Homily For Wednesday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 1st November, 2023. Solemnity of All Saints. (HAPPY NEW MONTH)

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART, FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD

 

Every first November, the Holy Mother Church presents to us the Solemnity of All Saints. But, who are the saints and why are we celebrating them. The Church as we know is not just the physical structure we have all over the places, no, the Church is much more than that. The Church is the body of Christ which every one of us are member by 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. But immediately after death, we belong either to the suffering Church or the triumphant Church. The suffering Church is 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. They are those who are pure in heart, they are the ones who shall see God because they have been washed clean from the stain of sin by the blood of Christ and sustained by their holiness of life.

 

So, today we celebrate the triumphant Church that is, all the saints known or unknown to us who have triumphed victorious to heavenly glory. By celebrating them we are reminded that we are called to grow in holiness and to become saints like them, for that is our primary goal in life.

 

This solemnity dates back to the 7th century, and the occasion of its introduction was the conversion of the ancient Roman Pantheon into a Christian Church. As 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 in 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 event, we are called to imitate the heroic virtues of the saints by living a life of beatitudes as peacemakers, 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 great persecution, and they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb, 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, are you pure in heart? Are you merciful? Are you a peacemaker? Are you persecuted for righteousness' sake? Then you are a living saint. So, today’s  Solemnity reminds 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 want 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 aware of our sins, our weaknesses and our failures.

 

Yes, we are sinners, but so are 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 cooperate 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 is worth all the sacrifices Jesus mentioned in the beatitudes. So, let us embrace these great virtues and so become the saints of God that we are called to be.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as a militant Church on earth, there are a 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 All Saints celebration.

Homily For Tuesday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 31st October, 2023

Readings: Romans 8:18-25; Ps 126; Luke 13:18-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

WHAT SHALL WE COMPARE THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITH?

 

Oftentimes when addressing the people regarding very important things, 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 mighty 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 mighty tree, so will the faith of the people grow into great vessels 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 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 hardened 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 reading tells us that what we suffer in this life can never be compared to the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us. So we are encouraged us to embrace the good seeds of God’s words in our life struggles.

 

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, and 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.

Homily For Monday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 30th October, 2023

Readings:  Roman 8:12-17; Ps 68;  Luke 13:10-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

THE WELFARE OF THE HUMAN PERSON OVER HUMAN LAWS

 

From the scriptures, it seems like every encounter that the Pharisees had with Jesus was always aimed at finding faults with what Jesus was doing. But to their great 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 they 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 made us know that God’s actions cannot be dictated or restricted by humans. Because God’s mercy and healing know no limits of time or place if we sincerely turn to him.  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 become faithful and holy. His mercy is so deep that he proposes it as the guiding principle for the perfect fulfilment of the laws of life.

 

This, Jesus in this passage has 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 of the 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 oppressed 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 like our Lord Jesus Christ for that is what we are called to do.

 

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading, tells us that everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit we received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into our lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God.

 

Dear friends, no law or regulation should stop us from ensuring and caring for the well-being of people around us. So today, we are called to constantly do good to everyone. We are called not to be fault-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 fail 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.

Homily For Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 29th October, 2023

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT IS THE GREATEST PRIORITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON?

 

Reflecting on the fragile and contingent nature of the human person, one may agree with me that 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 principle.  In fact, we 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 learnt that the most important thing in life is to love God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind; that is, with all their powers and the 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 are what is required of us and it is the foundation of all the things we have to do. To portray this, 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.

 

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, despite the great opposition round you.

 

Dear friends, the greatest priority of the human person is the love of God and the love of neighbours. For love is the centre of all the teachings of Jesus. It 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 every one of us in our families, society and 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.

Homily For Saturday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 28th October, 2023. The Feast of SS. Simon and Jude, Apostles

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

ARE YOU FELLOW CITIZENS OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD LIKE SS. SIMON AND JUDE?

 

Will you leave? Will you care? Will you risk? Will you let the Lord 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 every one 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 to 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 reached out to many peoples and evangelized many 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 decades of 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 and 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 as its main cornerstone.

 

Dear friends, are we fellow citizens of God's household like SS. Simon and Jude whose lives show us that evangelization is the very nature and essence of the Church. For 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 from 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 are 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 that we have caused for ourselves.

 

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. Do have a fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 27th October, 2023

Readings:  Romans.7:18-25; Ps 119; Luke 12: 54-59

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

HOW ARE WE INTERPRETING THE SIGNS OF OUR TIMES

 

As a human person, we are good at discerning the events happening around us in order to predict what can be the outcome of such events in the future. We often read the signs of nature in order to make predictions 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 the events of this passing world? Why not judge for yourselves what is right?

 

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 a hypocritical attitude. In the second aspect of the Gospel, Jesus is asking us to put things right while there is still time if not we should be willing to duly face the punishment for all our wrongdoings.

 

Thus St. Paul in our first reading says: I know that nothing good is living in me, that is, in my flesh, for though the will to do what is good is in me, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, because instead of doing the good things I want to do, I carry out the sinful things I do not want.

 

Dear friends, there are so many signs around us today. What is our disposition towards these signs? Can we identify the signs of our time? How can we understand and interpret them? Why have we failed to understand the sign that tells us that this world is not our home, we are just passing by? Are we not reading the hand of God in what is going on around us, especially in our country? Now we are called to respond to these signs. What do we think Jesus would do if he was living with us now? Today, Jesus is calling us to discern our actions 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 world today, 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 waste so much time arguing about unnecessary things while missing out on 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, and equity, equal respect for human life and property. These are the things we all need to put right at all levels and sectors where we find ourselves as we wait on the awesome day of the Lord.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, 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.

Homily For Thursday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 26th October, 2023

Readings: Romans 6:19-23; Ps.1; Luke 12: 49-53

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

DEALING WITH THE GOSPEL'S SWORD OF DIVISION AND SEPARATION

 

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

 

Therefore, if we are willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision towards our discipleship in a personal and radical way, for these days, it is not enough to say am a Christian, we must convincingly and radically practice our faith by following the example of our 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 come with the truth of the Gospel teaching, more importantly, when it comes to living out the Gospel message radically, 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 choices 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 us 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. Thus,  St. Paul in our first said that: as once we put our bodies at the service of vice and immorality, so now we must put them at the service of righteousness for our sanctification.

 

Dear friends, we are called today to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully live out our 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 are the 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 may be too late.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts towards you, give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires and attitudes, 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.

Homily For Wednesday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 25th October, 2023

Readings:  Romans 6:12-16; Ps. 124; Luke 12: 39-48

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

ARE YOU READY AND PREPARED FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD?

 

Adequate preparation is often said to be the secret and foundation of every successful event. This is obvious when we observe how footballers, boxers, athletes, also engineers, doctors and farmers, business men and women devote time and energy to rigorous preparation towards achieving their goals. Then I said to myself, if we can go to this length of rigorous periods of preparation just for things of this passing world, more should be even demanded of us when it has to do with preparing for eternal life.

 

Therefore, 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 “hour” you do not know and the second has 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 Heavenly gifts 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. To achieve this, St. Paul in our first reading says: that we must not let sin reign in our mortal bodies or command our obedience to bodily passions, we must not let any part of our body turn into an unholy weapon fighting on the side of sin. Rather, we should offer yourselves to God, and consider ourselves dead men brought back to life; we should make every part of our bodies into a weapon fighting on the side of God; and then sin will no longer dominate our lives, since we are living by grace and not by law.

 

Dear friends, as we struggle with the ugly situation in our society and in our world today, 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 of our Lord. 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. We need to 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 for the coming of the Lord.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we have 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. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Tuesday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 24th October, 2023

Readings: Romans 5:12.15.17-21; Ps. 40; Luke 12:36-38

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

LET YOUR LOINS BE GIRDED AND YOUR LAMPS BURNING

 

There are two most important events in our life as a human person. One is well known, prepared and 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: “Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning. 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 illustrates 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 on 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.

 

Thus, St. Paul addressing the ugly situation that humanity found herself and the need for us to be ready to come out of it said in our first reading today that: sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned; but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall, so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, has come to so many as an abundant gift of salvation. For this 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 suggests to us that the day of death is not coming soon 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 travellers 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.

Homily For Monday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 23rd October, 2023

Readings: Romans 4:20-25; Ps: Luke 1: 69-75;  Luke 12:13-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

FOOL! THIS VERY NIGHT THE DEMAND WILL BE MADE FOR YOUR SOUL

 

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 neighbours not to separate us from them, because if we are not careful, too much love for material possessions 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 do not have 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 their 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 his 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 a need for us to constantly prune ourselves from excess love for material possessions 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 possessions, but the ones who give up everything are the ones who receive more in this life as well as in heaven. For St. Paul tells us in our first reading that, since God had made him a promise, Abraham refused either to deny it or even to doubt it, but drew strength from faith and gave glory to God, convinced that God had the power to do what he had promised. This will help us to understand the need to live a detached life.

 

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

 

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.

 

Homily For Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 22nd October, 2023. Mission Sunday

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

HEARTS ON FIRE, FEET ON THE MOVE

 

At the time of Jesus, one of the great means of exchange was the use of a 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 particular images, numerals and inscriptions. It is a very important commodity used in payment of taxes and other important goods, this gives great value to anyone who has enough for it in his possession.

 

So on the occasion of our Gospel passage today, 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 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 God what belongs to God.’ This reply took them completely by surprise.

 

But what does this reply mean? Here Jesus requested for a coin; he secured the coin; he inquired about the image and inscription of the coin; and they responded 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 other words, the true image and inscriptions of anything come and belong 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 subdue nations and uncover 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 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 belong to God. These are what we are called to do as we carry out our missionary mandate.

 

 Little wonder, Pope Francis in his Message for this Mission Sunday titled Hearts on Fire, feet on the Move said: I have chosen this theme inspired by the story of the disciples on the way to Emmaus, in the Gospel of Luke (cf. 24:13-35) to portray the nature of our mission. For those two disciples were confused and dismayed, but their encounter with Christ in the word and in the breaking of the bread sparked in them the enthusiastic desire to set out again towards Jerusalem and proclaim that the Lord had truly risen.

 

Here, we perceive this change in the disciples through a few revealing images: their hearts burned within them as they heard the Scriptures explained by Jesus, their eyes were opened as they recognized him and, ultimately, their feet set out on the way. By meditating on these three images, which reflect the journey of all missionary disciples, we can renew our zeal for evangelization in today’s world.

 

Today, as then, the Risen Lord remains close to his missionary disciples and walks beside us, particularly when we feel disoriented, discouraged, and fearful of the mystery of iniquity that surrounds us in this world and seeks to overwhelm us. So, “let us not allow ourselves to be robbed of hope!” (Evangelii Gaudium, 86). For the Lord is greater than all our problems. Pope Francis also said: I desire to express my closeness in Christ to all the men and women missionaries in the world, especially to those enduring any kind of hardship.

 

Dear friends, he said: the Risen Lord is always with you. He sees your generosity and the sacrifices you are making for the mission of evangelization in distant lands. Not every day of our lives is serene and unclouded, but let us never forget the words of our Lord Jesus to his friends before his Passion: “In the world, you will have tribulations, but be courageous: I have conquered the world!” (Jn 16:33).

 

LET US PRAY: O God, whose providence never fails in its design, grant that our hearts should be on fire and our feet on the move to always render to you what 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.

Homily For Saturday Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 21st October, 2023

Readings: Romans 4:13.16-18; Ps. 105; Luke 12:8-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

DO NOT SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

Today, as Jesus continues to instruct his disciples on how to be in a good relationship 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 in one’s 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 know that there are six elements of this sin against the Holy Spirit which include: 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, occurs out of pride, when a person cultivates in his soul an idea of his 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 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 to as the sin of heresy.

 

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

 

Dear friends, we must be very wise for many false prophets and teachers are 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).

Let us 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: Lord 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.