Homily for Tuesday Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 22nd September, 2026

Readings: Prov. 21:1-6.10-13, Ps.119, Luke 8:19-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT MEANS TO BELONG TO THE ULTIMATE FAMILY OF JESUS

One of the psychological and spiritual needs of the human person is the sense of belonging, this need is just like the need for food, clothes and shelter. The feeling of belonging is fundamental to our sense of happiness and well-being.

It gives value to life and helps us cope with some pain and emotions, as it improves our motivation. Hence, we often want to belong and identify with one another, with our friends and families, with our culture and from one association and group to another.

However, one of the most common and safest places to belong is our families, especially when it is rooted in the family of God. So today in our Gospel passage, Jesus speaks about belonging to his family and his relationship with members of his family. For when he was told that his mother and brothers were standing outside and wanted to see him. He said: ' My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.’

Here, Jesus speaks of two ways the people around him could be identified as members of his family. First, he talked about those who belong to the family of his birth that is, his mother, father and relations. Then his other family which is made up of those who do the will of God.

This family, he says, is his true and ultimate family, where doing the will of God is the only way of belonging to this family. This is not to say that Jesus is rejecting his biological family; to do so would be contradicting his own teaching about loving one's parents and loving one's neighbours. However, Jesus is using this opportunity to emphasise that our relationship with God is more important and should be based on our total commitment to doing the will of God through him.

Surprisingly, Mary the mother of Jesus belongs to both sides of the family, for she gave birth to Jesus and also was the first to do the will of God when she said, “let it be done unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). For this reason she is the first disciple of Jesus and a model for all Christians.

Thus, to be a Christian or a disciple is to enter into the family of Jesus and embrace a new relationship with God and with one another and this is the most important place to belong. All other bonds, including those of blood should be considered secondary. Because, belonging to God is fundamental to our basic relationships, before all human relations.

For we belong first to God before belonging to our families, after which we all go back to God where we ultimately belong, which will be determined by how we have done the will of God here on earth. And our first reading, taken from the book of Proverbs, tells us that a man’s conduct may strike him as upright, but the Lord, however, weighs the heart.

Dear friends, where do we ultimately and truly belong? Do you belong to the true family of Jesus? As Christians, we claim to belong to God; do our attitudes and decisions show that we truly belong to God? Do we not often commit ourselves to things contrary to the faith we professed in God?

 So, today we are called to understand what it means to belong to the ultimate family of Jesus. In this ultimate family we are to do the will of God always. This makes us truly belong to that true family of Jesus, where the love of God and the love of neighbour unite us together.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we truly belong to you; give us the grace to always do your will, and as we carry out our activities today, grant success to the works of our hands, through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Monday, the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 21st September 2026. The Feast of St. Matthew Apostle and Evangelist

Readings: Eph 4:1:-7.11-13, Ps.19, Matt. 9:9-13

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

RESPONDING POSITIVELY TO GOD’S CALL LIKE ST MATTHEW

In life, we make choices, and the choices we make every day communicate our innermost desire, which also determines how meaningful, valuable, healthy and fruitful our lives and mission are going to be. This is no different in the life of Jesus, who, on account of his mission to save humanity, had to make choices about people who would be his instruments of evangelising in the world.

Though Jesus had been calling people from different walks of life to be part of his mission, today’s call and choice of Matthew, a man identified with sinners because of his work as a tax collector, was quite strange to some people.

Little wonder, in our Gospel passage today, after Jesus had called Matthew to follow him, he had a dinner in his house and while at the dinner, it happened that some tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples.

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When Jesus heard this he replied, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’

Here we hear the innermost desire of Jesus for sinful humanity in need of salvation. The call of Matthew is like the call of each of us, a choice that demonstrates Jesus' desire for sinners to repent. For all he desires is mercy and not sacrifices, repentance and not pride.

Jesus is calling us to repentance; he is inviting us to make a fundamental choice for God, just like St. Matthew, who, though a sinner, rose up and followed Jesus at his call for repentance. We too are to respond to this invitation without delay.

Let St. Matthew be an inspiration and hope for every one of us. Let him be an example that will remind us that there is no one beyond the reach of God’s mercy and love. For he is capable of transforming our ugly ways of life into a glorious instrument for human salvation.

Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew, we are called to imitate him. For tradition has it that after his conversion, Matthew became a great evangelizer, who went about preaching the Good News to many people. It was told that he went to Ethiopia, where he had a growing community of Christ's faithful.

And according to tradition, he was martyred while celebrating the Holy Mass on the Altar, after he rebuked the local king in Ethiopia, who lusted and desired to have his own niece, who had dedicated herself in holy virginity to God. Here we see how Matthew, who was once a sinner, was called and transformed into a great saint and a great instrument of evangelisation.

Dear friends, St Paul in our first reading tells us that each one of us has been given our own share of grace in Christ's mission. For some are called to be apostles and evangelists like Matthew; some prophets; some pastors and teachers; so that together we are united in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. But how are we contributing to this mission? What is our disposition towards the call of Jesus? Is our choice in life reflecting our faith in the mission of Christ?

LET US PRAY: Lord God, despite our sinfulness, you called and chose us to be instruments of your salvation to all humanity. Through the intercession of St. Matthew, give us the grace to make good choices that will help us to respond positively to your call for repentance and evangelisation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a blessed week ahead.

Homily For The Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, 20th September 2026

 

Readings: Is. 55:6-9, PS.145, Phil 1:20-24.27. Matt. 20:1-16

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

NEVER GIVE UP FOR GOD HAS TIME AND A PLAN FOR YOU

Often, when we pass through a dark moment in life, it seems as if all hope is gone. We put up all our energy and enthusiasm struggling and hoping for better and brighter opportunities. 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 available and disposed to doing his will at all times.

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. For the vineyard owner went out at different times and gathered people to work in his vineyard. And as time went on, he continued to look for more workers and went out along the way to seek unemployed workers, even at the eleventh and final hour, calling all into his vineyard.

At the end, the landowner went beyond justice. Motivated by compassion and having employed labourers at different times, he decided to pay them the same wages as agreed with those who were hired first, and they felt 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.

From this parable, the vineyard owner represents God Himself, while all the labourers represent all of us who are called to work in the Lord’s heavenly vineyard. Thus, we heard how God is reaching out to us at every moment and stage in our lives. He keeps sending messengers, prophets, and teachers to call us and to remind us of the need for us to be reconciled and be reunited with him.

Little wonder we heard the prophet Isaiah in our first reading saying: seek the Lord while he is still to be found, call to him while he is still near. Let the wicked man abandon his way, the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn back to the Lord who will take pity on him, for our God is rich in forgiving; and his thoughts are not our thoughts, his ways not our ways. This shows how God loves us so much that he constantly tries to call us and to bring us back to himself.

Dear friends, God has a plan and a time for each of us. But how are we responding to God’s call and plans? How are we waiting for God's time? What is our disposition towards God’s generosity to others? What is our attitude towards those whom God has lifted up to our level? What is our attitude towards those who are waiting on God’s time? Do you consider yourself more deserving than others?

From today’s parable, we can identify three kinds of persons. 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. But God is assuring us today 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.

However, he warns those of us who are greedy and selfish to change from our greed and sinful ways, because when his 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. But do not miss your turn out of impatience. Wait on the Lord for your time, and your turn is very close.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are reminded of your constant efforts to reach out to us at every moment of our lives. In the darkest moment of our lives, help us to realise that you are reaching out to us always, even at the very last hour, as long as we are still breathing and living, for it is never too late for us to experience your generosity and mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday and God bless.

Homily For Saturday, Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 19th September 2026

 

Readings: 1 Cor 15:35-37,42-49; Ps. 56; Luke 8:4-15

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE FRUIT OF HAVING THE RIGHT DISPOSITION TOWARDS THE WORD OF GOD

Our disposition towards whatever we do in life determines how successful we can be. Experience has shown that people’s dispositions vary depending on where their interests are based.

Therefore, to be fruitful in whatever we do, we must develop the right disposition towards it. Knowing the importance of this statement in understanding his mission, Jesus, in our Gospel reading today, used the parable of the sower to describe different kinds of human disposition and response towards the Word of God.

He said, A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell on the edge of the path and were trampled on; and the birds of the air ate it up. Some seed fell on rock, and when it came up it withered away, having no moisture. Some seed fell amongst thorns and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some seed fell into rich soil and grew and produced its crop a hundredfold.’ Saying this he cried, ‘Listen, anyone who has ears to hear!’

In this parable, Jesus categorised our different dispositions towards the Word of God in relation to our interior life. Thereby giving us the guidelines that will help us to examine our attitudes towards the seed of God’s Word, whether our soul is like dry rocky ground, whether our soul is full of the thorns of the things of this passing world or whether we regularly seek to nourish our soul and prepare it to receive the Holy Word of God. So we are called to create a fertile disposition within our hearts to do the will of God.

This is important because today and even in the Scriptures, many hear the words of Jesus and do not understand them because of a wrong disposition, for instance in the Scriptures we have the religious leaders who are against the teachings of Jesus, and the crowds that responded positively to Jesus, especially to his miracles of healing, yet turned against him at the end and demanded his crucifixion.

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

Also, what about the good soil? These are those who hear the Word, understand and internalise it, who indeed bear fruit and yield an abundant harvest. Our mother Mary and the apostles, excluding Judas, are good examples of such people.

Therefore, the different kinds of ground on which the seed falls represent different ways by which we receive the Word of God. And St. Paul in our first readings today says: If the soul has its own embodiment, so does the spirit have its own embodiment. The first man, Adam, as scripture says, became a living soul; but the last Adam has become a life-giving spirit.

Here, St Paul reminds us of our basic Christian faith, which teaches that, for us to rise with Christ, we must first die to ourselves. That is, those things which lead us to the ways of this world must die, and we must be reborn to the life of faith.

Then we will rise with Christ and share his glory, just as we read in the parable of the Sower. For the Sower being Christ himself, teaches us how to manage the challenges of life in order to yield a rich harvest of faith and attain the eternal joy of heaven,

Dear friends, today, our hearts are the fields in which the Word of God is scattered, to which do our hearts belong? The pathway, the rocky ground, the thorns or the good soil? Whichever one, we are called to pay attention and take some time to appreciate God’s Word in our lives by allowing it to bear solid roots in us and germinate to bear great fruits

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are often distracted from hearing and assimilating your Word we hear every day, give us grace to remain open to receiving your Word, so as to bear fruit abundantly. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed and peaceful weekend.

Homily For Friday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 18th September, 2026

Readings: 1Cor 15:12-20, Ps.17, Luke 8:1-3

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

ACKNOWLEDGING THE ROLE OF SILENT PROVIDERS AND SUPPORTERS OF CHRIST’S MISSION

Jesus involved a lot of people in his mission to saving humanity, some he called to follow him, some desired to follow him but could not, while some decided to follow him because of their personal experience of him and what they can gain from him. But only few followed him in order to provide for him and contribute towards the success of his mission. This is the dispositions and personality of those involved in the mission of Christ in our Gospel passage today.

For when Jesus made his way through towns and villages preaching, and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God. He went with his twelve disciples whom he had called, as well as certain women who had experienced him personally through his divine healing and deliverance. Along these groups are several others who provided for them out of their own resources.

This Gospel passage actually points out the nature of the mission of the Church in proclaiming the word of God and our part in this mission. Thus, we are reminded of how God has called us to follow Christ and contribute to the salvation of humanity.

And St. Paul in our first reading tells us that, if our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people. But since Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, as the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep, we have a sure hope in his resurrection.

Thus as children of eternal life, who are judged worthy of a place in the heavenly Kingdom. So, we are to fully involved in the mission of Christ. For there are men and women of our time who give themselves to noble causes. They give themselves to the service of others: they are those who see to the good of others and contribute to the growth of God’s Kingdom just like the women in our Gospel passage today.

These are people of noble cause, like parents who teach their children the ways of the Lord by their practical way of life, like people who help the weak and the vulnerable, like friends who speak the truth and stand by it and political and Church leaders, who renounce power rather than compromise principles and uses every opportunity they have to evangelize the people. May your contribution towards the mission of Christ never be in vain

Dear friends, are we really part of this mission of Christ? In what ways are we supporting the mission of Christ in his Church ? Are we ready to contribute towards this mission by our ways of life? Do we desired to be part of this mission but lack the courage and discipline? Or do we think that this mission is not for us?

The fact remains that as baptized persons, it is our obligation to carryout this mission and it is not optional. It is an obligation we must carryout irrespective of our status, position, environment and deposition.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the women in our Gospel today involved in your mission and contributed towards the success of evangelization because they have experienced your love and mercy to also realized how much of your love and mercy we have enjoyed and so be deposed to embrace and contribute to the mission of our salvation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day. 

Homily For Thursday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 17th September, 2026

 

Readings: 1Cor 15:1-11, Ps.118, Luke 7:36-50

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING HOW TO PRESENT OURSELVES BEFORE GOD IN GRATITUDE

Oftentimes we are quick to judge and condemn other people, we are quick to identify their sins without looking at our own sinful ways. We find it difficult to accept that something good can come out of people we have labeled as sinners in the society. But this is not the same with Jesus in our Gospel passage today who welcomes sinner and showed them mercy and kindness.

That is why when one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to a meal in his house, and when they are at table, a woman came in, who had a bad name in the town and brought with her an alabaster jar of ointment and begin to weep and her tears fell on the feet of Jesus, and she wiped them away with her hair; kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment as she expressed her gratitude for mercy received.

But the Pharisees, instead of rejoicing on account of this woman's repentance, they confined their thoughts to her former ugly and sinful ways of life. Then with a parable, Jesus demonstrated that the greater a sinner, the greater the love he/she ought to show to God when he/she receives mercy and pardoned.

Little wonder Jesus told Peter I came into your house, and you poured no water over my feet, but she has poured out her tears over my feet and wiped them away with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but she has been covering my feet with kisses ever since I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. For this reason I tell you that her many sins have been forgiven, for she loved much.

This is the same with St. Paul in our first reading when he said I am the least of the apostles; in fact, since I persecuted the Church of God, I hardly deserve the name apostle; but by God’s grace that is what I am, and the grace that he gave me has not been fruitless.

This tells us that we all are sinners and debtors before God. Though some sinners are greater debtors; but whether our debt be more or less, it is more than we are able to pay. However God is always ready to forgive us and the more we express our sorrow for sin, the more our love for Christ grows.

Dear friends, how do we present ourselves before God? Are we like the Pharisees, who always talk about other people’s sins without minding our own sinfulness? Are we carried away by the things around us and so forget the right things we ought to do? Are we like the woman in our Gospel, who came before the presence Jesus with a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving for the mercy and pardon received? Today we are called to learn how to show appreciation for mercy and pardon we receive always from our heavenly Father.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for your graces and mercy which is beyond human imagination, for it is by your grace that we are what we are today, teach us we pray, how to be more willing to forgive others as we recognize our own need for your forgiveness and so learn how to love more and show gratitude. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day. 

Homily For Wednesday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 16th September, 2026. The Memorial of SS. Cornelius and Cyprian

 

Readings: 1Cor.12:31-13:13, Ps.33, Luke 7:31-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

LOVE THE GREATEST GIFT OF GOD TO HUMANITY

Love is that nature of God which we share, a gift from God to humanity. Love is like the stream water, so innocent and pure. True love is not hidden, it radiates from the innermost being of a person who experience it. Little wonder St Paul in our first reading tells us that there are three things that last: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love.

Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.

So love is the greatest of all the gifts of God. Since all the virtues, from the lowest to the highest are worthless unless motivated by love. So love however, is the greatest and foundation of all the virtues. Other virtues such as faith will cease with the vision of God, hope will disappear into the possession of what we hoped for.

But love is permanent and eternal because, God is love and we are his seed of love in this world. Thus our primary purpose in life is to love, and not just any kind of love, but sacrificial love that is rooted in selflessness that is devoid of greed, selfishness and haughty.

This kind of love is what is lacking among the people of our generation as we have it in our Gospel passage today when we heard Jesus talking about the people who out of jealousy had failed to embrace his teaching and that of John the Baptist.

For the people looked down on him and were very judgmental against him and John the Baptist because of their unique personality. This ugly attitude were caused by lack of love, inability to appreciate God’s love and all that He has done for the sake of all humanity.

Dear friends, how much of this love dwells in us knowing that our true happiness is found in love? The fact remains that we can never be happy if we lack love in us. We can never be satisfied if we lack love. We can never receive love if we have never given it. So, no matter what kind of gifts we have whether spiritual or material, love is the only way to make them a source of happiness which bring us satisfaction that comes only from the heart that truly loves.

This is what we see in the lives of SS. Cornelius and Cyprian whose memorial we celebrate today. For they were holy servants of God who dedicated their lives to the service to God and their neighbour. And for this they died as martyrs under great persecution for they stood firm in their faith and hope which is rooted in their love of God and neighbours.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, enkindle in us once again the fire of your love, so that we may become your great servants dedicating our lives and service to loving you and our neighbours, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a lovely day.

Homily For Tuesday, Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 15th September, 2026. The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

Readings: 1Cor. 12:12-14.27-31; Ps. 100; John 19:25-27

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING HOW TO MANAGE YOUR SORROWS OF LIFE PATIENTLY LIKE MOTHER MARY

In life, we encounter ugly events and challenges that cause us sorrows and tears. And oftentimes we don't know how to manage those moments. Just yesterday, we celebrated the exaltation and triumph of the Holy Cross; today, we are celebrating the sorrows of our Blessed Mother, who experienced a great sorrow at the suffering and death of her Son, who suffered grievously for the sins and faults of others and for the sake of the redemption of all humanity.

So as we commemorate our Lady's greatest sorrows: beginning with the prophecy of Simeon in the temple, her flight into Egypt with the infant Jesus, the missing of Jesus at the age of 12 in Jerusalem, Mary's encounter with her son Jesus on his way to Calvary, his crucifixion, death and burial. In fact, our Gospel passage today tells us that Jesus, seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son. Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’

Thus, from that moment, the disciple made a place for her in his home. This very action may seem so easy for those who have not experienced the painful torture that comes from witnessing the suffering of their loved ones. But for those who have experienced such torture, especially our good mothers, we will understand better that it is harder to watch the pains and suffering of your loved ones than to bear our own pains.

So, we can now understand the situation and condition our Lady was passing through for the sake of obedience to God’s will as she watched Jesus suffer for our redemption. Little wonder in our first reading we are told that we are Christ’s body; but each of us is a different part of it. Just as a human body, though it is made up of many parts, is a single unit because all these parts, though many, make one body, so it is with Christ. In the one Spirit we were all baptised, Jews as well as Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to drink.

Dear friends, I don’t know what kind of sorrows you are carrying in your hearts. Is it the sorrows caused by the ugly situation in your life, your family, your place of work, your inability to achieve your goals and dreams in like manner? Or is it sorrows caused by other people, or caused by mistakes of your past, the ugly ways of life? Whatever and however deep the sorrows are, today we are called to learn how to bear our sorrows of life patiently, like Mary, by linking them to the will of God.

Let us learn how to present our sorrows and problems to God in prayer by raising up our minds and hearts to him, and since he promised that he will teach us the way we should go, instruct us, and advise us. Let us listen to what he is calling us to do and ensure we do them just like our Mother Mary, because the Lord Jesus speaks to us from the depths of our heart, and he desires that we listen to him whenever we pray and associate our sorrows with his own, just like Mary, our mother.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, there are so many sorrows in our lives, and people are doing all they can to overcome them. Through the intercession of Our Lady of Sorrows, may we experience your love and help us to know the best ways to bear our sorrows patiently. We asked this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you 

Homily For Monday Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 14th September, 2026. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

 

Readings: Num. 21:4-9, Ps.78, Phil.2:6-11, John 3:13-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE MEANING OF THE HOLY CROSS

A lot of people in our societies today put on the cross without knowing the true meaning of the cross and what it represent. They just feel that the cross is a fashionable object that makes them look good and feel important, but this is not the case because the cross is more than that.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross, this feast is so important to our Christian faith, because the Holy Cross is a symbol of sacrificial victory of our faith.

This Feast began when St. Helena discovered the relic of the true Cross on which Jesus was crucified, which was preserved in Jerusalem. A sacred relic that represents the mystery of the unending love of God for humanity.

Though, the cross in the eyes of early Christians had no beauty, it was a sign of sorrow, a symbol of courage, an expression of faith which stood outside the city walls, decorated only with decaying corpses of Christ faithful who died for their faith in Christ. They are left on the cross as a threat to anyone who believes in Jesus.

But today, the cross has become the universal image of Christian belief, an instrument of salvation which often appear in Christian art works and countless generations of artists have turned it into a thing of beauty to be carried in procession or worn as jewelry and other religions activities.

Here we can see how this ugly event has turned into a glorious act, which shows the power of God over evil. For God is the source of victory, he has the power to turn ugly situation into a glorious one through the power of love.

Little wonder our Gospel passage today, talks about the relationship between God and 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 seek of his love.

God loves the whole world and his love is total and unconditional for every one of his creatures. For God reveals his love, his greatest glory when his Son was lifted up on the cross for there the victory of our salvation was achieved and at the cross, Jesus tells us everything and solves all our difficult problems.

Just like the Israelites in our first reading who having sinned against God and were punished on account of their sins, complained as they asked Moses to intercede for them and God said to Moses, make a fiery serpent and put it on a standard. If anyone is bitten and looks at it, he shall live. This very symbol is a prefiguration of the Cross of Christ.

And St. Paul in our second reading tells us that though Jesus in the form of God, but he humbled himself by accepting death on a Cross and God exalted him and gave him the name which is above all other names, so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus to the glory of God the Father.

Dear friends, as we reflect and celebrate the exaltation of the Holy Cross and it's saving power in our Christian life, let us deeply look at the Cross, what do we see? How do we feel about the Cross? What does the Cross represents in our life? Do we feel the love of Jesus expressed for us on the Cross? Can we perceive the expensive price of our salvation?

We are called today to tell the world how deep God has loved us. 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 inflation and political crisis.

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 you can reach out today, can reflect this love of God for humanity through us, for we are the face of God’s love now, we are the channels of his Mercy and compassion.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we celebrate the feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross, may we experience once again the power of your love for humanity, and give us the grace to reciprocate this love in the world by our way of life, using the gifts, the talents and resources you have given us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Feast day to all the Priest and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Lagos.

Homily For Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 13th September, 2026

 

Readings: Sirach 27:30-28:7, Ps.103, Rom 14:7-9, Matt. 18:21-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF FORGIVENESS AND THE DANGERS OF UNFORGIVENESS

The word forgiveness is often used to express compassionate feelings that support a willingness to let go of mistakes or an offences committed against someone. It is a word we desire to hear from others but very difficult to offer to others.

Little wonder in our Lord’s prayer, there is a portion that points out something so important about the word forgiveness. This portion says “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us” (Matt.6:12).

In this prayer we have a fundamental principle of Christian life, by which we make a covenant and commitment that will be a standard through which we are going to be judged as regards our relationship with others and with God. But often times we are not conscious of these principles especially when we have to face the difficult moment of forgiving a grievous offense.

Thus, St. Peter being conscious of this fact, asked Jesus in our Gospel passage today, ‘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 practicalized his answer with an example of a servant who owed his master a huge debt that he and his generation cannot pay. But when he pleads 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 puts him in prison according to the norms of the law until he had paid his debt.

This unforgiven 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 automatically puts 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. This 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. That is 60,000,000 denarii or 200,000years compared to 100days his fellow servant owed him

So, that’s a huge amount, in fact, there was no comparison between the two debtors at all. However, this is meant to 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 them.

And this is why we must forgive others, for we are told in our first reading that resentment and anger are nothing but foul things, and both are found among sinners. For he who exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord, who keeps strict account of our sin. Thus we must forgive our neighbour for the wrongs they have done to us so that when we pray, our sins will be forgiven.

We must remember our covenant with the Lord and so overlook the offence of others and live by the commandments in conscious of the events of the last day, the day of judgement after death. For this reason, St. Paul in our second reading tells us that the life and death of each of us have its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord. So why not forgive others who have wronged us?

Dear friends, the question we need to ask ourselves is: what happens when we fail to forgive other people? What will happen is that we will not be forgiven by God. Also, the negative consequences of not forgiving other people can lead to emotional pain and bust of anger, hatred, hurtful feelings, resentment, bitterness, stress, anxiety, depression and blaming others for our negative feelings which can create health issues, negative effects in our relationships with others and stop us from experiencing the freedom that forgiveness offers.

Friends, there is no doubt that forgiving a grievous offence can be very difficult. But there are many reasons why we must forgive and one of these strong reasons is that forgiveness is like recovering a lost treasure that contains: inner joy, peace, freedom and healing.

So my dear friends, are there people we have vowed not to forgive? Have people hurt us so badly 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?

 Today Jesus is asking us to learn how to forgive others unconditionally from our hearts so that God will also forgive us always and unconditionally. 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, we must bring it to Jesus in prayer for our palmist tells us that our Lord is compassionate and loving, slow to anger and rich in mercy.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, our debts are so huge in comparison with the little debts of forgiveness others owe us. As we make it a habit to forgive others from our hearts, may we experience your mercy and discover the hidden treasures that forgiveness brings. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a grace-filled Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 12th September 2026.

 

Readings: 1 Corinthians 10:14-22; Ps 116; Luke: 6: 43-49

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE DISPOSITION OF OUR HEART IS KNOWN BY THE GOOD OR BAD FRUIT WE BEAR

A tree is known to be either good or bad, healthy or sick by the fruit it produces. In the same way, the human heart is known to be either good or bad, holy or sinful, sincere or corrupt by the fruits of our words and actions rooted in our character.

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today said: A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart. Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them is like the man who, when he built his house, laid the foundations on a rock. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations.

Here, as Jesus concludes the sermon on the plain, he tells us that hearing and doing the word of God is building our faith on a rocky foundation, that cornerstone, that solid ground, through the fiercest drought and storms of life, because the fruit of the Word of God in us is seen when tested in the storms of life.

He also reminds us that it is not enough to hear the word of God; we must put it into practice. It is not sufficient to speak about God; we must practice what we speak. We must let the Word of God touch and shape our lives so that we can bear good and healthy fruit.

For it is a waste of time and energy if our lives do not reflect the Gospel we preach, if we do not hear the words of Jesus and act on them. Hence, we must embrace the word of God in our lives and let it unite us together so that we can bear good fruit even in our corrupt society.

And St. Paul in our first reading today said that: The blessing-cup that we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ, and the bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot take your share at the table of the Lord and at the table of demons.

Dear friends, what kind of fruit are we bearing deep down in our hearts? How has the word of God changed my life and the lives of those around me? How has the word of God challenged and propelled me to love God and my neighbours? Is my attitude towards the word of God like that of the foolish builder who takes shortcuts for quick results? Or that of a wise builder who spends time digging a secure foundation through constant meditation and practice of the word of God?

Therefore, we must know that whenever we hear the word, we must apply it to our daily lives, because that's the only way we can feed our souls and so bear good fruit. This is important because our society today has enough hearers of the word; what we need now are doers of the word, men and women who will feed their lives with the Word of God and from the abundance of their heart live a life that will influence society positively.

Remember, the houses built by the wise and foolish persons may probably look alike. But the difference is the foundations, which can only be revealed when tested by the storms of life.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, through your Word we find life and hope in Christ your Son, who is our all in all, grant us the grace to embrace your Word in our lives and so bear good and healthy fruits rooted in a rocky foundation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed and peaceful weekend. 

Homily For Friday, Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 11th September 2026

Readings: 1Cor 9:16-19.22-27, Ps.84, Luke: 6: 39-42

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

TAKE AWAY THE LOG OF PRIDE IN YOUR EYES SO THAT YOU CAN SEE CLEARLY

As humans, we are quick to always criticise and condemn other people. We are good at seeing people's faults and mistakes. But has it ever occurred to us that, while we are condemning other persons for their faults, we suddenly realise that our own faults are just as many as theirs?

Jesus addresses this ugly attitude today in the Gospel passage when he asks, "Can one blind man guide another?" Surely both will fall into a pit? Why do you observe the speck in your brother’s eye and never notice the log in your own? Hypocrite! Take the log out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Here Jesus is referring to the blindness from the truth that the Pharisees and the Scribes and indeed most of our so-called leaders and us today have decided to embrace as we have neglected the spirituality behind the natural human traditions and laws, to follow the many ritual and routine traditions and laws we have created out of our own selfish desires.

Leaders who have the responsibility to lead, guide and teach the people have decided to embrace darkness and falsehood. And the greed, jealousy and wickedness in our hearts have blindfolded us and made us become blind leaders of the blind.

Hence, Jesus told us how we who are leaders have failed to see the log in our eyes while seeking to remove the speck in others'. But what is this log in our eyes? It is the log of pride. Pride makes us forget who we are and claim who we are not. Pride makes us look down on people. Pride makes us blind. It makes us not look into our own lives. Little wonder pride is the first capital sin.

Therefore, we are called to humbly look into our lives and identify all those ugly attitudes of pride in us and get rid of them, so that we can humbly correct and accommodate other people’s speck of faults and weaknesses.

Then we can say, like St. Paul in our first reading, who, though not a slave of any man, made himself the slave of everyone to win as many as he could. For the weak, he made himself weak. He made himself all things to all men to save some at any cost for the sake of the Gospel and to share in its blessings.

Dear friends, do we know people who behave like blind leaders of the blind? Are we one of such leaders? We are called today to constantly examine our conscience to know what kind of leader we are in any capacity we find ourselves.

We are made to know that leadership requires taking away our log of pride in order to humbly remove or accommodate the speck of faults and weaknesses in others. So let us cultivate the right disposition of heart that will make us visionary leaders, leading those entrusted to us safely towards the path of truth and eternal life.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, there are so many blind leaders in our world today who out of pride lead humanity into destruction and death, help us to realise that we need to take away the log of pride that makes us blind to humbly remove and accommodate the faults and weaknesses of others thereby leading them to the path of truth and eternal life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a favourable day. 

Homily for Thursday, Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 10th September, 2026

 

Readings: 1Cor 8:1-7.11-13, Ps.139, Luke: 6: 27-38

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFICULT AND SACRIFICIAL NATURE OF CHRISTIAN LIFE

A critical look at what is happening in our world today shows that the world has lost the true meaning of love. For we have abandoned God, who is the source and power of love and created for ourselves a mirage in the name of love.

 Today love has become a tool for selfishness, deception, greed and emotional satisfaction. Thus, it is extremely difficult to practice the genuine love of neighbours and talk more of the sacrificial love of our enemies.

But that is the demand Jesus makes of all his disciples in our Gospel passage today when he said: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To the man who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek too; to the man who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic.

Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask the man who robs you for your property back. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect?

Even sinners love those who love them. And St Paul, in our first reading, warns us not to do anything that will lead our neighbours into sin, for by sinning in this way, we injure their weak consciences and cause their downfall.

Here, Jesus emphasises that it is natural and universal for human beings to love those who love them. But what makes his disciples different from other people is the ability to love not just everyone but to love their enemies and not take vengeance or bear grudges against one another.

By so doing, they will be imitating God, their heavenly Father, who in his compassionate heart shows equal love to both the good and the bad, not because he is indifferent to morality, but because his love knows no bounds.

Dear friends, today we are called to a life of deeper virtue of sacrificial love; we are called to perfection; we are called to choose love over hatred and forgiveness over vengeance. But when Jesus talks about loving our enemies, he is not telling us to be passive in the face of physical danger or abuse.

Rather, he wants us to realise that hatred is a dangerous thing and must be handled with great care. Because hatred breeds violence and other things that weaken the human soul.

The truth is that our enemies are not necessarily those with whom we are at war, those making life difficult for us or those who hate us, but those whom we hate. And the best way to destroy our enemies is to discover how best we can make them become our friends, not by hating or carrying out vengeance.

How I wish the world would embrace this principle of loving and stretching the hands of friendship and peace to our presumed enemies by investing more resources in things that bring about peace and friendship with one another rather than building a nuclear weapon that breeds more violence and hatred in the world. When this is done, then the world will become more peaceful and loving.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, it is difficult and demanding for us to love our enemies, but this is what you are commanding us to do, give us the grace to bear the sacrificial nature of this demand and so become a true sign of your loving presence to those we encounter in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily for Wednesday, Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 9th September, 2026

 

Readings: 1Cor 7:25-31, Ps.45, Luke 6:20-26

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

A CALL TO LIVE A LIFE OF THE BLESSED FOR THE WORD AS WE KNOW IT IS PASSING AWAY

Oftentimes, when we reflect on the ups and downs of life, the struggles, the tears and the disappointments that people are passing through every day. We wonder and feel that Life is not fair to some people. But does anyone have it all in this world?

The truth is that we all struggle every day to make a significant impact in our society. This significant impact often brings division and separation based on class, social status, and political affiliation. Hence, we talk about the poor and the rich in relation to what people have and possess.

But this is not the same with Jesus, for today in our Gospel passage Jesus talks about the blessings of the poor and the lots of the rich in relation to the virtue of humility and pride towards the things of this passing world and the things of heaven.

For he said, blessed are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now: you shall laugh. But woe to you who are rich: you are having your consolation now. Woe to you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep.

Here Jesus is referring to our disposition towards the things of this passing world and the things of heaven. He wants us to realise that we are not living simply to be happy in this life, but we should be conscious of our heavenly home by constantly examining ourselves on the deeper value of life in the light of what we can bring with us to eternal life.

In this teaching commonly known as the Beatitudes, Jesus gave us the qualities that make for a happy and blessed life. To be blessed means to have inner joy and happiness because of God’s favour upon us. While to be called woe is to have sorrow and pain because we have turned away from God.

However, the poor, the hungry and those weeping in this Gospel passage are not just referring to the regular poor and hungry people around us rather, Jesus is referring to the fundamental character of the virtue of humility that is rooted in the poverty of the spirit, that consciousness of one’s weakness and dependence on God, which can be found in the lives of both regular poor and rich people and can also be lacking in either, depending on one’s disposition. Now we can understand why there is woe to the rich and blessings for the poor

Dear friends, our world needs more virtuous people than rich people. However, blessed are those who are virtuous and rich, but woe to those who are rich and lack virtue, for they shall soon mourn and weep.

And St. Paul, in our first reading, tells us that our time is growing short. Those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn should live as though they had nothing to mourn for; those who are enjoying life should live as though there were nothing to laugh about; those whose life is buying things should live as though they had nothing of their own; and those who have to deal with the world should not become engrossed in it. The world as we know it is passing away.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are always engrossed in the pride of life, an ugly attitude that often separates us from you. Grant us the grace of humility so that in our poverty, hunger, mourning and hatred in this world, our lives may aim towards our heavenly kingdom and make us a shining splendour in our family, society and the world at large. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you. 

Homily For Tuesday, Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 8th September 2026. The Feast of. The Nativity of The Blessed Virgin Mary

 

Readings: Rom.8:28-30, Ps.13, Matt. 1:1-16.18-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

MARY’S BIRTHDAY A REMINDER OF OUR OWN BIRTHDAY AND OUR ROLE IN THE MASTER PLAN OF GOD

God, in his eternal design, made it possible for every human person to have a special role to play in the mystery of this life. Though some seem to have a more significant role than others. However, whether significant or not, the truth still remains that we all have a role to play. But the question is, how are we playing this role? Are we playing according to God’s master plan or against it?

Mother Mary, whose birthday we celebrate today, is a good example of those who played their role according to God’s master plan. For she was chosen in a special way to be the handmaid of the Lord and to play an important part in the history of human salvation and redemption.

A role she played according to God's master plan. As a handmaid of God, she was privileged to be the mother of Jesu,s, our Redeemer. Little wonder our Gospel passage today tells us the history of the genealogy of Jesus from Abraham to Joseph and Mary the parents of Jesus.

From this genealogy, we heard how generations came, generations go, great men and women came and passed on, and new generations continue to spring up. This is our own generation, but the questions remain: our genealogy to what extent can it be traced to that of Christ? The things we are doing now, to what extent have they been influenced by the events of the past generations, and to what extent are they going to influence future generations?

Today, we are reminded that we are playing our own role in the salvation of mankind; our existence means a lot to future generations. And St. Paul in our first reading tells us that God co-operates with all those who love him and all those he has called according to his purpose.

They are the ones he chose specially long ago and intended to become true images of his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest of many brothers. For he called those he intended for this; those he called he justified, and with those he justified he shared his glory.

Dear friends, Mary’s birthday reminds us of our own birth and our role in the master plan of God. For God has plans for every one of us. Our existence is not by chance or providence; rather, it is by the special will of God, who made it possible for us to participate in his mystery at this present age. He could have willed for us to exist in the past or in the future, or not to exist at all.

Hence, never take your existence for granted, because in every moment of our existence, there is a role we are playing. Therefore, let us, like Mary, learn to cooperate with the grace of God and live in accordance with God's plan, for we are all created for a purpose, and that purpose is the role we have to play in this world.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, you created us for a purpose and the birthday of our Mother Mary reminds us of this purpose. Grant that through her intercession we may obtain the grace to live out our purpose in this life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Monday, Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 7th September 2026

 

Readings: 1Cor 5:1-8, Ps.5, Luke 6:6-11

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

NOTHING SHOULD STOP US FROM DOING GOOD

From the Scriptures, it seems every encounter the Pharisees had with Jesus was aimed at finding fault with what Jesus was doing. But to their great surprise, Jesus always escaped and used that opportunity to communicate an important message to the people. Such was the occasion in our Gospel passage today.

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

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

Here we see how Jesus demonstrated his compassionate care for humanity, for the most important thing for God in this world is the human person. That's why he makes every effort to save humanity from damnation. He desires to see us making an effort to become faithful and holy.

His mercy is so deep that he proposes it as the guiding principle for the perfect fulfilment and interpretation of the laws of life. Thus, Jesus, in this passage, has to teach us that humanity’s welfare should not be neglected because of laws and regulations. Nothing should restrict us from doing good to people, not even the laws of the Sabbath.

Therefore, since we desire to honour God’s laws, we must seek the good of people as well. This is what the Pharisees have failed to understand, for they are rather fault-finders and self-righteous people who only wish to mislead the oppressed and suppress the truth and the good works of others just because of their selfish desires to sustain their ego, pride and their worldly ambition. But we should not be like them; rather, we should be compassionate and merciful, for that is what we are called to do.

And St. Paul in our first reading, calls us to examine our lives to see if there is any root of pride and sexual immorality in us. He rebuked the people of Corinth for their immorality and corrupt behaviour, a sinful act which even the pagans condemned. Hence, to overcome this sinful attitude, St. Paul said that we should be handed over to Satan so that our sensual body may be destroyed and our spirit saved on the day of the Lord.

Dear friends, today we are called to constantly do good to everyone, and nothing should stop us from ensuring the well-being of any human being. We are called not to be fault-finders who are blindfolded by pride. We must also renounce all sorts of sinful actions and wickedness that may destroy the purity of our souls. Therefore, let us be compassionate and merciful, for that is what we are called to do in this life, especially in this moment when our societies and families are really in difficult situations.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often fail to listen to your teaching because of our selfish desires and pride. Help us to always listen to you and be willing to do good, especially in applying and interpreting laws and regulations. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed week.

Homily for the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, 6th September 2026. World Day of Prayer For The Care of Creation

Readings: Wis. 13:1-9; Ps. 18; Col.1:15-20; Matt. 6:24-34.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE FUNCTION OF HUMANITY IN GOD’S CREATION

One of the greatest privileges given to humanity in the world is to manage God’s creation. This is not only a privilege but also a great responsibility and function of the human person: to ensure that what God has entrusted to our care is well cared for.

But a deep reflection on the history of how humanity has carried out this great responsibility shows that we have often neglected our duties towards God’s creation. Though we can not neglect the fact that we have, in little measure, enhanced the work of creation while creating more harm to created things.

Little wonder, this season the Holy Mother Church, through our Holy Father, the Pope, calls our attention to the need for us to pay serious attention to the care of Creation, and our liturgical celebration today focuses on this very important theme.

So today we are meant to understand that the care of creation means respecting and protecting our natural ecosystem and environment as a gift from God. A gift that reminds us of our duties and functions as stewards of God’s Creation. Therefore, we should develop a relationship with the rest of the created order in such a way that we live truly fulfilled and dignified lives in accordance with the mind of God the Creator, who said that all he created was very good.

Hence, the Holy Mother Church has been writing about the care of creation in her documents, and Pope Francis brought these documents together in Laudato si, where he talked about the human ecosystem, saying that we can better understand the importance and meaning of each creature if we contemplate it within the entirety of God’s plan.

With this notion, we can fundamentally understand why the call to care for creation becomes very important. Because, we are part of an order willed by God. And, being at the top of that order, we have a duty to care for the gift of the environment entrusted to us.

Hence, our readings today call our attention to this very fact. In the first reading, we are told that from the greatness and beauty of created things comes a corresponding perception of their Creator. For if we have the power to know so much that we could investigate the world, how did we fail to find sooner the Lord of these things?

And St. Paul in our second reading made us know that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities all things were created through him and for him.

While in the Gospel we are meant to consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe us?

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and our heavenly Father knows that we need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be ours as well.

Dear friends, we are God’s special vessels entrusted with his special gift of creation. We must understand our functions towards his creation. We are stewards, we act as caretakers of the earth rather than absolute masters. We must have an Interconnection with what has been entrusted to us. This means protecting the environment, caring for human life, and vulnerable communities.

We have the moral responsibility of governing the ecosystems. Our disregard for the natural inhabitants of creation damages the relationship between humanity and the Creator. Therefore, we must be careful how we use created things with regard to the problem of consumerism. For we often desire to have and to enjoy created things rather than to nurture and grow them. We consume the resources of the earth in an excessive and disordered way. We think that we can make use of the created things without respecting the principles that guide them.

Hence, we are called to conserve resources and reduce wastage of resources, especially food and mineral resources. We are to eat locally grown food, avoid excessive packaging, and compost organic material, respect natural inheritance and grow more mature in management. Pope Francis, in Laudato Si ', says that “The human person grows more, matures more and is sanctified more to the extent that he or she enters into relationships, going out from themselves to live in communion with God, with others and with all creatures. This is the essence of today’s celebration.

LET US PRAY:

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of creation, forgive us for those moments we have failed to respect and care for creation out of our rebellious and proud behaviour, give us the grace and courage to care for creation and 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 blessed Sunday celebration.

Homily for Saturday Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 5th September, 2026

 

Readings: 1Cor4:6-15, Ps.145, Luke 6:1-5

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE MEANING OF THE LAW AND ITS RIGHT INTERPRETATION AND IMPLEMENTATION

Because of the weak and fragile nature of the human person, God made very good and practical laws that he wanted his people to obey, but over time these laws have been multiplied, turned upside down, and misinterpreted in such a way that they have become complex and difficult to obey.

God's law is the law of love, justice, mercy and freedom, for he describes himself as a merciful and compassionate God. This freedom enables us to follow the spirit of the law. Therefore, Jesus comes to bring people back to the law's original intention. He doesn’t come to abolish the law, but to show what God’s original intention was concerning the law.

 This is what our Gospel reading is addressing today. On a Sabbath, Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples were picking ears of corn, rubbing them in their hands and eating them. But some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing something that is forbidden on the Sabbath day?’ Jesus answered them, ‘So you have not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry? And he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is master of the Sabbath.’

Here, Jesus made it known to the Pharisees that they had made the Sabbath too stressful for the people; they were nothing but fault-finders and self-righteous people. The Law was interpreted by the elders and the priests, who passed it down as strict sets of rules and regulations that restricted the activities of the people on the Sabbath,

This often makes many people forget the very reason, purpose and essence of the Sabbath itself. Because the Law was strictly enforced on the people, those who did not obey were often treated with dishonour, just as the Pharisees did to Jesus and his disciples. Pharisees are known for their judgmental and comparative attitude, which makes them feel superior to others.

And this ugly attitude is what St. Paul is addressing in our first reading when he said: ' Keep to what is written.’ It is not for you, so full of your importance, to go taking sides for one man against another. So, St. Paul, using the example of himself, reminded us of the need to be humble and not to look down on others or be judgmental by our comparative attitude. This he did by showing and reminding everyone how he had humbled himself and laboured so hard for the sake of the people.

Dear friends, today Jesus teaches us the original intention of the Sabbath laws in relation to human needs. We should not be legalistic with the law; rather, we should identify the spirit of the law, which is rooted in love, justice and mercy and then follow it. This is what Jesus and his disciples did when, for the sake of their basic human need for survival, go against the ceremonial Sabbath day regulations of not plucking the grain or doing any work.

Also, we are called not to be judgmental, fault-finders and self-righteous people like the Pharisees who, under the cover of the law, planned to judge and condemn the actions of Jesus and his disciples. Therefore, we should rather humble ourselves and focus our attention on what God really want from us, which is to love him and to love our neighbours as well.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, oftentimes, we condemn and judge people based on what the law states without examining and applying the essence and spirit of the law; grant that in our relationship with others, we may begin to apply the true law, which is rooted in love, justice and mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a peaceful weekend. 

Homily For Friday, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 4th September 2026. Readings: 1Cor4:1-5, Ps. 36, Luke 5:33-39 Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING THE DANGER OF MIXING OUR OLD LIFE OF SIN WITH THE NEW LIFE OF GRACE

Oftentimes, we find it difficult to let go of our ugly old ways of life because we are so attached to them. But we must get rid of them if we want to follow Jesus. Little wonder, Jesus, in the Gospel passage today, talks about the importance of pouring new wine into fresh wineskins and the need to avoid using a new cloak to patch an old one.

He said: nobody puts new wine into old skins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins, run out, and the skins will be lost. No; new wine must be put into fresh skins. And nobody who has been drinking old wine wants new. “The old is good”.

Here, Jesus continues to show that he is bringing something new which should not be mixed with the old. So, the fresh wineskins refer to a new heart that has put off the old cloak and looks forward to the new wine of grace through the process of conversion, where we embrace the gift of new life that Jesus is offering to humanity. A gift that differentiates his disciples from other people.

This is so because the Pharisees and the Scribes observed the relationship between the disciples of Jesus and the disciples of John the Baptist as regards their new ways of doing things. So they came to Jesus and asked him questions regarding their manner of fasting and feasting. Jesus used this opportunity to educate them about the New Life of grace which he has come to offer humanity.

For Jesus is the groom and as long as he is around, it would be inappropriate for his disciples to fast. And as his bride, he loves us with a deep and everlasting love. He pays all our debts; he supplies all our daily needs; he sympathises with us in all our troubles; he bears with all our infirmities, and does not reject us because of our weaknesses. However, a time will come when the groom will no longer be with us, then we will surely fast. Telling us that fasting should be done at the right time for the right reasons.

Thus, St. Paul tells us in our first reading, that the Lord alone is our judge. So, there must be no passing of premature judgment. We should leave that until the Lord comes; for he will light up all that is hidden in the dark and reveal the secret intentions of our hearts. Then will be the time for each one to have whatever praise he deserves, from God.

Dear friends, today we are meant to understand the danger of mixing the old life of sin with the new life of grace. 

So we are called to let go of our old sinful ways of life in order to embrace the New Life of Grace God is offering us. Therefore, what is that old garment in our lives that we are patching with the new? What is that old wine of habitual sin that we are pouring into the new wineskins of our redeemed and purified souls?

Today we are called to give a fresh response towards embracing this New Life of grace which Jesus is offering us. As we think about these, let us struggle to avoid our old sinful ways of life and fully embrace the new righteous way of life that God is offering us today.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, You are the source of our New Life; grant us the grace of true and total conversion to find such great Joy in Your abundant Life of grace and mercy through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed and peaceful day. 

Homily For Thursday, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 3rd September 2026. The Memorial of Pope St. Gregory The Great

Readings: 1Cor 3:18-23, Ps. 23, Luke 5:1-11

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

HAVING AN ENCOUNTER THAT LEADS TO TRUE CONVERSION

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

This is the kind of experience that Simon had with Jesus in our Gospel passage today, which made him realise his emptiness and fall to his knees before Jesus, confessing his unworthiness. This is because Jesus had said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’

And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signalled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus, saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.’ But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.’

This encounter brought true conversion to Simon and his companion, changing their destiny from fishermen to fishers of men. For they obeyed the Lord who told them to put out into the deep waters, and as soon as they followed His instructions, they netted so many fish that the whole boat could not take it.

This glorious event manifested the power and grace of God at work in us especially when we humble ourselves. And St. Paul in our first reading said: make no mistake about it: if any one of you thinks of himself as wise, in the ordinary sense of the word, then he must learn to be a fool before he really can be wise. Because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.

Dear friends, like Simon and his brothers, we are called to reflect on our personal encounter with God, an encounter that brings true conversion. But how have we personally experienced God? When was our spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that is not based on what people have told you of him?

In case we have not personally encountered him, all we need to do is sincerely seek God in those common events in our lives. Then, we will realise how much God is willing to reveal himself to us. Just like Pope St. Gregory the Great, whose memorial we celebrate today, he had a personal encounter with the Lord, which propelled his effort in spreading the Gospel message and, by so doing, converted many more souls to the Lord.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, every day is an opportunity to encounter you through different events that occur in our lives. Grant that we may have a personal encounter with you and uniquely experience you in our daily activities, and through this experience discover our purpose in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a favourable day.