Homily For Wednesday Third Week of Easter Year A, 22nd April, 2026

 

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

BELIEVE IN JESUS 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, seeking to draw those who listen to him into a profound relationship with himself. He asks them to believe in his wonderful promises about 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 the starving 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 ensured 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 straining in affections 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. So, you have to let your starving soul be satisfied in Jesus, the bread of eternal life. 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 within our souls, may we find in the Words of Jesus that satisfaction 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 Second Sunday of Easter, 21st April, 2026

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

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHOEVER COMES TO JESUS, THE BREAD OF LIFE, WILL NEVER BE THIRSTY OR HUNGRY

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? 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? 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 fish, 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 that their forefathers ate in the desert. They said to Jesus that God gave them bread from heaven to eat. For the Jews, the manna was God’s gift from heaven. So they wanted such a miraculous sign again.

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 himself 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, our wealth or even our loved ones as a result of war, kidnapping, terrorism and high inflation. 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 me. 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 bind 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 in Third Week of Easter Year A, 20th April, 2026

 

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

OPENING YOUR HEART SO THAT GOD WILL USE YOU TO ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS LIKE ST. STEPHEN

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 how St. Stephen, one of the first deacons who was full of grace and power, bore 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 opened the door of his heart completely and, finding God, he witnessed him with his life. We too have been given the grace and power 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 to 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 this kind of food that comes from the heart of a person who has personally encountered him, the risen Lord.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we open our hearts to embrace the eternal food of love, compassion, mercy, kindness, peace and salvation which You offer to humanity, give us the grace and courage to bear authentic witness of Your goodness in the world, especially at this moment when humanity needs You most. This we ask 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 A, 19th April, 2026. HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

Readings: Acts.2:14.22-33; Ps.16; 1Peter 1:17-21; Luke 24:13-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HAVING AN ENCOUNTER THAT RESTORES HOPE

The Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 1817, defines Christian hope as: "the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit”

So, the virtue of hope is a necessary vehicle for Christian faith and in the journey of life. We can only understand the value of this virtue when we find ourselves in a hopeless situation like the two disciples of Jesus on their way to Emmaus, as we heard in our Gospel passage today.

These two disciples were sad because their hopes had been dashed. They had placed their hope in Jesus, believing that he would be the one who would redeem Israel. They said in Luke 24:21: “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.”

They were hoping that Jesus would become a political leader who would once again bring Israel into freedom from Roman oppression, just the same way Nigerians were hoping that the present government would bring restoration and confidence to our country, only to wake up and realise that we have been deceived and things have been worse than ever.

So, like these disciples, we were hoping. But our hope was gone and now we are sad and confused. Most of us are now going back to Emmaus to continue with our old ways of life. This is the reality of life, for in this journey of life, we may see ourselves journeying back through the road to Emmaus, walking and looking so sad, hopeless and confused.

Yes, many things in life can make us sad and hopeless. Sometimes, we suffer humiliation and disappointment from family members and friends. At times we lost our jobs, our properties, our friends through quarrels, divorce, abuse, addictions, and other natural and supernatural disasters. And these inflict pains and hopelessness in our hearts as we walk sad and hopeless through the Emmaus road of life.

And here comes Jesus journeying with us, letting us know that hope does not die! Because he is alive today and can walk into our lives and restore hope, for his presence is hope personified. He wants to have a deep conversation with us, he wants to remind and instruct us about his promises. He wants to reveal himself to us in a personal and collective manner just as he did with his two disciples today. The hope once lost will be restored by his presence through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Little wonder, Pope Francis, while defining Christian hope, said that: "hope is much more than simple optimism for Christians, it is a constant expectation, it's a gift from the Holy Spirit, it's a miracle of renewal that never lets us down”.

This will help us to understand what happened in our first reading today, where we heard how Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed the crowd in a loud voice speaking about their personal experience of God, how God raised Jesus to life and how he received from the Father the Holy Spirit, and now they are witnesses to this through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Similarly, St. Peter in our second reading, wants us to remember that the ransom that was paid to free us from our useless and ugly ways of life was not paid in anything corruptible, neither in silver nor gold, but in the precious blood of a lamb without spot or stain, namely Christ. Here, we see how God chooses to carry out His plan.

This awesome nature of God is well demonstrated in the story of the mysterious presence of Jesus before his two disciples, who were disappointed and were going back to their old ways of life. These disciples recognised Jesus at the breaking of bread and returned to bear witness to their encounter.

Dear friends, the setting of this story of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, portrays the structure of our liturgical celebration more practically. At our liturgical celebrations, we journey with Jesus along the way of faith, where he unites us with himself, though separated by sin, as he reconciles us with ourselves through the penitential rite. Then he feeds us with his word, as he prepares us for a special encounter at the Eucharistic table where he manifests himself in the Eucharist for us to recognise him.

Friends, happy are we who encounter and recognise our risen Lord in the Eucharist, where he constantly invites us to come and be restored.

Therefore, as we continue our journey of faith, we may find ourselves on the road to Emmaus with all hope seeming lost. The road which represents disappointment, failure, sorrow, grief, bitterness and confusion. So like the two Emmaus disciples, we should know that the risen Lord is with us in our journey of life, even when we cannot recognise him.

In the same way, he is journeying with us in our liturgical worship even when we don’t recognise him. Jesus is journeying with us today. He wants to hear us discuss him, he wants to enlighten us, he wants to open our hearts and minds through the scriptures, and he wants to address our daily challenges. He wants to reveal himself to us at this Eucharistic celebration. Are you ready to encounter him?

LET US PRAY: O God, as we journey with You, especially at this difficult moment in human history, may Your presence strengthen our faith and constantly renew our hope, give us the grace and courage to dedicate ourselves, our time, and energy in serving You, as You fill our hearts with the Joy of Your kingdom. Amen. May God bless all our Mothers.

Homily For Saturday in Second Week of Easter, 18th April, 2026

 

Readings: Acts.6:1-7; Ps.33; John 6:16-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LORD, LET YOUR PRESENCE CALM ALL THE STORMS IN OUR LIVES

A boat is a craft made for transportation, fishing, or cruising on the water, and it is propelled by oars or wind. It is a full house, a complete and secure vessel. The fishermen and the mariners who are in the sea business know the value of a boat and what it means to be in a boat faced with heavy storms. Little wonder, in the Scriptures, Jesus often made use of the boat to teach and instruct the people and his disciples.

On the occasion of our Gospel passage today, the disciples got into the boat and went before Jesus to the other side. When evening came, they were there alone on the boat, which had gone far on the lake, and was battling with a heavy sea storm.

So as the waves were breaking over the boat, the disciples were afraid and needed help from anywhere. It was at this point that they saw Jesus walking on the sea and he said to them: “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid”. And as he got into the boat the wind ceased.

In this Gospel passage, we can foresee a gesture which signifies the chosen people of God on a transit of faith, frightened by the guilt of sin and wounded by the waves of the sea, the abode of evil forces and monsters of this world.

Today, Jesus is inviting us to journey on this boat of life with an unwavering faith and a repentant heart so that our storms of struggles will cease. Because the world is being tossed around by the waves of evil forces the enemies of humankind, inflicting hardships, sickness and sorrows on us.

But Jesus is inviting us to come into his boat so that we can find life, peace and grace to overcome our struggles. This is what the apostles did in our first reading today when they had challenges with the distribution of resources to the people.

So inspired by the Holy Spirit they said to the people: select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty of distribution to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.

Dear friends, the world is full of seas and caves of different problems in the form of storms, and so many people are trying to find ways to fix their problems. Today, Jesus is inviting us to come into his boat of life with an unwavering faith and a repentant heart, and we will find peace of mind. For his boat is the safest vessel where all our storms can be subdued. Where humanity can find solace, where all our struggles will cease, where hope for the future is guarantied.

Therefore, I don't know the great storms of doubt and fear in your soul today? I don’t know how deep your sorrows of constant failure and disappointment are. I don’t know how long or deep you have been involved in the evil going on in this world. All I know is that when Jesus comes into the boat of our lives, our families and societies, all the storms in our lives will cease and then we will worship God in sincerity and freedom.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for being with us in all our struggles against the storms of life, as we invite you into the boat of our lives, grant that the violent storms and waves of bondage in our lives will end in a wonderful calm that brings peace in our souls. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a peaceful weekend.

Homily For Friday in Second Week of Easter, 17th April, 2026

 

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

EXPERIENCING THE BLESSEDNESS PROMISED TO THOSE PERSECUTED FOR THEIR FAITH

Today, the persecution of the apostles continues as the members of the Sanhedrin call for a council meeting to decide what to do with the apostles.

So at this council, as we have 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 had later perished when their leader had died, that 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, his advice was accepted, and they had the apostles called in, gave orders for them to be flogged and warned not to speak in the name of Jesus and then released them.

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).

Dear friends, in any situation we find ourselves, we are called to bear witness to our faith in Christ, though this mandate may seem difficult in our world at this moment, just as it was in the time of the apostles, the grace of God is sufficient for us. Therefore, let us not be afraid of expressing our faith anywhere we find ourselves in the world, for God will surely protect us as He protected the apostles.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we proclaim your name to the world, especially in these difficult times, give us the grace to rejoice even in the midst of persecution, suffering, sickness or death. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. May the blessings, joy and favour of the Lord find their way in our lives and in our families. 

Homily For Thursday in Second Week of Easter, 16th April, 2026

Readings: Acts.5:27-33; Ps.34; John 3:31-36

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY WE MUST LEARN TO OBEY GOD’S AUTHORITY ABOVE HUMAN AUTHORITIES

As the persecution of the apostles continued, the authorities of the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin forbade the apostles from preaching in the name of Jesus, as we read in our first passage today. But the apostles spoke out boldly, saying, 'We should obey God rather than men.' They stood firm and witnessed all that they had experienced. Their testimony was directed by the Holy Spirit, who is given to all those who responded to God with the obedience that comes from faith.

So, they continued to preach in the name of Jesus, and their accusers could not stop them even though they had been strictly forbidden to do so. Such are the grace and courage we receive when we experience the power of the risen Lord. We will not be afraid to witness because we are convinced that Jesus is the One who comes from above, the One whom God has sent to speak the words of God.

He is the Word of God who came to bear testimony to what he has seen and heard just as we heard him telling Nicodemus in our Gospel passage, that anyone who believes in the Son has eternal life, but anyone who refuses to believe in the Son will never see life: the anger of God stays on him.

Dear friends, as Christians living in a world where our faith is being challenged every moment especially in this ugly situation of wars, corruption, kidnapping, greed and hunger everywhere. So, we must make costly choices of choosing to obey God rather than men and not give in because of persecution, hunger, poverty or our worldly ambition.

Everywhere we find ourselves, be it in business, relationships, politics and in family life, we have to make decisions about remaining honest, truthful, holy and faithful to our faith and commitments to God above that of any human authorities. So, we must be ready to stand firm in the faith we have found in God. We must learn to submit to the authority of the Lord above all other human authorities.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, give us grace and courage to constantly obey You above any human authority, especially in times of difficulty, hunger, strife, sickness, and persecution. Never let us deny You because of worldly pressures and difficulties or be put to shame, as we place all our hope in You. Amen. It’s a new day, be strong, be focused, for the Lord has promised to be with us till the end of time.

Homily For Wednesdays in Second Week of Easter, 15th April, 2026

Readings: Acts. 5:17-26; Ps.34; John 3:16-21

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED THE LOVE OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE AND SHARED IT WITH OTHERS?

Oftentimes, when we are passing through difficult times, we feel and think that God does not care about us. We feel that God has abandoned us in this passing world. We even feel that God has no connection with the activities of humanity. But this is not true, for our Gospel passage today talks about the relationship between God and humanity that inhabits the world.

Telling us that God loves the world and the humanity living in it. He loves it so much that He gave His only Son, who died a shameful and terrible death on a cross for the sake of His love. Yes, Jesus is God's love personified in our world. For God loves the whole world, His love is total and unconditional for every one of his creatures. This is why we who have benefited from the love of Jesus are the face of God’s love in our world today.

This love is what the apostles bear witness to in our first reading today, and for this, they were persecuted by authorities. We are told that the main motive for their displeasure was jealousy. The apostles were witnessing what they had experienced, and this attracted large crowds to the group.

So the authorities, out of jealousy, had the apostles arrested and thrown into the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates for them and told them to go back and continue preaching in the temple and bearing witness of God’s love for humility.

Dear friends, this is what we are called to do; we have, in one way or another, experienced the love of God so greatly and personally in our lives. It’s now time to bear authentic witness to this love to all humanity. We are to tell the world how deeply God loves them. We are to demonstrate this love to the world and let this love be felt by those who have lost hope in God especially at this time when humanity is struggling with the ugly situation of hardship.

We are the face of God’s love now, we are the channels of His love now. Therefore, let us extend this love in any form, gestures or manner possible to everywhere that it is lacking. A kind word, a single phone call, a text message, an act of forgiveness, a single prayer, sacrifice, patience and any form of generous act shown to anyone around you or as many people as you can reach out to today, reflect this love of God for humanity through you.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we have come to know and experienced Your love for humanity, give us the grace to reciprocate this love in the world by our ways of life using the gifts, talents and resources you have given us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you. 

Homily For Tuesday in Second Week of Easter, 14th April, 2026

Readings: Acts.4:32-37; Ps.93; John 3:7-15

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LIVING A CHRISTIAN FRATERNAL LIFE

One of the major problems in our world today is individualism; this, no doubt, is the cause of disunity, greediness and corruption that is really destroying humanity. To overcome this ugly attitude, we need to learn from the early Christian community as recorded in our first reading, which gives us an account of how the company of believers were of one heart and soul, deeply united with each other.

They bear witness to the central element of their faith, that is, loving God with all their hearts and with all their soul and loving their neighbours as themselves. Thereby bearing witness to the teachings of Jesus. They sold their belongings, brought the proceeds together, and distributed them to each according to their need.

This was possible because the Holy Spirit united them. It is the power of this Spirit that Jesus is talking about in our Gospel passage today when he said to Nicodemus: "The wind blows wherever it pleases; you hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. That is how it is with all who are born of the Spirit”.

This great gesture demonstrates what fraternal love really means. No one claimed anything as belonging to him/herself; everything was held in common. This shows us the social life of the early Church. But the question is, do we still have such sharing communities in our Church today?

Perhaps we may find such communal sharing in some communities of religious life with vows of poverty and total sharing of resources coupled with a life of material simplicity. Also, there may be other groups of lay people and some families who try to implement this Christian vision and value. But they are very few.

Dear friends, how many families are practising this great Christian fraternal living? How many societies in our churches are willing to maintain this tradition? This should be encouraged, especially at this moment when the world is passing through difficult times, and we are fast losing our great Christian values of communal and fraternal living.

There is a need for us to also extend it to the societies where these fraternal Communion and charity have been taken over by individualism, selfishness, corruption and greed. How I wish humanity would learn how to live in fraternal charity like the early Christian, then we will see that the world's resources will be enough for everyone. Therefore, let us unite again as one family.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we reflect on the attitudes and virtues of the early Church, give us the grace to imitate them as we cultivate the attitude of sharing our material and spiritual blessings with those in genuine need in our community especially in this difficult moment in our society and the world at large. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace-filled day.

Homily For Monday in Second Week of Easter, 13th April, 2026

Readings: Acts.4:23-31; Ps.2; John 3:1-8

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LORD, GIVE US COURAGE AND BOLDNESS TO PROCLAIM YOUR GOSPEL

Threats, intimidation, torture and fear are some of the powerful ways of silencing people from expressing their views, opinions, and faith. We can recall how these ugly attitudes were used to silence the youths in the recent past in our country, especially in the ugly event of the End-SARS protest, which brought about the Lekki toll gate shooting and killing of innocent people.

These very techniques and tools are what the chief priests and the elders used in intimidating the apostles in our first reading today, and the same systematic tools prevented Nicodemus from coming to Jesus except by night, as we read in the Gospel passage today.

Nicodemus was afraid and ashamed to be seen with Christ because of his colleagues, who might possibly threaten him. So he came in the night to seek knowledge. Here he came not to have knowledge about the state affairs, though he was a ruler, but about the concerns of his own soul and its salvation. Though he came by night, Jesus welcomed him and afterwards at the passion he proclaimed Christ publicly, hereby demonstrating and teaching us the power of courage.

Dear friends, these same courage and boldness were the prayerful request the apostles made to the Lord when they were threatened by the authorities never to preach in the name of Jesus. Now, the disciple knew that powerful forces were arrayed against them. They knew, as well, that Peter and John were determined to continue their witnessing.

So they prayed for strength to speak the Word of God with confidence and boldness and asked that in their expression of faith God should accomplish their works with signs and wonders in the name of Jesus. We all need this confidence and boldness if we are to effectively evangelise the people, especially at this moment when the world has lost interest in the things of God.

LET US PRAY: heavenly Father, as we struggle with the ugly situation of fear, intimidation and torture in our families, societies, country and the world at large, give us the grace, confidence and boldness to proclaim Your Word in the power of Your Spirit to penetrate the hearts of men and women of our generation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. May the Joy of the risen Lord be our strength.

Homily For Second Sunday of Easter, The Divine Mercy Sunday, 12th April, 2026

Readings: Acts.2:42-47; Ps.118; 1Pet. 1:3-9; John 20:19-31

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND YET BELIEVE

The event we celebrate today is meant for us to focus our attention once again on the Lord, to ask Jesus for his mercy on us and the whole world especially through his glorious and wondrous passion, which stands as a perfect offering for the redemption of humanity.

Little wonder Pope St. John Paul II in the Jubilee Year of 2000, instituted the Divine Mercy Sunday, which is to be celebrated every second Sunday of Easter to remind us that the joyful celebration of Easter season is also a time for us to appreciate once again that our Lord Jesus passed through the worst of sufferings and humiliations in his Passion, Death and Resurrection, and so won eternal life for humanity.

Hence, we need to have faith in the Lord and believe that through him there is hope for our salvation. This truly explains the words of Jesus to his disciples when he said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe”. This statement could be a central theme in our Gospel passage today.

The major issue here is the act of doubting. There is a foundational philosophical statement attributed to René Descartes, that says: "I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am" (dubito, ergo cogito, ergo sum). This statement highlights that the act of doubting one's own existence proves the existence of a thinking mind. It serves as a methodical, certain starting point, concluding that doubt and thinking are undeniable proof of existence.

Here, Jesus said to Thomas: “ Do not doubt but believe… for blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” This is because Thomas was lacking in faith and so was doubtful of the Lord’s resurrection but only to be humbled when the Lord himself appeared right before him. Thomas believed and said to the Lord, ‘My Lord and My God’. And the Gospel ended by saying that these are written that you may believe in Jesus and that believing you may have life in his name.

This also, is repeated in our second reading today, where we heard St. Peter saying: "You did not see him, yet you love him; and still without seeing him, you are already filled with a joy so glorious that it cannot be described, because you believe; and you are sure of the end to which your faith looks forward, that is, the salvation of your souls.”

Here we are told that through our love and faith, we have victory over the world and salvation for our souls. So, the purpose of this Gospel is for us, the readers to believe and so enjoy the promised blessing. Today no doubt, Millions of Christians have been strengthened in their faith by reading this Gospel, and millions of others have been brought to faith through it.

But, what about you and me who today have experienced the Lord and his mercies, having journeyed with Jesus as long as we have come to embrace the Christian faith? What can we say about our personal encounter and experience of the person of Jesus? Are we really convinced about the faith we profess? Are we still at the level of faith that is based on what we hear or read about Jesus? Or have we really and truly encountered the person of Jesus in such a way that our faith has no doubt anymore, such that we can truly say like St. Thomas, "My Lord and My God"?

Dear friends, are we still doubting like Thomas? Today, we are encouraged to believe without even seeing like Thomas. But this can really be very difficult in a world of empiricism, yet we are still called to truly embrace this faith without doubting despite all the ugly human attitudes that are kicking against our faith.

That is why, sometimes in our lives, we behave like Thomas; in fact, Thomas represents all of us who, in one way or another, have been doubtful of the presence of God in our lives. No doubt that there are many of us with different experiences at different levels of faith and devotion.

But at some point, we may have grown weak in our commitment to the Lord and begin to doubt his presence with us, based on our own experiences, or when we are distracted and tempted by many ugly desires for worldly things that will turn us away from the Lord.

More so, we have often placed God aside and forgotten about him, by prioritising other things in our lives. We have often treated him or things related to him as something not significant. There are times when we doubt the presence of God in our families, societies and even the Church.

There are times when we have doubted the presence of God in the Eucharist, in the sacraments and even in the activities of his ministers. Oftentimes, we are doubtful of the mercy of God, his love for us, his power to save, heal and protect us, as we go seeking help from other “sources” which will only worsen our situation.

Brethren, to be a believer in our world today can be really difficult, so we need to support each other. We need to strengthen our community life, especially during this difficult moment in our country and the world at large. The early Christians supported one another by praying, worshipping and sharing their resources and the word of God together, as we heard in our first reading today. For the people were loud in their praise, and the number of men and women who came to believe in the Lord increased steadily. And so many signs and wonders were worked among the people at the hands of the apostles.

Therefore, let us unite together as believers, and bear authentic witness to our faith. As we struggle in this dark moment in our lives when God seems far away from the world, let us ask him to help us to remove all forms of doubt, especially in this time when the Gospel is under all kinds of threats by faithless and ignorant people.

Nevertheless, let us ask God for His Divine Mercy in our lives, our families, societies and the world at large. Remember, the Lord is indeed merciful; he forgives us freely and generously, but we should not take his mercy for granted by dwelling perpetually in sin.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are encouraged to believe without seeing, this can really be very difficult in a world of empiricism, help us especially this trial moment in our world, never to doubt whatever you have revealed through your son, may we rather be steadfast in faith, joyful in hope and untiring in loving you and our neighbours, as the world hope to experience your Divine Mercy once again, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Divine Mercy Sunday to you and your household. 

Homily For Saturday in Octave of Easter, 11th April, 2026

Readings: Acts.14:13-21; Ps.118; Mark 16:9-15

Rev Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WE ARE CALLED TO BEAR AUTHENTIC WITNESS OF THE RISEN LORD TO HUMANITY

After the resurrection of Jesus, he appeared to his disciples on different occasions. Today in our Gospel passage, he appeared to the eleven apostles and commissioned them to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation. This is what Peter and John exercised in our first reading today.

Here, the rulers, elders and scribes were astonished at the great witness shown by Peter and John, so they tried to prevent them and other disciples from spreading any further the Good News about the risen Lord, by attempting to suppress them through fear and intimidation.

However, the disciples were not ready to give in to fear or pressure, for they were encouraged and strengthened by the Lord through the Holy Spirit, since they were no longer the same people who hid in the fear of the authorities. Instead, they openly rejected the orders from the Sanhedrin and continued to carry out the missions which God had entrusted to them.

Hence, the mandate of this mission has been repeated in our liturgy throughout this octave of Easter, to remind us of our mission as Christians. It also allows us to review our Easter experience, so as to examine ourselves to know the impact the week has made on us.

Dear friends, to what extent have we been able to bear witness to the world about the risen Lord? As disciples of Christ, we are mandated to share the Good News of salvation provided by Christ Jesus to all creation. We are to do so not just in silence, but in words and actions, which are seen in our ways of life.

So, friends, what can we do to ensure that the Gospel reaches out to all creation? How best can we spread this Good News, especially in this time of difficulty when the world is looking for answers to the fundamental reality of human life?

The answer to these fundamental questions is rooted in our first reading today, where we are made to know that the best way to preach the Gospel today is by our way of life. Today, many voices are preaching the Good News, but only a few are bearing authentic witness to the Gospel. Therefore, let our lives bear authentic witness to the Gospel of the Lord.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, give us the grace and courage to bear authentic witness of your Gospel in a world where people are confused and no longer pay attention to your word. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a peaceful weekend. 

Homily for Friday in Octave of Easter, 10th April, 2026

 

Readings: Acts.4:1-12; Ps.117; John:21:1-14

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WITHOUT THE LORD WE WILL TOIL IN VAIN

For any system or structure to remain firm and sustainable, such a structure must be well situated on a solid foundation known as a cornerstone. This is also applicable to most things we do in life.

Today in our Gospel passage, the disciples of Jesus, led by Peter, had left Jerusalem and gone all the way back to their native homes to resume their former ways of life as fishermen, because they had failed to understand that Jesus is the cornerstone of their lives and vocation. So they went fishing all night. After a whole night’s fishing, they caught absolutely nothing, tired and disappointed.

This night of futile fishing left them with empty nets and hopelessness. They have forgotten that without Jesus the cornerstone, they can do nothing. It was at this point that, suddenly, a stranger on the shore invited them for breakfast. Here, Jesus took the initiative and visited them as he engaged them in a dialogue, saying, “Have you caught anything?”

They reluctantly admit they have got nothing. Then, he said to them drop your nets on the right side of the boat and you will find something. They did so and were overwhelmed at the catch they had made. There were so many fish that they simply could not be taken into the boat. Thus, they recognise that it was Jesus, the cornerstone of their lives and mission.

Dear friends, when you are rooted in Christ our cornerstone, you will not toil in vain. So, like the disciples, we too must come to recognise Jesus as the cornerstone of our lives, who is there for us even at the most mundane moments of our daily lives. The truth is that we all need to have a strong root in everything we do. Without a strong root in the Lord, who is our cornerstone, we will not be able to stand firm when challenges of life hit us.

Little wonder, Peter tells us in our first reading, that Jesus is that stone which the builders rejected, but today is the cornerstone by which we are saved. Today, all over the world, people are struggling with different ugly situations. In fact, the world is in a state of confusion, people are suffering, their means of livelihood have been deprived, no food, no electricity no good water, crisis everywhere, poverty is on the increase, house rent is due and no one to run to, some families only look up to God for daily survival.

However, in the midst of these ugly situations, let us know that we are not left alone in our fears and sorrows, for Jesus, the cornerstone of our lives, is nearer to us now than before. We only need to have faith in him and acknowledge him as the cornerstone of our lives and families especially in this difficult moment. Let us be strong, steadfast, courageous and hopeful, knowing that the Joy of the risen Lord is our strength.

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, without you we will toil in vain, never cease to be the cornerstone of our lives, our families and the world at large. May the most vulnerable in our midst experience your grace, your help, your healing, your favour and interventions as we look up to you as our cornerstone. For you live and reign forever and ever. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily for Thursday in Octave of Easter, 9th April, 2026

Readings: Acts.3:11-26; Ps.8; Luke24:35-48

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

BEARING AUTHENTIC WITNESS OF CHRIST’S PRESENCE AFTER AN ENCOUNTER WITH HIM

Today, in a special way, Jesus appeared to his disciples, wishing them peace and commissioning them to bear witness to his resurrection. He commissioned his disciples with these words: “You see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

You are witnesses to this,” as we have it in our Gospel passage today. And as we know a witness must be someone who has seen and experienced something and could testify to the facts of what he or she has seen.

So, the disciples had witnessed Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection and here comes the mission to witness this to the whole world and to proclaim reconciliation with God through Jesus. We, too, receive this commission of being his witnesses, through our baptism, we are incorporated into the Church to authentically bear witness to the faith we profess.

Dear friends, it is our task to carry on this mission of Christ throughout the whole world. If we do not, then the world will not hear Christ’s message of reconciliation, forgiveness and victory over sin and death, thereby making the world remain ignorant of what God has done for us and the consequences of this ignorance are the root of the problems in our world today.

However, we can not bear effective witness unless we have a personal experience of the risen Lord. It is this personal experience that enables Peter to bear effective witness of Christ before the people, as we heard in our first reading today, when he said: " Why are you so surprised at this? Why are you staring at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or holiness? It was you who accused the Holy One, the Just One, you who demanded the reprieve of a murderer while you killed the prince of life.

God, however, raised him from the dead, and to that fact we are the witnesses; and it is the name of Jesus which, through our faith in it, has brought back the strength of this man whom you see here and who is well known to you. It is faith in that name that has restored this man to health, as you can all see. We, too, can do the same when we experience the risen Lord personally in our lives.

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, let us once again experience you personally in our lives and give us the grace to bear authentic witness of your presence in the world. Manifest your victorious power afresh in our lives, families, societies and the world at large. You who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily for Wednesday in Octave of Easter, 8th April, 2026

 

Readings: Acts.3:1-10; Ps. 104; Luke 24:13-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

HAVING AN EMMAUS ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS 

Oftentimes, we hardly understand fully the meaning of the faith we profess in Christ. Though we still journey with Christ and his Church without a full understanding of the mystery we celebrate. Sometimes we are confused, sometimes we doubt, sometimes we feel like going back to our ugly and sinful ways of life. This type of disposition is the condition of the two disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today, where we heard the story about the two disciples who were on their way to Emmaus.

The story of these two disciples on the road to Emmaus is one of the most interesting stories in the Gospel that explains the structure of our liturgical celebration in a more practical way.  In this story, they were on a journey when the risen Lord joined them on the way and explained the scriptures to them. 

These two disciples had no idea who Jesus was when he approached them. They are aware, however, of the recent events in Jerusalem but could not comprehend it. But the Lord, after explaining the scriptures, revealed his identity to them at the breaking of bread, when he took a loaf of bread, and, giving thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, just like he did at the last Supper. 

Dear friends, in the same way, the risen Lord journeys with us in our liturgical worship, beginning with the penitential rite where we recall how sinful and unworthy we are before God. Then we recalled the events of our faith as the Lord Jesus takes us through the Scriptures and the celebration of the Eucharist. 

Here the faith of the faithful is sustained. It is the place where Jesus continues to reveal himself. Where the Christian faith is born and nurtured, where what Jesus did for us through his suffering, death and resurrection is remembered in thanksgiving. This is the faith Peter and John exercised in our first reading today, when they restored the crippled in the name of Jesus.

But the questions we need to ask ourselves are, what are you discussing as you journey through the Emmaus of life? What is our disposition towards the faith we have found in Christ? Have we personally encountered or recognised the presence of God in our lives, especially at Eucharistic celebration? 

Today the Lord Jesus wishes to journey with us in our struggles. He wishes to instruct us more about the faith we found in him. He wishes to reveal himself once again, for him to see if we are going to be disposed enough to listen to him as he speaks to us, especially through the scriptures.

LET US PRAY: Loving Jesus, as we journey together on the road of faith with you, especially in the midst of the ugly situation ravaging the world, help us to always recognise you personally in different events we encounter on the way, especially at the breaking of the Eucharistic bread. You who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily for Tuesday of Octave of Easter, 7th April, 2026

 

Readings: Acts.2:36-41; Ps. 33; John 20: 11-18

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

AN ENCOUNTER WITH THE RISEN LORD

One of the most precious gifts God can offer to anyone is the privilege of having a personal experience and encounter with him, especially in this season, which is a moment of encounter. Little wonder our readings this season give us an account of how different people encountered the Lord Jesus.

Today, our Gospel passage presents to us the story of a woman who seeks the Lord with all affection and tears. Mary Magdalene, who came back and remained by the tomb where Jesus was laid, was weeping.

Her heart was in earnest to find Jesus. The angels asked her: Why are you weeping? She was just busy trying to find the corpse of Jesus. But when she turned around and saw Jesus, her heart was filled with joy and peace.

Similarly, our first reading today presents to us people's personal encounter through the word of God. For hearing the Word they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the apostles, ‘What must we do, brothers?’ ‘You must repent,’ Peter answered ‘and every one of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

So, we are likely to seek and find the Lord, when we seek him with deepest affection and desire through the power of the Holy Spirit. But often times the clouds and darkness of our sins blind us from recognising the Lord who is always very close to us.

The truth is that, our disposition this season matters a lot. If we have that true disposition and desire to encounter Jesus we will surely experience him in our lives. It’s just a few days after Easter, how close have we personally embraced the Lord? What difference has his presence made in our lives?

Dear friends, we need to have a personal experience of the risen Lord and the Lord Jesus is at the door knocking and waiting for us to open the door of our hearts so that we will experience him personally. For he, the good shepherd, knows his sheep, and he said his sheep would know him when he calls their names. Just like Mary Magdalene recognised Jesus when he called her name. But are we disposed enough to hear him when he speaks to us?

In different ways and forms, Jesus speaks to us. And the common ways of making himself known to his people are by his words; his words appeal to our souls, speaking to us in a particular way that is unique to us. Therefore, let us be well disposed to hear the Lord Jesus speaking to us in our hearts, and there we will experience and encounter him personally.

 LET US PRAY: Lord God, our souls desire to encounter your Son, our Lord Jesus, personally once again. Give us the grace and strength to always be ready to turn around, to look again, that we may see, experience, fill and recognise your presence in our lives personally and collectively. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.

Homily for Monday in the Octave of Easter, 6th April, 2026

 

Readings: Acts.2:14.22-33; Ps. 16; Matt. 28:8-15

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

WHERE IS GALILEE THE PLACE OF ENCOUNTER? 

After the great event of the passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, we heard yesterday of the good news of his resurrection, for we have yet to encounter him. So today being a special day, is no doubt a day of encounter, a day we are called to leave the empty tomb of sorrow and go to Galilee, a place of personal encounter with the risen Lord. For we heard in our Gospel passage today how the women who came to the tomb early in the morning ran with fear and great joy. 

They had just encountered the Lord, who invited them to go and tell their brothers that they must leave for Galilee, where they would see him. This invitation is very symbolic for all Christians, because it is an invitation to a place of encounter with our risen Lord. 

It is the first instruction of the Lord to his disciples. All who believe in the Lord are invited to be part of this invitation to Galilee, for it is a moment when all doubt is cleared, all fear is gone and all hope is fulfilled.

Dear friends, this same invitation is given to us today. But where is Galilee? Galilee is a fertile, mountainous region in northern Israel. It is most notable for being the home of our Lord Jesus Christ. More specifically, the lower part of the mountain of Galilee is where Jesus grew up and spent the better part of his earthly life and ministry. 

But Galilee is much more than these. It is any place of encounter, especially deep within our hearts, where we can find the Lord Jesus so often, because the risen Lord is no longer bound by time or space. Galilee can also be our neighbourhood, our family, any place of prayer, or any place we find the poor and the needy, the sick or anywhere we find ourselves aware of the presence of Jesus. 

Therefore, let us, like the disciples, leave behind the empty tomb of sorrow, pain, fear and uncertainty of the things of this passing world and journey towards Galilee to encounter the risen Lord with joy and praises of alleluia in our hearts. 

For we heard in our first reading how Peter and the other disciples, after their encounter with the risen Lord, expressed their experience with him to the people. We are also called to do the same after our encounter with him today at the Galilee of our hearts.

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, as we journey towards Galilee in expectation to encounter you personally, amidst the pains and sorrows of this life, may the joy of your presence know no bounds in our lives, you who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Wishing you the joy of the risen Lord.

Homily for The Solemnity of Easter Sunday, 5th April, 2026

 

Readings: Acts.10:34.37-43; Ps. 118; Col 3:1-4; John 20:1-9

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE TO GIVE US THE GRACE OF A NEW LIFE

For over forty days, we have journeyed with our Lord Jesus, and we listened to him speaking of his mission to redeem humanity. Like his first disciples, we experienced his love, healing and compassion; we believed in him even when we lacked the full knowledge of his mission.

On Ash Wednesday, as customary, we put on ashes in penitence for our sins. We fasted and abstained from food and other things, and we did great charity works all these forty days. On Palm Sunday, we shouted Hosanna!! Hosanna!! Filio David, on Holy Thursday, we dine with the Lord, though with divided minds, as he told us about the betrayal and his passion.

On Good Friday, Jesus was taken away from us, in our presence, he was judged, and condemned and we cried out crucify him!! Crucify him!!, he was indeed crucified on account of our sins. In sorrows and agonies, we were scattered and hopelessly went back to Emmaus in our ugly ways of life. But for some like Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, we wondered in great silence of Holy Saturday, what must have happened to the mission of Christ, in fear and hope we waited patiently all night vigil meditating on the words of God in search of an answer to the mystery of the salvation of humanity promised to us by Jesus.

Behold this point, the voice of an angel singing: Exult!!, let them Exult!!, the host of heaven, Exult!!, let Angel ministers of God Exult, let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud our might King’s triumph! Be glad, let earth be glad, for the stone has been taken away from the tomb, our Lord has risen, Jesus is risen, light has triumphed over darkness, life over death and joy over sorrow. What a glorious day, a day of victory, a day when the salvation of humanity is won, a day of personal encounter and experience of the new life of the risen Lord.

Let us then celebrate the Lord’s victory. Let us, like Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, run towards the empty tomb with open hearts to encounter Christ, who has died and is risen, to renew us and remove from our hearts the guilt of sin and death, so that we can embrace his divine and eternal life. Let us join the angels in singing a new song to God for victory over death and shame. Let us thank God for the grace of new life he is offering us today. Let us sing and say:

You are the source of our new life;

In your light we see light,

You show us your goodness;

You bid us taste and see

We come to you; we bless you, Lord;

We glorify your name!

We praise you Lord; we worship you

We thank you for your gift of New Life.

(New Life! New Life, You came to bring us new life,

New life, New life, we find such Joy in your abundant Life.

Dear friends, Christ has come to give us new life, a new life of grace, a new life of peace, a new life of hope, a new life of courage, a new life of joy and purity of heart. This is the fundamental principle of our Christian faith; this is the victory that transforms us and unites us with our Lord. Hence, if Jesus is risen, and is alive, who will ever be able to separate us from him? Who will ever be able to deprive us of the love of him who has conquered hatred and overcome death by showing us the path of sacrificial love?

Yes, Jesus loves us with a deep and everlasting love. For today, he has paid all our debts to God; he supplies all our daily spiritual needs; he sympathises with us in all our troubles; he bears with all our infirmities, and will not reject us because of our weaknesses. He regards us as part of himself: We share in the glory that he has received from his Father. These are the privileges of all true Christians who are called to the heavenly kingdom. So today, Jesus is teaching us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not a matter of ritual or ceremonious fasting or feasting. But it is about building a personal relationship with God who loves us personally and unconditionally.

Therefore, I don't know what your experience has been in this world, 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 humanity, a day of joy, a day of victory. I am excited, hopeful and am going to live it with all joy, not trying to change things that I cannot change or try to fix things that do not want to be fixed.

I will not let the ugly situation of the things of this passing world or any ugly event of my past life of sin distract me today or steal my joy. I will focus on the blessings that come with the joy of the risen Lord and this new life of grace and hope. From today I will follow the directives of the Lord, for his ways are right and the upright walk in them, but the transgressors stumble and fall.

So, let us proclaim the Easter victory and spread it throughout the world with the joyful song of Alleluia saying: Up from the grave He arose, with a mighty triumph o'er His foes. He arose a Victor from the dark domain and He lives forever with His saints to reign. He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, may the joy of the risen Lord fill our hearts today and always, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Happy Easter to you and your household.

Homily For Saturday Easter Vigil, 4th April, 2026

Readings: Gen 1:1-22; 22:1-18; Ex.14:15-15:1; Is 54:5-14; 55:1:11; Bar 3:9:9-15.33-4:4; Ez36:16-17.18-28;Ps. 51; Rom. 6:3-11; Ps. 118; Luke 24:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WAITING ON THE LORD’S RESURRECTION

One of the most difficult things to do, especially when there is a serious need and pressure, is the act of waiting, and in life, we have a lot of waiting to do. Tonight, the Easter Vigil is one of those moments of waiting. This is because it is the peak of the entire liturgy which began on Holy Thursday. It is a night which is regarded as the mother of all holy vigils, since it is the night when the Church awaits in prayer the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, who has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep.

He descended into the dead to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to free from sorrow the captives who are captured by the sin and death of our forefathers Adam and Eve. And to restore them to their first earthly paradise. but to enthrone them into his heavenly kingdom where they are not forbidden to eat from the tree that was only a symbol of life, rather, to behold him, who is life itself.

Thus, the liturgy of this night takes us through the journey along the paths of sacred Scripture beginning with the account of creation to resurrection. Telling us that the creation story is itself a prophecy that is fulfilled in the person of Christ. It is not just information about the process of the origins of things, but rather a pointer towards the true beginning of our being and the fulfilment of God’s plan for humanity.

The liturgy is divided into four parts, beginning with the blessings of the fire and the preparation of the Paschal Candle as we wait on the Lord, the liturgy of the word after the Easter exsultet, followed by baptismal renewal, then the Eucharistic celebration where we encounter the risen Lord at the breaking of the bread. The central message of this liturgical event is God’s victory over sin and death. An event that transforms our Sorrowful hearts into glory and joy as Jesus fulfils God’s plan for humanity.

Dear friends, our waiting for the Lord's resurrection is an action we have to do with all our hearts. So, let us make this night a moment of encounter. For this reason, our disposition today should be that of great joy and hope in the resurrection of Christ who has conquered our sins and death.

Therefore, let us celebrate this victory with joy in spite of the hardships, the sufferings and the problems we encounter especially with the ugly situation in our world, our country and our families today.

Let us make this night a moment of encounter with this great joy and hope that is rooted in the resurrection of the Lord. Let this encounter help us to conquer all fears and worries, for we are victorious by the power of Christ’s victory.

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, as we greatly anticipate your resurrection with joy and hope, may you fill our hearts now and always with the joy of your presence, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Good Friday of The Lord’s Passion, 3rd April 2026

 

Readings: Is. 52:13-53:12; Ps. 31; Heb. 4:14-16.5:7-9; John:18:1-19:42

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHAT ARE YOU SACRIFICING FOR THE LORD WHO SACRIFICED FOR OUR SALVATION?

Today, we celebrate the passion of Christ which constitutes the climax of the revelation of God’s love for humanity. In this celebration, we recall how the Lord was condemned to carry the sins of humanity on his Cross, enduring all the insults, torture, pains and struggles on the way to Calvary.

The anguish of the Lord’s Passion cannot fail to move even the most hardened hearts to pity and remorse, yet we call this most sorrowful day, Good Friday, despite all the terrible events and circumstances Jesus had to pass through. But we will appreciate the “Good” about the Friday, when we do not just focus our attention on what happened, but on what was accomplished for humanity, that is, the price paid for the salvation of humanity. For this Friday the Lord Jesus says I thirst…, it is finished. Today, all his pains and agonies were now finished, it has indeed ended. No one to drag anything with him, no one to betray him anymore, no one to accuse him of anything anymore.

So, what is good about this Friday is that, all our shame, disgrace, pains and agonies have now ended in the Cross of Christ. What is good about this Friday is that humanity has died to sin to rise to righteousness. What is good about this Friday is that human hope, which was lost to sin, is restored.

What is good about this Friday is that humanity has received mercy and forgiveness. What is good about this Friday is that the human body is constrained while the soul is elevated. What is good about this Friday is that our enemy, the devil, was conquered on the Cross.

This Friday is good because human pride is conquered by the humility of Christ. This Friday is good because human wickedness, greed, hatred, selfishness corruption and betrayal are conquered by love, sacrificial love and charity that flows from the heart of Jesus. Thus, what is good about this Friday is that God, in a sacrificial way, has accomplished his plan for our salvation.

These make the event of Good Friday a very important aspect of the Easter Triduum, beginning from yesterday’s Holy Thursday celebration of the Last Supper and continuing with the Saturday Vigil and the Resurrection of the Lord at Easter, making the whole event one great celebration of the Holy Mass.

The event of Good Friday liturgy of Christ’s Passion is not simply a commemoration of an important event that happened in the past, but a prayerful experience that makes Christ’s sacrifice present and operative in the lives of his children. An event where Christ fought for humanity and won our salvation on the cross, calling us to embrace his sacrificial love for us. On the cross, he says: I thirst…, it is finished. This means that all pains and agonies were now finished, the goal has now been accomplished, not of a futile end, but of a fulfilled mission.

Dear friends, today, this Friday, Jesus dies on the cross and lies in the tomb, an event that is so permeated by human sadness that it leads to silence, meditation and prayer. Therefore, let us pause awhile to contemplate his anguish, his disfigured face: the face of a Man of sorrows, who took upon himself the burden of all our mortal anguish.

By so doing, we too, like women of Jerusalem, like Simon of Cyrene, like the good thief, like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus who were present at the crucifixion of Jesus, let us beat our breasts, recalling what happened, and so see how his face is reflecting in that of every person who is humiliated and offended, sick and suffering, abandoned and despised, especially this period that the world is passing through turbulent moment as a result of the injustice, war and corruptions which has brought a lot of troubles and fear in the hearts of people.

Therefore, we must learn to participate in the sacrificial love of Christ. So, if you are like Simon of Cyrene, take up your cross and follow Christ. If you are crucified beside him like one of the thieves, now, like the good thief, acknowledge Him as your God. Because for our sake, and because of our sin, Christ himself was regarded as a sinner, therefore, we must cease to sin.

Also, if you are like Joseph of Arimathea, go to the one who ordered his crucifixion, and ask for Christ’s body. Make your own the expiation for the sins of the whole world. If you are like Nicodemus, the man who worshipped God by night, bring spices and prepare Christ’s body for burial. If you are one of the Marys, or Salome, or Joanna, weeping in the early morning. Be the first to see the stone rolled back, and even the angels perhaps, and Jesus himself.

Brethren, let us know that we are not alone in our daily struggles against sin and the crosses we have to bear in this life. For Jesus is in fact, carrying his Cross together with us. He is also suffering with us, for he has made all our sufferings, pains and struggles his own. He has carried away our burden of sins. Therefore, let us spend some time today to reflect on our Lord’s Passion and suffering, his sacrificial love for us and how important we need to change our ugly ways of life and resolve by God’s grace not to go on with our sinful ways, knowing that they separate us from the love of God.

Today, we have experienced the sacrificial love of Jesus for humanity, we saw how he sacrificed everything for our sake. But, what are we sacrificing for him? What are we sacrificing for His Church, what are we sacrificing for humanity? What are we sacrificing for our families? What are you sacrificing for your wife, your husband, your children, your father and your mother, your boss in the office and those working for you?

What are we sacrificing for the sake of peace in our homes, our office, our colleagues in the office and marketplaces? Brethren, the “good” about this Friday is the sacrificial love of Christ for humanity, which we are called to reciprocate in our neighbours, our families and in our country. Therefore, let us go out there and offer this sacrificial love to all those we encounter today and always.

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, for the sake of your sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and the whole world. Help us to reciprocate this mercy and sacrificial love to all those we encounter in our journey of life. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a grace-filled celebration of the Lord’s passion anywhere you are.