Homily For Saturday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 1st February 2025

Readings: Heb. 11:1-2.8-19, Ps. Luke 1:69-75, Mark 4:35-41

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HAVE YOU TEL THE LORD ABOUT THE HEAVY STORMS IN YOUR LIFE? 

In this scripture, we often hear stories of how people struggle with heavy storms as they are assailed through the sea. Today our fisherman and the Marine men who were into the sea business can tell us better what it means to be on the sea with heavy storms. A situation where the need to look for a Saviour is highly expected. Such was the case with the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today. It is a story about the disciples’ panic and fear of perishing as a result of the heavy storm that is affecting their boat. 

As this heavy storm was almost breaking their boat, the disciples could not believe that Jesus was asleep while they were afraid and needed help from anywhere. So they went to him and woke him saying, ‘Teacher, do you not care if we perish? And Jesus said: “Peace! Be still!!” And the Storm ceased and there was a great calm. Then he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?’ The men were astounded and said, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.’

This story signifies God’s chosen people on a transit of faith, frightened by the guilt of sin and wounded by the waves of the sea, the abode of evil forces and monsters of this world. The boat can be taken as a symbol of the faith of the Church and the people of God struggling with the world’s principalities and powers, while the storms are symbols of heavy persecution and suffering by the people of God. 

And Jesus is saying: why are you so frightened, you men of little faith. Little wonder we are told in our first reading that only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen. For it was by faith that Abraham when put to the test, offered up Isaac in obedience to God.

Dear friends, have you told the Lord about the heavy storms in your life? There is no doubt that there is an active presence of evil in the world, which manifests itself in different forms as a storm in our lives. So, every day is a struggle against the malice of the evil ones, and people are doing everything they can to overcome them.  Do not be frightened by the storms of this passing world,  have faith in God. 

Today, Jesus is inviting us into his boat of life, thereby calling us to journey on this boat with unwavering faith and a repented heart because the world is being tossed around by the waves of evil forces, the enemies of humanity. And it is only God who can subdue it, for he has promised to restore us back to himself. 

Therefore, I don’t know the great storms of doubt and fear in your soul? I don’t know if you are under the power of the evil forces of this world. I don’t know how long and heavy the storm has been in your life. All I know is that with great faith in God, the heavy storms in our lives will become calm, for Jesus will surely rebuke the violent storms in our hearts so that we can experience once again the calmness of his peace and joy. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God. As we struggle every day to overcome the ugly situation around us, grant that the violent storms and waves of bondage in our lives, our families and the world will end in a wonderful calm that brings peace to our souls. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful and joyful New Month.

Homily For Friday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 31st January, 2025. The Memorial of St. John Bosco

 

Readings: Heb. 10: 32-39, Ps.37, Mark 4:26-34

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

GROWING YOUR FAITH LIKE THE GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED

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

Here, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed growing from the Word of God spoken to the hearts of his few disciples which will grow and spread to the hearts of all humanity. This analogy focuses on the size of the seed that grows to become a might tree that gives shelter and salvation to all.

More so, Jesus is not just speaking of the size of the mustard seed, but also the faith of the people as that of a mustard seed. Telling us that just as the mustard seed responded 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 and so build up the kingdom of God. 

Nevertheless, these two analogies of the mustard seed symbolize 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. Hence, in building the kingdom of God, we are reminded in our first reading that we will need endurance to do God’s will and gain what he has promised. For we should not be the sort of people who draw back, and are lost by it; rather, we should be the sort of people who keep faithful until our souls are saved in our heavenly kingdom. 

Dear friends, we need to let our knowledge of God’s kingdom grow like that of mustard seed, knowing that 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, love, holiness, hospitality, obedience, charity that will lead us to God’s kingdom? Or are we watering weeds that are distracting us from attaining heaven. We  must stop watering such weeds, rather let us feed ourselves with valuable mustard seeds. 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.

This is what we see in the life of St. John Bosco whose memorial we celebrate today for despite the challenges and oppositions he faced in life, he remained committed to his work as a priest and made great impacts in the lives the youths of his time and even in our time for through many people who sharing in his spirituality, he founded the Order of the Salesians of Don Bosco, one of the great religious orders in our society today.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as you sow the seeds of your word in our hearts, give us the grace to grow it into the mustard tree of faith, holiness and hospitality and by so doing build up your heavenly kingdom, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Thursday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 30th January 2025

Readings: Heb. 10: 19-25, Ps.24, Mark 4:21-25

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO LISTEN WITH YOUR EARS

The ears which consist of the pinna are organs of hearing. It is a gift from God through which we have the faculty of being able to perceive sounds and recognize something in an auditory way. To exercise the faculty of this organ effectively we must learn to use it to listen attentively to information. The world, no doubt, is full of noise, echoing different things in our minds through our ears.

But what are we feeding our ears with? How are we using these organs? How has this organ helped us in our spiritual life amid this noisy world? How have we managed the noise in our lives, in families and in society which distracts us from listening to God? What are the things we hear or listen to? The Word of God we hear every day. How has it developed our relationship with God and our neighbour?

Therefore, when Jesus said in our Gospel reading today, “he who has ears let him hear”, he is referring to our ability to listen to God's Word and act on it even amid this noisy world. Thus, what Jesus means is that the person who seeks to gain some spiritual insight into what he is saying will have that insight increased when they listen.

Whereas whoever does not listen to him will end up in spiritual ignorance. To avoid this, we are reminded in our first reading that through the blood of Jesus, we have the right to enter the sanctuary in a new way that he has opened for us, which stirs a response in love and good works when we listen to Jesus.

Dear friends, by listening, hearing and following Jesus, we grow in familiarity with his voice and hear him more. And by so doing we make Jesus the light of our lives placed on the lampstand to give light and insight to our souls as individuals, family and society, illuminating all the darkness around us.

 LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, our ears are gifts from you; help us to use them properly. And as we carry out our activities today, may our ears hear the consoling words of Jesus guiding and directing us towards the light of his presence. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Remain blessed.

Homily For Wednesday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 29th January 2025

 
Readings: Heb. 10:11-18, Ps.110, Mark 4:1-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR DISPOSITION TOWARDS THE WORD OF GOD?

A good disposition and positive response towards whatever we do in life have a way of building up our confidence and interior life, and this,, of course, leads us to great success. Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, Jesus uses the parable of the sower to describe different kinds of response to God's Word. He explained the parable by pointing out our different dispositions towards the Word of God in relation to our interior life.

This will help us to know whether our soul is like the dry, rocky ground or whether we regularly seek to nourish our soul and prepare it to receive the holy Word of God. So we are called to create a fertile disposition within our heart in order to do the will of God.

In the scriptures, many hear the words of Jesus and do not understand them because of poor disposition, for instance,, the religious leaders who are against his teachings, the crowds that responded positively to Jesus, especially to his miracles of healing, yet turned against him at the end and demand his crucifixion.

Some disciples, such as Judas, might also be included among those who fall away when trouble or persecution comes on account of the Word. While the rich young man who was unable to part with his possessions provides a clear example of one who hears the word, the love for the passing things of this world and the lure of wealth choked the word, and it yielded nothing.

But what about the good soil? These are those who hear the Word, understand it and internalize it. They indeed bear fruit and yield an abundant harvest. Our mother, Mary, and the disciples,s, excluding Jud, are examples of such people. Therefore, the different kinds of ground on which the seed falls represent different ways by which we receive the Word of God.

Dear friends, our hearts are the fields in which the Word of God is scattered. But, to which do our hearts belong? The pathway, the rocky ground, the thorns or the good soil? Whichever one, we are called to have the right disposition and positive response to the Word of God. We are to pay attention and take some time to appreciate God’s Word in our lives by allowing it to bear solid roots in us so that we can bear great fruits.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes our disposition and response towards your Words is so poor. As we listen to your Words today, give us grace to remain open to receiving your Words, so as to bear fruit abundantly. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Have a favourable day.

Homily For Tuesday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 28th January 2025 The Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas P. D

Readings: Heb. 10:1-10; Ps. 40; Mark 3:31-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DOING THE WILL OF GOD IS THE ONLY WAY TO BELONG TO THE TRUE FAMILY OF JESUS 

There is no doubt that having the feeling of a sense of belonging is fundamental to human happiness and well-being. This, of course,, gives value to our life and helps us in coping with some painful emotions. Hence, we often want to belong with one another, to our friends and families, to our culture or from one association to another. However, one of the common and safest places to belong is our families, especially when it is rooted in the love of God and neighbour. 

So, today in our Gospel passage, Jesus speaks about belonging to his family and his relationship with members of his family when he said: ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.’ From this Gospel, Jesus speaks of two ways the people around him could be identified as members of his family. Firstly, he talks about those who belong to the family of his birth, that is, his mother, father and relations. Then, his other family is made up of those who do the will of God.

 This family, he says, is his true family, where doing the will of God is the only way of belonging to this family. This is not to say that Jesus is rejecting his family; to do so would contradict his own teaching about loving one's parents and loving one's neighbours. However, Jesus is using this opportunity to emphasize that a relationship with God is more important, and this should depend on our total commitment to doing the will of God through him. Surprisingly, Mary the mother of Jesus belongs to both sides of the family, for she gave birth to Jesus and was also the first to do the will of God when she said, “Let it be done unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). For this reason she is the first disciple of Jesus and a model for all Christians.

Thus, to be a Christian or a disciple is to enter into the family of Jesus and embrace a new relationship with God and with one another for this is the most important place to belong. All other bonds, including those of blood, should be considered secondary. Because, belonging to God is fundamental to our basic relationships, before all human relations. We belong first to God before belonging to our families, after which we all go back to God, where we ultimately belong, which is determined by how we have been doing God’s will here on earth.

Little wonder we heard in our first reading today the need to do the will of God not just follow the laws that will not bring us to God. For the reading says: You did not want what the Law lays down as the things to be offered, that is: the sacrifices, the oblations, the holocausts and the sacrifices for sin, for the Lord took no pleasure in them; and then he says: Here I am! I am coming to obey your will. He is abolishing the first sort to replace it with the second. And this will was for us to be made holy by the offering of his body made once and for all by Jesus Christ.

Dear friends, where do we ultimately and truly belong? As Christians, we claim to belong to God. Do our attitudes and decisions show that we truly belong to God? Do we not often commit ourselves to things contrary to the faith we professed in God? So, let us learn from Thomas Aquinas whose memorial we celebrate. He was a famous theologian who understood what it meant to do the will of God and have deep faith in God. He is often remembered for his great work, the Summa Theologiae and many other contributions, writings and works of faith which still influenced and inspired so many people. Thereby showing us the importance of doing the will of God and demonstrating our faith in God.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are called to do your will always in order to truly belong to that true family of Jesus where the love of you and of our neighbour unites us together. Grant that through the intercessions of St.  Thomas Aquinas we may learn to do your will and be good collaborators with others in the mission and vocation entrusted to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Monday of The Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 27th January, 2025

 

Readings: Heb. 9:15.24-28; Ps.98; Mark 3:22-30
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DO NOT SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

One of the gifts of God to us is the gift of discernment, which enables us to know and distinguish between good and evil spirits. This gift is very important to the office of every leader. But it is sad and unacceptable when a leader decides to misuse this gift out of envy,  jealousy and ignorance. This is the attitude of the scribes 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 scribes who 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 was 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. 

So, it is obvious that the scribes knew the truth but were not ready to accept it rather they chose to deny the work of God, that is why Jesus concluded the Gospel by saying that: 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. This is so because it is the sinner himself who rejected God’s forgiveness. And since God respects the freedom which He has given us, for he respects a sinner’s decision to firmly refuse to be forgiven.

Dear friends, do not let pride, envy,  jealousy or ignorance lead you into sin against the Holy Spirit. For we are called today not to be like the scribes who, out of pride and ignorance, denied the power of God over spiritual realities and so sin against the Holy Spirit. Rather we should make proper use of the gift of discernment which the Lord has given us. We must not let envy, jealousy and ambition make us 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 during this period when we are often faced with the ugly and sad attitude of human deception all over the world. Therefore,  let us pay attention to the teaching and correction of Jesus, for we heard in our first reading that Christ brings a new covenant, as the mediator, only so that the people who were called to an eternal inheritance may actually receive what was promised: for his death took place to cancel the sins that infringed the earlier covenant.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we struggle every day with the manipulation of the evil ones, give us the grace to overcome them. May we never be misled by the devil and all of his forces, as they often attempt to sow divisions and dissensions among us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful week.

Homily For Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 26th January, 2025. The Sunday of the Enthronement of the Word of God

Readings: Neh. 8:2-4.5-6.8-10; Ps. 19; 1Cor.12:12-30; Luke 1:1-4;4:14-21
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WORD OF THE LORD?

On 30th September 2019, our Holy Father Pope Francis, in his Apostolic Letter Aperuit Illis, declared and instituted “A Sunday for the Word of God”, which is to be celebrated every third Sunday in Ordinary Time of the Church’s Liturgical Year. The purpose of this declaration is to remind all Christ faithful that the Word of God, as contained in the Scriptures, is very vital and integral in the development of our faith in God. The Word of God, in this case, does not just refer to the Scriptures as we know it, but it also refers to Christ himself as our Lord and Saviour, the Divine Word made Incarnate. 

So today being the third Sunday in Ordinary Time year C,  we are called to celebrate the Word of God. This is very important and significant in our liturgical celebration and our readings today, as they emphasise the importance and significance of the Word of God in the lives of his people. In the first reading, we heard how the rebellious attitude of the people towards the Word of God brought about the capture and exile of the people of Israel. But having gained their freedom, they decided to hear and meditate on the word and laws of God, when the word was read and interpreted, they wept for their ignorance and negligence of God’s Word. 

But Ezra said to all the people, ‘This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not be mournful, do not weep.’ For the people were all in tears as they listened to the words of the Law.
This gracious event ushers us into our Gospel passage today, where we heard how  Jesus  The Word made Flesh came to his hometown and entered the synagogue, they handed over to him the Word of God as proclaimed by prophet Isaiah, and unrolling the scroll, he read a portion of the scripture that declared what he referred to as his mission and goals in regards to the fulfilment of all the wonderful promises of God’s salvation for humanity. 

Here, we heard the manifestation and fulfilment of the missionary mandate of our Lord Jesus. For the Word made Flesh is now dwelling among his people. Of course, the people in the synagogue must have been astonished when they heard how he spoke with such great wisdom and authority, as he revealed the truth of God’s Word to all, and how everything that the prophets had spoken would be fulfilled through him.

Thus, Jesus the Word made Flesh and dwells among us and has become the centre of our lives. Because our faith is founded upon this very Word of God made Flesh, the Divine Word Made Incarnate. The Church is founded based on the Word of God, that is the Scriptures, the Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. And this Word is what unites us together. Remember we just concluded the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Hence this week, we have to spend some time to reflect on the Word of God and see how we can foster unity within the  Church through the Word of the scriptures. 

But this will be very difficult if we are ignorant of the truth of God’s Word as contained in the Sacred Scriptures. We need to first deepen our knowledge of God and build a solid relationship with him. And this is what St. Paul is telling us in our second reading today, as he uses the analogy of the human body though with different parts made up of one body, to explain what ought to be our relationship with God and one another. Because the body of Christ ought to be truly one united and indivisible Body of all the faithful people of God.

However, this has not really been achieved because we have neglected the very centre of our faith and unity. We have failed to embrace the Word of God and make it the guiding principle of our lives. We do not have time to study the bible or create time to listen to God speaking to us and addressing some of our challenges. We are either too busy with our work and career or are distracted by all the ugly activities the world is selling to us through the internet that often capture our thoughts and imaginations. For this reason, there is no room for God and his words in our lives. So, from this Sunday till Ash Wednesday, we are reminded that it is time for us to reflect on the Word of God and reaffirm our relationship with God before it is too late.

Dear friends, the question we need to ask ourselves is: what is our response towards the Word of God we hear every day? How much of this Word dwells in us? What is my relationship with Jesus the Living Word of God made flesh and dwells among us? Has the Word of  God ever struck me in any way to the point of shading tears? Today, we must let the Word of God make a great impact in our lives. That is why the emphasis on the Word of God today is very important to all of us, the faithful people of God who have been called to follow the Lord. 

Therefore, if we are to follow Christ faithfully, we must cultivate the habit of listening to God and studying the scriptures because the Word of God is our daily sustenance and the source of our strength and faith. Hence, we are called to make the Word of God the guiding principle in our lives. For in the scriptures, we find the strength and courage to conquer the darkness of sin around us. By the Word of God, we acquire grace and courage to conquer evil and sin, promote good over evil, order over chaos, security over danger, joy over sorrow, truth over falsehood, salvation over condemnation and life over death.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we enthrone your Word in our lives, our families and in your Church today, grant we pray, that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we may come to discover the power and the efficacy of the scriptures in our lives as individuals, families and community of God’s people. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and lovely Sunday.

Homily For Saturday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 25th January, 2025

Readings: Act: 22:3-16, Ps. 117, Mark 16:15-18

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE GRACE OF AN ENCOUNTER THAT LEADS TO TRUE CONVERSION

There is something deep and unique about every person, sometimes it takes personal experience to discover this uniqueness. I don't know if you have ever had an experience that made you realize the emptiness of this life, a kind of experience that turns pride into humility, sinfulness into righteousness, an experience that changes your perception about things or people.

This is what we see in the life of St. Paul who today we are celebrating the feast of his conversion as we have it in our first reading today. An event that would prompt us to reflect on our personal experience of God. I am confident enough to tell you that every day is an opportunity to encounter God through different events that occur in our lives. But it takes only one special event in our lives to experience a drastic change and conversion in our lives.

This is the kind of experience that Saul had with Jesus that made him realize the emptiness of his life and how wrong he was, fighting against God’s people. For Saul was a young and zealous Pharisee who was deeply involved in the persecutions of early Christians. He was present at the moment when St. Stephen was martyred and stoned to death.

Saul was also a leading figure among the Sanhedrin in their attempt to destroy the Church and the followers of Christ, for he went from place to place and carried out violent attacks against the followers of Christ until he encountered the Lord on his way to Damascus. Who said to him Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” I answered: Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, “I am Jesus the Nazarene, and you are persecuting me.”

This very encounter brought true conversion in his life and changed his perception about Christians. This encounter was the turning point for the spreading of the Christian faith all over the Roman Empire. This encounter gave him a new identity, changing his name from Saul to Paul. A name indicating his new mission. A mission he so carried out with all his zeal and passion that he is regarded as one of the apostles, and today, his works still speak volumes about the effect of his personal encounter with Jesus.

So, in the life of St. Paul we see a fulfilment of the command of Jesus in our Gospel passage today when he said to his disciples, ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. This is our vocation, this is our task. This is our mission as baptised Christians. It is an obligation we must carry out with all zeal and devotion just like St. Paul.

Dear friends, as we celebrate the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, we are called to reflect on our conversion. Today like St. Paul, we are called to reflect on our personal experience with God. How have we personally experienced God? When was your spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that is not based on what people told us of him? We need to pray to have an encounter with the Lord that will help us experience true conversion in our daily events of life.

We all have convictions and plans for ourselves just like St. Paul, but his conversion changed everything. This encounter brought him to his mission and purpose in life. The same thing to us if we can have that one single encounter with the Lord that will bring about our conversion. Then, we can begin to see the new perspective of life that will show us our true mission and purpose in life just like St. Paul.

Remember that by our baptism, we are called to share in the same ministry and calling that St. Paul himself had received from the Lord. So, in case you have not personally experienced the Lord, all you need to do is to sincerely seek God in those common events in your life and you will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to you.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we really need to have a personal encounter with your presence in our lives. As we reflect on the encounter and conversion of St. Paul, may we experience your presence in a unique way and, through this experience, discover our purpose and mission in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Do have a blessed and favourable week

Homily For Friday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 24th January 2025. The Memorial of St. Francis Dec Sales

 

Readings: Heb.8:6-13. Ps.85, Mark 3:13-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

A CALL TO BEAR WITNESS OF OUR SALVATION IN CHRIST JESUS

As Jesus continued his work of evangelization and mission towards the salvation of humanity, he needed to have people who would be entrusted with this mission. Thus, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus chose twelve apostles out of his disciples. He called and separated them from the crowd so that they would be with him. And he gave them power to preach the gospel, to heal the sick, and to cast out devils. 

Here, Jesus clarifies the extreme nature of his mission, which he will entrust to his apostles so that those who would follow him must first count the cost because they will definitely share in his sufferings to share in his glory. Thus, Jesus, who had earlier given the disciples explicit instructions about his mission,  made the apostles their specific mission. 

Consequently, each one of us, like the apostles, is called by name into a deep, personal and intimate relationship with Jesus to be sent to bear witness of him in the world. Absolute commitment is a necessary quality for this mission. Because Jesus did not choose people because of what they were. Rather, he chose them for what they could become under his direction and power. 

Thus, we heard in our first reading that Christ has been given a ministry of a far higher order, and to the same degree, it is a better covenant of which he is the mediator, founded on better promises. So, he will make a new covenant with us. And will put his laws in our minds and write them in our hearts. Then he will be our God and we shall be his people.

Dear friends, how are we responding to God's call? How best are we carrying out this mission of preaching the Gospel, healing the sick and casting out the devil? How are we relating with those we judge to be sinners? What efforts are we making to convert them? Remember, as followers of Christ, we are called to journey with Jesus in love and compassion towards other people, even while suffering, rejection and persecution.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you called and chose us to be with you in order to bear witness of our salvation to humanity, help us to have the missionary zeal that will enable us to live with integrity, purity and detachment from the thing of this passing world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a favourable day.

Homily For Thursday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 23rd January, 2025

 

Readings: Heb. 7:25-8:6, Ps.39, Mark 3:7-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DON’T LET THE CROWD OF THIS PASSING WORLD CRUSH YOU

There is no doubt in my mind that the work of evangelization can be so demanding and can weigh us down if we do not create time to draw strength from the Lord. This is so because a lot of people need God’s loving care, healing and direction, especially in the midst of the ugly situation in our world today.

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, St. Mark gave us a summary of the activities of Jesus and how he was able to manage the pressure from the crowd who came from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea and even from the pagan region of Tyre and Sidon as they were almost about to crush him and his disciples.

So, as Jesus healed the people and performed great works, most people wished to see him and to touch him. The people were so numerous that Jesus himself was concerned with the danger of being crushed by the multitude. Thus he asked his disciples to have a boat ready for him so that the crowd would not crush him.

And from the boat, he spoke to them and healed the sick and set free those possessed, especially the excluded and the marginalized who came to him with their ailments. For those who were not accepted in the society at that time were accepted by Jesus. This tells us that Jesus is really concerned about the struggles of humanity and wishes to set us free from the shackles of the devil.

Dear friends, we are told in our first reading that the power of Jesus to save is utterly certain since he is living forever to intercede for all who come to God through him. For Jesus wishes to set us free from sickness and the forces and manipulations of the evil ones. The power of evil, which causes great fear in people, has been overcome by Jesus, so we do not need to be afraid of Satan anymore.

Thus, we should not be afraid to stand firm against the manipulations of the devil, because Jesus will not abandon us in this battle of life. He desires to be with us as we struggle every day to overcome the forces of evil in our families, society and the world at large.

However, as we carry out our mission of evangelization, we are called to always be careful about the pressure that comes from the crowd,d, for this can crush and consume us if we do not create time to be with the Lord. So, we have to learn to sometimes withdraw from the crowd of this world.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we struggle every day to do your will in the mission entrusted to us. May we never be consumed or crushed by the pressure that comes from the crowd; rather, let the power of your presence be felt in our midst; we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Wednesday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 22nd January 2025

Readings: Heb.7:1-3.15-17; Ps. 110; Mark 3:1-6

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HUMAN WELFARE SHOULD NOT BE NEGLECTED BECAUSE OF THE ANY LAW

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 greatest surprise, Jesus will always escape and use that opportunity to communicate an important message to the people. Such was the occasion in our Gospel passage today.

When on a Sabbath day Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him to see if he would cure the man on the Sabbath, hoping to find something to use against him.

But knowing their thoughts he said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up! Come out into the middle.’ Then Jesus said to them, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it? And said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was better. But they were furious and began to discuss the best way of dealing with him.

Here 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 an effort to become faithful and holy.

God’s mercy is so deep that he proposed it as the guiding principle for the perfect fulfilment and interpretation of the laws of life. Thus, Jesus, in this passage, has to teach us that humanity’s welfare should not be neglected because of laws and regulations. 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 people 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.

We should not be like them; rather, we should be compassionate and merciful, for that is what we are called to do. We should learn to be courageous and resist any law or people who use laws or their physical position to oppress others.

We should learn from Jesus who in our first reading today was described as the second Melchizedek, who is a priest not by virtue of a law about physical descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it was about him that the prophecy was made: You are a priest of the order of Melchizedek, and forever.

Dear friends, today we are called to know that no law should restrict us from constantly doing good to everyone. We are called not to be fault-finders who are blindfolded by pride. We must also renounce all sorts of prideful actions and wickedness that may destroy our relationship with others and the purity of our souls.

Therefore, let us be compassionate and merciful, for that is what we are called to do in this life, especially in this moment when our societies and families are really in difficult economic situations.

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, especially in the interpretation and application of laws and regulations. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Tuesday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 21st January 2025. The Memorial of St. Agnes of Rome

Readings: Heb. 6:10-20, Ps. 110, Mark 2:23-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE LAW IS MADE OF MAN AND NOT MAN FOR THE LAW

There is no doubt that human life is guided by laws and principles, for in their absence, we cannot survive or enjoy peace and harmony in our society. But it is so sad to say that we have lost the essence and spirit that governs the making of laws, their interpretation and application. Little wonder Jesus, in our Gospel passage today, teaches us about the essence of making laws.

This is clear from the response of Jesus when the Pharisees criticized the attitude of his disciples, who, on the Sabbath, were seen plucking ears of corn to eat because they were very hungry. This is so because the Pharisees emphasized the strict keeping of the laws of the Sabbath while neglecting the spirit of the law, which has to do with God’s love and mercy.

Thus, for the Pharisees, this would be a transgression of the law of the Sabbath, which prohibits one from doing any work. Jesus responded by quoting the scriptures to indicate that their arguments have no basis.

He recalls that David himself did something which was prohibited because he took the sacred bread of the temple and gave it to the soldiers to eat because they were hungry. Jesus ends his response with two important phrases: first, the Sabbath is made for man and not man for the Sabbath. Secondly, the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath.

The truth is that the Sabbath was meant to be a day of rest when people would be free to think of God, to give thanks for God’s gifts, and to take care of their health and well-being. However, some religious authorities gradually encroached on the Sabbath with so many regulations that it is no longer serving its true purpose.

Dear friends, how are we interpreting and implementing our religious and societal laws? Laws exist for the good of the people, but oftentimes, we find ourselves seeking more recognition by exercising too much control over other people’s lives under the disguise of laws.

This should not be the case; rather, we should always consider the essence and purpose of making laws, bearing in mind that human needs, which supersede all other human interests, should be the guiding principle of any law, both social and religious.

In fact, the ritual demands of the Sabbath encourage mercy, forgiveness and compassion, which are at the heart of any true religion. Therefore, as we make laws and implement them, let these principles be our guide. For in our first reading, we were told that God would not be so unjust as to forget all we have done, the love that we have for his name or the services we have done and are still doing, for the saints. This is what we see in the life of St. Agnes, whose memorial we celebrate today.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, you often show the light of your truth to those who go astray. Grant through the intercession of St. Agnes that we may always embrace your laws, interpret them properly and apply them with mercy and compassion. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Monday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 20th January, 2025. The Feast of Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi

 

Readings: Phil 2:1-11, Ps. Is.12:2-6, Matt.13:44-46

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE TREASURE? 

 

Today we celebrate the feast of Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi; he was born in Aguleri, Anambra State, on September 1903 but died in Leicester, England, on 20th January 1964. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of Onitsha. He was known for love of neighbour, healing and reconciliation of the people with God, with oneself, with one another and with the created reality.

Tansi dedicated himself not only to daily contemplative prayer but also to active ministry. He evangelized the youth, prepared couples for marriage, visited the sick, was a very good confessor, promoted vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and provided for the needs of the poor. 

Hence, in Tanis, We see man who understood that the kingdom of heaven is so precious and great that it is worth more than our entire life and our worldly possessions and treasures. This is what we have in our Gospel passage today, where Jesus used two parables to describe to the people that the kingdom of God is the greatest and ultimate treasure anyone can and should acquire. 

Here, he describes the kingdom of God as the ultimate treasure that cannot be compared to anything whatsoever we have in this world. However, the kingdom is open for all, but not all can be suitable to dwell in it; only those who, on judgement day, are found suitable can be admitted into the kingdom. Using these parables Jesus explains what the kingdom of heaven is like and what we need to do in order to acquire it. 

Thus, in the life of Tansi, we see one who discovered the great treasure of heaven, sold everything and acquired it. In Tansi we see how the light of faith sowed in him like the mustard seed grows to give hope to many people. So, the humble beginning of the Christian faith sown in him was well watered by the Holy Spirit to grow and give life and hospitality to people of the world. 

Dear friends, obtaining the ultimate treasure of heaven requires the sacrifice of all our worldly possessions. Though in the world we have different kinds of treasures. But the question is: what is your ultimate treasure? How are we searching for it? Are we really ready to sacrifice all for this treasure? 

St. Paul, in our first reading, says that though Jesus was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God as a thing to be grapes. For he rather emptied himself in humble obedience to God his Father. 

Therefore, today, we are called to empty ourselves of the passing things of this world to humbly acquire the heavenly treasure, just like Tansi, who humbly sacrificed the treasures of this passing world to embrace the treasures of heaven.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the world is full of distractions from false treasures, through the intercession of Blessed Tansi, give us grace to discover the treasures of your kingdom and nurture the treasures of faith, holiness and hospitality implemented in us during our baptism to give up all our attachment to worldly possessions in pursue of the heavenly and ultimate treasure of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 19th January 2025

 

Readings: Is. 62:1-5; Ps. 96; 1Cor. 12:4-11; John 2:1-11
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU

Today is the second Sunday in Ordinary Time of the Liturgical Year C, which begins immediately after we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord last Sunday. The beauty of this season lies in the fact that it invites us to live our ordinary life as a journey of holiness, faith and friendship with Jesus. 

This will make us continually discover our vocation and mission, which is rooted in Christ’s own mission. Hence, our readings today present to us guiding principles that will help us to journey with the Lord throughout the course of our journey.

Hence, in our first reading today, we have the message of hope for God’s chosen people who were passing through the most challenging moments in the history of their journey with God. This very disposition and challenge are similar to what we are experiencing in our world today. Thus, we can hear the message of hope from the Lord to his chosen people, his bride who is now dejected like a widow abandoned by her Lord.

So, we can hear the Lord saying through the prophet Isaiah: about Zion, I will not be silent; about Jerusalem, I will not grow weary until her integrity shines out like the dawn and her salvation flames like a torch. For God will no longer forsake you for he shall delight in you, and there will be a new wedding, and as the bridegroom rejoices in his bride, so will your God rejoice in you, for this new wedding will bring about a new beginning.

This new beginning ushers us into the marriage feast in our Gospel passage today, an event that offers us the guiding principles of our Christian journey. Here, we heard how the wedding couple invited Jesus and his disciples on the most important day of their lives, and Mary was also there.

So, when an embarrassing moment came up during the course of the celebration, Mary, in her usual way of helping people, asked Jesus to save the couple from social embarrassment and even when her request was not granted by her son, she had strong faith that he will not refuse her request. So she said to the servants: “ Do whatever he tells you”. 

By this request, Mary, who represents the Church, reveals to us the key to a successful and happy Christian Life. That is to say that, the secret key that opens the treasure of a successful and happy Christian life is to do whatever he (Jesus) tells us. But what did Jesus say we should do? He told the servants: Fill, Draw and Serve.

Telling us to Fill our lives with the water of salvation, which he offers us every day through His words and Sacraments, and when we have filled our lives with the fountain of his presence. Then, we should Draw from the joy it offers and Serve humanity who are really in need and thirsty for the word of God, especially at this moment in our world when humanity really hopes and seeks God’s intervention. Hence, by these words, Jesus gave us the guiding principles for our Christian journey.

Dear friends, let this principle guide all our activities this year. We must learn to fill our minds with positive things so that we can draw from the abundance of our hearts and serve humanity. We must learn to fill our hearts with positive seeds of different virtues and nurture them. Those valuable seeds of goodness, honesty, faithfulness, love, holiness, obedience, charity and making them our values of life. For these are special gifts of God to us.

Little wonder we heard St. Paul speaking in our second reading about the need for us to put into use the gifts we have received from God for the greater good of all. Because there is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of them.

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, who distributes different gifts to different people just as he chooses. And it is our responsibility to put them to positive use for the good of all.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we struggle every day to do your will and respond positively to the mission and vocation entrusted to us, give us the grace to be responsible in applying the guiding principles of filling, drawing and serving one another as we embark on our Christian journey. Help us we pray to find joy, courage and solace in your saving grace as you guide us through the year. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 18th January, 2025

Readings: Heb.4:12-16, Ps. 19, Mark 2:13-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

A CALL TO LEAVE OUR OLD SINFUL WAY OF LIFE AND FOLLOW THE LORD

The mission of Jesus is often misunderstood by people who feel that they should be the one to dictate to God what to do. But Jesus will always surprise them and use them to set a good example for the rest of us.

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, which presents to us the call of Levi who was a tax collector, a presumably public sinner. As Jesus passed by, he said to Levi, “Follow Me.” This is a present tense command which is a call for Levi to leave his old way of life behind and to begin a new life of following him.

But why would Jesus have any interest in a man like this? There is only one word that can answer this question, and that is grace. Despite his ugly occupation, his ugly lifestyle, his failures, and his sins, Jesus loved Levi, and he called him to a new life.

The fact remains that Jesus never condemned anyone, nor did he judge people by their past behaviour. He is only interested in what they can be now and in the future. There and then, Levi drops everything and goes after Jesus just the same way Peter and Andrew, James and John had also done.

Later, when Jesus was dining at Levi’s house, several known sinners and tax collectors were at the table with him and his disciples. This was a real scandal for the scribes and Pharisees. For them, if Jesus really was a Rabbi he would have had nothing to do with such people. But Jesus replied: It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous but sinners.

Hence, Jesus' whole mission is the salvation of souls and redemption of people to wholeness. And the best way to achieve this is by having direct contact with them. But we are often not present where people are most in need of hearing God’s message. Sometimes, we tend to side with the Pharisees and feel we should keep away from sinful and ‘immoral’ people.

Dear friends, we need to learn that the Gospel message can most effectively be communicated to those who have lost touch with God and the meaning of life by reaching out to them. We should not be afraid to reach out to people, especially those who have been captured by the things of this sinful world.

 For we heard in our first reading today that, the word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts of everyone.

Hence, Jesus calling Levi to follow him shows that with God there is great mercy to pardon the greatest sinners. There is grace to change the greatest sinners and make them holy. This is a great sign of hope for anyone who thinks that God has abandoned him or her because of sin or past ugly ways of life. God is not interested in our past ugly and sinful ways of life. Rather he is interested in what he can make out of us now and in the future if we give up our sinful ways of life.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, your love and compassion for humanity is so great, even in our sinful and ugly ways of life, you never abandoned us. So Lord, when sin separates us from you, may your grace and providence bring us back. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 17th January, 2025. The Memorial of St. Anthony Abbot

 

Readings: Heb.4:1-5.11, Ps. 78, Mark 2:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

GET UP PICK UP YOUR STRETCHER AND GO HOME

The sin and evil going on in the world are putting our faith to the test and most people are giving in to this scheme because they lack the strong will to withstand the suffering, sickness and problems that befall us as a result of these evil actions.

People are running ups and downs, seeking solutions. While the evil ones are taking advantage of the ugly situation to destroy the faith of the people. In fact, one may begin to wonder if there is still hope for the restoration of humanity from this ugly situation. But the fact remains that God is able and willing to heal and restore humanity once again.

This is evident in our Gospel passage today when some people brought to him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven.’ But some scribes doubted his authority to forgive sins, and Jesus, knowing what was in their minds, said: ‘Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts?

Now, which of these is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ he said to the paralytic, ‘get up, and pick up your bed and go off home.’ And the man got up and went home.

Here, we see the power and authority of Jesus towards the restoration of the paralytic man carried by his friends. A gesture that signifies the restoration of humanity paralyzed by sins and evil.

So Jesus will always begin by forgiving our sins, for sin seems to be the root of the sickness. But sin may be pardoned, yet the sickness remains; the sickness may be healed, yet the sin not pardoned. But for Jesus, healing is holistic for those who have faith in God.

However, this is what the scribes and the Pharisees failed to understand as they doubted and opposed the power and authority of Jesus just like some of us often do. And those who behave like this, the Lord says, that they will never enter his rest as we heard in our first reading today.

Dear friends, today, we are called not to be like the scribes who were enslaved by their pride and desire to maintain their prestige in society. They doubted the power and authority of Jesus and rejected the message of truth. Jesus rebuked them, showing us that truly he has power and authority not just to heal and forgive us but to restore us and all humanity to our formal glory.

Therefore, we are also called to imitate the great faith and love of the friends of the paralytic, the love and faith that radiate from the innermost being of those who exercise it. Let us like them, learn to love and help one another. Because the absence of love is the cause of all the problems in our world today.

Today most families exist only by grace because of the absence of love. How I wish we could invest our time and resources in ensuring love and goodwill in our dealings with one another; believe me, the world will be a temporary home for everyone.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are paralyzed by the sins and evil we are committing against you and the world you created out of our pride, greed and selfishness. As we come to you in faith, forgive us our sins, heal and restore us once again. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Thursday First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 16th January 2025

 

Readings: Heb.3:7-14, Ps. 95, Mark 1:40-45

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HOW TO APPROACH JESUS FOR HEALING AND RESTORATION 

In the scriptures and even in our daily lives there is no doubt that the compassionate love of Jesus in solidarity with human sufferings is evident.  Little wonder, we have great events in the scriptures that illustrate the compassionate concern of Jesus in the struggles of humanity and how he wishes to set us free from the shackles of our troubles. 

This is evident in the occasion of our Gospel passage today, where a leper, came up and bowed low in front of Jesus and said to him, if you will, you can make me clean. Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I will! Be clean!’ And immediately his leprosy was cured at once. 

Here, the leper was despised, feared, shunned and rejected in society, but when he approached Jesus in humility, he became the object of divine attention. We, too, just like the leper, are in need of healing, including the healing that comes from the touch of Jesus. All we need is to approach Jesus in humility, and we will become a person of divine attention. 

More so, the story of this leper is a good example of how sinners can and should appeal to Jesus for cleansing, especially from their sins. We should come in faith knowing that God is always willing to cleanse every sinner who comes to Him. 

So, let us sincerely turn to God once again with all of our hearts and with all of our strength, just like the leper who came to Jesus with faith, knowing that he could heal him and make him better. 

This is what all of us must have as well, a strong and genuine faith in God. If only we would listen to him today and not harden our hearts as we heard in our first reading today; who knows, today may be our great opportunity to be restored, and what is needed is to put our faith in action and say Lord if you will you can restore me. 

Dear friends, I don’t know what type of leprocious problems you are passing through? Are you weighed down by sin or sickness? Are you feeling helpless and rejected? Or do we know people who are helpless and need some help? Do we feel the need for Jesus’s help in some parts of our life? Let us pause for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at us. How does he see us? What are you saying to him and what is he saying to you? 

Brethren, Jesus in solidarity with human sufferings, wishes to set us free from sickness, troubles, challenges and manipulations from the evil ones. He desires to be with us as we struggle every day to overcome the challenges in our lives, in our families, society and the world at large. Therefore, we should not be afraid to approach Jesus for healing and restoration, all we need is an active faith like the leper in our Gospel passage today.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, humanity is in deep darkness caused by different forms of leprosies and only you can heal and restore us. For you know our innermost being and the challenges we are facing today, come to our aid, we pray and cleanse us from all our physical, emotional, economic and spiritual leprosies; we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Wednesday First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 15th January 2025

 

Readings: Heb.2:14-18, Ps. 105, Mark 1:29-39

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

EXPERIENCING THE HEALING POWER OF JESUS

As Jesus continued to carry out his mission of preaching, he also showed compassion and care for those who were passing through difficulties. This shows the love and mercy of God for humanity. 

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, when Jesus returned from preaching in the synagogue to Simon Peter's house, behold Peter's mother-in-law was sick with fever. 

This is not a minor sickness in the ancient world. A fever was not only debilitating for a short while but was often a symptom of a condition that would lead to death. Thus, our first reading today clearly described how and why the coming of  Jesus and, by taking up our human nature, made it possible for him to identify himself with the struggles of humanity as he embraced us with his love, compassion and care. For he came to heal us from our sins and from all the afflictions we encounter.

So, when Jesus approached Peter’s mother-in-law, he simply raised her and the fever left her. And she immediately begins to serve them, something she was unable to do because of her illness.  

Thus, she was able to render her service to the first Christian communities. She was healed and restored with new strength so that she may again rise and take up her proper place in the community of God’s people. 

Dear friends, God cares for our well-being and is always ready to help us in our struggles so that we can be well-disposed to serve him. Hence, whenever we are sick both physically or spiritually and are cured of this sickness, it is tempting to sit back and accept people’s good wishes and congratulations. 

These should not be our attitudes, we should rather learn from Peter’s mother-in-law that healing is not just to make us well but to enable us to become active again in rendering service to God and humanity.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, we are sick in need of your healing and compassion. As we struggle every day to serve you and humanity, heal all our illnesses and give us the grace to get up and become more active again to render more quality services to you and our communities. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a favourable day.

Homily For Tuesday First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 14th January 2025

Readings: Heb.2:5-12, Ps. 8, Mark 1:21-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO SPEAK AND ACT WITH GOD’S GIVEN AUTHORITY AND POWER

Oftentimes, whenever we want to communicate something important, it is always the case that we need to back up such activities or messages with authority. And when this is lacking, people may not take our activities or message seriously.

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, we heard people referring to the authority by which Jesus speaks and carries out his mission. For he spoke and acted with God-given authority.

This is even more evident in the manner in which he was able to rebuke the man possessed by an unclean spirit. These spirits are malicious beings that might be demons or fallen angels who have followed Satan to rebel against God.

They may appear mighty and powerful, as Satan, but in the end, none of them were able to rise against God. For God alone is the source of all power and authority.

So Jesus, being the Son of God, wants to show us that he has been given all the power and authority over the evil ones. And through him, we have been given all authority and power over those spirits.

This is what we heard in our first reading today, for we are told that God has given dominion over all things to man, and not to any of the Angels.

Dear friends, it is obvious to everyone that Jesus had authority, his authority does not come from his position in life or from worldly power. Rather, his authority comes from his relationship with God his Father. He listened to his voice and spoke his words.

Therefore, we must learn to carry out our Christian responsibilities with authority and power, just like Jesus. And if we want to speak with authority, we must learn to spend time with God, listening to his voice and doing his will.

Hence, today we are called to recognize that the presence of Jesus in the world brings about victory over the evil ones. The unclean spirit recognized Jesus as the power of God. His power over demons is a direct defeat of the evil one while the restoration of the possessed man signifies the inauguration of God's kingdom in the world.

Now, Jesus has given us the gift of his presence in the person of the Holy Spirit, which God has bestowed on us in our baptism. In this gift resides the power and authority to evangelize the world and to confront evil and overcome it.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in a world full of evil and intimidation, we need your authority once again to speak and stand for what is right and just. As we struggle with our daily tasks, may we be courageous, knowing that the same Jesus who delivered the possessed man can heal our fears, anxieties and worries, for his presence sets us free from evil manipulations, he who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Remember, the power to overcome resides in you. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Monday First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 13th January 2025

Readings: Heb. 1:1-6, Ps. 97, Mark 1:14-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THEY LEFT EVERYTHING AND FOLLOWED THE LORD

Today marks the beginning of the Season of the Ordinary Time in this current Liturgical year. Today we are reminded of our call and vocation as Christians, which is well illustrated in our Gospel passage today.

The Gospel gives us the account of the calling of the first Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, the four fishermen, Peter and his brother Andrew, as well as James and John, the sons of Zebedee, whom he called just right after he began his ministry after his baptism at the Jordan.

Here, we heard how Jesus called them, and they responded by leaving everything behind, their boat, their families and their profession, to follow the Lord. Today, we are called like these Apostles to follow Jesus, and following Jesus means leaving behind the life we have now and embracing the new life he is offering to us.

When we opt to follow Jesus, our life revolves around him. It’s no longer what we feel like doing, but what his word instructs us to do. It also means leaving behind our sinful ways of life and embracing the holiness of life.

And this is what our first reading today is emphasizing, telling us that at various times in the past and in different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, who is the radiant light of his glory and the perfect copy of his nature, sustaining the universe by his powerful command. Thus, he is the one calling us to follow him.

Dear friends, in this call of following the Lord, what have we left behind? What have we sacrificed? Today, we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are as regards our vocation as Christians. How have we personally experienced Jesus?

When was your spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that is not based on what people told us of him? In case we have not personally experienced him, all we need to do is sincerely seek God in those common events in our lives, and we will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are reminded of our call to follow your Son Jesus, as we respond to this call, may we find inner joy in our soul that will prompt us to spread the Good News of the Gospel with faith and conviction. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful week ahead.

Homily For Sunday The Feast of The Baptism of The Lord Year C, 12th January, 2025

 

Readings: Is. 40:1-5.9-11; Ps. 104; Titus 2:11-14.3:4-7; Luke 3:15-16.21-22.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

BAPTISM A MOMENT OF PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH THE TRINITY

Today, we celebrate the feast of the Lord’s baptism, an event which marks the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of the first part of the Ordinary Time of the liturgical calendar. However, this feast is not just about the Lord’s baptism, but our baptism as well and the renewing of its grace in our lives. The celebration of the baptism of Jesus reminds us of our identity and mission as Christ's faithful.

Today’s feast reminds us of who we are and our obligations and commitment to God on the day we were baptized. This feast reminds us that Jesus received baptism not because he needed it; rather, it is to sanctify the water of baptism and also identify himself with his people, who, as a result of John's preaching, are now aware of their sins and their need for repentance.

So, from our readings today, we heard Prophet Isaiah in our first reading talking about the promise of God’s salvation and the coming of the One through Whom God would redeem all of His people. He also talks about how God would send a servant to prepare a way for his coming.

In our Gospel passage, we see the manifestation and God’s confirmation of these two personalities. For when John had baptized all the people and while Jesus, after his baptism, was at prayer, heaven opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily shape, like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, saying: ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

 In the second reading, we heard Paul telling us that God’s grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race and taught us that what we have to do is to give up everything that does not lead to God, and all our worldly ambitions; that we must be self-restrained and live good and religious lives here in this present world.

And while we are waiting in hope for the blessing which will come, Paul stressed the importance of professing our faith in Jesus Christ, which is an essential aspect of the rite of Baptism. This, of course, shows God's revelation to mankind, especially about the mystery of the Trinity. A Moment of Encounter with the Trinity and also a moment of revelation of the true identity and mission of Jesus.

Thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC 1279 emphasizes that by our baptism, we become adoptive sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, members of his Church, heirs of heaven and temples of the Holy Spirit.

So, we are incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made sharers in the priesthood of Christ. Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other Sacraments (CCC 1213).

Hence, let us come and receive the immortality that flows from baptism through the testimonies of water, Spirit and Blood which bear witness to the love of God for humanity. We are told by one ancient author that this is the water that is linked to the Spirit, the water that irrigates Paradise, makes the earth fertile, gives growth to plants, and brings forth living creatures.

In short, this is the water by which a man receives new birth and life, the water in which even Christ was baptized, and the water into which the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove. And whoever goes down into these waters of rebirth with faith renounces the devil and pledges himself to Christ. He comes up from baptism, throws off his servitude, and becomes an adopted son of God and a co-heir with Christ, resplendent as the sun and purified.

Therefore, the baptism of Jesus reminds us of our mission that is, to experience the presence of God within us and share it with others, to acknowledge our own dignity as God’s children, to live as children of God in thought, word and action, to lead a holy and transparent Christian life.

We are not to desecrate our bodies with impurity, injustice, intolerance, jealousy or hatred in order to grow daily in intimacy with God and be co-creators in building up his Kingdom on earth.

Hence, every baptism is a moment of decision, a moment of identification with the people of God, a moment of approval, a moment of conviction, a moment of certainties and assurance, a moment of equipment and indeed a moment of personal encounter with the Trinity.

Dear friends, today is a special day for us to remember the graces we have received at baptism in order to renew them. We can recall that on the day of our baptism, we were anointed with the Oil of Catechumens, the sign of Christ's gentle strength, to fight against evil.

Also, blessed water was poured over us, an effective sign of interior purification through the gift of the Holy Spirit. We were then anointed with Chrism to show that we were thus consecrated in the image of Jesus. A white cloth was placed on our forehead as a sign of purity.

More so, the candle lighted from the Paschal Candle was given to us as a symbol of the light of Faith which our parents, godparents and ourselves must continually safeguarded and nourished with the life-giving grace of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, this is another day for us to renew our baptismal promises, consecrating ourselves to the Holy Trinity and rejecting Satan and all his empty promises, which our world is constantly projecting to us through all means of media and social communications.

So, as we enter the first half of the ordinary time, we are called to reactivate the grace and gift we received at our baptism in order to faithfully carry out the mission entrusted to us by the Lord.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift and grace of baptism. As we celebrate today’s feast may we rediscover in a new way the beauty of our baptism and so be filled with the grace and joy of Christ’s presence, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Have a fruitful Sunday celebration.