Homily for Thursday in Fourth Week of Easter Year C, 15th May, 2025

Readings: Acts. 13:13-25; Ps.89; John 13:16-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHOEVER WELCOMES ME WELCOMES THE ONE WHO SENT ME

A good follower of anyone is generally referred to as a disciple, and a true disciple is simply a learner, a student of a teacher, and the goal of such a student is to become like the teacher. This does not mean that the disciple will become equal to the teacher, but will develop the same qualities and skills as those of the teacher.

So today, as Jesus continues with his instruction on what it means to be his follower in respect to the mission he is about to entrust to his disciples he said to them after washing the feet his disciples: “truly, truly I say to you no servant is greater than his master, no messenger is greater than the man who sent him… whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me”.

Thus, as we listened to the Scripture, we are reminded to follow the Lord and obey his ways, his teachings and ensure that we are walking in the path of truth that he has shown to us. Also, as disciples of Christ, there is a need to know the purpose of our life and mission, which is to become like Jesus in deeds and in character.

By so doing, we will have confidence that God will enable us to carry out the work that He has entrusted to us, even when persecuted, knowing that neither the activities of men nor the devil can affect our soul.

A good example of a man who followed the example of Jesus as his Lord and Master is St. Paul, who, in our first reading today,, demonstrated great courage and faith in Jesus. For as he visited the Jewish community in the city of Antioch in Pisidia in Asia Minor, and was asked to speak to the people in the synagogue

So, he began by speaking of the coming of Jesus, the true Messiah,, in whose name he has been preaching and travelling around the community. Paul began by reminding the people of God’s historical plan for the salvation of humanity and how He had always guided His people from the time of Moses to the coming of the Messiah.

Therefore, as followers of Christ, we are reminded that we have also received the same message of truth and encouragement from the Lord through our faith in him. Now, like St. Paul, we have to be courageous in following the instructions of our master Jesus,, especially at this difficult moment when so many people around the world are suffering from the effects of ugly situations in our world today.

Many people have lost their lives, their loved ones, and their jobs. Some are isolated from people they loved, hunger and starvation have turned people into what they are not, fear and uncertainties have become the lot of the common man in the street, kidnapping and violence have become the order of the day.

Dear friends, in the midst of all these difficulties, we are called to be courageous, hopeful, steadfast, and to share with others the message of hope that we have received from the Lord. We are called to bring God’s light into the darkness of lies, deceit, corruption and greed in the world. Following the example of our Master Jesus, we are called to awaken hope once again in the hearts of humanity.

No doubt that this is a very difficult task, but we cannot run away from it. All we need to do is to stand on the strength of our hope and belief in God, so that in all our words, actions and deeds the power of God will be made present in the world through us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we follow the example of Jesus our Lord and Master, grant us the grace of courage and faith so that as your true disciples, we may have confidence to carry out your mission in the world, even in the midst of persecution, sufferings, sickness and death, knowing that your love and care for us surpass all our challenges. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed and peaceful day.

Homily For Wednesday, Fourth Week of Easter, Year C, 14th May, 2025. The Feast of St. Matthias.

Readings: Acts 1: 15-17.20-26; Ps.113; John 15:9-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

AS THE FATHER HAS LOVED ME SO HAVE I LOVED YOU ABIDE IN MY LOVE

One of the greatest gifts of God to humanity is love. A gift that shows how much he loves us by sending his Son, whose life-giving sacrifice means salvation for the world. So, the love that Jesus has for us is nothing less than the Divine love that unites the Persons of the Trinity, and Jesus presented this love as life that must continue among his disciples.

 That’s while love is beyond human nature, and when we love, we are actually acting out that very nature of God in us and this can be overwhelming and mysterious because love is the nature of God that we share.

That is why in our Gospel passage today, Jesus said to his disciples: ‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

Hence, today, as we celebrate the feast of St. Matthias, we see how the apostles worked so hard to keep the Lord’s commandments and remain in his love, as they chose Matthias to replace the traitor, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Lord and then killed himself in regret and grief. Thus, Matthias, one of the earliest followers of Jesus, was chosen in order to complete the number of the Twelve Apostles as we have it in our first reading.

History has it that St. Matthias, out of love, served the Lord and his Church faithfully, for he went on many missions and travelled as far as Ethiopia. He laboured hard to establish the Church and the faith in different places and preached the Good News of the Lord, calling many to conversion and the true faith.

Tradition has it that Matthias suffered martyrdom in Colchis in Asia Minor. No doubt that St. Matthias, together with the other Apostles, gave their lives, their works, their dedication and their whole heart to serve God and his Church, practising and doing what Jesus had commanded them to do, which is to keep the commandments of God so as to remain in his love.

Dear friends, let us keep the Lord’s commandments, let us embrace Jesus and the love he is offering us. Let us, like St. Matthias,, serve the Lord and His Church faithfully by spreading his love everywhere we find ourselves. The truth is that it actually feels right and awesome to experience and share the love of God.

I don’t know if you have ever loved someone and you show it, or someone loves you and shows it? Or somebody loves you and you know it, it is something great and awesome, because love brings life, healing and wholeness into people’s lives. Thus, 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.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, You chose St Matthias to become one of the Apostles, grant that through his intercession, we may keep your commandments and abide in your love. And help us to spread this love to the world and by so doing conquer the hatred, self-centeredness, greed and sin rooted in our families, societies and the world at large. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen, have a lovely day.

Homily for Tuesday, Fourth Week of Easter Year C, 13th May, 2025

 

Readings: Acts. 11:19-26; Ps.87; John 10:22-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

ARE WE STILL CHRISTIANS?

Giving a name to things is one of the habits and traditions of the human person. Little wonder Adam’s first assignment was to give names to what God had created. And throughout human history and even today, a name is a powerful thing with great significance that can not be neglected. Names of things have deep meaning drawn from experiences that help define the reality surrounding such things.

So today, in our first reading, the disciples of Jesus were for the first time given the name “Christian” in Antioch. But why a new name with a new word for these disciples of Christ in Antioch? Why was the name given by outsiders, and why is the name different from other groups of the Jewish sect?

From the reading, we heard that persecution forced many believers from Jerusalem to be scattered to various areas, as some from Cyprus and Cyrene went to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks, telling them the Good News about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

Thus, seeing that their devotion, passion, love, behaviour, activity, and speech were like that of Christ Jesus, they called them Christians. This is because it was common for the Greeks to give nicknames to particular groups based on their way of life in relation to their leader.

So, since this new group were characterised by the behaviour and speech centred on Christ, they called them “Christians,” or “those of the party of Christ.” And in Antioch, the disciples were first called Christians because their behaviour, activity, and speech were like Christ's.

Today, if the early Church were given the name Christian, what name would they give to us? Though we are called Christians, followers of Christ, are we really behaving like Christ? Are we still having that devotion, passion, love, behaviour, activity, and speech like that of Christ and the early disciples? The disciples were scattered to various places due to persecution, but everywhere they went, they proclaimed the Good News of Jesus with their lives. Are we doing the same today?

Dear friends, today we have the personal responsibility to ask ourselves, “What does the name Christian mean to me? Am I living out the responsibility of the name Christian, which I claim to bear? Does the name Christian speak of my deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Do I perceive the name Christian from the world’s perspective today, or what it really means to be Christ-like?

Remember, the people of Antioch gave the name to the disciples of Christ based on the experience of the reality they represent, but what name will the people of our society today give to us based on how we have represented the reality of the name Christians?

In fact, do you still belong and believe in the true meaning of the name Christians? Hence, Jesus says in our Gospel passage today, you do not believe because you are not a sheep of mine. The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost, and no one will ever steal them from me.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, grant we pray, that we may always find delight in bearing the name Christians even in the midst of persecutions and difficulties, give us grace like the early disciples to bear authentic witness of the Good News of Jesus by our way of life, he whob lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. God bless you.

Homily for Monday, Fourth Week of Easter Year C, 12th May, 2025

 

Readings: Acts. 11:1-18; Ps.42; John 10:1-10

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

EMBRACING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Leadership is one of the characteristics of the human person, it is what makes us unique from every other creature. It is a gift from God by which we serve Him and our neighbour responsibly. However, a critical look at what is happening in our world today makes it obvious that humanity is losing the true meaning and essence of leadership.

This is because we have failed to understand the true meaning and source of leadership, and this can be seen in the kind of fruit we bear as leaders. The fruit of leadership in this generation is so complicated: leadership has become a tool for power tussle, selfishness, deception, greed, corruption and intimidation of people. This is because we have abandoned God, who is the source and giver of true leadership skills and knowledge.

Hence, in our Gospel passage, while addressing the people on the good leadership qualities and attitudes, Jesus said, ‘I tell you most solemnly, I am the gate of the sheepfold. Anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way,, is a thief and a brigand. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one, he calls his own sheep and leads them out. When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They never follow a stranger but run away from him, for they do not recognise the voice of strangers.’

Here, Jesus made us know that the characteristics and attitudes of a good leader are rooted in a life of sacrificial love, care, discipline, mercy and knowledge of the sheep or people entrusted to the leader. And this is what Jesus demonstrated with his life. Showing us that love is the fundamental root of leadership. Without true love for the people, there will never be a leader to be called a good shepherd.

Therefore, today we are called to come back to the source of love, God himself, who teaches us that love is an attitude of a true leader that seeks the good of others, despite how we feel about them. He teaches us to be merciful, just as he is merciful. Love in leadership is a sacrificial attitude, an attitude that forgives, an attitude that accommodates, preserves, heals and builds up others when every other thing fails.

Dear friends, this is the kind of attitude in leadership that the world needs now, the attitude that comes from the pure love of God and neighbours. But how can humanity recover these leadership skills rooted in the power of love? How can we harness it to bear more fruit in our societies where it seems as if true leadership exist no more?

This is possible when we realise that we are all products of love and are called to live out our essence, which is to love. We are called to be good examples to one another, imitating Jesus the Good Shepherd, who has been so loving and caring towards us. And these we are called to reciprocate to others, and by so doing, we will finally reach that grazing ground where all who followed Jesus the good shepherd in simplicity of heart will feed on the green pastures of eternity in heaven.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we listen to your words today, may we embrace the attitudes and qualities of good leadership, knowing that in you resides that leadership of love that is lacking in our society today. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful week.

Homily for Fourth Sunday of Easter Year C, 11th May, 2025 The Good Shepherd /Vocation Sunday

Readings: Acts.13:14.43-52; Ps.100; Rev. 7:9.14-17; John 10-27-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

OUR TRUE VOCATION IS IN FOLLOWING JESUS THE TRUE SHEPHERD OF OUR SOUL

Every fourth Sunday of Easter, the Church celebrates the Good Shepherd Sunday, also known as Vocation Sunday, a day dedicated to reflecting on Jesus the Good Shepherd, who guides all the flocks of God into the path that he has prepared for us. It is also an occasion to celebrate Vocation, because God has also called some of us to follow him to be shepherds in the image of Jesus the Good Shepherd.

Those called to be shepherds are the bishops, the priests, fathers, mothers and all leaders of different capacities who are called to serve the Lord and his people as guidance, helpers, coordinators, and teachers of his flock. We are called to follow the examples of the Good Shepherd himself in serving the people.

Today, as we celebrate the Good Shepherd/Vocational Sunday, it is necessary for us to reflect on the imagery of the shepherd and the sheep, which occurred frequently in the Scriptures. A figurative term which represents the leaders and those entrusted to them.

Hence, in our Gospel passage, we heard Jesus the good shepherd talking about the attitudes of the sheep. He said: ‘The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost, and no one will ever steal them from me.

Traditionally, in the scriptures, we have a good number of passages that describe the characteristic behaviour of a sheep. So, the understanding of sheep behaviour is essential for us to know what Jesus is saying to us today.

 One of the characteristics of sheep is their Flocking behaviour. Sheep are best known for their strong flocking and following instincts. They will run from what frightens them and band together in large groups for protection. This is the only protection they have from predators, for there is safety in numbers. It is this strong flocking instinct that allows one person to look after so many sheep.

Another characteristic of sheep is following the leader. When one sheep moves, the rest will follow, even if it does not seem to be a good idea. The flocking and following instinct of sheep is so strong that even from birth, lambs learn to follow the older members of the flock. The dominant members of the flock usually lead, followed by the submissive ones.

This will help us to understand the Social life of good sheep, as we know sheep are very good social animals. They often ensure that they have visual contact with other sheep. And they become highly agitated if separated from the rest of the sheep.

These great characteristics are highly needed among us, who follow Jesus the Good Shepherd. We need to have a sense of belonging, we need to learn to flock together, we need to have a love instinct for one another and for the shepherd. We need to be docile and submissive.

We must not be separated from others, nor allowed anyone to be separated from the flock. We must learn to be humble and meek like sheep. As we know, sheep are usually very quiet and gentle, holding themselves aloof from the world; we must learn to do the same. Good sheep tend to listen to their leaders and show respect to them, we must learn to do the same.

Sheep are highly obedient, and because of their obedient character, they are one of the most loved animals, so we too must learn to be obedient to experience love from the Good Shepherd and from one another. Although we are sheep, sometimes the Good Shepherd entrusts his leadership to us in order to follow his examples in serving the people. Therefore, we must learn to follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd of our souls

Hence, their are many Shepherd leaders who are working so hard to follow the good example of Jesus the Good Shepherd, but there is no doubt that in our societies, there are some false and bad leaders who are not walking in the path of the Good Shepherd, but instead, allowed themselves to be overwhelmed by the sins of greed, selfishness and corruption in the world.

Apparently, in our societies, we see that some shepherds who ought to guide and feed the sheep are now feeding on the sheep, scattering them in order to select their choice and feed on their milk, wear their wool, eat their flesh, enriching and fattening themselves from their products. While treating the sheep harshly and brutally, abandoning the sick, the weak and the strayed.

Most leaders in our society have betrayed their mission: instead of promoting a just society in accordance with the plan of God, they are using their authority to enrich themselves while oppressing the people entrusted to them. Today, the duties neglected by such ugly leaders are now hunting everyone.

The consequences of our bad leadership are what is affecting the whole world today. Therefore, it is time for us to return to God, the true Shepherd of our souls; it is time to listen to the voice of Jesus. It is time to change our ugly, greedy, selfish and corrupt ways of doing things.

Dear friends, we have gone astray like lost sheep, but now, let us come back to Jesus Christ, the shepherd and guardian of our souls. Let us return to him who suffered for us and left an example for us to follow his ways. And as heard in our second reading today, that the Lamb who is on the throne will be our shepherd and will lead us to springs of living water; and there God will wipe away all tears from our eyes.

LET US PRAY, Lord God, as we celebrate Good Shepherd/ vocation Sunday, we pray for all the leaders of the world both religious, secular and in the family, that you will make us true Shepherd of your flock so that we may truly be able to find meaning to our respective vocations in life and for those who are still discerning the path to their vocations, especially all who are discerning their call: the seminarians, religious sisters and brothers, and those looking for life partner, may you help and guide all of us to our true vocation in life. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and grace-filled Sunday.

Homily for Saturday, Third Week of Easter Year C, 10th May, 2025

 

Readings: Acts. 9:31-42; Ps.116; John 6:60-69

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHAT WILL YOU DO WHEN YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE ARTICLE OF OUR FAITH IN GOD?

Every day of our lives, we make choices that we think are good for us. But sometimes some choices are very difficult to make. However, the root of any choice we make in life comes from the fundamental option we have made as human beings. Our fundamental option is the option we make for or against God, to love or to be selfish, to be good or evil, to be holy or sinful. These options have a way of influencing any other choices we make in life.

Today, in our Gospel passage, we heard how people reacted when faced with the hard choice on account of the teachings of Jesus. For as he ends the discourse on the Bread of Life, he said to them: whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life… For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.

So, hearing this hard teaching, many of his disciples decided to walk away. Then Jesus asked the twelve: Will you also go away? Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God.

Following these responses, we can see how important it is for us to make the fundamental option for God if we really want to follow him. As we heard that most of the followers of Jesus left him behind after he spoke of himself as the Bread of Life. Thus, many of them refused to believe in such a hard truth and teaching. This may be as a result of their ignorance, impatience and inability to accommodate difficult moments and realities that are beyond them.

Dear friends, every day we are called to make this fundamental choice between God the Creator and the creatures who have made themselves gods. For this is the reality of our faith in Christ.

So, the Christian faith which we have is not something we should take for granted, as we may often find it difficult to remain faithful, especially when we are confronted with arguments and activities that are opposite and in contrast to our faith. Yet, at the same time, we are called to continue to be faithful and dedicate ourselves completely in obedience to the teachings of Christ.

Thus, when the articles of our faith or our life situations seem difficult, we are called to come to Jesus. We are called to believe in him who came from above and bears testimony of heavenly things. We are called like the apostles to say Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life. We are to bear witness to these things through the power of the Holy Spirit, knowing that our choice for God is a choice for love, and a life of love is a sacrificial life, neither easy nor comfortable.

Therefore, inspired by the faith and courage of St Peter, who in our first reading today did great miraculous works in the name of Jesus, let us bear witness to the faith we have found in Jesus, by identifying ourselves with him who is the bread of life, full of love and goodness. Let us learn to live a life of holiness and build a good relationship with others, like Dorcas, in our first reading, who was never tired of doing good.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, our hope is all in you. When in a difficult moment of decision making regarding our faith in you, give us the grace and courage like St. Peter to bear authentic witness to the faith we have found in Christ Jesus, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Have a fruitful weekend.

Homily for Friday, Third Week of Easter Year C, 9th May, 2025

 

Readings: Acts. 9:1-20; Ps.117; John 6:52-59

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

AN ENCOUNTER THAT LEADS TO TRUE CONVERSION

Every day is an opportunity to encounter God through different events that occur in our lives. I don't know if you have ever had an experience that made you realise the emptiness of this life, a kind of experience that turns pride into humility, sinfulness into righteousness, an experience that changes your perspective about things or people?

This is the kind of experience that Saul had with Jesus in our first reading today, which made him realise the emptiness of his life and how wrong he was, fighting against God’s people. 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.

This very experience brought true conversion in his life and changed his perspective about Christians. 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 about the effect of his personal encounter with Jesus.

This goes on to affirm the hard teaching of Jesus in our Gospel passage today, where he was talking about having life in him. For himself draws life from the Father, and he said, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you.

So whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood will draw life from him. This new life is what Saul experienced when he encountered him and was converted and entrusted with the mission of converting the pagans.

Dear friends, as we heard about the conversion of St Paul, we are called to reflect on our own 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?

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

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we really need to have a personal encounter of 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, our new identity and mission in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Have a blessed day.

Homily for Thursday, Third Week of Easter Year C, 8th, 2025

 

Readings: Acts. 8:26-40; Ps.66; John 6:44-51

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DESIRING THE GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is understanding. It is the second gift of the Holy Spirit, behind wisdom. Through understanding, we gain a certainty about our beliefs that moves beyond faith. It enables one to see more deeply into the mysteries of the faith and judge with certainty all created things.

The essential quality of this gift is the penetrating intuition. For this gift does not only assist in penetrating revealed truths, but also natural realities that are related to the supernatural end.

Thus, understanding is not so much the fruit of studies, but the loving desire and penetrating intuition towards understanding all the Father has revealed. This is exactly what happened to Philip while explaining the scriptures to the Ethiopian Eunuch in our first reading today.

For when he heard him reading the book of Isaiah, the prophet, he asked him, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ The Eunuch replied, ‘How can I understand unless I have someone to guide me?’

Here, the Eunuch seeks the gift of understanding which Philip has already received at Pentecost, and with the help of this gift, he was able to explain the scriptures to him. This is because the mysteries of God’s revelation have been made known to him, and with the Spirit’s prompting, these mysteries can be penetrated and understood by humanity.

 The fact remains that God created us for friendship, and this gift of understanding enables us to understand God’s love, mercy, glory, and power, which moves our hearts to love and live as adopted sons and daughters of God. Little wonder, Jesus in our Gospel passage today said: “No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me, for it is written in the prophets: They will all be taught by God, and will hear the teaching of the Father, and learn from it”.

Dear friends, we must desire to have the gift of understanding, for this gift penetrates the truths of faith, operates in several ways: disclosing the hidden meaning of Sacred Scripture, revealing the significance of symbols and figures. It gives us deeper insight into the meaning of our faith and the moral teachings which serve as standards for human actions.

This gift imparts a sense of confidence and certainty in our belief. It helps us grasp the reality of heaven,, our beatific vision. It is a gift that is really lacking in our lives, not just as Christians but as individuals living in societies full of confusion and a lack of sense of direction. But, how can we acquire the gift of understanding?

How can the gift of understanding help us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our faith in relation to our struggles with the ugly situations in our world today? The answer is simple: we must learn, just like the Ethiopian Eunuch, to cultivate the habit of listening to the Holy Spirit, who never ceases to speak to us deep down in our conscience.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. As we listen to your words today, give us the gift of understanding so that we can grasp the meaning of the truths of our faith in relation to our struggles with the ugly situations in our world today. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.

Homily For Wednesday Third Week of Easter Year C, 7th May, 2025

 

Readings: Acts. 8:1-8; Ps.66; John 6:35-40

Rev Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LORD, SATISFY OUR STAVING SOULS WITH THE BREAD OF ETERNAL LIFE

What can ever satisfy the human hunger and thirst for peace, wholeness, righteousness, love and joy? These are the things we search for every day of our lives. But we seem to have little or no answer.

This is because we have often failed to listen to God’s words calling us and directing us towards the path of truth, which he has revealed through his son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who has been speaking to us in our Gospel since his resurrection.

Thus, today, Jesus continues with his teaching on the bread of life; he seeks to draw those who listened to him into a profound relationship with himself. He asks them to believe in his wonderful promises of eternal life. In the same way, he invites us to partake in an indestructible life, to share in the very life of God.

Jesus wants us to know that he is the food of our souls. Our souls are really starving due to sins, and indeed thirsty for holiness, love, peace and purity. In Jesus alone can staving and empty souls find their strength and satisfaction. For in him, there is fullness of life.

The fact remains that Jesus is the bread of life which came down from heaven. And he wants us to commit our souls into his hands. Thus, whenever we experience anything of spiritual hunger and thirst, we must come to Jesus and be satisfied.

This is what was lacking in the life of Saul, who, in our first reading today, worked for the total destruction of the Church after he had witnessed and endured the stoning and death of Stephen. So, he went from house to house arresting both men and women and sending them to prison. But those who had escaped from him went from place to place preaching the Good News of peace, love holiness and salvation.

Dear friends like Saul, are we weighed down by sorrows in conscience or staving in affection and love, especially in this difficult moment in human history, and thereby acting in ignorance? Or are we like the disciples who, even in the midst of persecution, remained faithful in witnessing the love they have found in Jesus?

Whatever the situation may be for us now, we must know that Jesus is always ready to relieve and restore us whenever we come to him in faith, for in him alone shall we find lasting satisfaction, peace, and love both now and for eternity.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes we are thirsty and hungry down within our souls. May we find in the Words of Jesus that satisfactions which our souls so desired and, by so doing, find eternal life. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you the best of God’s favour and blessings.

Homily For Tuesday Third Week of Easter Year C, 6th May, 2025

 

Readings: Acts. 7:51-8:1; Ps.31; John 6:30-35

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

EMBRACING JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE

The ugly situation in our societies, country and the world at large can make someone completely lose hope in humanity and even in God. Today, people are confused; they don’t even know what to believe or who to trust anymore.

The questions that come to mind are: To whom shall we run to? What shall we do? Any hope for a better tomorrow? What signs are there for us to see to be assured of a better and brighter future for humanity in relation to God? This present disposition can be likened to the disposition of the people in our Gospel passage today.

Here, the Jews who had witnessed the great miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes, when confronted with the hard teaching about the person of Jesus, asked Jesus for a sign to prove that he is the Messiah, a sign like the manna which their forefathers ate in the desert. They said to Jesus that God gave them bread from the heavens to eat. For the Jews, the manna was God’s gift from heaven. So they wanted such a miraculous sign again, as most people desire today.

However, Jesus made it clear to the crowd that it was God rather than Moses who provided the manna for the Israelites. Also, he identified himself as the true bread of life that comes from God. That he is God’s divine intervention in our world. He is the gift of God to the world.

So he told them solemnly: “I AM the bread of life.” Using the word “I AM”, he strongly identifies himself with God, a statement that recalls the name God revealed to Moses in the burning bush (Exod 3:14). Jesus goes on to say: “Whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Thus, the true manna, the true bread from heaven, is the Word of God, which is Jesus, and this Word is what he teaches us to believe in. Today, this Word is now addressed to us, and we shall do well to pay attention to it because with the events going on in the world today, we too can find ourselves in an ugly situation.

A situation where we may no longer have faith in God and start doubting his existence as we are now scared of losing our lives, our health, wealth or even our loved ones. The worst of it is not knowing what to believe anymore, especially in the way our society has been structured; people no longer know their left from their right.

Dear friends, I don’t know what you are going through now. Does it seem as if all hope is lost and there is no opportunity again for you? Are you confused about your faith? Jesus says: I AM the bread of life, blessed is the one who does not lose faith in him. For he is waiting for us at the Eucharist, where he feeds us spiritually. Therefore, be courageous, do not be afraid. Be patient, do not lose heart for the Lord will surely come to save us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, whenever we come to Jesus and bond ourselves closely to him, we are actually identifying ourselves with You. May we constantly embrace Your love for us in the Eucharist as You feed us daily with the bread of life through Your Word. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Monday Third Week of Easter Year C, 5th May, 2025

Readings: Acts. 6:8-15; Ps.119; John 6:22-29

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

BEARING AUTHENTIC WITNESS OF THE LORD IN OUR DAILY LIFE 

 

In every human heart, there is a secret garden which God has made uniquely for himself and that garden is our conscience. However, God is always at the gate of this garden knocking, but we pretend not to hear him. The truth is that every day, God gives us the grace to experience him and bear witness; he makes himself present in us, but we often ignore him or pretend we do not perceive his presence. 

This was the attitude of the men who sought to kill Stephen out of jealousy in our first reading today, where we heard the account of St. Stephen, one of the first deacons who, full of grace and power, bears witness to the risen Lord before the people. He worked many miracles and great signs among the people. 

But some group of men felt so infuriated and ground their teeth at him since they could not withstand his wisdom. Nevertheless, Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. This he witnessed before them and they saw his face like that of an angel.  

Dear friends, this was possible because Stephen completely opened the door of his heart and found God; he witnessed him with his life. We, too, have been given the grace to bear authentic witness to the faith we have found in Jesus, who tells us in our Gospel passage today to believe in him and work for the food which endures eternal life, the kind of food the Son of Man is offering us. That is the eternal food of love, compassion, mercy, kindness, peace and salvation. 

These were the food that Stephen had received from the Lord when he opened the door of his heart, and this same food he offered to the members of the Sanhedrin, but they could not comprehend or withstand it. Therefore, Jesus is calling us to work for these kind of food that comes from the heart of a person who has personally encountered him, the risen Lord. 

So, let us open our hearts to embrace the eternal food of love, compassion, mercy, kindness, peace and salvation which the Lord is offering to humanity to bear authentic witness of him to the world.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, give us the grace and courage to bear authentic witness of Your goodness in the world, especially at this moment when humanity needs You the most. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. As the week begins, be strong, be hopeful and stay safe for God is still in control.

Homily For Third Sunday of Easter Year C, 4th May, 2025. HAPPY FATHER’S DAY

 

Readings: Acts.5:27-32.40-41; Ps. 30; Rev. 5:11-14; John 21:1-19

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE LORD WANTS TO RESTORE THE HIDDEN WOUNDS OF SINS IN US

Today being the third Sunday of the Holy season of Easter, we are presented with the theme of restoration. This is important because we have often fallen and separated ourselves from God as a result of the ups and downs of life. Every day, we are faced with new struggles.

Yes, we struggle for life, we struggle for survival, we struggle against the manipulation of the evil ones. More challenging is the struggles we face within our own self, especially our weakness and sinfulness.

 The effects of this fall and restoration are evident among the disciples of Jesus. All the time they were with Jesus, they struggled to be like him, to follow his ways and to understand him, and it wasn’t easy. In the cause of these struggles, they failed several times; they denied him, suffered, and sinned against the Lord Jesus despite their love for him. But this was well predicted by Jesus who warned them to remain steadfast even in the midst of these struggles.

However, after all the struggles and falls during his passion and death, Jesus decided to strengthen and restore his disciples once again as regards the great task ahead before departing from them. So in the occasion of the Gospel passage today, Jesus said to Peter, the leader of his Apostles: ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’

A second time, he said to him, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.

Here, we can imagine the disposition of the disciples when seeing the Lord as they sat together around the fire, eating silently the meal which Jesus had prepared and no doubt gazing silently at the Lord’s silence. It must really be a great moment of tension as to how the oppressive silence was to be broken.

Also, how Peter’s heart must have been troubled when the great silence was broken with the words: Simon, son of John, do you love me? These three times questions have a special force in the restoration of him who had three times denied his Master, and now three times declares his love for Him, and he is three times restored and entrusted with a great task of feeding his master’s sheep.

From this gracious act, we see how God, through Jesus, treats a soul conscious of its sinfulness and fault, and in Peter’s disposition, we see an illustration of how a soul, conscious of its sinfulness and fault, should behave before God.

This gracious event is very symbolic not just that the Lord had forgiven Peter for his threefold denial at the moment of his arrest and suffering, but also that, the Lord restored him again as the leader of his flocks and the entire Universal Church.

We can see the effect of this restoration in the response of Peter and the other apostles in our first reading today when they said to the council of Pharisees: ‘Obedience to God comes before obedience to men; it was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree.

By his own right hand, God has now raised him up to be a leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit. And John, in his vision, as we heard in our second reading, said: the Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to be given power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing.

Dear friends, this is a moment of restoration, for in our struggles in this life, we have done ugly and sinful things that we really regret and don’t want to remember or talk about, just like St Peter and the other disciples.

These things We wish we could have changed or avoided, but there is nothing we can do about them anymore except seek restoration. And this restoration is what Jesus is offering us today as he says: my child do you still love me? Do you really love me? Do you love me more than all the things of this passing world?

All we have to say in the consciousness of our faults and sinfulness is: Lord, you know everything; yes, I truly love you. And just like St Peter, the Lord Jesus will not only forgive us, he will restore us to a greater glory.

So why struggle in silence? It’s time to break open the hidden wounds of sin in our hearts, for the Lord wants to heal and restore us once again so that we can be open and free to receive the Holy Spirit, the promised Paraclete, who will restore us afresh to God’s greater glory.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we anticipate the coming of the Holy Spirit, we come to you today conscious of our faults and sinfulness. Grant us, we pray for your healing and restoration, especially to all Fathers. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Father’s Day.

Homily For Saturday Second Week of Easter Year C, 3rd May, 2025. The Feast of SS Philip and James

 

Readings: 1Cor 15:1-8; Ps.19;  John 14:6-14

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

LET US LEARN TO FOLLOW JESUS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE

The main goal of discipleship is acquiring the mind of the master and the price to pay is desiring to obey and learn from the Master. This is clear with the use of the imagery of Father and Son by Jesus to explain his relationship with God the Father. But oftentimes, the people and even his disciples find it difficult to understand the systematic fashion of this relationship. 

So in our Gospel passage today, Jesus tried to explain this relationship to his disciples when he said to them: I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, If you know me, you know my Father too. From this moment you know him and have seen him. Curiously, Philip said, ‘Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied'. 

But Jesus said: you must believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; I tell you most solemnly, whoever believes in me will perform even greater works because I am going to the Father, and whatever you ask for in my name I will do it. 

Here Jesus is saying that if we want to know God and understand his ways in relation to humanity, all we need to do is to look at him (Jesus) as the Son of the Father who has come to reveal the true image of God to humanity. We are to observe what he does, listen to what he teaches, watch how he behaves, what and who he loves, and what he rejects or defends for, and so do we will discover God in him because, as the Son, he is the true human image of God. He is one with the Father in unity of existence and life, and this is evidenced in the Words he spoke and the works he performed. 

Consequently, those who believe in him are endowed with the power of the Holy Spirit and will do greater works than he has done, for he has gone to the Father and whatever they ask in his name he will do it because they will be asking in accordance with the Holy Spirit in union with the name of the very person of Jesus whose request the Father will always granted.

So today we celebrate the feast of SS Philip and James, two great Apostles of our Lord Jesus, who laboured and worked hard to serve the Lord and brought his Good News to different corners of the world. Their relics are kept together in the Church of the Twelve Apostles in Rome, and from the day of its dedication in 565, these two Apostles have been celebrated together. 

Tradition has it that, Philip evangelized and preached in places like Greece, Asia Minor and Syria. It was during one of his ministries, according to tradition, that he was martyred when, along with Bartholomew, he tried to convince the wife of the local ruler to convert to the Christian faith, and the furious ruler ordered Philip Bartholomew to be crucified upside-down. 

But Philip asked his persecutors to release Bartholomew, which they did, but he remained on the cross, and there he died a martyr. Similarly, St. James the Lesser, as he was called, was also a devoted disciple of the Lord, who was credited with the evangelization and conversion of many peoples, just like Philip and the other Apostles. He was also martyred in Egypt, where he worked greatly in spreading the Gospel and defending the faith he had found in Jesus. 

Dear friends, the questions we need to ask ourselves today are: Do we really believe in God as our Father? Do we personally and truly know and believe in Jesus as the way, the truth and the life? Have we any personal experience of the power of the Holy Spirit. 

The truth is that we can only do great work in his name when we have a personal experience and encounter with the risen Lord, just like the disciples Philip and James, who, after experiencing the risen Lord, sacrificed their lives for the sake of his Gospel. 

Therefore, I don’t know what your experience of the Lord has been. I don’t know what you want God to do for you, I don’t know the prayer points you recite every day, I don’t know how deep your requests are, all I know is that if we truly have a personal relationship with Jesus and believe in him as the way, the truth and the life, we are going to be endowed with the power of the Holy Spirit and will do greater works then he has done, for he has gone to the Father and has promised us that whatever we ask in his name he will do it.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we follow Jesus the way, the truth and the life, help us to carry out our responsibilities effectively. May we, through the intercession of SS. Philip and James have a personal experience of your presence in our lives so that by presenting our needs before you, we may find favour in your presence. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful day.

Homily for Friday in the Second Week of Easter, 2nd MAY 2025. The Memorial of St. Athanasius

 

Readings: Acts.5:34-42; Ps.27; John 6:1-15

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE JOY OF SUFFERING HUMILIATION AND PERSECUTIONS FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST

As the persecution of the early Church continues, today, the members of the Sanhedrin call for council meetings to decide what to do with the apostles. At this council, as we heard in our first reading, Gamaliel, a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, suggested that the apostles should be left alone based on past experiences of those who claimed to be great but were letter perished when their leader had died.

So, for him what is happening now with the apostles might be the same. He advises them to have nothing to do with the apostle, that if their purpose or activity is from human origins, it will soon perish. If not, they will not be able to destroy them without fighting God Himself. So they had the apostles beaten and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus. However, instead of being depressed, the apostles left the court full of joy that they had been judged worthy of being beaten for the sake of the Name of Jesus.

Here, they experienced the blessedness that Jesus had spoken of in the Sermon on the Mount when he said: “Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people abuse you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven” (Matt 5:10-12). In our Gospel passage today, we heard how Jesus, out of love and compassion, fed the crowd.

This feeding of the crowd refers back to the journey of the people of God in the desert from Mount Sinai to the promised land, which, specially, signifies the event of our Eucharistic celebration. The Eucharist has the same characteristics of this miracle: Where the community gathers together, and then the transformation of humble elements into a glorified body of Christ takes place to satisfy our spiritual hunger, which is an abundant gift of God to humanity. In fact, because of the link to the Eucharist, this is the only miracle that is reported by all the four gospels.

However, we can interpret this miracle of feeding the crowd in two ways. First, we can simply interpret it as a miraculous event, pointing to the divine origin and mission of Jesus. Secondly, we can interpret the miracle as the fruit of sharing with one another. It is possible that once the disciples began to share the little food they had with those around, others also who had actually brought some food with them started sharing what they had, and indeed, grace multiplied what they had to the point of having leftovers. This shows how much God cares for us, and he will never abandon us no matter the situation.

Dear friends, God loves us so much, so we must learn to joyfully suffer humiliation and persecution for his sake. Hence, in any situation we find ourselves in, we are called to remain firm and faithful to God. We must learn to bear witness to our faith in Christ; though this mandate may seem difficult in our world at this moment, just like in the time of the apostles, the grace of God is sufficient for us.

Therefore, let us not be afraid of witnessing our faith in the world, for God will surely protect us as He protected the apostles. Let us learn from St. Athanasius whose memorial we celebrate today.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we proclaim your name to the world, especially in these difficult times, give us, through the intercessions of St. Athanasius, the grace to rejoice even in the midst of persecution, suffering, sickness or death. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.