way of life by which she sought to return the Christian faith to it’s purer state.

Dear friends, today we are called not to be like the Scribes and Pharisees, who out of pride and selfishness rejected the words of Jesus and sort to kill him. Rather, we should be more humble and disposed towards the words of God we hear everyday. We should make efforts to transform our lives and faith more closer to that of Jesus just like St. Teresa of  Avila who dedicated her life in the reformation of the Christian faith to it’s purest state.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as you reproach our ugly attitudes of pride and selfishness today, through the teaching and intercession of St. Teresa of Avila, may we be filled with the longing for true holiness and humility, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

GOD IS MORE INTERESTED IN OUR INTERIOR LIFE FOR IN IT RESIDES OUR TRUE SELF

 Wednesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 14th October, 2020.

Readings: Gal 5:18-25, Ps. 1: 1-6, Luke 11:42-46

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

GOD IS MORE INTERESTED IN OUR INTERIOR LIFE FOR IN IT RESIDES OUR TRUE SELF

The condition of our society today calls for deep reflection, as so many things that appear to be good are like whitewashed tombs which outwardly appear beautiful and draws the admiration of people, but within it are full of dead man's bones and all sorts of corruption. They call it packaging, the popular terminology used by people to describe how they make things that are not too good to look extremely good and this has made us to actually loose focus of how we ought to do things. 

This ugly attitude of the human person is what Jesus is condemning today in our Gospel passage. As he continued to challenge the hypocritical attitude of the scribes and Pharisees which is not different from the attitude of most of us. He said: Alas for you Pharisees! You who pay your tithe of mint and rue and all sorts of garden herbs and overlook justice and the love of God! These you should have practised, without leaving the others undone. Alas for you Pharisees who like taking the seats of honour in the synagogues and being greeted obsequiously in the market squares! Alas for you, because you are like the unmarked tombs that men walk on without knowing it! 

Here, Jesus is challenging us to think differently about how we live our life. He is challenging us to look at what is going on in our inner being, our interior life, that part of us that we hide from one another. For most people and the things we see around us today are like whitewashed tombs which outwardly appear beautiful and draws the admiration of people but within us are outright ugliness and all sorts of corruption like the unmarked tombs that men walk on without knowing it.

This is because we like the scribes and the Pharisees are interested mostly in external beauty of things around us while neglecting the essence. We are self-satisfied, and often time think that we are above the law. We often want to look good from the outside but remain ugly and dirty within. And St. Paul in our first reading tells us that, when self-indulgence is at work in us the results are gross indecency, fornication, and sexual irresponsibility; idolatry and sorcery; feuds and wrangling, jealousy, bad temper and quarrels; disagreements, factions, envy; drunkenness, orgies and similar things. He then earns us to embrace the interior life of the spirit which brings love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control for when we  are led by the Spirit, no law can touch us. 

Dear friends, today we are challenged to change our ugly ways of life, to change from within us. This may seem very difficult. But, we need to change in so many ways especially as regards our attitude towards things of this passing world.  For God is calling us to repentance, He wants to come into our souls and dwells. But he cannot dwell in a heart that is like a whitewashed tomb. Thus, Jesus is rebuking all humanity, he wants us to stop living a life of deception, immorality and  corruption in the name of packaging. Rather, we should build up our interior being by embracing the things of the heart such as justice, mercy, love and compassion.

LET US PRAY: Loving Father, help us to build our interior life strongly in your love for we are living in a world of whitewashed tombs of deception, immorality and corruption. Give us grace to be wise enough to discern what is right and pleasing to you. And as we struggle with the ugly situation of this life, may you guide and direct our paths. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

THE PURITY OF LIFE COMES FROM WITHIN AND NOT FROM OUTWARD APPEARANCE OF A PERSON

Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 13th October, 2020.

Readings: Gal 5:1-6, Ps. 119, Luke 11:37-41

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE PURITY OF LIFE COMES FROM WITHIN AND NOT FROM OUTWARD APPEARANCE OF A PERSON

Our society is full of artful deception, dishonesty and fraudsters. Integrity has become virus to be eliminated. Morals and virtuous acts are no longer valuable. Heroes of deception and fraudsters are honored and celebrated. This unhealthy attitude of humanity is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today. For when a Pharisee invited Jesus to a dine at his house, he was surprised that Jesus had not first washed before the meal. 

But Jesus said to him, ‘Oh, you Pharisees! You clean the outside of cup and plate, while inside yourselves you are filled with extortion and wickedness. Fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside too? Instead, give alms from what you have and then indeed everything will be clean for you.

Here, the Pharisees were so much interested with the outward appearance and the ‘letters’ of the Law, that they neglected the ‘spirit’ of the Law. However, Jesus made it clear that the purity of the human person is not based on outward appearance of a person but, from the good fruit of virtues that comes from the human soul, because outwardly we may appear to be good and pious, but in reality, our hearts are full of wickedness, immorality and sin.

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading, reminded us that our salvation is due to our faith in God and not just on the Law or the obedience to the Law. That is why he rebuked those who forced and demanded that every members of the Christian faithful should embrace circumcision according to the Law of Moses. Therefore, letting us to know that without faith, all of our good actions, obedience and the observances of the Law will be empty and meaningless.

Dear friends, today we are called to look within ourselves, and purify our inner being and so make our outward appearance reflect our inner being. We must ensure that our faith in God is pure and genuine by letting our whole lives be inspired by virtuous and truthful actions of our daily activities. Therefore, let our attitudes begin to change our society that is full of artful deception, dishonesty and fraudsters. Let our lives bear good fruits of integrity, love, purity and faith.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, our hearts are full of corruption, greediness, wickedness and immorality, give us the grace to purify our lives with virtues of integrity, honesty, purity and love, we ask this through Christ our lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day. 

DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME SEEKING FOR SIGNS, RATHER BE PREPARED

Monday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 12th October, 2020.

Readings: Gal 4:22-24.26-27.31-5:1, Ps. 113, Luke 11:29-32

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME SEEKING FOR SIGNS, RATHER BE PREPARED 

Oftentimes people want to see signs before they can accept or believe whatever we have to present to them. This is the case with the crowd in our Gospel passage today, as they asked Jesus for signs. He said to them, ‘this is an evil generation that asks for a sign! But the only sign that will be given is the sign of Jonah, telling us that, on Judgement day the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached they repented; and there is something greater than Jonah here with us, that is, Jesus himself. 

Here, Jesus presents to us the final recommendations of the end time, pointing out that he is the greatest sign of all time just like Jonah was to the people of Nineveh. He insists that we should pay rapt attention to the signs nature is giving us concerning the end time events, that these signs will make us to have hope founded firmly on the word of God which drives away fear and despair, knowing that the kingdom of God is very near to us. He also warns us about following those who claim to know when the end is coming. For we may see many of the signs written in Scripture happening already in our time and people are terrified looking for someone to show them the way. We should know that Jesus is the only Way, the Truth and the Life. 

And St. Paul in our first reading today reminded us the sign of God’s promise to Abraham as a result of his faith, by comparing between the two sons of Abraham, the one born earlier to the slave Hagar, namely Ishmael, and the one born of his wife, Sarah, the promised son, Isaac, born as promised by God. Thereby giving us the contrast between the two states of our existences, namely our past, sinful and slavery life, and our new and purified life which we obtained through our baptism the greatest sign of our redemption.

Dear friends, what signs are we seeing around us today? How can we interpret the signs of this times, the signs that tell us that this world is passing away? Do these signs make us to dread the second coming of the Lord or do we joyfully embrace it in anticipation? Remember, Jesus warns us not to waste our time seeking for signs, rather we should be prepared, we should remain firm in faith. He reminds us that he is not just the sign of Jonah, but something far greater than Jonah, and without him in our lives, we will be lost, because the future lies in his hands and nothing can destroy or hurt us as long as we remain faithful to his commands. Nonetheless, what he requires of us in this world is for us to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with our God.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in a world full of confusion and deception, help us to remain faithful in following our Lord Jesus knowing that he is the greatest sign of all times. And as we carryout our task this week, may your favour be with us now and always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week ahead.

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 11th October, 2020.

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 11th October, 2020.

Readings: Is.25:6-10, Ps. 23, Phil 4:12-14.19-20. Matt. 22:1-14

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

OPEN INVITATION TO GOD’S HEAVENLY BANQUET, DON’T BE TOO BUSY

In our hymn book there are hymns that are based on some of the parables in the scriptures, one of them entitled 'I can not come to the banquet, composed by Miriam Therese Winter gives us the summary of our Gospel passage today and the first and last stanzas of this hymn says: 

1. A certain man had a feast on his fine estate in town,

He laid a festive table and wore a wedding gown

He sent invitations to his neighbors far and wide

But when the meal was ready, each one of them replied!

CHORUS:

I can not come!

I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now,

I have married a wife, I have bought me a cow,

I have fields and commitments that cost a pretty sum,

Pray hold me excused, I cannot come!

2. Now God has written a lesson for the rest of mankind,

If we're slow in responding, He may leave us behind,

He's preparing a banquet for that great and glorious day,

When the Lord and master calls us, be certain not to say.

In this life we are so busy with so many things, that if care is not taking we will miss out from the essence of our existence. Each day, the streets are full of people struggling and bobbling, the markets are full of people buying and selling and people rising very early in the morning and coming back late at night. This shows us how much effort people put in everyday just to earn their daily bread, I thought if we can sincerely put in such amount of effort in order to catch up with the train of eternal life which God is inviting us in today’s Gospel passage.

Today, from the parable of the marriage feast, the Lord offers us again an invitation to the banquet of heaven. An invitation which is God's free act of kindness, as He wishes to dine with us. No one deserves it anyway, and He is not obliged to invite us nor are we compared to honour his invitation. Hence in the parable, those who think that they deserve to be invited are too busy to enter the banquet hall. But the poor in spirit and the humble who know that the love God has for them is completely gratuitous, accepted his invitation with joy. 

Thus, today we are called not to be too busy to come to our heavenly banquet. For God’s banquet is his Church, good and bad, saints and sinners are invited, for the Church is made up of saints and sinners. The bad are expected to become good while sinners are expected to repent and put on a new garment of holiness and love. As Christians, today we are reminded of our wedding garment, the new suit we put-on on the day of baptism. Therefore, we cannot go on wearing the old garments of sins of pride, greed, adultery, fornication, theft, drunkenness, selfishness and unforgivingness which will throw us into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, for many are called, but few are chosen.

Dear friends, we are called today to put on the wedding garment of love, holiness and open the doors of our hearts to the poor, the marginalized and those rejected by the society. And  God through prophet Isaiah in our first reading, promised to gather us together from all the foreign countries, and bring us home to his Holy mountain, where the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food. 

On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil covering all peoples, and the shroud enwrapping all nations, he will destroy death for ever. The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek; he will take away his people’s shame everywhere on earth. And St. Paul in our second reading encouraged us to be disposed to cope with whatever situation we find ourselves now, for God in return knows how to fulfil all our needs according to his riches in glory through Christ Jesus our Lord.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, today we are reminded of the invitation to your heavenly banquet. As we honor this invitation, help us to put on the wedding garment of love, holiness, forgiveness, and mercy which we embraced in our baptism. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed Sunday celebration.

MORE BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND KEEP IT

 Saturday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 10th October, 2020.

Readings: Gal 3:22-29, Ps. 105, Luke 11:27-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

MORE BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HEAR THE WORD OF GOD AND KEEP IT

Reflecting on our relationship with God, family and neighours, I asked myself which one comes first, because all seem to be important? This is very vital when we relate it to the response of Jesus to a woman in our Gospel passage today, who when Jesus was speaking to the crowd, raised her voice and said, ‘Happy the womb that bore you and the breasts you sucked!’ But Jesus replied, ‘Still happier those who hear the word of God and keep it!’

Here, Jesus highlights that our primary relationship in life is to God. Even the deepest and most natural bonds are created within this primary love of doing the will of God. Mother and family were important to Jesus in his life and at his death; but his real family is centered around the new family relationship that is built among those who hear and keep the word of God. Therefore, our relationship with our family and neighours is actually rooted in our relationship with God whose word is the light that guided our steps.

But the questions remain:  What have we been doing with the word of God we hear everyday? What kind of fruit are we bearing in our family and society? How has the word of God changed our life and disposition towards our family? How has the word of God challenged and propelled us to love God and neighours? The answers to these questions are blowing in the wind. 

Therefore, today we are called to be more practical and attentive towards listening to the of God. We are called to put into action the word we hear everyday. And concerning this new family of Jesus made up of those who hear the word of God and keep it, St  Paul in our first reading tells us that all of us who belong to this family are baptized in Christ and have all clothed yourselves in Christ, and there are no more distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of us are one in Christ Jesus.  

Dear friends, whatever we feed grows and whatever we quit feeding dies and feds away. So what are we feeding our soul with? How are we feeding on the word of God? Our society have enough hearers of the word, what we need now is doers of the word of God, men and women who will feed their lives with the word of God and from the abundance of their heart live a life that will influence the society positively. Thus, when we hear the word of God we must apply it to our daily lives, because that's the only way we can feed our soul. And by so doing we become blessed brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for the gift of your words we hear everyday, grant that we may cultivate the habit of hearing and keeping your words, so as to become living instruments of your words in our families, societies and the world at large. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen Do have a blessed and fruitful weekend.

DOT NOT LET ENVY AND JEALOUSY MAKE YOU DENY THE FACT ABOUT DISCERNING SPIRITUAL REALITY

 Friday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 9th October, 2020.

Readings: Gal 3:7-14, Ps. 111, Luke 11:15-26

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DOT NOT LET ENVY AND JEALOUSY MAKE YOU DENY THE FACT ABOUT DISCERNING SPIRITUAL REALITY

One of the gifts of God to us is the gift of discernment, which enables us to know and distinguish between good and evil spirit. This gift is very important to the office of every leader. But it is sad and unacceptable when a leader decided to misused this gift out of envy and jealousy. This is the attitudes of some of the people in the crowd especially those who belong to the party of the Pharisee as we have it in our Gospel passage today.

For  we heard how Jesus had delivered a man possessed by an evil spirit. The spirit had bound his tongue and made him mute. But when Jesus had cast out the demon from the man and the man spoke, some people in the crowd who belonged to the party of the Pharisees watched this great miracle as it happened said that it was through the power of Beelzebul the prince of demons that he was able to cast the devil out. 

This is because they were adamant in their opposition against Jesus which were propelled by envy and jealousy. That is why they were unable to look beyond their narrow-mindedness and stubbornness in insisting that their way was the true way while others like our Lord Jesus were wrong. But Jesus as usual used the opportunity to correct them by pointing out the mistakes in their argument. Thus, telling us that it does not make sense for the demons to be fighting one another and so be divided among themselves. Because any house that divides within itself can not stand, and as we know the evil ones are always united in their plans to bring about destruction in human activities.

Hence, in our first reading, St. Paul addressing the ugly divisions sowed by the devil in the community of the faithful in Galatia, made us to know that they will collapsed and fallen apart if all of their members continue to divide against each other. Thus they have to make sure that they overcome the divisions among them and seek true unity in Christ, so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might include the pagans, for through faith we all have received the promised Spirit.

Dear friends, we are called today to make proper use of the gift of discernment which the Lord has given us. We must not let envy, jealousy and over ambition make us to deny the truth about the spiritual realities we experience from the Lord. We must not let the devil succeed in sowing the spirit of division among us. We should also ask God to endow us with the spirit of discernment and truth especially this period that we are often faced with the ugly and sad attitude of human deception all over the world.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we struggle everyday with the manipulation of the evils ones, give us the grace to overcome them, may we never be misled by the devil and all of his forces, as they often attempted to sow divisions and dissensions among us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you. 

PATIENT AND PERSISTENCY IN PRAYER

 Thursday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 8th October, 2020.

Readings: Gal 3:1-5, Ps. Luke 1:69-75, Luke 11:5-13

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

PATIENT AND PERSISTENCY IN PRAYER

Have you been truly in need of something from a friend who is capable of give you what you need but he is so busy to give you what you need now? Or have you been in a situation where you needed something from a friend but cannot get it because you can not reach him easily. Such a situation can make one to be under serious pressure. Then the question that comes to mind is, are we going to give up or persevere in our struggles on waiting or reaching out to him? This kind of disposition is what we experience sometimes when we pray and our requests are yet to be granted.

And this kind of situation is what Jesus is addressing in the story in our Gospel passage today as he continue his teaching on prayer. Thus, telling us that we should approach God with confidence as a friend, persisting until we obtain what we need. We should keep on asking, seeking, and knocking in prayer until we obtain the answer we need. Just like a boy asking his father for a fish or an egg, knowing that his the father would not give him a snake or a scorpion instead of the fish or egg he had requested. With this illustration Jesus emphasized that if we, who are prune to evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more shall the heavenly Father give to those who ask him.

Dear friends, there are times when we asked and we received, sought and found, knocked and it was opened to us. But there were also times when we asked but did not receive, seek but did not find, knocked but the door remained shut. In such moments persistency and perseverance in prayer are what we are called to embrace. For they will help us to understand how to trust God knowing  that he does not need to be informed of our needs, thereby encouraging us never to lose heart. This is certainly one of the biggest challenges of our faith today. People are not just patient with God. We want to have everything right now as it is hot. Patient, persistency and perseverance are very difficult virtue for most people today.

This is what the people of Galatia were lacking that made them to begin to quickly turn away from the faith and St. Paul in our first reading today chastised them for their ugly actions, in embracing the false teachings and ideas promoted by those who did not follow the true teachings of the Church but are quick to follow the ideas of the factions of the Church who taught something different for the true faith. Therefore we should not be like them. Let us learn how to be patient and persevere in our prayers.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes we are not patient with you in our prayers, give us the grace to persevere and be persistent in our prayer life and in every other things we do in life, especially in our relationship with others. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Wednesday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 7th October, 2020. The Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary

Readings: Gal 2:1-2.7-14, Ps. 117, Luke 11:1-4

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE PATTERN OF ALL PRAYERS

Prayer is a means of communication between God and humanity. It is a close link by which we reach God who dwells in our hearts. It is through prayer we discern the will of God for us. Hence, if we have not been able to discern the will of God for our lives or have not had any personal relationship with God in prayers, then perhaps we should consider to examine our prayer life to know if we have been praying the right way. Thus we can learn the proper way to pray from the prayer Jesus taught his disciples as pattern of all prayers as we have it in our Gospel passage today.

In this prayer we have four traditional dimensions of  prayer which includes: glorification of God, submission, justice and protection. Jesus begins by saying: Father, hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come, thereby teaching us that we begin any of our prayers by glorifying God. Following this is our total submission to God’s providence when we say: give us each day our daily bread. Then, we acknowledge the justice and mercy of God when we say: for give us our sins as we for give those we have sinned against us. And finally we ask for God’s guidance and protection when we say: lead us not into temptation but deliver us from all evil.

This is important because it is the means by which we communicate with our God. But often time we treat prayer wrongly when we consider prayer as a means to only achieve what we desired without considering what God desires for us. Some of us end up spending lots of time reciting the prayers and yet we did not mean what we say, because we have wrong disposition born from unforgiving heart which must be redirected before we can get a positive response from God.

Dear friends, it is time for us to change our perspective and wrong disposition towards prayers. It is time for us to spend more quality moment in prayer and be connected with God. We must let our prayers also be meaningful and be genuine from our hearts. It is time  for us to improve the quality of our prayer life by imitating Jesus, who always prayed to his heavenly Father at every possible opportunities. In addition to this theme of prayer is the memorial of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary which celebrate today.

An event where we recall the famous victory of the Christian faithful against the enemies of the Church in the battle of Lepanto, where through the prayers and intercessions of Our Blessed Mother Mary the Church became victorious when the situation of the Christian faith were in extreme danger and were bitterly divided by the various heresies and splinter groups appearing at the time due to the reformation movement. Then, Pope Pius V called all of Christendom to pray the rosary fervently, sorting the intercession of Mary the Mother of God that her Son Jesus should be with the faithful fighting for the survival of the Christian faith which was under persecution and trials. And through the power of their dedication to praying the Rosary, God granted victory to his faithful people, and this is root of our October devotion. 

LET US PRAY; Lord God, we do not know how to pray properly, as we carryout our daily devotion, teach us once again how to pray properly, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

HOSPITALITY IS PERFECTED WHEN WE HAVE A LISTENING EAR

 Tuesday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 6th October, 2020. 

Readings: Gal 1: 13-24, Ps. 139, Luke 10:28-24

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HOSPITALITY IS PERFECTED WHEN WE HAVE A LISTENING EAR

Listening is one of the vital aspect of the human person, which is very much lacking in most of our communication this days. This is because, oftentimes, we worry about so many things in life, trying to let people hear us without taking time to listen to them. There are people who are always trying to satisfy everyone without listening to the real thing that matters. I have also come across people who are often worried about how to make others feel more comfortable without minding their own discomfort. They are so concerned with pleasing others even when they are not pleased. What a great sacrificial virtue that is not common this days. 

This sacrificial virtue is the attitude of Martha in our Gospel passage today were we have the story of how Martha was so busy trying to make Jesus comfortable when he visited them at their house in Bethany. But when Martha observed that her sister Mary was not helping out in the preparation, rather was 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 busy without listening and listening without doing is worthless. Hence, he gently correct the impression of Martha who was too busy and distracted with so many things that she risks losing sight of what is really important, that is, listening to Jesus. This is because Martha gives the impression that Mary is just sitting there doing nothing. But, in fact, she is listening to Jesus.

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

Dear friends, in our relationship with Jesus, are we more of listener or more of accommodating and caring? Are we more like Martha or like Mary, for they were both friends of Jesus? Today many of us are so busy and anxious of 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.

Thus, Martha who was known as a friend of Jesus, loved to welcome him into her home, let us learn from her, knowing that hospitality is perfected when we have a listening ear. For it is a great virtue to be hospitable and caring especially when we spend quality time to listen to God and letting him direct and guide us towards carrying out our daily tasks. Hence, let us learn how to listen to God just like St. Paul in our first reading who through listening to God changed from a persecutor to a preacher of the faith he had previously tried to destroy. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are always so busy with the things of this passing world, that we often do not have time listen to you. Give us the grace like Mary to chose the better part which is to truly listen to your word and then be well disposed to be caring and hospitable just like Martha, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.