Homily For Tuesday Fourth Week of Lent Year C, 1st April, 2025. (Happy New Month)

 

Readings: Ezek. 47:1-9.12 , Ps. 46, John 5:1-16

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DON’T GIVE UP THE LORD WILL SOON INTERVENE IN YOUR SITUATION

In this life, there is a principle that we need to understand, that is, the principle that says that every day is a gift from God. Which, of course,, is another great opportunity to experience and encounter the Lord. So, I don't know how you woke up today, I don't know what troubles your mind. But all I know is that today is another gift of God to us; I am excited and hopeful and am going to live it with all joy, not trying to change things that I could not change or try to fix things that do not want to be fixed.

But I will do my best to overcome my daily challenges knowing and hoping that one day I will hear Jesus saying to me, do you want to be healed again? Rise, take up your pallet and walk, just as he said to the sick man in our Gospel reading today. Here we see how a man who was struggling every day to overcome the ugly situation in his life was healed by a single command from Jesus.

This happened on a day like every other day when he heard Jesus saying: do you want to be healed? As the man was busy narrating his past failed efforts of having no one to put him into the pool when the water was disturbed, Jesus said to him, Rise, take up your pallet and walk, and immediately he was restored.

This great and miraculous event brought deep joy into the life of a hopeless man who, out of joy, went about expressing his healing. And this draws the attention of the people who marvelled at what had happened to him. However, the Jews were more concerned about the Sabbath law rather than the mercy and love of God. An ugly attitude that sometimes happens among us where we disregard the good of others over laws and regulations.

Dear friends, the Lord wishes to heal us no matter the duration of the situation we are going through. But we shall not let the ugly and failed events of the past distract us from receiving God’s blessings today. We should rather focus on the blessings that come with the gift of today.

We must learn to follow the directives of the Lord, knowing that he will lead us to the healing water that flows east down to the Arabah from the sanctuary and in it, we shall find every kind of fruit tree with leaves that never wither and fruit that never fails; their fruit will be good to eat and the leaves medicinal, thereby making all things wholesome again as we heard in our first reading today.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, a lot of people are passing through a difficult situation which has lingered for a long time. As we listened to your words today, may we hear the voice of the Lord saying: arise, take up your pallet and go home. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. It's Tuesday, may the Holy Spirit guide your paths and bring your plans and purposes to a glorious end.

Homily For Monday of Fourth Week of Lent Year C, 31st March 2025

  

Readings: Is.65:17-21 , Ps. 30, John 4:43-54

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

GOD HAS NOT ABANDONED HIS PEOPLE

The ugly situation in our world today, may seem to most people that God has abandoned his people. It may seem as if the Church is not doing enough for its people. It may seem as if our governments have failed. But the fact remains that God is ever and always closer to us than we can ever imagine. He has always desired that we pay attention to his teaching and directives through his Church, the scientists and those of our leaders who are making sincere efforts to ensure the good of the people. 

But the questions we need to ask ourselves are: do we really listen and hear God speaking to us through the daily activities we experience? Do we still see the hands of God in what we do? Are we really convinced of what we do with the gift of knowledge, skills and talents God has given us? Do we pay attention to the word of God we hear every day in the house of God, on the streets and through other means of communication? Perhaps we are the ones who have abandoned God, and now we are confused and afraid as a result of this ugly situation in our societies and in the world.

Dear friends, no matter how we feel about the situation we are passing through today, we are called not to give up on God or his Church or the human agents through whom his help comes to us, for God has not abandoned his people. We all need to have our ears opened so that we can hear and understand fully the message God is communicating to humanity through the ugly situations we are passing through today. 

For God is saying to us, fear not, come back to me, have courage for the storms will soon be over. And if you turn back to me with all your heart, I will restore your land, no more will the sound of weeping or the sound of cries be heard, no more will be found the infant living a few days only, or the old man not living to the end of his days as we have it in our first reading today. In the Gospel, Jesus says to the court official: “Go home, your son will live”,, and the man believed him and went home. By the time he got home, his son was healed.

Therefore, we must have faith in God and sing psalms to the Lord, you who love him, give thanks to his Holy name. For his anger lasts a moment; his favour all through life. At night there are tears, but joy comes with dawn. Because with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption. Our world He will redeem from the ravage of corruption, pride, selfishness, sin and shame. 

LET US PRAY, Lord God, you are the source of all that is good; as we listen to your words today, may you grant our hearts desires so that we may obtain the Joy of your presence to build our faith strongly firm in your words. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful week ahead.

HOMILY FOR THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR C (LAETARE SUNDAY), 30TH MARCH, 2025. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

 

Readings: Jos. 5:9.10-12; Ps. 34; 2 Cor.5:17-21; Luke 15:1-3. 11-32

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

I WILL ARISE AND GO BACK TO MY FATHER AND ASK FOR HIS MERCY

Today, the Holy Mother Church celebrate Laetare Sunday, an event that occurs every fourth Sunday of Lent. It is the only Sunday we are called to Rejoice during this Lenten season. It is a special Sunday when we have a brief pause on the penitential nature of the Lenten season to focus more on the joyful expectation of the glorious coming of Easter celebrations. Hence we are called to focus our attention on the joy of Easter in order to help keep our faith focused in the right direction.

Brethren, every day of our lives, we make choices that we think are good for us. But the root of any choice we make comes from the fundamental option we have made for or against God; to love or to be selfish, to be good or bad, to be holy or sinful. And any choice we make has great consequences, which can be positive or negative, as we have in the parables of the prodigal son in our Gospel passage today.

In this parable, we can identify three main characters: The Father, the elder son and the younger son. The three characters represent the attitude of the group of persons in which Jesus was addressing in the Gospel. First, the attitude of the tax collectors and sinners, who were seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say. Secondly, the attitudes of the Pharisees and scribes who complained, and then Jesus, who is seen as a righteous man who welcomes sinners and eats with them.

Looking at the attitudes of these three characters in the parable, we can deduce that the attitude of the Pharisees and Scribes depicts that of the elder son who is obedient to his father but passes judgment on his disobedient brother, the attitude of task collectors and sinner depicts the younger son who seeks reconciliation and forgiveness from his father. The attitude of the Father can be seen in the person of God (Jesus), who went out to welcome the prodigal son (task collectors and sinners) and went out as well searching for the elder and dutiful son (Pharisees and Scribes).

This parable is also applicable to our present context, where the Church is seen as the merciful Father who welcomes, accommodates and lavishes her love on both saints and sinners. Meanwhile, the saints and the righteous ones in the Church are seen as the elder son who is obedient and faithful to the Father. While sinners, unbelievers are seen as the prodigal son who has travelled to a far distant country seeking to come back to the Father.

But the questions we should ask ourselves are: where do I belong in the whole picture of this parable? Am I lost in sin? Have I travelled far away from God and his Church? Where am I now in my relationship with God, what is the state of my life? What is my attitude towards my neighbour, my family, my father, mother, children? What is my attitude towards those who have offended me in grievous ways? What is my attitude towards notorious sinners (armed robbers, murderers, prostitutes, drunkards, drug addicts, womanizers, liars, the wicked, greedy and corrupt people)? Can I accommodate them if they repent?

Dear friends, today we are exposed to human sinfulness and God’s mercy. For we heard the Lord in our first reading saying to Joshua, ‘Today I have taken the shame of Egypt away from you.’

Hence, God is calling us to repentance. Sin has taken us away from God. It is time to come back; we are lost in a faraway land of sin, and it is time to come back. The excess desire for the things of this passing world has separated us from God; it is time to come back. Unforgiveness, greed, corruption, wickedness, resentment and jealousy have separated us from God; it is time to come back to God.

 It doesn't matter what we have done or how sinful we may have been, no matter how grievous. God is waiting for us to come back. He wants to hear us say like the prodigal son: I will arise and go to my Father and say, Father, forgive me for I have sinned against heaven and before you.

Little wonder St. Paul, in our second reading today, said that God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself. For anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here. It is all God’s work. Since it was God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the work of handling this reconciliation

Friends, God wants to meet us at the confessional, he wants to meet us in the Eucharist, he wants to meet us in those persons we have offended and those who have offered us. He wants to meet us in those we have refused to forgive. He wants to meet us in our families, in your husband, your wife, your children, your neighbours, and your colleagues in the office and marketplace. He wants to meet you in that man who is suffering in prison and hospital because of your unforgiveness. All he wants us to do today is to say, am sorry to those who we have offended and to forgive those who have offended us.

The choice is yours, don't wait until is too late. Why not make a call to someone today and say to him or her, I have forgiven you? I just realized how wrong I have been; please forgive me. If we can do this, then we will see how blessed our life will be in this Holy season of Lent and we will find reason to rejoice at Easter. Remember that conversion is not just about sinners becoming holy; it is more than that. It is about experiencing and acknowledging the love of God every day of our lives.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, sin has separated us for your love; as we listen to your words today, may we come back to you just like the prodigal son, with a repented heart and strong will to remain faithful like the dutiful son, knowing that you as our merciful Father awaits our return. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed Sunday celebration..

Homily For Saturday Third Week of Lent Year C, 29th March 2025

Readings: Hosea 6:1-6, Ps. 51, Luke: 18:9-14

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE AND DISPOSITION TOWARDS PRAYER

Prayer is part and parcel of our Christian life. It is the act of raising up our minds and hearts to God. But sometimes we find it difficult to carry out this exercise because we don't understand how or what is demanded of us or the best disposition to prayer.

Today in our Gospel passage, we heard how two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.”

While the tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Hence, Jesus said, the tax collector went home at rights with God; the Pharisees did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.

Dear friends, we are called to cultivate the right attitude and disposition towards prayers. For in prayer, we are not to give God instructions or present our profile of piety, but our disposition should be that of humility and contrition like this tax collector. We are to present ourselves to God just like a good servant will report for duty and wait for instructions from his master. So, we are to respond in obedience to God's instructions in prayer, for there we encounter God in the innermost part of our being.

Thus, we are called in our first reading to return to the Lord in prayers, for he may tear us to pieces, but he will heal us; he may strike us down, but he will bandage our wounds since what he wants is love, not sacrifice, humility and not holocausts. Therefore, we have to cultivate the right disposition and learn how to communicate with God the right way through prayer.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we do not know how to pray as we ought, as we listen to your words today, may we learn how to cultivate the right attitude and disposition towards prayers. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. It’s the weekend, wishing you a peaceful and joyful day.

Homily For Friday Third Week of Lent Year C, 28th March, 2025

 

Readings: Hosea 14:1-9, Ps. 81, Mark 12:28-34

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

LOVING GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOURS IS ALL THAT IS REQUIRED OF US 

 

Oftentimes, when we are faced with the realities of life, we want to know the things that should be our priority. What should be the most important thing to focus our energy on? What should become the foundation of all the things we need to do? In fact, we always desire to know what is required of us in this life. This is the deposition of one of the scribes in our Gospel passage today, who came to Jesus and asked him a question concerning which commandment is the greatest.

 

In response Jesus reminds them of the 'Shema Israel' - שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, the prayer that they knew and recited 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 thy soul, and with all their mind; that is, with all the powers and the more noble faculties of the soul, the mind, the understanding, judgment, and will. Jesus then added that to love one’s neighbour is the second priority.

 

This is just very practical because anyone who loves God will naturally love all God’s children, who are, of course, in a very real sense,e, our neighbours. We must love every single person because we are all created in the image and likeness of God. In other words, loving God with all our heart, with all our understanding and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves is what is required of us and it is the foundation of all the things we have to do. 

 

Hence, it is not possible to separate the love of God from the love of neighbour, for it is one commandment with two parts which will be the criterion for the final judgement of God. Thus, prophet Hosea, in our first reading, calls us to come back to the Lord our God, for our iniquity was the cause of our downfall. It is time to come back to the Lord, who loves us so much.

 

Dear friends, love is the centre of all the teachings of Jesus, for love is the purest gift that God has given to humanity. It is like the stream water, so innocent and pure. True love is not hidden, it radiates from the innermost being of a person who experiences 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.

 

I don’t know if you have ever loved someone and you show it, or someone loves you and you know it. The fact is that it actually feels right and awesome because love brings healing and wholeness into people’s lives. Love is peace, Joy, strength and passion; love is stronger than death; it is that nature of God which we share.

  

Therefore, it is by loving God in our neighbours that we can share and experience this nature of God in us and by so doing we will conquer the world full of hatred, self-centeredness, greed and sin. 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.

 

Imagine how wonderful the world would be if we all loved one another. How I wish we could 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 humanity. Remember, God loves you so much.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in you, is the fullness of love; as we listen to your words today, may we 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. Have a lovely day.

Homily For Thursday Third Week of Lent Year C, 27th March, 2025

 

Readings: Jer. 7:23-28, Ps. 95, Luke: 11:14-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

ARE YOU WITH GOD OR AGAINST GOD? 

Having journeyed with the Lord in the Midst of all the ugly situations going on in the world today. It is time to examine our conscience to know if we are still truly with the Lord in this journey of faith. This is the question we need to constantly ask ourselves because not all those who are journeying with us are really sharing the same faith and destination with us. Thus, how to identify those who are with us in this journey is what Jesus made clear in our Gospel passage today.

In this Gospel, Jesus said ‘he who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scatters.’ This statement was made when the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law accused Jesus of using the power of Beelzebub to cast out other demons. Hence, Jesus rebuked them, saying that the devil and demons would not have divided among themselves if they were to achieve their goal, which is the destruction of humanity. 

Dear friends, today, as we listen to the words of God, we are called to turn back to God and abandon our sinful ways in order to be and remain with the Lord. Little wonder, in our first reading today, we heard prophet Jeremiah reminding us of the need to be with the Lord as we make our journey, thereby reminding us of the need to repent and to change our ugly ways of life. Therefore, we must make up our minds to follow the Lord. The world as we know it is offering us so many things, good and bad alike. 

But sometimes the options are so confusing and we must make choices. To make the right choice, we need to make a fundamental option that will form a solid base for all the choices we will be making in life. To make this fundamental option, we need to understand not just where we are physically but, where we are existentially in terms of our convictions, goals, desires, dreams and the destination of our soul in this journey of life.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we make the examination of conscience, help us to discover who we are and who we are journeying with. May we never be against you and your family, the Church, as we hope to remain united as one big family of faith, with one Father and one goal, which is to be united with you in your heavenly kingdom. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily For Wednesday Third Week of Lent Year C, 26th March, 2025

 

Readings: Deut. 4:1.5-9, Ps. 147, Matt 5:17-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

HOW TO OBTAIN TRUE GREATNESS

To be great is the dream of most people, but often time, when reflecting on the emptiness of life and the things of this passing world, I can not but ask myself: what is that thing that one really needs to obtain in life that will be referred to as true greatness? I find the answer to this question in our Gospel passage today.

In this Gospel passage, Jesus while describing what true greatness means said to his disciples as he is instructing us, that the man who infringes even one of the least of his commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven. Here, Jesus points out that keeping and teaching the commandments of God is the sure way to achieving greatness not just here on earth but also in heaven.

So, as Christians, we obtain true greatness by keeping and teaching the commandments of God. It is our duty to teach and bear sincere witness to God’s commandments by our ways of life. Therefore, we need to be serious about how to carry out our responsibility towards keeping and teaching the commandments of God. We need to start practising what we preach; we need to do more witnessing than preaching.

It is not enough to recall principles, state intentions, point to blatant injustice and utter prophetic declarations and denunciation; these kind of words lack real meaning of our faith unless they are accompanied by effective action manifested in our way of life. Hence we need to acknowledge that our authority as Christians comes from God who through Moses commanded us in our first reading not to forget the things our eyes have seen, nor let them slip from our hearts all the days of our lives; rather, we should tell them to our children and to our children’s children.’

Dear friends, today Jesus tells us that he has not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to complete them, so we are not called to compromise the teachings and laws of God to suit our wrong motives and parade ourselves as Christians, teachers, pastors, prophets. Rather we are called to live them out so that our actions should reflect the paternity of God in the way we live and serve others, knowing that true greatness is found in keeping and teaching the commandments of God, of which Jesus tells us that the greatest of these commandments is to love God and our neighbour.

Therefore, true greatness is rooted in our love for God and our neighbours; Jesus emphasized that it is too bad to break one of these commandments, but to teach someone else to do the same is a terrible,, evil thing to do. Thus, we should ask ourselves today, am I breaking these commandments and teaching others to do the same through my attitude and way of life? Am I following my own opinions contrary to the commandments and laws of love which Jesus has taught us by his way of life? Or am I keeping and teaching these commandments through my attitude and my way of life? The answers to these questions are not far from us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, all good things come from you, as we struggle to sincerely witness our faith and keep your commandments, grant us the grace to keep and teach them by our way of life and so obtain the Joy of true greatness in this world and in your heavenly kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a favourable day.

Homily For Tuesday Third Week of Lent Year C, 25th March 2025 The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Readings: Is. 7:10-14.8:10; Ps.40; Heb.10:4-10; Luke 1:26-38

Rev Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

EMBRACING THE WILL OF GOD LIKE MARY

Today in a special way, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, an event that marks exactly nine months before the birth of Jesus at Christmas, recalling the very moment when our Lord and Saviour was conceived in the womb of Mary, as she responded to the revelation of God’s Good News through the Archangel Gabriel saying: I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to your word.

With this response, the Word became flesh and dwells among us through a humble Virgin, thereby revealing the arrival of the long-awaited Saviour into the world as we have it in our Gospel passage today. In our first reading, we also heard how King Ahaz received revelation from God through the prophet Isaiah of the coming of God’s salvation to his people.

But Ahaz refused to accept the sign out of false humility, saying that he would not put God to the test even when the prophet had specifically said that God would give him a sign. This shows a lack of faith and disobedience from King Ahaz, which is quite opposite to that of Mary, who humbly accepted God’s will.

When compared the response of Mary to that of Ahaz, who further led the people of Judah into sin, as he did not follow or obey God’s laws. We will see that his lack of faith is indeed opposite to Mary’s total submission to God; his pride and false humility are opposite to Mary’s total humility and devotion to God.

Hence, Mary became a role model for all of us, as her obedience and willingness to accept her role as the Mother of God and Saviour is something that all of us, as Christians, should also emulate in our own lives. Let us learn how to be submissive to God’s will like Mary.

Dear friends, this Holy season of Lent has been filled with a lot of uncertainty, sorrow and grief, challenges and trials, obstacles, difficulties and suffering all over the world due to economic hardship. But we are consoled in today’s Solemnity of the Annunciation of our Lord and Saviour with the words of the angle, telling us to rejoice most highly favoured for the Lord has special plans for us if only we can say like Mary: “Let it be done to me according to your will”.

Thus, we are called to draw strength, faith and courage from Mary in her total submission to God’s will, knowing that despite all the darkness, sorrow and uncertainties in our world, God will not abandon his people. His promise of salvation is a reality that we will surely experience.

Therefore, let us entrust ourselves in humility to God just as Mary had done. Let us ask for his mercy and forgiveness as we also forgive one another. It is not time to judge people or lose faith. Rather, it is time to pray for each other as we grow stronger in faith and in our love and devotion to God., knowing that he is closer to us in these turbulent times and he does not fail in his promises.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the occasion of the annunciation reminds us of your promises and plans to redeem humanity, as we listen to your words today, may we respond positively to your requests and so be filled with the joy of your presence, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Monday Third Week of Lent Year C, 24th March 2025

Readings: 2Kings 5:1-15; Ps. 42; Luke 4:24-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HOW PRIDE CAN DEPRIVE US OF GOD’S BLESSINGS

One of the forces that drives the world order today is pride. People can do anything to prove how powerful, influential, popular, wealthy and connected they are before everyone they encounter. Hence, at any little provocation, you see people ranting: "I will show you today who I am I", "By the time I finish with you, you will come to know me". I will do this, I will do that... just to prove who we parade themselves to be.

Everywhere we go, we want to be highly recognized, we look down on every other person. This ugly attitude is what the devil certainly wants us to have so that we end up distancing ourselves from God.

The devil does not want us to be saved, and he would tempt us to be arrogant and prideful as we heard in our first reading today in the story of Naaman the Syrian. Naaman went to the land of Israel seeking healing from the leprosy he had been suffering for years. But when Naaman sought the prophet Elisha, he was told to wash himself at the River Jordan seven times, and he would be healed. But he refused out of pride.

This was exactly how the devil tried to prevent Naaman from finding healing, not just from leprosy but also from his sinfulness and lack of faith by placing pride, ego and stubbornness in his way. It was at this point that, Naaman’s servant reminded him to be humble and accept the conditions for him to be healed since it was a very easy thing for him to do. In the end, Naaman obeyed, humbling himself in obedience to the advice of the servant and he was healed.

In the same way in our Gospel passage today, the people of Nazareth refused to listen to Jesus or believe in him because they stubbornly persisted in believing that what they had known earlier about Jesus as the Son of a mere carpenter, he could not have attained such power, authority and wisdom.

Their prejudices and egos prevented them from having faith as they hardened their hearts and minds against God. As such, the Lord could not do much in their midst and, in the end, make reference to the events of Naaman and the widow of Zarephath. Thus, he left his hometown doing little because of their pride and lack of faith.

Dear friends, pride is the first capital sin, so, do not let pride deprive you of God’s blessings. Thus, we are called today to renounce pride and embrace the courage of humility. We must entrust ourselves humbly to the Lord, because only in this way will we be able to become docile instruments in his hands and allow him to do great things through us and in our lives.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes we have failed to humble ourselves because of pride, and this has deprived us of your blessings. As we listen to your words today, may we learn to humble ourselves and so obtain your blessings and favours. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed and favourable week.

HOMILY ON THE THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR C, 23RD MARCH, 2025

Readings: Ex.3:1-8.13-15; Ps. 103; 2Cor 10:1-6.10-12; Luke 13:1-9

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE RIGHT TIME TO REPENT IS NOW TOMORROW MAY BE TOO LATE

Reflecting on the ugly situations in our families, our societies, our country and in the world at large, I can not but recall the song of one of our great music legends Bob Marley, who said in one of his songs titled Natural Mystic:

There's a natural mystic

Blowing through the air

If you listen carefully now you will hear

This could be the first trumpet

Might as well be the last

Many more will have to suffer

Many more will have to die

Don't ask me why

Things are not the way they used to be

I won't tell no lie

One and all got to face reality now.

The meaning of the words in this song describes completely the situation in our societies today, which is very much in line with the topic of our message today. For we can feel the struggles, the killings, the tears, the disappointments that people are passing through every day. In fact, some people are losing hope in themselves and even in everything they do as they run up and down seeking solutions.

The poor are searching for daily bread, upliftment and favour; the rich are seeking protection and good health, while the evil ones are taking advantage of the situation to destroy the little hope and faith of the people. All these are signs from God who allows us to repent from our sinful ways of life.

This is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today when he said: “Do you suppose the Galileans who suffered like this were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No, but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Then with a parable of the barren fig tree, Jesus demonstrated how God has made every moment of our lives an opportunity for us to repent and be fruitful.

This is clear when he said in the parable, “Look, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the vinedresser replied, “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”

Such is God’s patience with us for he gives us the opportunity to turn away from our sinful and ugly ways of life. Repentance is the key message of this Gospel passage, for Jesus makes it clear that those who suffered and were killed were not worse offenders than others; rather, he uses the opportunity to call us to repentance. Note that the purpose of this message is not for condemnation but rather for redemption.

What is most important in this message is for us to “listen carefully now and repent from our sinful ways of life”. This is because the world as we know is coming to an end, for the day of reckoning is very close at hand. This could be the first trumpet might as well be the last. For it is obvious from the signs we are seeing around us today. How can we interpret the signs of these times, the signs that tell us that this world is passing away?

Many are suffering, and many more will have to suffer from the greediness of others. Many have died, and many more will have to die. Many are perishing in sin, many more will have to perish if we refuse to repent from sin and greediness. And we heard in our first and second readings, how the chosen people of God failed to listen to God despite his warning.

They failed to please God and their corpses littered the desert. All this happened to them as a warning, and it was written down to be a lesson for us who are living at this end of the age. The man who thinks he is safe must be careful that he does not fall.

Dear friends, this call for repentance shows us that it is not too late for us to repent, for this may be the last opportunity. Because we can never tell what will happen in the next moment. We can never tell who is next to die; we can never know the form it will take or where it will occur; all that matters is for us to repent now that we still have the opportunity. For none of those who have died knew that it going to happen that day.

Therefore, let us repent now, for repentance helps us to be well-disposed for life and for death. Repentance helps us to live right and at peace with God and with one another. Repentance gives us the courage and confidence to face any situation without fear of death. All we need is to listen to God who is speaking to us now.

So, if we listen carefully now we will hear him telling us, that things are not the way they used to be, we all have to face reality now which tells us that: every every day is a golden opportunity, and today may be the last and only opportunity, today maybe that golden opportunity for us to change our sinful ways of life and embrace God completely.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, You are the author of our lives, freedom and salvation, all we have are yours, thank you for being with us in our daily troubles, struggles, fears, tears, hope and joy, may you provide for the poor, console the troubled, heal the sick, protect and put simile on the faces of your children today and always as we make effort to repent from our sinful ways, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday Second Week of Lent Year B, 22nd March, 2025

Readings: Micah 7:14-15.18-20, Ps. 103, Luke 15:1-3.11-32

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE MERCIFUL FATHER IS WAITING FOR US TO COME BACK FROM OUR SINFUL LIFESTYLE

Every day of our lives, we make choices that we think are good for us. The root of any choice we make comes from the fundamental option we have made for or against God; to love or to be selfish, to be good or bad, to be holy or sinful. And any choice we make has great consequences, which can be positive or negative, as we have in the parables of the prodigal son in our Gospel passage today.

In this parable, we can identify three main characters: The Father, the elder son and the younger son. The three characters represent the attitude of the group of persons in which Jesus was addressing in the Gospel. First, the attitude of the tax collectors and sinners, who were seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say. Secondly, the attitudes of the Pharisees and scribes who complained, and then Jesus, who is seen as a righteous man who welcomes sinners and eats with them.

Looking at the attitudes of these three characters in the parable, we can deduce that the attitude of the Pharisees and Scribes depicts that of the elder son who is obedient to his father but passes judgment on his disobedient brother, the attitude of task collectors and sinner depicts the younger son who seeks reconciliation and forgiveness from his father. The attitude of the Father can be seen in the person of God (Jesus), who went out to welcome the prodigal son (task collectors and sinners) and went out as well searching for the elder and dutiful son (Pharisees and Scribes).

This parable applies to our present context, where the Church is seen as the merciful Father who welcomes, accommodates and lavishes her love on both saints and sinners. For we are told in our first reading that no god can be compared with our God: taking fault away, pardoning crime, not cherishing anger forever but delighting in showing mercy?

Meanwhile, the saints and the righteous ones in the Church are seen as the elder son who is obedient and faithful to the Father. While sinners, unbelievers are seen as the prodigal son who has travelled to a far distant country seeking to come back to the Father.

But the questions we should ask ourselves are: where do I belong in the whole picture of this parable? Am I lost in sin? Have I travelled far away from God and his Church? Where am I now in my relationship with God, what is the state of my life? What is my attitude towards my neighbour, my family, my father, mother, children?

What is my attitude towards those who have grievously offended me? What is my attitude towards notorious sinners (armed robbers, murderers, prostitutes, drunkards, drug addicts, womanizers, liars, the wicked, greedy and corrupt people)? Can I accommodate them if they repent?

Dear friends, God is calling us to repentance. Sin has taken us away from God. It is time to come back; we are lost in a faraway land of sin, and it is time to come back. It doesn't matter what we have done or how sinful we may have been, no matter how grievous. God is waiting for us to come back. He wants to hear us say like the prodigal son: I will arise and go to my Father and say, Father, forgive me for I have sinned against heaven and before you.

Friends, God wants to meet us at the confessional, he wants to meet us in the Eucharist, he wants to meet us in those persons we have offended and those who have offered us. He wants to meet us in those we have refused to forgive. He wants to meet us in our families, in your husband, your wife, your children, your neighbours, and your colleagues in the office and marketplace. He wants to meet you in that man who is suffering in prison and hospital because of your unforgiveness. All he wants us to do today is to say, am sorry to those who we have offended and to forgive those who have offended us.

The choice is yours, don't wait until is too late. Why not make a call to someone today and say to him or her, I have forgiven you? I just realized how wrong I have been; please forgive me. If we can do this, then we will see how blessed our life will be in this Holy season of Lent and we will find reason to rejoice at Easter. Remember that conversion is not just about sinners becoming holy; it is more than that. It is about experiencing and acknowledging the love of God every day of our lives.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, sin has separated us for your love; as we listen to your words today, may we come back to you just like the prodigal son, with a repented heart and strong will to remain faithful like the dutiful son, knowing that you as our merciful Father awaits our return. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed weekend.

Homily For Friday Second Week of Lent Year C, 21st March, 2025

 

Readings: Gen. 37:3-4.12-13.17-28, Ps. 105, Matt.21:33-43.45-46

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

AS GOD’S TENANTS HOW ARE WE MANAGING THE THINGS HE HAS ENTRUSTED TO US?

The relationship between God and humanity has always been described with different stories and parables. This often shows how humanity has always been unfaithful to God, who has shown so much love to us. One of such parables and stories is what we have in our readings today.

In our Gospel passage, we heard the great parable of a vineyard owner who sent his servants to collect the dues and rents of the tenants whom he had entrusted with the care of the vineyard he leased out to them. But these tenants were wicked and desired to keep everything they gained to themselves, hence they persecuted and killed the servants sent to them. The tenants also killed the son of the vineyard owner, whom he sent to them thinking that the tenants would respect his own son. 

In the end, the vineyard owner came down himself and dealt with all those wicked tenants, punishing them all for their wickedness and the evil things which they had committed out of greed and ego. They lost everything and were punished justly by the owner. This same attitude we have in our first reading in the despicable act which the brothers of Joseph committed against him to end his dream and gain for themselves favour and inheritance.

Thus, the parable describes the relationship between God and humanity and how humanity has been summoned for a trial. Here, the owner of the vineyard is God, while the son represents Jesus himself, the Son of God sent into the world to save humanity but was crucified by the same humanity. Again, the vineyard represents the world itself while the wicked tenants represent the ugly attitudes of humanity towards the resources entrusted to us by God. 

Dear friends, what is your attitude towards all the things God has entrusted to you? Can you give an honest account of the things God has given you? Is it not obvious that our nation is on trial before God? God has presented his case against us today, summoning our blessed land and mountains to act as judge between him and the people of this nation by reminding us how he has blessed us with so many resources, skills, good weather and people. But we have misused them, neglected his message, and committed a lot of evil and murder,  yet we are still carrying, seeking solutions and signs from God. 

Today, as tenants in God’s vineyard, we are called to change our ugly attitude positively; we should turn away from greed, corruption, pride and ego. If not, we will likely end up like those wicked tenants who acted with such evil against their fellow men and even against the son of their master and were justly punished. Therefore, what God requires from us today is to do justice, to love kindly and to walk humbly with him for our own good and the good of others. Remember, It was the stone rejected by the builders that became the cornerstone. 

LET US PRAY: Almighty Father, the world is filled with greed, corruption, pride and ego because humanity has often failed to remain faithful and accountable for the things entrusted to us. As we listen to your words today, we ask for your mercy and forgiveness for the time we have failed to be faithful, obedient and accountable for the things you entrusted to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily For Thursday in the Second Week of Lent Year C, 20th March 2025

 

Readings: Jer. 17:5-10, Ps. 1, Luke 16:19-31

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT WAS THE OFFENCE OF THE RICH MAN WITH THE POOR LAZARUS?

Whatever we have in this world is a blessing from God, who wishes to bless us so that through us others will be blessed. But this is not often the disposition of most of us. This is obvious when we reflect on the relationship between the rich and the poor in our society today. Where the poor are neglected and treated as if they are less human.

This ugly attitude needs to change when we recall the famous parable of the Lord Jesus in our Gospel passage today, about Lazarus the poor man and a rich man whose doorstep Lazarus often dwelled, hoping for the rich man to give him even the scraps of bread and food that fell from his table, but he was often neglected.

 Here, we heard how the poor Lazarus ended up in Paradise, in the presence of God in heaven with Abraham, enjoying the fullness of God’s inheritance and grace, no longer suffering the pains and torments that he had once endured while he was still alive in the world. Meanwhile, we heard how the rich man descended into the depths of hell, suffering in agony for eternity, without any hope of respite or escape, and even when he begged Abraham to send Lazarus for help, that couldn't happen.

But what was the rich man's offence? Is it because he was rich? No, his sin is that of omission, which is the sin of neglecting his neighbour Lazarus when he was obviously in the position to help and provide for him through the excess material goods and providence that God has blessed him with. He neglected the commandments of God who has called us to love our neighbours and help the needy. Thus, he has to face the consequences of his sin of neglecting his neighbour, who needed his help.

Hence, in our first reading, the prophet Jeremiah spoke of the curse that would be against those who followed the path of disobedience against God and his commandments, those who trust in themselves and in worldly matters more than they trusted in God. Those who trust in God will have the assurance of God’s providence and blessings as they enjoy his promise of eternal life and everlasting glory, just like Lazarus.

Dear friends, the example of the parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus calls our attention to the fact that we are going to be judged not based on what God has blessed us with but on what we have done with what God has given us. So it is important to remind ourselves in this season of Lent, that we must also not be ignorant of the poor Lazaruses around us. Those who are less fortunate than we are should not be neglected, especially those who work for us, our house helps, our poor security personnel, our poor neighbours, and those we encounter every day in need of our help.

Remember, no one is too poor that he has nothing to give; even the poor Lazarus offered his sores to dogs who came to lick them. And no one is so rich that he needs nothing, but the sin of the rich man was the sin of omission; this should not be our lot as we ask God for grace not to neglect the poor Lazarus around us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you are the source of all that we have. As we listen to your words today, grant us we pray, the grace to be conscious of the poor around us and ensure we help them in their struggles. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you God’s favour and blessings.

Homily For Wednesday in the Second Week of Lent Year C, 19th March 2025 The Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of Mary

 

Readings: 2 Sam. 7:4-5.12-14.16, Ps. 89,  Rom. 4:13.16-18.22, Matt. 1:16.18-21.24

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

ST. JOSEPH A MAN OF GREAT SILENCE 

Today, we celebrate the solemnity of St Joseph, Husband of Mary, a man of great virtues. Thus, the liturgy presents to us the events preceding the birth of Jesus and invites us to contemplate especially the roles of St Joseph in the life of Jesus and Mary. 

In the Gospel, Mary was presented as a virgin betrothed to Joseph. That means they were not yet living together because they were not yet married. Meanwhile, Mary, after the annunciation, came to be with a child by the power of the Holy Spirit. When Joseph realized this, he was heartbroken. What will he do? How is he going to handle this? The Gospel tells us that Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put Mary to shame, resolved to send her away quietly. 

Joseph seeks to do his will quietly before the angel speaks to him about his mission and role.  We can imagine the great trauma Joseph was passing through when we think about the love he has for Mary. But even in these circumstances, he intends to do the will of God and decides, surely with great sorrow, to send Mary away quietly. We need to meditate on these words to understand the great trial that Joseph had to endure. 

Hence, we can see how this Gospel passage reveals to us the magnanimity of Joseph’s heart and soul. How he wished to follow his own plan, but God was reserving another plan for him, a greater mission. Joseph was a man who always listened to the voice of God; he was deeply sensitive to his secret will; he was a man attentive to the messages that came to him from the depths of his heart. He did not persist in following his own plan; he did not allow bitterness to poison his soul; rather, silently, he was ready to make himself available to the event of the new mission entrusted to him, what a great virtue.

Little wonder, Pope John Paul II, who was very devoted to St Joseph, emphasised in his Apostolic Exhortation Redemptoris Custos, “The Guardian of the Redeemer”, that the silence of St Joseph is a model for contemplating the mystery of God in an attitude of total availability to the divine desires. Shows us that Joseph’s silence does not express an inner emptiness but, on the contrary, the fullness of the faith he bears in his heart which guides all his thoughts and actions. 

It is this great virtues and personality that made him stand out in the fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham and David in our first reading, which St. Paul affirms in our second reading and is well portrayed in the Psalmist telling us that his dynasty will last forever which consist not on account of any law but on account of the righteousness which consists in faith.

Dear friends, we really need to embrace the great virtues of St Joseph, especially the virtue of silence. Therefore, let us cultivate this virtue of silence and allow ourselves to be filled and guided by silence, especially in a world full of noise and distractions. A world that encourages neither recollection nor listening to God nor one another. The truth is that our world is in dear need of people with St Joseph’s kind of virtues; we all are in need of such silence if we really wish to make great and positive decisions that will make a difference in our society today. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we embrace this Holy season of Lent, let us, through the intercessions of St. Joseph, cultivate the inner attitude of silence and recollection in order to fully embrace the spirit of the season so as to joyfully experience the glory of Easter. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a grace-filled day.

Homily For Tuesday in the Second Week of Lent Year C, 18th March 2025

 
Readings: Is. 1:10.16-20; Ps. 50; Matt. 23:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHAT KIND OF A LEADER ARE YOU?

Leadership is one of the characteristics of the human person; it is that which makes us unique from every other creature of God. It is a gift from God by which we serve him and our neighbour responsibly. But this gift often has been abused and misused by people who were entrusted with the responsibility of leading others.

This is the case with the Scribes and the Pharisees in the Gospel passage today, who had the responsibility to lead people to the Kingdom of heaven, but with their ugly ways of life, they neither enter nor allow those who want to enter to go in.

Hence, Jesus told his disciples that since the scribes and the Pharisees occupied the chair of Moses. They must, therefore, do what they tell them and listen to what they say, but do not be guided by what they do since they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move any. Everything they do is done to attract attention.

Here, Jesus made it clear that we should listen to what the authorities are saying to us. However, we should not be such people who do not put into practice what we teach. So, as Christians, we need to start practising what we preach; we need to do more witnessing than preaching. It is not enough to recall principles, state intentions, point to blatant injustice and utter prophetic denunciation; these kinds of words lack the real meaning of our faith unless they are accompanied by effective action manifested in our way of life.

Thus, Jesus called the Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites and blind guides because they misused the gift of leadership entrusted to them. So, today, we are called not to be like them; rather, we should be humble, committed and responsible with whatever we are entrusted with. Jesus made us to know that the greatest among us must be the servant of all. Because anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.

Hence, prophet Isaiah tells us in our first reading to hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of the world; listen to the command of our God, you people of corruption. ‘Wash, make yourselves clean. Take your wrong-doing out of God’s sight. Cease to do evil. Learn to do good, search for justice, help the oppressed, be just to the orphan, plead for the widow.

Dear friends, what kind of a leader are you? Are you that good leader that humanity seeks in a world full of leaders with Pharisaic spirits of greed, selfishness, pride and corruption? Today, we need leaders who will be true servants of the people at all levels of leadership, beginning from the self to the family, to societies and to another level where we may find ourselves.

But what does it take to be a good leader? Jesus says humility that comes from a humble heart that wishes to serve and not to be served. A heart that understands that leadership is sacrificial. Can I be such a leader in my family, society and country?

LET US PRAY: Lord God, humanity are suffering because of corrupt, greedy and selfish leaders who occupy virtually every important position of leadership. As we embrace your words today, may we become good leaders in our families, societies and the world at large? We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily For Monday in the Second Week of Lent Year C, 17th March 2025. The Feast of St. Patrick the Patron St. Of Nigeria

Readings: 1Peter 4:7-11 , Ps. 96, Luke 5:1-11

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

AN ENCOUNTER THAT LEADS TO OUR TRUE VOCATION 

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 your pride into humility, sinfulness into righteousness. This is the kind of experience that Simon had with Jesus in our Gospel passage today, which made him realize his emptiness, and he fell to the knees of Jesus, confessing his unworthiness. 

This is because Jesus had said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’ And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signaled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus, saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.’ But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.’ 

 This very encounter leads to the discovery of Simeon’s true vocation which brought true conversion in his life. This encounter changed their destiny and mission from fishermen to fishers of men. For they obeyed the Lord who told them to put out into the deep waters, and as soon as they followed his instructions, they netted so much fish that the whole boat could not take it. This glorious event manifested the power and grace of God at work in us especially when we humble ourselves.

 

Dear friends, today we celebrate the Feast of St. Patrick, a great missionary who understood what it mean to be fishers of men like Simon and his brothers. He was known for his personal experience of the Lord in a vision in which he was asked to go and evangelize the people of Ireland, where he came from. This he successfully carried out, and this brought about the Irish missionaries who later became a major force in the spreading of the Gospel all over the world. Nigeria and most African countries are beneficiaries of this great sacrificial mission.  

Therefore, as we celebrate St Patrick, we are called to reflect on our personal encounter with God. How have we personally experienced God? When was our spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that is not based on what people have told us about him? 

In case we have not personally encountered him, all we need to do is to sincerely seek God in those common events in our lives. Then, we will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to us. For we heard in our first reading, that each one of us has received a special gift and as good stewards of God’s different grace, we must render our service to one another ungrudgingly to the glory of God.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, every day is an opportunity to encounter you through different events that occur in our lives. Grant that we may have a personal encounter with you just like Simon and his companion, and through the intercession of St. Patrick, may we uniquely experience you in our daily activities and, through this experience, discover our purpose in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.

Homily on the Second Sunday of Lent Year C, 16th March, 2025

Readings: Genesis 15:5-12.17-18; Ps.27, Phil. 3:17-4:1; Luke 9:28-36

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

HAVING A PERSONAL TRANSFIGURATIVE EXPERIENCE OF THE LORD 

Reflecting on the awesome nature of God as manifested in the things he created, the surprising ways he chooses to carry out his plans, the people he chooses, the place, and the things he uses in fulfilling his plans, they are just incomprehensible. This is evident in our readings today.

In the first reading, we heard how God chose Abram and, after making a difficult demand from him, had a covenant with him, saying: To your descendants, I give this land, from the wadi of Egypt to the Great River. For the Lord said to him look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants.’ Because Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified. 

This covenant with God is the beginning of Abram's personal relationship with God. A covenant that brought about the filial relationship between God and humanity, as seen in the covenant at Sinai, which reached its peak in the new and eternal covenant which Jesus sealed in his own blood on the cross on Mount Calvary.

Abraham’s covenant with God may sound very strange to us, but this describes the ancient ways of making a treaty with God. Where an animal is divided into two while the contracting parties walk between the divided parts of the animals. A symbol of what we have in the eternal covenant of Christ in the Calvary where Christ was crucified between two thieves who represent the filthiness of humanity and Christ being the sanctifier.  

In all the covenants it is always God who takes the initiative, although the people will often break God’s covenants. But God has never abandoned us. For through his son Jesus, he has promised to be with us always even till the end of time. Hence, through this covenant, all of us are made to be sons and daughters of God, sharers of God’s inheritance and glory which was promised to Abraham and his descendants. 

This promise is what we see manifest in our Gospel passage today at the mountain of transfiguration, where Jesus chose three of his disciples, Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain; there, in their presence, he was transfigured. And a voice came from the cloud saying, ‘This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him

Therefore, the event of the transfiguration of the Lord reminds us of the revelation of Christ as the beloved Son of the Father, the one we are called to trust and listen to. An event that occurs to draw our attention to the inevitable event of the parousia (the second coming of Jesus on judgement day), which calls us to a life of faith and radical transformation. 

A transformation that brings about a new outfit that makes one a new person with a new life, a new mind and a new way of doing things. Thus, this transfiguration account tells us about the great dramatic revelation and encounter of God’s presence among the disciples of Jesus.  A truly spiritual personal experience of God, calling us for a possibility of divine encounter. 

Dear friends, like Abraham and the three disciples: Peter, James and John, we all have been called this Lenten season to journey with the Lord to the mountain of transfiguration in obedience to his will. Though, sometimes when we are called to follow the Lord, the path may seem to be uncertain and unknown to us, it may seem difficult and contrary to our own way of life, we must learn to remain faithful like Abraham, knowing that the devil is always ready to distract us, persuading and tempting us to remain in our old and ugly way of life and not to respond to the Lord’s calling.

 Therefore, we are called this Holy Season of Lent to reexamine our lives to know how we are responding to God’s call to holiness and faith. We are to discern carefully the will of God in our lives? Today, God is calling us to change our ugly way of life and follow him in whatever direction he wishes to lead us. 

Hence, St Paul tells us in the second reading that our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. But, the truth remains that we can change our friends, residence, car or physical appearance: hair, clothes, colour, and even gender, as some people do today. 

But if we do not have a personal transfigurative experience like the three disciples that will bring about a change of mind and heart towards loving God and our neighbours, we will remain the same, and the old experience of unfruitful life will perpetuate itself over and over again in our lives. Because everything absolutely changes when we change our minds for good. And that change can only be propelled by a strong personal encounter and experience of God in our lives.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today you revealed the glory of your Son to humanity at the mountain of transfiguration, calling us to listen to him. As we listen to your words today, may you transform us into the image and likeness of your Son Jesus and fill our hearts with the Joy of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday of the First Week of Lent Year C, 15th March, 2025

 

Readings: Deut.26:16-19, Ps.119, Matt. 5:43-48

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

A CALL FOR A SACRIFICIAL LIFE OF LOVE

Naturally, people desire to love and be loved, to relate and be in the company of those whom they love. Nobody enjoys being among those who detest them and cause them pain and sorrow.

That is why people naturally sacrifice for those whom they love to keep their friendship and companion. But it takes greater love and sacrifice to do good to people who detest us and cause us sorrow and pain since it is difficult and unnatural to sacrifice for such people.

This sacrificial life of love is what Jesus calls us to embrace in pursuit of the life of perfection. Little wonder he says in our Gospel passage: ‘If you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must, therefore, be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

Here, Jesus emphasises that it is natural and universal for human beings to love those who love them. But what makes his disciples different from other people is the ability to love not just everyone, but to love their enemies and not take vengeance or bear grudges against one another. For by so doing, we will be imitating the perfection of God our heavenly Father, who shows equal love to all and calls us to a greater life of sacrificial love and deeper virtue towards perfection.

Hence, we are called in our first reading today to keep the laws of the Lord, to keep and observe them with all our heart and with all our soul so that we will be a people consecrated to the Lord and, by so doing, become perfect just as our heavenly Father is perfect.

Dear friends, we are called today, to a life of deeper virtue in love that leads to perfection. We are called to choose love over hatred and forgiveness over vengeance. For hatred breeds violence and other things that weaken the human soul, but love unites and heals.

The fact is that God desires peace for humanity, and this peace is what Jesus came to bring in the world, to restore the peace that God intended for all creation from the first day of creation. So today all of us are called to offer this peace to the world full of hatred, greed and violence. This we are called to accept and live out day by day in every way we can.

Therefore, friends, it’s time for us to stretch out the hands of friendship and peace to everyone, both friends and enemies alike, by investing more resources in things that bring about peace and friendship with one another rather than building a nuclear weapon that breeds more violence and hatred in the world. For by so doing the world will become more peaceful and loving.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, today we are called to live a life of perfection through sacrificial love. But the cross of the sacrificial life of love is so heavy; give us the grace to truly carry it by forgiving our enemies and striving towards the life of perfection that offers peace, mercy, compassion and love to distressed humanity. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Friday of the First Week of Lent Year C, 14th March, 2025

 

Readings:  Ezek. 18:21-28, Ps.130, Matt. 5:20-26

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

WHY WE MUST STRIVE TO REMAIN FAITHFUL WITH GOD

Most of the time, we often find it difficult to understand the way God operates, especially as regards his relationship with humanity. This is because humanity has failed to understand how God’s mercy and justice are applicable in our relationship with him and with one another. Little wonder, today, in our first reading, the prophet Ezekiel demonstrated to us how God’s mercy and justice will be a standard for judging humanity. 

Here, he made us know that those who are righteous if they fall into sin and wickedness, will be judged by those same sins they committed, and if found wanting, they will be condemned because of them. On the other hand, those who are wicked, if they repent from their wickedness and act righteously, will be pardoned and saved because of the righteousness and faith that they have shown through their repentance.

So when the upright man renounces his integrity to commit sin and dies because of this, he dies because of the evil that he has committed, for this is God’s justice in action. But when the sinner renounces sin to become law-abiding, honest and holy, he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins; he shall certainly live; he shall not die. This is God’s mercy in action. For we cannot separate God’s mercy and justice, because they are one and the same. The fact remains that, God is not interested in our past sinful ways, but in our present state of life. 

Hence, Jesus, in our Gospel passage today, calls us to a deeper virtue when he said to his disciples, If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.  That is, we must strive to deepen our virtue towards righteous deeds. We must become agents of peace and reconciliation. We must be a symbol of God’s mercy and justice in a world full of corruption and greed.

Dear friends, we are called today to experience this mercy and justice of God uniquely. Thus, we have to be vigilant always and strive to be righteous before God and man. Today, we have to make a fundamental choice to live a holy life and never to return to our sinful ways of life. 

We must struggle every day to grow in righteousness and never give up, no matter the situation we are going through. We should always reflect on what this justice and Mercy of God really mean in our lives as we strive every day to remain faithful to God’s commandment of love and peace.  

LET US PRAY, as we struggle every day towards holiness and perfection, may we be guided by the Holy Spirit and strive to remain on the path of righteousness and never to go back to our sinful and ugly ways of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. It’s Friday, wishing you God’s grace, mercy and favour.

Homily For Thursday of the First Week of Lent Year C, 13th, 2025

 

Readings:  Esther 14:1.3-4.11.13-14, Ps.138, Matt. 7:7-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

HOW TO BRING YOUR BURDENS OF LIFE  TO GOD IN PRAYERS

Reflecting on our daily experience of the events of life, especially the struggles, challenges, disappointments, cries and the difficult situations some people are passing through just to earn a living, gives the experience of the ugly situation in our country today. I can’t but recall, in our first reading today, Esther’s prayer to God, asking him for deliverance for his people, Israel, who were about to be annihilated as a nation by their enemies. 

In this passage, Esther prayed just before she was about to present herself before the King. She was ready to do anything for the sake of her people, and she asked God for strength, guidance and courage as she was about to face the greatest challenge of her life, risking her very life and position for what she was about to do. 

That is, to plead for the safety of her people before the King. She asked for the Lord to guide her and to give her the courage to face her enemies and to soften the heart of the King. And through her prayers, the Lord guided her to triumph against Haman and all those plots he had made against Israel.

This no doubt, shows us the power of prayer and seeking the will of God before doing anything or taking any difficult decision. Hence, Jesus, in our Gospel passage today, tells us to “ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him”. 

One may say I have been praying for God’s intervention in some ugly situations but it seems as if no answer has been given. The fact is that God answers all our prayers if we are patient with him. For he may not grant us what we want because, as a caring Father, he gives us what we truly need and not what we want.

Dear friends, do not carry your burdens alone bring them to God in prayer. Yes, we are full of energy, zeal and passion, ready to face the challenges and struggles of yet another day. But the questions we need to ask ourselves are: what are we doing concerning the present situation in our lives, our families, societies and country?  

It may seem as if all hope is gone, but the Lord is saying to us today, that we should ask, and it will be given to us; search, and we will find; knock, and the door will be opened to us. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. Let us all not be afraid to seek the Lord and ask him for protection and guidance. This is how we should bring our burdens of life to God in prayers. 

But are we willing to trust the Lord and be patient with him? Are we willing to seek the Lord and to make the effort to find him and to follow him wherever he leads us? Do we have the courage and the love of God, as well as the faith and dedication like that of Queen Esther? Who today has shown us that if we trust the Lord and ask him for anything, he will surely provide for us, and we will have no cause to fear in our struggles of life. So, like Queen Esther let us ask for God’s strength, guidance and courage to face the daily challenges in our life.  Thus, what are the things we need from the Lord? It's time to present them before him. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are struggling with so many ugly situations in our lives, families, societies and the world at large, as we pour out our hearts to you in prayer, may you grant our heart desires and guide our ways today and always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.