Homily: Saturday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 22nd August, 2026. The Memorial of Our Lady Mother and Queen

 

Readings: Ezek. 43:1-7, PS.85, Matt. 23:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING THE BEST WAY TO EVANGELIZE IN OUR SOCIETIES TODAY

The difference between the early Christian community and present-day Christianity is the mode of witnessing. The early Christian community practically preached the word of God by witnessing with their life, while present-day Christianity are witnessing by preaching the word of God aloud with megaphones and all media channels and platforms, without sufficient practice of what we preach.

This unhealthy attitude towards our mission is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, when he said to the people: “The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will not lift a finger to move them”.

Here, Jesus made it clear that we should listen to what the authorities are saying to us. However, we should not be such people who do not put into practice what we teach. So, as Christians, we need to start practising what we preach; we need to do more witnessing than preaching. It is not enough to recall principles, state intentions, point to blatant injustice and utter prophetic denunciation.

These kinds of words lack the real meaning of our faith unless they are accompanied by effective action manifested in our way of life. This is what we see in the life of the prophet Ezekiel in our first reading today, who, having experienced the glory of God, bore witness to it with his life and constantly admonished the chosen people of God while acknowledging the authority of God.

Similarly, we need to acknowledge that our authority as Christians comes from God, for we are not to pride ourselves as rabbis, teachers, pastors, or prophets in our own name. Rather our actions should reflect the paternity of God in the way we live and serve others. Therefore let us imitate Our Lady Mother and Queen whose memorial we celebrate today, for she is outstanding in word and deed, she is a perfect example of what it means to do the will of God, hence she was crowned Mother and Queen.

Dear friends, let us strive to follow the examples of faithfulness, dedication and total commitment to God of the prophet Ezekiel and Our Lady, for they put into practice the word of God they heard. Teaching us that it is not sufficient to speak; we have to practice. We are called not merely to hear God’s word but to daily put it into action.

Let our actions reflect what we preach. Though hearing or reading the Word is important, that is not enough. We must let the Word of God touch and shape our lives. For it is empty and useless if our lives do not reflect the Gospel, if we hear the words of Jesus and do not act on them.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, grant us, through the intercession of Our Lady, Mother and Queen, the grace to strive to practice what your word teaches us and so merit to share in your heavenly banquet. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a peaceful weekend.

Homily for Friday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 21st August 2026. The Memorial of St. Pius X

Readings: Ezek. 37:1-14, PS.107, Matt. 22:34-40

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING AND APPLYING THE GREATEST COMMANDMENTS OF GOD IN OUR LIVES

As human beings, we always desire to know what is required of us in this life. This is even more serious when we face the realities of life, and then we wish to know what should be our first priority. What should be the most important thing to focus our energy on? What should become the foundation of all the things we need to do?

This is the deposition of the Pharisees and the Sadducees in our Gospel passage today, who came together and asked Jesus a question concerning which commandment is the greatest. In response Jesus reminded them of the 'Shema Israel' - שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, the prayer that they knew and recite from their earliest years from which they learned that the most important thing in life is to love God with all their heart, and with all thy soul, and with all their mind; that is, with all the powers and the more noble faculties of the soul, the mind, the understanding, judgment, and will. Jesus then added that to love one’s neighbour is the second priority.

In other words, loving God with all our heart, with all our understanding and strength, and loving our neighbour as ourselves is what is required of us, and it is the foundation of all the things we have to do. And Jesus set the standard of love not just by the love he was able to show, but by the depth of love which he shows by dying and rising for our salvation.

An event that the prophet Ezekiel prophesied in our first reading, talking about the rising of the dried bones, which represents the ugly condition of the great soldiers of the chosen people of God, who are saying, " Our bones are dried up; our hope has gone; we are as good as dead.” But the Lord says, I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of life again.

Dear friends, the question we really need to ask ourselves today is: do we truly love God and our neighbours? This is important because love is at the centre of all Jesus' teachings, for love is a gift from God to humanity. It is like stream water, so innocent and pure.

True love is not hidden; it radiates from the innermost being of a person who has experienced it. If we love God, then, we will see him in others and treat them justly and honourably. We will not hurt our neighbours but do our utmost to live in peace with them.

The truth is that the absence of love is the cause of all the problems in our world today, as most families exist by grace and not by love. Imagine how wonderful the world would be if we all loved one another. How I wish we could invest our time and resources in ensuring love and unity in our dealings with one another. Believe me, we will not only be fulfilling the first and greatest commandments of God, but we will be building a happy community.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in you we found the fullness of love, for you made us to share in your love. Grant that we, through the intercession of St. Pius X, may truly love you and our neighbours and so conquer the world full of hatred, self-centeredness, greed and corruption. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily for Thursday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 20th August 2026. The Memorial of St. Bernard Abbot

Readings: Ezek. 36:23-28, Ps.51, Matt. 22:1-14

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DO NOT COME TO GOD’S HEAVENLY BANQUET WITHOUT A WEDDING GARMENT

 A songwriter, Miriam Therese Winter composed one of the hymns in our hymn book entitled 'I can not come to the banquet, which gives us the summary of our Gospel passage today and the first and last stanzas of this hymn say:

1. A certain man had a feast on his fine estate in town,

He laid a festive table and wore a wedding gown

He sent invitations to his neighbours far and wide

But when the meal was ready, each one of them replied!

CHORUS:

I can not come!

I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now,

I have married a wife, I have bought me a cow,

I have fields and commitments that cost a pretty sum,

Pray hold me excused, I cannot come!

2. Now God has written a lesson for the rest of mankind,

If we're slow in responding, He may leave us behind,

He's preparing a banquet for that great and glorious day,

When the Lord and master calls us, be certain not to say.

In this life we are so busy with so many things that, if we do not take care, we will miss out on the essence of our existence. Today, the streets are full of people struggling and hustling; the markets are full of people buying and selling, and people rise very early in the morning and come back late at night.

This shows us how much effort people put in every day to earn their daily bread. I thought, if we can sincerely put in such an amount of effort to catch up with the train of eternal life, which God is inviting us into in today’s Gospel passage.

For today, from the parable of the marriage feast, the Lord offers us again an invitation to the banquet of heaven. An invitation which is God's free act of kindness, as He wishes to dine with us. No one deserves it anyway, and He is not obliged to invite us nor are we compared to honour his invitation.

Hence in the parable, those who think that they deserve to be invited are too busy to enter the banquet hall. But the poor in spirit and the humble who know that the love God has for them is completely gratuitous accept his invitation with joy.

Dear friends, what is our response to God’s invitation to his heavenly banquet? Are we so busy with the things of this passing world? We are called today not to be too busy to come to our heavenly banquet. For God’s banquet is his Church, good and bad, saints and sinners are invited, for the Church is made up of saints and sinners. The bad are expected to become good while sinners are expected to repent and put on a new garment of holiness and love.

As Christians, today we are reminded of our wedding garment, the new suit we put on on the day of baptism. Therefore, we cannot go on wearing the old garments of sins of pride, greed, adultery, fornication, theft, drunkenness, selfishness and unforgiveness, which will throw us into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, for many are called, but few are chosen.

Thus, we should put on our wedding garment of love, holiness and open the doors of our hearts to the poor, the marginalised, and those rejected by society. For God, through the prophet Ezekiel in our first reading, promised to gather us together from all the foreign countries, and bring us home to our own land and shall pour clean water over us to cleanse us from all our defilement.

He will remove our hearts of stone and give us a new heart, and put a new spirit in us to make us keep His laws and sincerely respect his observances. Then, we shall be his people and He will be our God. Therefore, let us imitate St. Bernard, whose memorial we celebrate today, for he is a man outstanding in word and deed, who strove to bring order and concord to the Church in the societies.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, every day you invite us to your heavenly banquet. As we honour your invitation today, may we, through the intercession of St. Bernard, never be distracted by the vain glory of this passing world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a successful day 

Homily for Wednesday Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 19th August, 2026

 

Readings: Ezek.34:1-11, PS.23, Matt. 20:1-16

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DO NOT GIVE UP EVEN AT THE LAST MOMENT

Oftentimes, when we are passing through the dark moment of life, it seems as if all hope is gone. We put up all our energy and enthusiasm struggling and hoping for a better and brighter moment. Sometimes it seems as if that brighter moment won’t come.

The truth is that our time of favour and success is not determined by how long or strenuous we have struggled, but by our disposition towards God's time of grace and generosity, for God alone decides how to reward us for our efforts. All we need is to be disposed to do his will at all times, because life is all about time and turn, so we have to wait on God’s time and our turns.

This is what the parable of the vineyard labourers in our Gospel passage today is teaching us, especially as regards to our disposition towards embracing the kingdom of God. So from the Gospel, the landowner went beyond justice, for, motivated by compassion, he employed labourers at different times and at the end he decided to pay them the same wages as agreed with those who were hired first, which made them feel bad for the landowner’s generosity towards those hired last.

Here the human mind suspects injustice, while the heart of God sees only an opportunity to be generous. This generosity of God calls us to be generous too; but out of envy we often selfishly consider ourselves more deserving than others. However, we can identify three kinds of persons from this parable: First, those who are like the landowner who hires people to get a job done, but with sympathy for those to be employed.

Secondly, the unemployed waiting desperately in the marketplace and thirdly, the labourers who consider themselves more deserving than others. Thus, we all need to ask ourselves: among these three groups, where do I belong? This is important because the way workers and labourers are being treated in our societies these days is really appalling. For those who are meant to lead and shepherd the people are taking advantage of the people they are called to shepherd.

Hence, God, through the prophet Ezekiel, in our first reading addressed the shepherds who ought to guide and feed the sheep, but are now feeding on the sheep, scattering them 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. Showing us how the leaders of 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.

Dear friends, today, the duties neglected by our leaders are going to be taken over by God himself, who is the Good Shepherd. He assures us that even though we are the least, the nobodies and most neglected in the eyes of the world, He will not forget us, for He has a time and a plan for everyone and will continue to provide for our daily needs.

But warns the leaders that they should change their greedy and sinful ways, because when the Lord’s time comes, the last will be the first and the first, last. For in his kingdom, there is time and a plan for everyone with equal grace and equal status.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, today you promised to take good care of your sheep yourself as you warn us to change from our sinful, greedy, and corrupt ways of life. Help us to change and be more caring, loving, and always disposed to doing your will. As we go about our daily activities, may your favour follow us even to the last hour, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily for Tuesday Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 18th August, 2026

Readings: Ezek.28:1-10, Deut.33:18-19-22, Matt. 19:16-22

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE HARD TRUTH CONCERNING THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE RICHES OF THIS PASSING WORLD

The rate at which people illegally acquire and attach themselves to material things of this passing world is so alarming, and this has serious consequences towards the well-being of the common man in society. Though material possessions are gifts from God, and he alone gives us the right to them.

But what we possess is meant to help us grow in our relationship with God and neighbours, not to separate us from them, because if we are not careful, too much love for material possessions can be an obstacle on our way to God’s Kingdom.

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today says: “I tell you solemnly, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven”. When the disciples heard this they were astonished. And they said, “Who can be saved, then?” Jesus gazed at them and said “For men this is impossible; for God everything is possible”.

Here, Jesus tells his disciples about the need to live a life of detachment. For they saw how the rich young man was so sad when Jesus demanded that he should share his possessions with others to acquire treasures in heaven by following him.

Thus, there is a need for us to be pruned of our excess love for material possessions, because, for a camel to enter through a narrow gate, it must kneel for its load to be taken off. We too must learn how to be humbled and detach ourselves from excess attachment to material things of this passing world.

The fact remains that material possessions in themselves are good, for we would not survive for long without them, but excess attachment to them at the expense of eternal life is grade one suicide. No doubt, it is difficult to give out or share our possessions, but the ones who give up everything are the ones who receive more in this life as well as in heaven.

Hence, the prophet Ezekiel in our first reading warns us concerning the issue of pride, for most of us, like the people of Tyre, because of their possessions, are being swollen with pride, seeing ourselves as gods, while we are nothing but a mere instrument in God’s hands.

Dear friends, what is your attitude towards the material things of this passing world? How have the material things of this passing world distracted us from God? Are we still attached to the material things of this passing world? How willing are we towards detaching and share what we possess with others, especially the poor? For this is a sure way to find life, peace and happiness.

So, Jesus is telling us that it will be difficult for us to enter his kingdom when we choose to attach ourselves to the riches of this passing world. Though material possessions are gifts from God, he alone gives us the right to have them. However, what we possess is not meant to separate us from God; rather, it should help us to grow in our relationship with God and neighbours.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are living in a world where materialism is the order of the day; help us to learn how to live a life of detachment and prune us always from the sin of pride. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day. 

Homily for Monday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 17th August, 2026

Readings: Ezek. 24:15-24, Deut.32:18-21, Matt. 19:16-22

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY WE SHOULD NOT BE TOO MUCH ATTACHED TO THE THINGS OF THIS PASSING WORLD

In our societies today, people will go to great lengths to acquire properties, treasures, fame, influence, and power that will last from one to ten generations without considering what will lead to eternal life. This is quite disturbing when we reflect on the negative effects of this situation in our societies and families today.

 This ugly behaviour is exactly the mindset of the young man in our Gospel passage today, who claimed to have kept all the commandments without realising that he had actually abandoned the fundamental principle of the commandment, which has to do with loving and caring for our neighbours, especially the poor.

So Jesus draws his attention to this fundamental principle of our human existence, when he said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me”. This really touched his ego and pride, so he suddenly became very sad and dejected and went away sorrowfully.

This is why a proud and possessive person will find it difficult to remain faithful in their relationship with God and their neighbours just like the people of Israel in our first reading, who have constantly been disobedient and proud in their relationship with God and their neighbours. This ugly attitude is leading them to destruction.

Thus, God addressed them through the prophet Ezekiel, telling them that unless they changed, they would all be crushed and conquered by the Babylonians. For their city, their whole kingdom, their king and people, their proud Temple built by King Solomon would be torn down and destroyed, all because of their infidelity to God’s commandment.

Dear friends, what is it in this passing world that you are so much attached to? Today, Jesus touched the very thing that this young rich man was not ready to give up: his money, his houses, his credentials, his power, pride and all his wealth. But, if we are honest enough, we will admit that we all have some things we would be very slow to let go of if Jesus should make the same demand of us. Things we would not like God to ask us to give up.

In fact, it might be a good thing today for us to ask ourselves, what would be the most difficult thing for us to give up if Jesus should ask us to do so. It might be something we own, like our house, or it might be a relationship, or our job, or our wealth. Whatever we possess that will separate us from our mission of following Jesus and loving our neighbours, today we are called to give it up and come follow the Lord. That is why we should not be too attached to the things of this passing world.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are so much attached to things of this passing world; help us to know that excessive attachment to our earthly possessions could be an obstacle on our way to your Kingdom. Give us the grace to let go of things that often separate us from you as we learn to share with our neighbours especially the poor. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a great week ahead. 

Homily for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, 16th August 2026

Readings: Is. 56:1.6-7; Ps. 67; Rom. 11:13-15.29-32; Matt. 15:21-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

GREAT FAITH CAN BE SEEN IN OUR ACTIONS AND ACCEPTANCE OF OUR HUMBLE BACKGROUND

Most people in our society today, hardly accept who they are. Some people spend all their resources and energy trying to convince others of what or who they are, even when they are not, to seek recognition and approval. Some even go as far as changing their identity, just for the sake of belonging to a particular class or to obtain favour or job opportunities. This is not the case with the Canaanite woman in our Gospel passage today, who, when she approached Jesus pleading for the restoration of her daughter, was not granted it immediately because of her humble background.

For Jesus said to her ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman persisted, kneeling at his feet saying. ‘Lord help me.’ Jesus replied, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.

From this little story, it is clear that the woman was not going to give up, but kept pleading, even from her Canaanite background, to the point of Jesus recognising her great faith. The irony of this passage is that, in Israel, Jesus was trying to convince people that he was the Messiah, as he was challenged to prove it with a sign. But here in the Gentile territory, he met a woman who was convinced he was the Messiah, and he could not discourage her efforts.

For this apparent attempt to put her off was just a test, in which her great faith was confirmed by the acceptance of her humble background. Some people suggested that Jesus had been a racist and this woman changed him, but that’s not the case here, because Jesus was actually in the Gentile territory of Tyre and Sidon which are the two main Phoenician cities better known as Canaanite tribes, which is an amalgamation of different groups of people known as the Canaanites living in the land of Canaan.

Therefore, we can understand better why the woman accepted the place of a “dog” as a Gentile in relation to Israelites being the chosen children of God, to whom the message and grace of the Messiah came first. Hence she accepted that she may not be able to sit down at the Messiah’s table and eat with the “children,” but she should be allowed to pick up some of the crumbs of unmerited mercy and grace of God for the sake of her daughter.

In this dramatic gesture, she demonstrated her submission to the historical privilege of Israel as the chosen people of God over the Gentiles, as she wishes to partake of the grace that is freely given to the Gentiles, which the Jews have rejected.

This was one of the backgrounds behind Paul’s missionary journey when he turned to Gentiles because the Jews have rejected the message of Jesus as the Messiah. Just as we heard him saying in our second reading today, “I have been sent to the pagans as their apostle, and I am proud of being sent, but the purpose of it is to make my own people envious of you, and in this way save some of them. Since their rejection meant the reconciliation of the world, do you know what their admission will mean? Nothing less than a resurrection from the dead! For God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice.

Therefore we have to change from being disobedient to God, and now enjoy mercy because of our disobedience, so that those who are disobedient now, are so only because of the mercy shown to you, of which they will also enjoy mercy eventually if turned back to God. For God has imprisoned all men in their own disobedience only to show mercy to all humanity”.

Therefore, the event in the story of the Canaanite woman in our Gospel passage today can be interpreted as part of the development of redemptive history, moving from the event of the Old Testament towards the missionary activities of the New Testament, of which God through the prophet Isaiah in our first reading today, made us understand this development.

This is clear when he said: “foreigners who have attached themselves to the Lord, to serve him and to love his name and be his servants, all who observe the Sabbath, not profaning it, and cling to my covenant, these I will bring to my holy mountain. I will make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their holocausts and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples”.

 This concept truly describes the Christian understanding of the relationship between the Gentiles and Jews, and the Church as universal, that is, open to all who wish to embrace God’s kingdom. Even though the kingdom had to be fully offered first to the Jews, in fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies of the kingdom. However, since they have rejected it, it has to be made open to all.

That is why Jesus went into Gentile territory and did this miracle for this Gentile woman in a dramatic way that is different from the other miracles in the Jewish territory, which also shows the willingness of the Gentiles to embrace the faith. And in this woman, Jesus affirms that there are Gentiles who had greater faith than the Jews who were rejecting and challenging his teachings. Hence, this passage teaches us about God’s grace that he offers to all humanity and the faith of the people who are willing to embrace his salvation.

Dear friends, we must stop wasting valuable time trying to prove who we are not; let us first, in faith, humble ourselves and accept who we are; then work hard to improve who we want to be in relation to our faith in God. Let our faith in God help us to accept our present condition in order to look forward to who we will be in the future.

For when we accept who we are, God brings out the best in us and places us where we truly belong. So, whatever we want to do, let us have faith in God and in ourselves, and be determined, because faith, determination, sacrifice and persistence are the secrets of any success in life.

Therefore, tell yourself today that you can get that which you desire; when you plan for it and work persistently for it, you will begin to see a different face in the things you do. The truth is that people are rewarded in public for things they do for years in private. So, let us learn from the Canaanite woman who accepted who she was and was determined with faith to achieve her dream through humility and persistence.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the Canaanite woman accepted her humble background with great faith in your Son Jesus. As we humbly make a leap of faith today, with determination, sacrifice and persistence towards our dreams in life, may you grant our hearts' desires. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed Sunday.

Homily for Saturday, Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A. 15th August, 2026. Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

Readings: Rev. 11:19;12:1-6.10, Ps. 45, 1Cor. 15:20-27, Luke 1:39-56

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE REALITY OF LIFE AND DEATH THROUGH THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY

Following the ugly events we hear and experience in our world today, especially the killings, hatred, betrayals, greed, and social and economic injustice all over the world, there is this constant fear of what becomes of us when we die. Where are we going when we die? Is death the end of life? Is there another life after death?

The answer to these questions is found in today’s solemnity: The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The solemnity where we celebrate the mystery of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, body and soul, into heaven. An event which shows the triumph of life over death and good over evil.

For since Christ’s divine body did not undergo corruption, it follows that his mother’s body, which forever contains a cell component of his Divinity would not be allowed to experience corruption, but would be taken into heaven and be reunited with Christ. For as we know, a particle of God is God's entirety. And the Psalmist says: that you will not leave my soul among the dead, nor let your Holy one know decay (Ps. 16.10).

Thus, on 1 November, 1950, Pope Pius XII proclaimed as Dogma that the Virgin Mary “having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory”. This truth of faith as known by Tradition, was affirmed by the Fathers of the Church, and was an important aspect in the veneration of the Mother of Christ. This Dogma appears as an act of praise and exaltation of God’s grace in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It also emerges for the honour of her Son Jesus and for the joy and exultation of the entire Church.

Little wonder, our readings today help us to understand better this mystery. For in our first reading we heard of the revelation of the victorious power of God, who through a woman has overcome the evil that threatened to destroy humanity. Telling us that the salvation, victory, power and the kingdom have now been won for us by our God, for the authority of his Christ has come.

And St. Paul, in our second reading, made us know that Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of all who have fallen asleep. For death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one man. Just as all men die in Adam, so all men will be brought to life in Christ.

Meanwhile, in our Gospel passage, we heard Mary’s glorification of God’s power and victory, for God through Christ has remembered his mercy for humanity as he had promised to Abraham and all his descendants forever.

Therefore, through this, Mary’s Assumption into Heaven, we understand better that even though our daily lives may be marked by trials, persecutions and difficulties, our death is not the end, but the entrance into life that knows no death, for we are made to share in God’s Heavenly Kingdom.

So, the Assumption reminds us that Mary’s life, like that of every Christian, is a journey of following, following Jesus, a journey that has a very precise destination, a future already marked out, for our complete victory over sin and death, for us to be in full communion with God.

Dear friends, how can this solemnity of the Assumption of Mary help us on our journey towards our heavenly kingdom? How has this solemnity helped us to answer the question about life after death? What message is God passing to us in this solemnity?

In this solemnity of the Assumption, we find the message of faith and hope: that in God there is room for humanity, God is humanity’s true home, and in us there is also room for God. Hence, Pope Benedict XVI says that one thing is certain, that is, our hope in God: that God expects us, God waits for us, we do not go out into a void, we are expected, God is expecting us.

God is expecting humanity, for as we pass to the other side of life, we will find the goodness of our Blessed Mother; we will find our loved ones; we will find eternal Love, Christ our Saviour. For he is waiting for us, since we are made to share in his glory. And this is our greatest joy and the great hope that is born from this solemnity.

This reality makes us victorious over death and the evil of this world. Therefore, we should not be afraid, for God has made us victorious over sin and death to share in Christ's glory. Let us then entrust our Christian journey to Mary's Motherly intercession since she is the consolation and hope of the people still on this journey of faith.

LET US PRAY. Heavenly Father, we thank you for knowing how fragile our lives are in this passing world, so you gave us the message of faith and hope through the mystery of the Assumption of Mary. As we celebrate this mystery, may we be filled with the joy of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful weekend.

Homily for Friday, Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 14th August 2026. The Memorial of St Maximilian Kolbe

Readings: Ezekiel 16:1-15.60-63, Is. 12:2-6, Matt. 19:3-12

Fr. Emmanuel Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING GOD’S REAL INTENTION ABOUT MARRIAGE AND CELIBACY.

The idea of secularism and individualism in our society today has placed in the minds of the youth a distorted image of what marriage and family life entail and truly represent in society. This is because many young people today find themselves in a state of radical instability and seek guidance to help them answer the fundamental questions of life. Today, there are different notions and understandings of marriage, especially among the youths.

Marriage among today's youths is often a matter of choice and contract, which is suitable only when it serves their personal interests. Marriage is seen as a business which anybody can engage in or disengage from at any time. Commitment, sacrifice and partnerships for a whole life are far from their understanding of what marriage truly represents. The fact remains that Marriage is the basis of every human family and indeed the basic cell of every community.

Little wonder, in our Gospel passage today, when the Pharisees engaged Jesus on the notion of divorce in marriage and its controversy. Jesus referred them to the fundamental principle of marriage when he said, Have you not read that the Creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body? They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’

Addressing the issue of divorce, Jesus said ‘It was because you were so unteachable that’s why Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. Now I say this to you: the man who divorces his wife, except for unchastity, marries another, is guilty of adultery. And he who marries a divorced wife commits adultery.

 Here Jesus emphasised the real intention of God about marriage and celibacy, that they are two forms of life that help us to value human sexuality as a gift from God. He ruled out divorce by placing men and women on the same level; no longer could a man opt to divorce his wife, except for extreme unchastity. Today there are lots of problems in families due to a lack of understanding of what marriage truly means.

It is quite interesting to realise that social, economic and political factors were major determinants that shape the youth’s present understanding of marriage, as we see the youths giving importance to changing trends in marriage such as: single parent, inter-caste marriage, living in relationship or cohabitation, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender marriages, etc. Hence, marriage for them is more of a social phenomenon than a spiritual union and physical companionship.

Meanwhile, today the prophet Ezekiel in our first reading reminds us that right from conception God gave us life; at birth, he protected us; then we were stark naked, he spread the corner of his cloak over us to cover our nakedness. Now we are old enough for love; he showed us love and adorned us with beauty, ornaments, silver and gold and then he made a covenant with us to be our Groom and we, his lovely bride.

But we abandoned and divorced him by trusting in our own beauty and gifts which he has given us and using them to play harlot and lavished our harlotry on things of this passing world that take us away from God’s purpose for us. Yet God still remembers the covenant he made with us, he is not ashamed to forgive us. All he wants is for us to come back to him now that we are still alive, for he is a merciful and faithful husband who loves us, his bride.

Dear friends, today we are called to embrace the will of God and his teaching concerning family life and the issue of divorce. We should not let the trending ideas of disordered personalities in our world mislead us. Rather, we should value and respect the sanctity of marriage. We should hold on to the true meaning of marriage, which has to do with love, commitment, trust, sacrifice and partnership for a whole lifetime.

So, let us learn from the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe, whose memorial we celebrate today, for he heroically offered his life in place of another man who had been selected for execution, seeing how the man was filled with despair over the welfare of his wife and children. Maximilian, being a priest, chose to die in place of this man so that he could be united once again with his family. What a great lesson and example for us to value the gift of love that God has given to humanity in the sacramental union of marriage.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we have always failed to listen to and follow your teaching; as a result, there are lots of problems in our families due to a lack of understanding of what marriage truly means. As we listen to your teaching today, help us to value our vocation, whether marriage or a celibate life, and to constantly struggle to fix the problems in our families. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily for Thursday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 13th August, 2026

Readings: Ezekiel 12:1-12, Ps.78, Matt. 18:21-19:1

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY WE MUST LEARN TO FORGIVE PEOPLE UNCONDITIONALLY FROM OUR HEARTS

In the Gospel of Matthew 6:12, we have the prayer our Lord Jesus gave us as a pattern of all prayers and as a fundamental principle of Christian life. In this prayer, there is a portion that points out something so important. This portion says, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us. ”

By this prayer, we are making a covenant and commitment that will be a standard by which we are going to be judged as regards our relationship with others and with God. But oftentimes we are not conscious of these principles, especially when we have to face the difficult moment of forgiving a grievous offence.

Thus, Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus, being conscious of this fact, asked Jesus in our Gospel passage today, saying: ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy times seven.

And he illustrated his answer with an example of a servant who owed his master a great debt that he and his generation cannot pay. But when he pleaded for mercy, the master forgave him all the debts. However, this same servant found a fellow servant who owed him as little as one hundred denarii, he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him and even when he pleaded for mercy, instead of forgiving him, he put him in prison according to the norms of the law until he had paid his debt.

This unforgiving servant did to his fellow servant what the master could have done to him, but did not. When the master heard how he treated his fellow servant, he said to him: “You wicked servant! I have forgiven you all your debt because you appealed to me. Were you not bound then to have pity on your fellow-servant just as I had pity on you? And, angry, the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debts.”

Jesus then said, this is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’ For God will apply the principle he has given us in our Lord’s Prayer, which will automatically put us where we properly belong based on how we have related with others.

In this story, we see the extreme estimate of the debt the servant owed his master: ten thousand talents. Even if he and his family had to work their whole life, they would never have been able to pay that debt. Because a denarius is a day's wage for a common workingman. While a talent is 6,000 denarii, or 20 years of daily wages. That means he would need to work 6,000 days to earn one talent and we are talking about ten thousand talents.

So, that’s a huge amount compared to the hundred denarii his fellow servant owed him; in fact, there was no comparison between the two debtors at all. However, this will expose to us the ugly attitude of unforgiveness and also help us to understand that our debt before God is so huge and countless that we cannot be able to pay it.

Dear friends, we must learn to forgive people, but having experienced the infinite mercy of God, how are we dealing with our unforgiving attitude? Are there people we have vowed not to forgive? Have people hurt us so much that we can’t forgive them? Have we offended people and cannot be humble enough to ask for their forgiveness? Do we think that our sins are so huge for God to forgive? Are we finding it difficult to forgive those who have offended us?

There is no doubt that forgiving a grievous offence can be very difficult, but when this is done, it is like recovering a lost treasure that contains: joy, peace, freedom and healing. And today Jesus is asking us to learn how to forgive others always and unconditionally from our hearts, so that God will also forgive us always and unconditionally.

For we heard the Lord in our first reading today saying through the prophet Ezekiel: Son of man, you are living with that set of rebels who have eyes and never see, ears and never hear, for they are a set of rebels; they will surely go into exile, into banishment.

Therefore, we must never refuse to forgive or reject an offer of reconciliation in our relationship with God and with our fellow human beings and if this becomes difficult, bring it to Jesus in prayer as you contemplate his patience, humility and mercy.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, today you have made us realise how unlimited your mercy is, as you exposed how huge our debts are in comparison with the little debts of forgiveness others owe us. As we make it a habit to forgive, from the debt of our hearts,to all those who have offended us, may we experience the hidden treasures that forgiveness brings. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a grace-filled day.

Homily for Wednesday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 12th August, 2026

 

Readings: Ezekiel 9:1-7;10:18-22, Ps.113, Matt. 18:15-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE RIGHT PATH TOWARDS FRATERNAL CORRECTION AND RECOLLECTION

As humans, we are not perfect because of our contingent nature, so we are likely to offend one another in any relationship we find ourselves in. As a result of this, one of the major challenges we face in most relationships today is the ability to properly correct and reconcile with one another, especially when one is straying from the norms set up for the good of the relationship.

In our Gospel passage today Jesus gave us the practical steps we need to follow to correct and reconcile with one another to build a stronger relationship when he said, ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the Church as a community; and if he refuses to listen to the Church, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.

Here, Jesus calls for fraternal correction in any relationship we find ourselves in, for we are responsible for one another, and these steps and stages give room for reconciliation. This fraternal correction must always be inspired by real charity which is one of the spiritual works of mercy. However, this is never an easy task, especially when one has to bear the sacrifice of forgiveness because forgiving a very grievous offence is one of the most difficult things to do.

However, forgiving a grievous offence is like recovering a lost treasure that contains: joy, peace, freedom, a healthy mind and healing. But how often do we seek to recover this lost treasure in our lives caused by unforgiveness? Hence, Jesus today calls us to persistently seek reconciliation until we gain our brothers and sisters back whenever they have offended us.

If they refuse to be reconciled, we should pray for their conversion, for that is how Jesus taught us to treat the pagans, the tax collectors and sinners. For in all our proceedings, we should seek direction in prayer, knowing that God manifests his mercy when he transforms people and leads them to conversion, as he changes us and turns us from selfish and rebellious individuals into truly loving persons.

Dear friends, it is our duty, obligation and responsibility to ensure in a fraternal charity that our fellow brothers and sisters, friends and neighbours, colleagues and collaborators are corrected and guided whenever they are in need or go astray. Every one of us has the responsibility to strengthen our relationship and be a good example for one another as we work the path towards our salvation.

This is exactly what the vision of the prophet Ezekiel in our first reading is addressing, for Ezekiel saw what happened when the glory of God departed from the Temple and the city, because of the sins of the people which brought about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple of God by the Babylonians, as seen by Ezekiel who was then in exile in Babylon. However, God, through this vision, showed how his grace and mercy will be made present among the people who embrace his call for repentance, reconciliation and fraternal correction.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are rebellious and proud people; we lack the courage and disposition to accept corrections; help us to correct one another in fraternal charity as we also learn to accept corrections when corrected. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a favourable day.

Homily for Tuesday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 11th August, 2026. The Memorial of St Clare of Assisi

 

Readings: Ezekiel 2:8-3:4, Ps.119, Matt. 18:1-5.10.12-14

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

TRUE GREATNESS IS FOUND IN THE HUMILITY OF LITTLE CHILDREN

Human life and activities are always competitive and comparative in nature; that is why we are often anxious to recognise or be recognised as the strongest, wisest, cleverest, richest. We will always want to know the most beautiful, the most handsome, the most talented, and the greatest in virtually everything. Little wonder, the most lucrative business and adventures are found among those activities that are competitive, such as sports, entertainment and politics, because greatness gives more ego to our status.

This competitive and comparative way of life is what the disciples of Jesus displayed in our Gospel passage today, when they asked Jesus, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? For they were curious to know which one of them. But Jesus showed them the way to identify greatness and one who has such a quality by offering them two strong images: that of the humble child and a dependent sheep.

Here, Jesus surprised his disciples by linking true greatness to that of humility and simplicity of little children and also showed how children can be the subject of a parable that reveals the vanity and deception found in some great persons. Because children are docile, humble, teachable, loving, forgiven and dependent.

Thus, Jesus explains that in the kingdom of heaven, true greatness is found in humility, and children serve as a symbol of humility, as they are dependent on adults for everything, just as we also are dependent on God. Little children serve as a concrete symbol of the simplicity which is a condition for entering the kingdom of heaven. So, in children we find these great virtues of simplicity and humility. Hence, parents should encourage their children to participate in activities where they display these virtues.

Meanwhile, in the parable about the lost sheep, Jesus presents to us the images of a dependent sheep and a caring and loving shepherd who searches for the wandering sheep. For he invites us to embrace true greatness in humble service to others, especially the weak and the vulnerable, as we imitate God who never abandons anyone even the lost "sinners".

This is exactly what the prophet Ezekiel demonstrated to his people who were lost as they rebelled against God and needed to be brought back to God as we have it in our first reading today, where the Lord made him great by offering him the scroll to eat and then said Son of man, go to the House of Israel and tell them what I have said.’

This is similar to that of St. Clare of Assisi, whose memorial we celebrate today. She was a woman of great faith and humility, who was known for her great piety, love for God and humble service to the poor. And together with other women dedicated themselves to God’s service through prayer and holiness as they founded the religious order of the Poor Clares, as a group inspired by the life of St. Francis of Assisi.

Dear friends, let us learn to be humble like little children even in the midst of our competitive and comparative nature. For today we are reminded that true greatness is found in humility and in humble service to others. But this is exactly what many of us are lacking. Because most of us are so proud, greedy, and selfish, as we are deeply attached to the pleasurable things of this passing world

This, of course, prevents us from seeking true greatness that leads to the heavenly kingdom. And as a result, many of us are lost sheep, but Jesus, the good shepherd, is searching for us and guiding us on the path towards reconciliation and redemption, so that we may find the path towards the salvation God has offered to all humanity.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are lost, for we are so much engrossed with the competitive activities of this world, seeking to be great in things that are passing away, grant that, we may embrace true greatness rooted in the humble service of our neighbours, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you. 

Homily for Monday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 10th August, 2026. Feast of St. Lawrence

 

Readings: 2 Cor. 9:6-10, Ps.112, John 12:24-26

Fr. Rev. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HOW TO YIELD A RICH HARVEST OF HEAVENLY THINGS

The way people are so engrossed with acquiring the things of this passing world at the detriment of things that edify the soul makes me wonder if we are actually learning anything from the lives of those who have passed away from this world.

Have we taken time to reflect on where all of us and the beautiful things of this world will be in the next ten, twenty, forty, eighty and hundred years for those who are strong? I believe the answer to this question will leave a deep silence in our souls as it exposes the foolishness of human greed and selfishness.

Little wonder that Jesus, in our Gospel passage today, tells us that unless a wheat grain falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest. Anyone who loves his life loses it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Here, Jesus is telling us that the only way to save our lives is by total detachment from the things of this passing world. We must sacrifice the pleasurable things of this world for the sake of the heavenly kingdom because they are not going to follow us when the time comes for us to leave this world. For attachment to things of this world is a distraction from the things of heaven. But when a soul dies to the things of this passing world, it yields a rich harvest of heavenly things.

Therefore, what are the things I value so much that need to die for me to live more fully in Christ? Because, like a wheat grain, we must sacrifice by dying to the things of this world to yield fruit that will sustain us for eternity. Hence, we need to ask ourselves today, what does God require from us in this world? Why are we in this world, and where are we going from this world?

Dear friends, all the Lord wants from us is to serve him, to love him and to love our neighbours as well. And Jesus says in our Gospel, If a man serves me, he must follow me, wherever I am, my servant will be there too. For if anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.

This is exactly what St. Lawrence, whose memorial we celebrate today, did. Lawrence was one of the deacons of Rome and, as such, was greatly involved in the many important decisions and works in the very heart of the Church in Rome. During the persecution, St. Lawrence was confronted by the Roman prefect, acting on behalf of Emperor Valerian, who demanded that he surrender all the properties and material wealth of the Church.

Lawrence assembled before the Emperor all the poor, the infirm, the sick and the destitute and presented all of them before the Roman prefect as the true property and wealth of the Church. Then, the Emperor was filled with anger; he ordered that Lawrence should be arrested, imprisoned, and eventually martyred by being roasted alive on a gridiron, which was made even hotter by the anger of the prefects.

As they were burning him, he joked and asked his torturers to turn him over since he was "done" enough on that side. The deacon cheerfully offered himself to the Lord Jesus. Tradition has it that most people in Rome became Christian as a result of the faithful life and the death of this one humble deacon, who let the seed of his life die to yield a rich Heavenly harvest.

Today the life of St. Lawrence is a great encouragement to us, calling us to the sacrificial life of love for God, the poor and the Church. And St. Paul, in our first reading today, tells us about the great rewards awaiting all those who had been generous in giving and loving the poor and the needy.

For the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide us with all the seed we need and make the harvest of our good deeds a larger one, just like St. Lawrence, who showed us a great example by his great generosity, love, and genuine concern for the poor and the Church.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, Today, we saw in St. Lawrence a great example of how to live, and how to die faithfully to the Gospel. As we reflect on his life, may we come to love you more and strive to detach ourselves from the negative influence of pleasurable things in this passing world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed week.

Homily for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 9th August, 2026

 

Readings: 1Kings 19:9.11-13, Ps 85, Rom. 9:1-5, Matt. 14:22-33

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

LORD SAVE US FROM THE EVIL STORMS OF THIS PASSING WORLD

A boat is a craft made for transportation, fishing, or cruising on the water, propelled by oars or wind. It is a full house, a complete and secure vessel. The fishermen and the marine men 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 uses the boat to teach and instruct the people and his disciples. On the occasion of our Gospel passage today, Jesus instructed the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side. When evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out on the lake, 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”. But Peter said, ‘If it is you, Lord, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus.

Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he became afraid and began to sink. So he cried out ‘Lord! Save me!’ Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. And as they got into the boat the wind ceased. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’

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 humanity, inflicting hardships, sickness and sorrows on us. But Jesus is inviting us to come into his boat with faith so that we can find life, peace and grace to overcome our struggles.

Just the way God called prophet Elijah out of the cave of fear and starvation to encounter Him at Mount Horeb, as we have it in our first reading today. So, there came a mighty wind, so strong that it tore the mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake.

After the earthquake came a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came the sound of a gentle breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave; there he encountered the Lord in the gentle breeze.

Thus, Elijah encountered the Lord in a moment of stillness and silence, reminding us that God can not be found in the violent storms of life, but in the deep silence of our hearts even in the midst of the storms of life. Hence, we should not let all the challenges, trials and difficulties we encounter in this crazy world make us lose sight of God’s presence, but they should lead us to God.

And this is what St. Paul is struggling with in our second reading when he said My sorrow is so great, my mental anguish so endless, I would willingly be condemned and be cut off from Christ if it could help my brothers of Israel, my own flesh and blood to know and understand their place in God. This no doubt is what most people are passing through in our societies today.

 Dear friends, the world is full of crowds and caves of different 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 guaranteed.

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 if today we come to Jesus, the boat of life, with great faith in God, 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 this far in our daily struggle of life, 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 the best of God’s favour and blessings today and always.

Homily For Saturday, Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 8th August, 2026. The Memorial of St. Dominic

Readings: Habakkuk 1:12-2:4; Ps. 9; Matt 17: 14-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY WE HAVE FAILED TO EXPRESS THE FAITH PROPERLY AND OBTAIN POSITIVE RESULTS

Oftentimes, we think and wish that we have enough faith to face whatever challenges come our way. However, the fact remains that we can only truly understand the level and capacity of our faith when we are faced with a situation that overwhelms our physical and mental abilities. Then we will realise that what we think we have as faith is nothing but a shadow of reality. Such was the situation with the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today.

A man came up to Jesus begging him to deliver his son, whom he had brought to the disciples, but they were unable to cure him. But Jesus said to them ‘Faithless and perverse generation!’ ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I endure you? Bring him here to me.’ And he rebuked the devil, who immediately came out of the boy and he was cured from that moment.

Then the disciples came privately to Jesus. ‘Why were we unable to cast it out? They asked. He answered, ‘Because you have little faith. I tell you solemnly, if your faith were the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it would move; nothing would be impossible for you.

Here, Jesus gives two reasons why the disciples failed to cure the boy. The first is connected with their own moral condition and disposition, as they were only depending on their own personal abilities. Secondly, and more importantly, is their lack of faith. Though they had, indeed, shown some faith by making even the attempt at the expulsion of the devil.

But they had acted half-heartedly and had not displayed that perfect confidence and trust which alone can bring success and make all things possible. Thus, Jesus decided to use the analogy of a mustard seed to give them a lecture about having a perfect and complete faith that moves mountains.

The mustard seed, as we know, is the smallest of all seeds, which grows to produce the largest of all shrubs. So with the analogy of the mustard seed in relation to faith, Jesus supposed that, if we have the smallest faith that is genuine, we can do all things. Just like the mustard seed produced the largest of all herbs.

Therefore, if we begin to nurture our faith to grow and strengthen from a small, humble beginning, it will grow to the point that it can help us to perform and achieve greater things and conquer the most difficult situations that, at first, would appear impossible.

So faith moving mountains implies the spiritual and divine ability to make difficult and stumbling situations vanish. And this is obtained when we are rooted in God through sincere love. This is what we see in St. Dominic whose memorial we celebrate today. Through his personal experience of God, he has helped the faithful to renew their faith and commitment in God and their society through the deepening of their spiritual lives, especially through the use of the rosary as a prayer, which eventually became one of the most popular of all devotions in the Church, through which countless souls have been converted to the Lord, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Dear friends, if we want to grow in faith, we must cultivate the humble habit of a mustard seed, which, though small, has the potential of becoming great when exposed to a fertile environment. For us to have the faith that moves mountains, we must be well-disposed to embrace the power of God in our lives; we must desire to have a personal experience of the power of God at work in the world and acknowledge that in him comes our victory over every situation we encounter.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, faith is your supernatural gift to humanity, grant that we may embrace this gift even as little as that of a mustard seed, to move out of our lives the tough mountains that are crushing us in our daily lives. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a joyful weekend.

Homily For Friday, Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 7th August, 2026

Readings: Nahum 1:15.2:2.3:1.6-7, Ps. Deut. 32:35-41, Matt 16:24-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE SACRIFICIAL NATURE OF FOLLOWING THE LORD

Reflecting on the continuous hostility, persecution and influential powers of the things of this world, I think it is time for us to really think twice about our faith as Christians, whether we are ready to live out our faith in the midst of these ugly situations in our societies, which is getting tougher every day. If we are willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision towards our discipleship in a personal and radical way.

Little wonder Jesus, in our Gospel passage today, says: ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it, but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life?

Here Jesus knowing what awaits us in this world, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level, especially in a situation where our faith and Christian values have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excess desires for worldly pleasures, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God.

Thus, these hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our life experience. Here comes the moment when we have to make radical and difficult choices as disciples of Jesus. It’s time for us to take up our Cross in a sacrificial way and follow the Lord.

But what is the cross we are called to take up? Taking up our cross could mean faithfully facing our daily challenges with all their difficulties. It is accepting who we are and what we have and using them to the glory of God.

The way of the cross is a way of sacrifice, a way of commitment, a way of love, forgiveness, mercy and compassion, which aim towards the good of the other person. It can be a costly service to a loved one who is ill; it can be embracing illness, even terminal illness or other personal weaknesses; this makes no sense except when we relate it to the suffering of Christ through faith in God.

Dear friends, don’t ever think that it is easy to follow the Lord. Little wonder God, through the prophet Nahum in our first reading today, promised us that he will not abandon his faithful people in the darkness of this passing world. For he shall crush the wicked and all those who have oppressed his people.

He has promised to stand by us in the midst of persecution and suffering. For a while, we might suffer, but in the end, those who remained faithful to him will be victorious while the oppressors will be rejected, crushed and destroyed.

Thus, to share the glory of Christ, we must share His suffering, because it is impossible to follow Jesus without accepting the cross and acknowledging and embracing all that life has to offer us. So it’s time to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully follow Jesus.

But how much are we willing to let go for the sake of following him? Why are we finding it difficult to follow Jesus? What are those habitual desires and possessions that are holding us back from making this radical decision today? It is time to come to God with all our hearts, for tomorrow may be too late.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts towards you, give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires and as we do this, may the cross of Christ be a shining example in our daily struggles, to hold firm in our faith despite all the sufferings and persecutions we may encounter. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day. 

Homily For Thursday, Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 6th August, 2026. The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

 

Readings: Dan. 7:9-10, 13-14, Ps.97, 2 Peter 1:16-19. Matt. 17:1-9

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

HAVING A TRANSFIGURATIVE EXPERIENCE THAT LEADS TO KNOWING AND LISTENING TO THE LORD

To know the true identity of Jesus has always been the desire and quest of most people of his time and even in our time. So, today we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the mystery and revelation of the true identity of Jesus.

The word “Transfiguration” is the combination of two words: ‘trans ’, meaning change, and ‘figure ’, meaning appearance or the outlook of a body. That is, the change in appearance of Jesus reveals his true nature as the Divine Son of God, shining forth from his human nature, unveiling that he was not just a Man but also the great Son of God incarnate in the human flesh. This will help us to understand the true identity of Jesus.

This is important because most people today still do not have a grand knowledge of the personality and identity of Jesus and his mission towards the salvation of humanity. So, to make known his identity to humanity, Jesus, in our Gospel passage today, chose three of his disciples, Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone.

There in their presence, he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud, there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Beloved Son. Listen to him.

So, in this Feast, we remember the revelation of Christ as the beloved Son of the Father, the one we are called to trust and listen to in prayer. An event that occurs to undermine objections to the inevitable event of Parousia, which calls us to a life of faith and radical transformation. A transformation that brings about a new outfit that makes one a new person with a new life, a new mind and a new way of doing things.

In this revelation, we recall the presence of the two greatest and most renowned figures from the Old Testament, namely Moses and the prophet Elijah. They represent the law and the prophets which bear witness to the personality and identity of Jesus. To crown all, the voice from the cloud, which has also been the symbol of God’s presence with His people, bearing witness that Jesus is the Beloved Son of God, calling us to listen to him.

Little wonder St. Peter, in our second reading today, tells us that it was not any cleverly invented myths that they were repeating when they brought us the knowledge of the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, for they had seen his majesty for themselves.

Peter made us know that Jesus was honoured and glorified by God the Father when the Sublime Glory itself spoke to him and said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; Listen to him.’ He said they heard this themselves, spoken from heaven when they were with him on the holy mountain.

This event also fulfils the vision of Daniel in our first reading, where he said: I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man. He came to the one of great age and was led into his presence. His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty which shall never pass away, nor will his empire ever be destroyed.

The preface of this feast says that Jesus revealed his glory in the presence of chosen witnesses and filled with the greatest splendour that bodily form which he shares with all humanity, that the scandal of the Cross might be removed from the hearts of his disciples.

Dear friends, are we in any way ignorant of the personality, identity and mission of our Lord Jesus Christ? Have we personally experienced the presence of Jesus in our lives? Have we ever encountered Jesus in such a transformative way that changes our sinful ways of life and builds our faith stronger in the Lord? This is the type of encounter we need to have. An encounter that reveals the true identity of Jesus.

The truth is, we can change our religion, churches, even our pastors, friends, residence, car or our physical appearance: hair, clothes, colour, even gender, as some people do today. But if we don’t have a transfigurative experience that will bring about a change of mind and heart towards loving God and our neighbours, we will remain the same, and the old experience of unfruitful life will perpetuate itself over and over again. Because everything absolutely changes when we change our minds for good, and that is the essence of today’s feast.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you never cease to make known to your children the mysteries of your Love for humanity, grant that by listening to the voice of your beloved Son, we may personally experience his love in our lives and merit to become coheirs with him, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. As you begin the day, may God bless you with a sound mind and unwavering faith in him.

Homily for Wednesday, the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time Year A, 5th August 2026

 

Readings: Jer. 31:1-7; Ps. Jer. 31: 10-13; Matt. 15:21-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

HOW TO MAKE A HUMBLE REQUEST FROM THE LORD

Most people in our societies today hardly accept who they are. Today, people spend all their resources and energy trying to convince others of what they are not by seeking their approval. This is not the case with the Canaanite woman in our Gospel passage today, who, when she approached Jesus pleading for the restoration of her daughter, was not discouraged because her request was not granted immediately due to her humble background.

For Jesus said to her ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman persisted, kneeling at his feet saying. ‘Lord help me.’ Jesus replied, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.

From this little story, it is clear that the woman was not going to give up, but kept pleading, even from her Canaanite background, to the point of Jesus recognising her great faith. The irony of this passage is that, in Israel, Jesus was trying to convince people that he was the Messiah, as he was being challenged to prove it with a sign. But here in Gentile territory, he met a woman who was convinced he was the Messiah, so he could not discourage her efforts.

But his apparent attempt to put her off was just a test, of which her great faith was proven by the acceptance of her humble background. She accepted the place of a “dog” as a Gentile in relation to Israelites being the chosen children of God to whom the message and grace of the Messiah came first.

 Hence she accepted that she may not be able to sit down at the Messiah’s table and eat with the “children,” but she should be allowed to pick up some of the crumbs of unmerited mercy and grace of God for the sake of her daughter.

Dear friends, we must stop wasting valuable time trying to prove who we are not; let us first in faith, accept who we are and then work hard to improve who we want to be in relation to our faith in God. Let our faith in God help us to accept who we are. Whatever we want to do, let us have faith in God and ourselves and be determined because faith, determination and sacrifice are the secrets of any success in life.

Therefore, tell yourself today that you can get that which you desire, plan for it, and work every day for it; you will begin to see a different face in the things you do. The truth is that people are rewarded in public for things they have done for years in private.

So, let us learn from the Canaanite woman who accepted who she was and was determined with faith to achieve her dream through humility and persistence. For the Lord will always intervene in our humble situations in order to elevate us as we heard in our first reading today.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are often very slow to accept who we are and sometimes, because of our humble background, we fail to obtain what we desire. As we come to you today in humility and faith like the Canaanite woman, may we obtain your grace and favours. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.