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.

Homily For Wednesday, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 2nd September 2026.

 

Readings: 1Cor 3:1-9 , Ps. 33, Luke 4:38-44

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

GOD MAKES EVERYTHING GROW, WE ARE ONLY HIS INSTRUMENTS IN THE WORLD

Every day, every moment, God is working on us so that we can work with him just the way engineers and builders take their time to construct a building plan which an architect has drawn, and this is done in different stages with different instruments.

Some are meant to begin from the drawing of the plan; some join at the pegging, digging and casting the foundation; some specialise in laying the blocks, casting the floor, raising it to the lintel, roofing, plastering, painting and furnishing. But in all this, God is the Master planner who determines what becomes the outcome of the whole structure, but not the instruments he uses.

This is the message St. Paul is trying to communicate to us in our first reading today: it does not really matter who we encounter on our journey of life; only God makes things possible in our life. Other things are only God's fellow workers, his field and also his building. He said this because the people were busy causing division among the instruments God used to minister to them.

They said, ‘I am for Paul’ and ‘I am for Apollos’? But St Paul said to them: “What is Apollos and what is Paul? They are servants who brought the faith to you. Even the different ways in which they brought it were assigned to them by the Lord. I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God made things grow. Neither the planter nor the waterer matters: only God, who makes things grow”.

This is clearly demonstrated in our Gospel passage, when Jesus healed Simon's mother- in- law and others with several diseases as he goes about preaching the Good News of God's kingdom, a purpose for which he came into this world. Thereby demonstrating God's ultimate role and power in our lives.

Dear friends, it does not matter who God has used in ministering to us, what really matters is what God has done and the message he wants to communicate. So, as disciples of Christ, we have the grave obligation to announce the Good News taught by Jesus. We are to bear witness to the truth we have found in Christ. But we should not make ourselves the centre of attraction; rather, God should be at the centre while we make ourselves available instruments in his hands.

Therefore, as God's field and building, no matter the stage we are at with him, what really matters is our cooperation with his grace and plans for us. Let us learn to make God the centre of attraction and not the instruments he uses to accomplish his plans. Remember, you are not God, you are only his instruments in the world. For we are people the Lord has chosen for his heritage.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as your workers and your field, you have invested so much in us; help us to be great instruments in your hands through Christ our Lord. Amen. As you go about your duties, may the favour of God be upon you now and always.

Homily For Tuesday, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 1st September, 2026. HAPPY NEW MONTH

 

Readings: 1Cor2: 10-16, Ps. 145, Luke 4:31-37

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

RECOGNISING THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF JESUS OVER EVIL

From the Scriptures, Jesus seems to have lived in a world of hostility and conflict between good and evil, as well as political witch-hunting, family divisions and demonic possession, just like we have it in our societies today. For there is no doubt that there is an active presence of evil in the world, which manifests itself in different forms.

So every day we struggle against the malice of the evil ones, and people are doing everything they can to overcome them. But often, when children of God are confronted with evil, they don't know what to do and out of fear they fall victim and are helpless because they are ignorant of the power and authority of God in them.

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, we heard how the people of Capernaum, and even the demoniac, recognised that the Divine Authority of Jesus in the world brings victory over the evil ones. For his teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority.

And the man who was possessed by the devil shouted at the top of his voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the devil, throwing the man down in front of everyone, went out of him without hurting him at all. Astonished, they said to one another, ‘What teaching! For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits and they come out.’

Here the demons recognise Jesus as the power of God. His power over the demons directly defeats the evil one, while the restoration of the possessed man signifies the inauguration of God's kingdom in the world. Now, Jesus has given us the gift of his presence in the person of the Holy Spirit, which God has bestowed on us in our baptism. In this gift resides the power and authority to confront evil and overcome it.

Little wonder St. Paul, in our first reading, tells us that the Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God. For we have received the Spirit that comes from God, to teach us to understand the gifts that he has given us. Therefore, we have possessed through the Spirit the power and authority over the evil ones.

We are no longer unspiritual, for an unspiritual person does not accept anything of the Spirit of God: he sees it all as nonsense. But a spiritual man can judge the value of everything, and his own value is not to be judged by anyone, for we have the mind of Christ.

Dear friends, what is our notion about the authority and power of Jesus? Do we still have any doubt about the authority of Jesus? How much of this authority dwells in you? Today the demoniac identified the source of Jesus’ authority as divine, have you personally identified the divine authority of Jesus in your life?

If you have not, why not ask him to activate his power and authority once more in your life, because we have received the gift of his power in our baptism. All we need is to put it into active use, then we will obtain the desired results.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are often ignorant of the power and authority of the Holy Spirit which you gave us on the day of our baptism; may we recognise this divine power and authority once again in our daily struggles with the evil forces in our world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful and prosperous New Month

Homily For Monday, Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 31st August, 2026

 

Readings: 1Cor2:1-5, Ps. 119, Luke 4:16-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHEN YOU NEGLECT PEOPLE YOU LOSE WHAT THEY CAN OFFER YOU

Often, we treat and respect people based on our knowledge of their background and status, so we fail to see the image of God in them or what God is doing through them. This is because our judgment is the product of human wisdom, and when our faith is based on this kind of wisdom, we are bound to neglect and treat others with contempt.

This is the situation in our Gospel passage today. For when Jesus came to Nazareth, his own town, where he had been brought up, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day as he usually did. He taught the people about his mission as prophesied by the prophet Isaiah, and at the end he said to them, ' This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’

And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips. But in contempt they said, ‘This is Joseph’s son, surely? As they ridiculed him, Jesus said ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country. For this reason they tried to kill him.

Here, we see Jesus, who preached inclusion, find himself excluded. His listeners were frightened at his message, and because of familiarity, he was rejected by his own people who glory in their wisdom, which is based on their knowledge of his humble background. This is because they lack true faith as they depend on their human knowledge and philosophy.

This kind of ugly attitude is what St. Paul is addressing in our first reading today when he said: During my stay with you, the only knowledge I claimed to have was about Jesus, and only about him as the crucified Christ. Far from relying on any power of my own, for I came among you in great ‘fear and trembling’ and in my speeches and the sermons that I gave, there were none of the arguments that belong to philosophy; only a demonstration of the power of the Spirit. And I did this so that your faith should not depend on human philosophy but on the power of God.

Dear friends, our relationship with Jesus should not be based on this kind of philosophy; rather, it should be based on our personal experience of the power and love of God in our lives. For it is this personal experience that will help us to embrace his words convincingly and never look down on anyone, but see in all the light of God's presence. Therefore, we are called today to be accommodating and never try to treat anyone with contempt, because anyone can be a potential vessel of God's blessings to us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, out of pride and ignorance, we have often treated people with contempt because of their humble background. Help us today to realise that everyone is a potential instrument of your blessings, and so learn to accommodate people. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed week ahead.

Homily for the Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 30th August, 2026

 

Readings: Jer. 20:7-9, Ps.63, Rom.12-1-2, Matt 16:21-27

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE PAIN OF RENOUNCING THE THINGS OF THIS PASSING WORLD AND THE GAIN OF WINNING ETERNAL LIFE

The material things of this passing world are so captivating and attractive as well. And we are so much engrossed in acquiring them to the detriment of things that edify the soul. People are ready to do anything to acquire material things of this world.

People are ready to kill, blackmail, kidnap, and even sacrifice parts of their bodies just to gain power, acquire properties and belong to a particular class or level that makes them feel influential in society, thereby causing more hostility, persecution, and evil in society.

This really makes me wonder if we are actually learning anything from the lives of those who have passed away from this world. Have we really taken time to reflect on where all of us and the beautiful things of this world will be in the near future?

In fact, I think it is time for us to really think twice about our faith as Christians, whether we are actually ready to live out our faith in the midst of these ugly situations in our societies, which are not stopping soon, for it is getting tougher every day.

Little wonder Jesus, after telling his disciples about his passion and the coming persecution, says in our Gospel passage today: ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For 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 excessive desires for worldly pleasures, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God. Hence, if we are really willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision towards our call for discipleship in a personal and radical way.

These hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our experience in life. For here comes the moment when we have to make a radical and difficult choice 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 this cross we are called to take up? Taking up our cross could mean faithfully facing our daily challenges with all their difficulties. It could mean 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, commitment, love, forgiveness, mercy and compassion, which aims 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, but these make no sense except when we relate it with the sufferings of Christ through faith in God.

We must let our struggles of life lead us to God’s purpose for us. We must not let the captivating and influential power of things of this passing world make us lose focus on our heavenly kingdom. Let us not be like a foolish traveller who, after encountering and admiring a pleasant farm, failed to continue on his journey.

Thus, St. Paul in our second reading tells us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice that is truly pleasing to God. And never to conform ourselves to the pattern of this present world. But let our behaviour be modelled by our new mind in Christ, to discover the will of God and know what is good, acceptable and perfect.

This is possible when we surrender our lives to God just like the prophet Jeremiah in our first reading, who, surrendering to the will of God, said: “You have seduced me, Lord, and I have let myself be seduced; you have overpowered me: you were stronger. For I am a daily laughing-stock. Each time I speak the word, I cry out, I shout and proclaim: ‘Violence and ruin!’ The word of the Lord has meant for me insult, and derision, all day long. But the effort to restrain it wearied me, I could not bear it”.

Dear friends, why do you want to gain the whole world and ruin your life? Do you not know that nothing belongs to you in this world? Do you not know that you are only a manager of whatever you have, including your life? Why will you let your excess desire for material things in this world ruin your soul?

Today we are meant to know that for us to share in the glory of Christ, we have to 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.

The truth is that God knows what we are going through in this world. He has promised that he will stand by us during 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.

Therefore, we are called today to understand the pain of renouncing the things of this passing world and the gain of winning eternal life. So we are to deny ourselves the pleasurable things of this passing world to take up our Cross and follow the Lord. Yes, the material things of this world are captivating and pleasurable, but it is complete foolishness for us to gain the whole world and ruin our lives.

Hence, 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 let go of our excess attachment to worldly things? What are those habitual desires and possessions that are holding us 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: Gracious God, it is indeed foolishness to try to gain the pleasurable things of this passing world and ruin our lives; give us courage and grace to let go of our excess worldly desires to embrace the Cross of Christ. And as we do this, may the Cross of Christ be for us 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 lovely Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday, Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 29th August, 2026. The Memorial of The Beheading of St. John the Baptist

 

Readings: 1Cor. 1:26-31; Ps. 32; Mark 6:17-29

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING THE SACRIFICIAL PRIZE OF STANDING FOR TRUTH AND JUSTICE

In our society today, people hate to hear the sound of the word truth. I wonder why people often tremble when they hear the word ‘truth’? This is obvious in our world today, especially with the ugly situation in our societies, where humanity is placed in the perpetual darkness of corruption, greed and confusion, as the voices that speak the truth are silenced by all means.

Today people don’t want to be transparent and honest in their dealings with others and even with themselves. They don't want anybody to remind them of the hard truth about the realities of life and they can do anything to silence the truth. Thus, the cost of speaking the truth has become so expensive that sometimes it costs the life of an individual or even a whole community. It is even more demanding when the truth to be told has to do with someone in authority.

This is the case with John the Baptist, whose martyrdom we celebrate. For in our Gospel passage today, we heard how his head was the prize for the truth he told to Herod and Herodias concerning his brother Philip’s wife. John had told him that it was against the Law for him to have his brother’s wife. Herod had wanted to kill John but was afraid of the people, who regarded him as a prophet.

But, on the occasion of Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and so delighted Herod that he promised with an oath to give her anything she asked. She conspired with the mother and demanded the head of John the Baptist. The king was distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered John to be beheaded and the head be given to the girl, who took it to her mother.

Here, Herod made a bad decision, and out of pride, he found it difficult to change his mind and admit that he was wrong. He did not plan to execute John that night. He was persuaded by Herodias to do so because he was a weak man. He was a slave to other people’s opinions, for he feared the people who revered John; he also feared the reaction of his guests if he should retract his oath.

These ugly attitudes towards John the Baptist prefigured what they did to Jesus in his Passion, demonstrating how good people, especially when they struggle for truth and justice, are often condemned to suffer at the hands of greed and powerful people.

This same terrible crime is what people are facing every day in our families, communities, country and the world at large. For this same reason, a lot of people have died, and some will still die, and some will continue to suffer because of the truth they have spoken to the enemies of truth.

 But should we stop speaking the truth because of fear of losing our lives? I don't think so, because truth saves life; it brings freedom; it releases tension; it brings peace; and it settles quarrels and disputes. Truth is the freedom that must be offered to everyone, whoever, whenever and however it will best bring conversion to its enemies, just like John the Baptist did to Herod and Herodias even at the expense of his life.

Thus, St. Paul in our first reading today said that it was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen The human race has nothing to boast about to God, but you, God has made members of Christ Jesus and by God’s doing he has become our wisdom, and our virtue, and our holiness, and our freedom. If anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord.

Dear friends, why do we prefer lies and deception over truth? How far can we stand the cost of speaking the truth amid influential and ‘powerful' people? Like Herod, how often do we make bad decisions out of pride and fail to reverse them? When we make such bad decisions, how quickly are we able to change our minds and admit that we are wrong? Also, are we like Herodias who is waiting for an opportunity to silence the innocents who confront us with the truth?

If today we happen to be one of the guests of Herod, what would be our reaction? Would I have protested or stayed silent? Thus, what do we do when we see others suffering injustice? Do we have the courage to speak up, even at the cost of losing, our job, our position, our vocation, friends and even our lives? Today, we are called to speak the truth, for the world needs to hear the truth no matter the cost.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, it is difficult to speak and stand for truth in our world today. But St. John the Baptist died for the truth he spoke to Herod; through his intercession, grant us the grace and courage to become the instrument of your word in truth and deeds, and so speak the truth always to humanity, no matter the cost. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday, Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 28th August, 2026. The Memorial of St. Augustine

 

Readings: 1Cor. 1:17-25, Ps.33, Matt.25:1-13

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

AS YOU KEEP YOUR LAMP OF FAITH BURNING REMEMBER TO CARRY YOUR FLASK OF OIL OF GRACE

Reflecting on how footballers, boxers, athletes, engineers, doctors, farmers, businessmen and women devote time and energy to rigorous preparation towards achieving their goals. I wondered if we can go to this length of rigorous preparation for things in this passing world; it will be even more demanding when it comes to preparing for eternal life. That is why, in the parable of the ten maidens in our Gospel passage today, Jesus emphasises the need to be well prepared.

For if we can devote such time and energy towards our spiritual life, which we often neglect, we will be more awake and prepared than the ten maidens, who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. When the bridegroom delayed, their lamps burned out, and as they went out to get more oil, they missed out because the door was shut after the bridegroom had passed.

In this parable of the ten maidens, Jesus emphasised the need to be well prepared for the coming of God’s kingdom, warning us not to be like the foolish five maidens who were not well prepared and missed out when the bridegroom came. Thus, Jesus commanded us to stay awake, because we do not know either the day or the hour when the Lord will come. Therefore, we must learn to be like the wise maidens who carried their lamps along with the oil.

These lamps symbolise the faith we have in all material things we have acquired in this world: our statues, beauty, handsomeness, properties, our gifts, our academic qualifications and positions, which without the oil of God’s grace are worthless. Also, the extra flask of oil in this parable symbolises the grace of God made active by our inner spirituality, our virtue, and our faith that has been nurtured carefully, which we accumulated gradually through the sacraments we have received.

That is through our righteous deeds, our fasting, our prayers, preaching of the Gospel, studying the scriptures, and our acts of love, mercy and forgiveness. This is what we see in the life of St Augustine, whose memorial we celebrate today when he realised that true happiness is found in interior living and not in material things we possess, he embraced God and became a great instrument in preparing humanity towards the kingdom of God. We, too, can be another great instrument of preparation in God’s hands if we make ourselves available.

Dear friends, as you keep your lamp of faith burning, remember to carry your extra flask of oil of grace. For we can acquire all the lamps of material things of this passing world, but without the extra flask of oil of grace, such as goodness, righteousness, love, mercy, and forgiveness, we will be left behind in this passing world. We will be robbed of both our worldly possessions and heavenly glories.

Hence, our life as Christians demands that we should be alert; we should be prepared at all times and be ready to make sacrifices by carrying our extra oil of grace found in righteousness, commitment, obedience, wisdom and love, like the five wise maidens. Therefore, we should be watchful for we know neither the day nor the hour when the Lord will call us.

Little wonder we are reminded today that this world is passing away, so we need to stay awake and be ready carrying the extra oil of grace, goodness and our righteous deeds. For St. Paul in our first reading today made us know that God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we often fail to listen to your warnings concerning the things of this passing world and the need for us to stay awake and be ready for your coming, give us the grace and wisdom to be well prepared to stand before you whenever you call us, may we never be among those You will say: I do not know you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Thursday, Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 27th August, 2026. The Memorial of St. Monica

 

Readings: 1Cor.1:1-9; Ps.145; Matt.24:42-51

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

DO NOT LET THE DAY OF THE LORD’S COMING TAKE YOU BY SURPRISE: BE PREPARED

As human beings, there are two most important events in our lives. One is well known, prepared and constantly celebrated; that is our birthday. The other, which is the ultimate, is not known and less attention and preparation is being made for it, that is the day of our death.

So, Jesus, knowing how important this day is, instructed his disciples in our Gospel passage, saying: “Stay awake, because you do not know the day when the Lord is coming. You may be quite sure of this: if the householder had known what time of night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

In this passage, we have two commands at the beginning and at the end which are not quite the same. The first command is based on God’s coming at a “day” when we do not know, and the second is in an “hour” you do not expect; that is to say, it will be uncertain, unexpected and surprising.

Just like the householder’s ignorance of the time when the thief would come is the reason why he does not watch. He cannot keep awake all night, and every night, to be ready for him; so he has to go to sleep, and then he is robbed.

Thus our ignorance of the day and time is the reason for our watchfulness, because we can keep awake all the night of our life just like the householder watches to prevent being robbed. So the image of the thief is chosen to illustrate the unexpected approach of the second coming of Christ, which will be a great surprise to those who are asleep, as they will be robbed of Heaven and also deprived of their earthly treasures.

 But the Lord's coming will be a happy day for those that shall be found awake and ready, while it will be very dreadful for those who are not prepared. Thus, St. Paul in our first reading today said I never stop thanking God for all the graces you have received through Jesus Christ for while you are waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed, he will keep you steady and without blame until the last day, the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, because God by calling you has joined you to his Son, Jesus Christ; and God is faithful.

Dear friends, you see why we must be ready for the coming of the Lord. For today we are called to be ready; we are called to repentance; we are called to embrace the new life the Lord is offering us. We are called to a life of constant struggle towards perfection to embrace the Lord whenever he comes.

This is what we see in the life of St Monica, whose memorial we celebrate today, for she devoted her life and talents to praying for the conversion of her son Augustine. She once said to him: “Son, one thing there was, for which I desired to remain still a little longer in this life, that I should see you a Catholic Christian before I died. This God has granted me in superabundance, in that I see you his servant to the contempt of all worldly happiness. What, then, am I doing here?”

Therefore, preparation is the key word. Let us not be deceived when the world suggests to us that the day of death is not coming soon, and so forget who we are, and then the day and time will take us by surprise. Rather, let us be like that wise servant who is prepared at all times for the coming of the master.

LET US PRAY, Lord God, You ask us to be ready for your coming; increase in us the desire to be prepared and ready for that inevitable event of death, so that whenever it comes, it will not be a shock to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. It's a lovely day, may God bless your efforts and grant success to the works of your hands

Homily For Wednesday, Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 26th August, 2026

Readings: 2Thess:3 6-10.16-18, Ps.128, Matt.23:27-32

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

DO NOT LET YOUR INTERIOR LIFE BE LIKE A WHITEWASHED TOMB OF THIS PASSING WORLD

One of the popular terminologies in our society today, is the word “packaging”. People use it to describe how they make things that are not very good look extremely good, and this has a serious negative effect on our society today, as we have lost focus on how we ought to do things right. Thus, most people and things that appear to be good to us are not really what we think they are.

For most people, the things we see are like whitewashed tombs which outwardly appear beautiful and draw the admiration of people, but within them are full of dead human bones and all sorts of corruption just the way Jesus described the attitude and lifestyle of the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospel passage when he addressed their attitude which is not far from what we have today in our societies.

This is because the Scribes and the Pharisees are interested mostly in the external beauty of things around them while neglecting the essence. They are self-satisfied and think that they are above the law. They look good from the outside but ugly and dirty within. They neglected the deeper things around them. They are interested only in worldly goods and not the things of the heart like justice, mercy, love and compassion.

So Jesus challenged them, as he challenges us, to change our ugly ways of life, to change from within us. This is difficult to challenge. Nevertheless, we need to change in so many ways, especially in our attitude toward the things of this passing world.

Dear friends, we might not feel very comfortable with the idea of Jesus rebuking and uttering terrible words of admonition to the Scribes and Pharisees. But the questions we need to ask ourselves are: Have we really embraced the Word of God we hear every day? Is the Word bearing fruit in our lives?

Can we recognise in this fragile condition of our societies the great things that the Lord is doing to save humanity and the need to turn back to God by changing our ugly life that seems like a whitewashed tomb? Hence, Jesus is saying, woe to us for failing to embrace and live out the gospel teachings because he seems to expect some sort of change in us when we hear His words or when we encounter him in prayer.

Therefore, God is calling us to repentance; He wants to come into our souls and dwell. But He cannot dwell in a heart that is like a whitewashed tomb. Thus, Jesus is rebuking all humanity, he wants us to stop living a life of packaging, deception and corruption. And this is what St. Paul is telling us in our first reading today when he said, " We gave you a rule when we were with you: do not let anyone have any food if he refuses to do any work.

Hence, if we believe in God and put our trust in Him, we will have the assurance and guarantee of restoration, for God does not want us to suffer the consequences of our sins; that is why He keeps reminding us about the upcoming danger. But, if humanity constantly refuses to change, we will end up in self-destruction. Therefore, do not let your interior life be like a whitewashed tomb of this passing world.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are living in a world of whitewashed tombs, help us to be wise enough to discern and not be carried away or be distracted by the beauty of the whitewashed tombs we see in most people and things around the world today. And as we struggle with the events of life, may God guide and direct our paths. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Tuesday, the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 25th August 2026

 

Readings: 2Thes. 2:1-3. 14-17, Ps.96, Matt.23:23-26

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHY WE SHOULD BE GOOD LEADERS AND NOT HYPOCRITICAL LEADERS LIKE THE PHARISEES

God created humanity to manage all that He created. To carry out this responsibility, He gave us the mantle of leadership as one of the characteristics of the human person, which makes us unique from every other creature. Thus leadership is a gift from God by which we serve Him and our neighbour responsibly in this world.

But humanity has often abused this great gift because of greed, love of power, fame, and selfishness. This was the attitude of most of the Scribes and the Pharisees in the Gospel today. They had the responsibility to lead the people to the Kingdom of Heaven, but they neither entered nor allowed those who wanted to enter to go in.

Hence, Jesus called them hypocrites and blind guides because they misused the gift of leadership entrusted to them. Many of them multiply the laws to suit their agenda by enforcing a very strict interpretation and application of the law to the smallest details while neglecting the true purpose and meaning of the law.

They only focus on the letter while neglecting the spirit of the Law, thereby making the law a mere formality that gives room for people to take God’s law for granted.

And such attitudes towards the Law are meaningless if not accompanied properly by the desire and understanding from the heart and soul that truly love God. Thus, he called us to embrace love, justice, mercy, and good faith as good qualities of a leader.

Meanwhile, St. Paul, in our second reading, tells us to stand firm and keep the traditions that we were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter and not be swayed by worldly temptations and false leaders who only wish to achieve their ambitions and mislead others from the path of truth.

He also, asked us not to be too excited or alarmed by any prediction or rumour or any letter claiming to come from him, implying that the Day of the Lord has already arrived. We should never let anyone deceive us in any way.

Dear friends, what type of leader are you? Are you a blind and hypocritical leader or a committed and responsible leader? This is important because the major problems in our societies are caused by bad leadership.

So today, we are called not to be hypocrites or blind guides but good leaders who are committed and responsible with whatever we are entrusted with. As leaders we are called to serve God and humanity in any capacity we find ourselves. Remember, the first person to lead is your very self from which we can extend it to others in our families, societies and the world at large.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you have given to all humanity the grace of leadership, but we have often misused it because of greed and selfishness. As we embrace the gift of leadership today, may we never be tired of doing what is good? And as we struggle through the remaining days of this month and the rest of the year, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily For Monday, Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 24th August, 2026. Feast of St. Bartholomew

 

Readings: Rev. 21:9-14, Ps. 145, John 1:45-51

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

BECOMING A PERSON OF INTEGRITY LIKE ST. BARTHOLOMEW IN THE WORLD FULL OF CORRUPTION AND DECEPTION

Reflecting on the ugly situation in our society today, where morals and virtuous actions are no longer valued and fashionable, as society seems to be living, promoting and celebrating artful deception, dishonesty, corruption and fraudsters. Integrity has become a virus to be eliminated as quickly as possible while heroes of deception and fraudsters are honoured and celebrated.

Today, we are called to change this ugly attitude and learn from St. Bartholomew, whose feast we celebrate today. A man of integrity whom Jesus, in our Gospel passage, gave a great compliment when he met him and said, “Behold an Israelite in whom there is no guile.” For there was no deception in him. Jesus could see right away that he was forthright, honest, open, plainspoken, straightforward, innocent and unpretentious.

Bartholomew is commonly known as Nathaniel in the Gospel according to John. A name which means “gift of God” and tradition has it that he preached the Gospel to Armenia, where he embraced martyrdom by being skinned alive before being beheaded. He is now known to be the patron of butchers, plasterers, and tanners, and he is also invoked to intercede in cases of convulsions.

Bartholomew thought that nothing good could come out of Nazareth. Still, when he encountered Jesus, he exclaimed, “Rabbi, you are the son of God”, Jesus acknowledged his faith and promised him that he would see the heaven-opened angels ascending and descending. This can be like what the angel revealed in our first reading, saying: ‘Come here, and I will show you the bride that the Lamb has married.’

We heard that the spirit took him to the top of an enormous high mountain and showed him Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down from God out of heaven. It had all the radiant glory of God and glittered like some precious jewel of crystal-clear diamond.

This teaches us that we should not underrate people because of their humble background. But like Phillip, who introduced Jesus to Nathaniel, we are called to share our experience of Jesus with those we encounter in life, no matter their background and ideology.

Dear friends, the world needs people of integrity like St. Bartholomew, for we are called to imitate him. So, let us be that sign of integrity in a world full of corruption and deceit. Let our everyday encounter with Jesus help to transform us, and by so doing we can transform the ugly situation in our societies and the world at large through our witnessing.

Therefore, let us, like Bartholomew, be courageous and exemplary in our actions so that, living by our faith and doing what the Lord has commanded us to do, we may become great instruments that will win more people and save many more souls for the Lord.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are reminded of the need to live a life of integrity in a world full of deception and corruption. Grant us through the intercession of St Bartholomew, the grace to embrace your word and experience your presence in our lives and so change our ugly and sinful ways of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you uncommon favour from the Lord this week.

Homily for the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 23rd August, 2026

 

Readings: Is. 22:19-23, Ps. 138, Rom. 11:33-36, Matt. 16:13-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE IDENTITY OF JESUS AND HIS AUTHORITY IN THE CHURCH

As social beings, we often make friends whom we can confide in and entrust with our innermost thoughts and plans. But this friendship does not come automatically. There is always a moment when one will want to know if his or her friends can really be trusted, if they truly know and understand who we are and what we represent.

This is the situation between Jesus and his disciples in our Gospel passage this Sunday, when Jesus asked them saying: Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’

Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld shall not prevail against it.

Here, we see how Peter expressed his personal conviction about who Jesus is. He did not need to quote any authority, because his response showed clear, sincere knowledge of who he professed Jesus to be. Hence, Jesus stressed that Peter's faith is a gift from the Father when he said: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.

This is because Peter’s gift of faith comes from his personal response to Jesus. Thus, our faith requires that we give a personal answer to the question: who is Jesus to me personally? For it is not enough to quote the teachings and Catechism of the Church about our faith or the teachings of other theologians and preachers or to respond only from the head, but from the heart that is convinced of what it believes in.

Today most people are following Jesus without knowing who Jesus truly represents. Some people find it very difficult to embrace the teaching of Jesus because they lack the faith and conviction about his personality, even when Jesus has revealed himself to us through his great miracles and teachings. The fact is that Jesus wants us to develop a divine way of looking at things; he wants us to know him deep down in our souls, so that we can profess our faith with deeper meaning and conviction.

This is why he told Simon, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." So, the faith given to Peter by God is the rock on which Jesus built his Church. And this royal authority is what Jesus entrusted to His Church through St. Peter and his successors, of whom our current Pope, Pope Leo, is the 266th successor of St. Peter.

More so, we can see a clear similarity between Simeon Peter and Eliakim in our first reading. Eliakim standing as a prefigure of St. Peter, was the royal steward and the precursor who was appointed as a great Royal Steward of King Hezekiah. For just as Hezekiah was the king of Judah and the master of Eliakim, so has the Lord God appointed St. Peter as the new steward to oversee His Church and His flock.

Little wonder St. Paul, in our second reading today, tells us how great and immense the wisdom and the knowledge of God are, for all that exists comes from him. Thus, referring to the fullness of truth and the wisdom of God, which he has revealed to His Church through the Holy Spirit. And the Apostles, having received the Holy Spirit are to preserve this wisdom and pass it on to their successors from one generation to another.

Dear friends, having heard the teachings and works of Jesus in the scriptures and traditions of the Church, the question remains: Do you really know Jesus? What can you say about him? Who is Jesus to you? What is your personal experience of Jesus? How has your knowledge of Jesus helped other people to come to faith in Jesus? Today we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are concerning our faith as Christians.

We are called today to develop a divine way of understanding the mysteries of God, but not rejecting them because we do not understand them. We are also called to be convinced of who we are and the need to truly unite together in God and His Church, entrusted to St. Peter, of which the gates of underworld shall not prevail. Therefore, let us turn towards God once again with all our hearts and devote our whole lives to seeking to know Him more and more.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, you revealed to St. Peter the true identity of Jesus, your Son; help us to profess our faith with deeper meaning and conviction. And as we experience the power of your presence, may we embrace more deeply your sacred mysteries. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday and remain blessed 

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.