Homily For Tuesday, Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 4th November, 2026. The Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo

 

Readings: Phil 2: 12-18, Ps. 26, Luke 14:25-33

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE SACRIFICIAL NATURE OF DISCIPLESHIP

A true disciple must constantly reflect throughout life to be aware of the seriousness of the commitment required of him/her. Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level

This is obvious when he said: ‘If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.’

Here, Jesus teaches about the cost of discipleship. That there is a price to be paid. However, Jesus does not directly intend to cause tensions and divisions in family life, but he wants us to accept the consequences that come with the truth of the Gospel teaching,

This is important especially when it comes to living out the Gospel message in a radical way, especially in a situation where our family 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.

So, we can only understand these hard words of Jesus in light of our life experience, because there are moments when we must make radical, difficult choices as disciples of Jesus. These moments may wield the sword of division or separation among those people and things which are so dear to us. Thus, he warns that we have to struggle to put him first, before family ties, knowing that divisions will surely occur as people have to decide to be for or against God.

Hence, he states that the cost of discipleship extends to one even losing his life. For none of us can become his disciple if we do not give up our excess desire for worldly pleasures and possessions, and pay our unreserved loyalty and allegiance to God over all other competing loyalties in our lives, including family, self-interest, and possessions.

Dear friends, how much are we willing to let go for the sake of discipleship? Do we find it too demanding? In what ways? Is giving up ‘all my possessions’ realistic, and if not, what does this passage mean to me? Whatever my response may be, may God give us the grace to grow in freedom, to be ready to follow and to serve him in a new way and also be able to speak to the Lord about the points of difficulty in paying this cost.

For St. Paul in our first reading tells us to work out our salvation in fear and trembling, just like St. Charles Borromeo whose memorial we celebrate today, for though he came from a wealthy family of Medici, he dedicated himself entirely to serving his people in a very sacrificial way.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the excessive desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts from becoming a good disciple; give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires, to hold firm in our faith despite losing people and things that are dear to us. And through the intercession of St. Charles Borromeo, may we be outstanding in merit of his virtues and abounding in good fruit by our work and way of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Tuesday, Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 3rd November, 2026. The Memorial of St. Martin De Porres

 

Readings: Phil 2:5-11 , Ps.22 , Luke 14:15-24

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY HAVE WE BECOME TOO BUSY TO HONOUR THE INVITATION TO GOD'S KINGDOM? 

Invitations to events and social gatherings are part of humanity's social ways of life. And as usual, Jesus often uses the things we are very much familiar with to teach us a very important lesson.

So on the occasion of our Gospel passage today, Jesus tells the parable of the great banquet: a man planned a large banquet and sent out invitations, but those invited turned it down, so he opened the invitation to all who care to come. Jesus ends the parable by saying that “not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet”

Here, their excuses for not coming to the banquet are not realistic. Because no one buys land without seeing it first, and the same can be said for buying oxen. And what, exactly, would keep a newly married couple from attending a social event? All the excuses in the parable show insincerity on the part of those invited.

Hence the invitation is opened up to society’s maimed and downtrodden. The fact is that those who ignored the invitation to the banquet chose their own punishment; they missed out, and the master respects their choice by making it permanent: they would not “taste of my banquet”, he said.

So it will be with God’s judgment on those who choose to reject Christ or are too busy to respond to his invitation; they will have their choice confirmed, and they will never taste the joys of heaven. Therefore, let us learn to honour the invitation of God in humility.

This is what it means to be just like Christ Jesus whose state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross as we heard in our second reading today.

Dear friends, the kingdom of God is opened for us today, let us not be too proud or busy to embrace it for the blessings of the kingdom are available to all who will come to Christ by faith. Let us learn to be humble and charitable with the gift God has given us, just like St. Martin De Porres, whose memorial we celebrate today.

For he was known for his care for the poor and the sick, using his knowledge in medicine and extraordinary spiritual gifts with a profound life of prayer, humility and penance. And today he is known as the patron saint of African Americans.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are too busy with the things of this passing world, as we hear about the invitation to your Heavenly Kingdom today, may we embrace it with all humility while imitating St. Martin De Porres whose life is rooted in the humility of Christ your Son who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Monday, Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 2nd November, 2026. The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls' Day)

Readings: Wis.3:1-9, Ps.23, Rom 5:5-11, Matt. 5:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

COME LET US OFFER SOME HELP TO SUFFERING SOULS IN NEED OF PURIFICATION

Reflecting on the number of men and women who have passed on from our community this year, I asked myself, in my deep sorrow, where will all of us in this beautiful community be in the next hundred years? Where are all these people who have departed from us? Were they like us before? Will we be like them later?

 With this in mind, I realised that there is time for everything in this world, a time to be born, and a time to die, a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to break down and a time to build up (Eccl: 3:1-11).

Little wonder the Church in her wisdom asked us every 2nd November, a day after the solemnity of All Saints, to commemorate and pray for all the faithful departed (All Souls), especially the suffering Church, that is, those souls that belong to the body of Christ but are still in need of purification. So today we remember our loved ones who have gone before us into eternal life.

This we do not in grief but in the spirit of faith and hope, knowing that they are living in communion with us as they share in the resurrection of Christ. Just as we heard in our first reading, the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, for those who are faithful will live with him in love, since grace and mercy await those he has chosen.

Hence, St. Paul in our second reading tells us to rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation in order to live a beatific life which Jesus gave us in our Gospel passage today.

Dear friends, do you know that you can offer some little help to souls struggling to attain heaven our beatific vision? Do we know that there are helpless souls who only rely on our help to attain the beatific vision? What am I willing to do for these helpless souls?

Before now, have I even thought that my departed brethren need my assistance to reach their destination? Am I sure that I can avoid this state of suffering and purification? Do we ever remember that our loved ones may be there now?

Perhaps while they were in this life, they were of great help to us. Do we realise that our prayers and sacrifices represent the key to release them, and we can use it if we want to? Do we care about using it?

Therefore, as we remember the souls who are passing through this rigour of purification, it would be good for us to offer some prayers of intercession especially for our loved ones as plenary indulgence awaits us when we do this devoutly today or any day in this month of November at the Holy Mass or at the cemetery.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we commemorate and pray for all souls today, may the light of your mercy shine upon them, especially those who are in need of your mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let your perpetual light shine on them. May their souls rest in peace. Wishing you a blessed week.

Homily For Sunday, Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 1st November, 2026. Solemnity of All Saints. HAPPY NEW MONTH

 

Readings: Rev. 7:2-4.9-14, Ps.24, 1John 3:1-3, Matt. 5:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS A REMINDER OF OUR ORIGINAL VOCATION TO HOLINESS AND LOVE

Today, the Church celebrates three special events; the first one is the Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, the second is the gift of another new month, for which I say happy new month to you all. The second, which is the most important, is the solemnity of All Saints. The Church, as we know, is not just the physical structure we have all over the place; no, the Church is much more than that. The Church is the body of Christ, and every one of us is a member by virtue of our baptism.

This Church is divided into three groups, that is the militant Church, the suffering Church and the triumphant Church. The militant Church are all of us, especially the baptised, who are still inhabiting and struggling with the human flesh. But immediately after death, we belong either to the suffering Church or the triumphant Church.

The suffering Church is the souls that belong to the body of Christ but are still in need of purification. The triumphant Church are the souls that have been purified by the blood of the Lamb and are united with Christ. They are the saints that we are celebrating today.

Thus, every first November, the Church presents to us the solemnity of All Saints. A day we celebrate the triumphant Church that is all the saints known or unknown to us who have triumphed to heavenly glory, which, of course, reminds us that we are called to grow in holiness and to become saints, for that is our primary goal in life.

This solemnity dates back to the 7th century, and the occasion of its introduction was the conversion of the ancient Roman Pantheon into a Christian Church. Emperor, Phocas gave the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV, who converted it into a Church and dedicated it to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints about the year 608. But later in the year 731, Pope Gregory III consecrated a chapel in St. Peter’s Church in honour of all the saints, and since then, the solemnity of All Saints has been celebrated all over the world.

Therefore, in this great event, we are called to imitate the heroic virtues of the saints by living a life of beatitudes as peacemakers, pure of heart, meek, humble and merciful, as Jesus teaches us in our Gospel passage today. In our first reading, St. John in the Book of Revelation tells us that these saints are the people who have been through great persecution, and they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb.

Also, in our second reading, he made us know that we are already the children of God, but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; but when it is revealed, we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is. And everyone who entertains this hope must purify himself and try to be as pure as Christ.

Dear friends, why must we celebrate the saints? We celebrate the saints because they remind us of our universal vocation to holiness. Through their intercessions, they strengthen us in our struggles towards our goal, which is to attain eternal life. They help us to recall our communion with God along with the triumphant church and our duty to pray for the suffering Church. The saints remind us that we are pilgrims on this earth.

Therefore, this solemnity strengthens our faith in the teachings of the Church. No doubt all of us want to become saints, and oftentimes, we really want to live a holy life, but there are always obstacles on our way to holiness; these obstacles make us so aware of our sins, our weaknesses and our failures.

Yes, we are sinners, but so are the saints. They only relied on God’s mercy and grace, and so do we. We cannot become holy through our efforts alone; we need to cooperate with the grace of God. Remember, anything worth having is worth making sacrifices for, and the more it’s worth, the more significant sacrifices we should be willing to make for it. If holiness is necessary for one to attain heaven. Then it is worth all the sacrifices Jesus mentioned in the beatitudes.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as a militant Church on earth, there are a lot of troubles and challenges we are struggling with; help us through the intercession of all the saints to overcome them and so make it triumphantly to your heavenly kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy new month and a blessed All Saints celebration.

Homily For Saturday, Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 31st October, 2026

Readings: Phil. 1:18-26, Ps 42, Luke 14:1.7-11

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING THE POWER AND GRACE IN EMBRACING HUMILITY OF LIFE

One virtue the world needs more of now is humility; our society lacks it because pride has become a way of life that many people wish to embrace. Hence, we often hear people saying in a very proud way, " Do you know who I am? By the time I finish with you then you will fear me. We hear people taking all sorts of honorific titles, whether merited or not; they want to be addressed and recognised so gloriously at every public event.

This should not be our attitude or disposition toward Jesus in our Gospel passage today, while addressing the Pharisees, who told a parable about humility, saying: When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place.

No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

Here, we see the importance of humility; we see how humility can help to elevate someone from nothing to something great. Pride can bring down the mightiest to nothing. The truth is that humility is not a way of glory, but a road of surrender that leads to passion and the death of oneself. It is a way of sacrifice, a service to others at the price of self- sacrifice. That is why many people do not want to be humble.

Dear friends, it may seem so difficult to embrace the virtue of humility, especially in our society today, but this virtue has a lot to offer us both as individuals and as a group. In fact, our world is in need of humble men and women, because a good society is built on all kinds of commendable virtues such as humility.

Therefore, as we end the October Devotion today, it is time for us to put off our old self, which is led by pride, the first capital sin, and put on a new person born of humility, love, compassion, contentment, purity, forgiveness, etc.

So let us work hard to add more virtues in our activities and behaviour, for blessed are those who are virtuous, for they easily solve their problems. Thus, why not try humility in solving those difficult and challenging moments in your life? Just try to be humble because it works like a miracle.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we have often failed to follow the example of Christ humility which he has taught us. As we are reminded once again of the need to be humble, give us the grace to truly be humble at any level we find ourselves. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and peaceful weekend.

Homily For Friday, Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 30th October 2026

 

Readings: Phil. 1:1-11, Ps 111, Luke 14:1-6

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

DO NOT LET ANY SITUATION RESTRICT YOU FROM DOING GOOD TO PEOPLE

Most times, when we reflect on the relationship between Jesus and his audience, we wonder how he was able to manage all the situations placed before him, even when it seems as if he has no escape route. Such is the situation in our Gospel passage today when, on a Sabbath day, Jesus went for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees who had invited him; they watched him closely.

This is because in front of him was a man with dropsy, and Jesus addressed the lawyers and Pharisees saying: ‘Is it against the law to cure a man on the Sabbath, or not?’ But they remained silent, so he took the man and cured him and sent him away.

Here, we see Jesus who always honours all his invitations, whether from the poor or the rich, friends or ‘enemies’, including Pharisees and Sadducees, whose invitation was a trap to set Jesus up. But Jesus cannot be trapped; rather, he used the opportunity to teach us that no Sabbath law, no religious restriction, can ever forbid us from being compassionate and caring for the poor and the sick.

Dear friends, we must learn to be compassionate no matter the situation we may find ourselves in, because Jesus has always been compassionate. For St. Paul in our first reading tells us that this kind of attitude will help us to become pure and blameless, and prepare us for the Day of Christ, when we all will reach the perfect goodness which Jesus Christ produces in us for the glory and praise of God. But we need to ask ourselves: are we willing to show love, compassion and care, especially to those who need our love and care?

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often wish to be compassionate and caring like you. But we often fail because of fear and lack of proper disposition. As we listen to your words today, may we find the courage to be compassionate and caring. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily for Thursday, Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 29 October 2026

 

Readings: Eph.6:10-20, Ps 144, Luke 13:31-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING HOW TO USE THE WEAPON OF OUR WARFARE

In this world, we struggle with so many things, and we often encounter ugly events and challenges that cause us sorrow and pain. Most of the time, we don't know how to handle those moments.

This is because there is an active presence of evil in the world, which manifests itself in different forms. So every day is a struggle against the malice of the evil one, and people do everything they can to overcome it.

Today, St. Paul, in our first reading, encouraged us to be strong and prepared against the attacks and assaults from the evil one, and its wicked forces. He said: Put on the whole armour of God to be able to resist the devil’s tactics. For it is not against flesh and blood that we have to struggle, but against the principalities and powers originating from the darkness of this world.

 So stand your ground, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, and put on the integrity of life for a breastplate, wearing shoes on your feet with that eagerness to spread the gospel of peace and always carrying the shield of faith so that you can use it to put out the burning arrows of the evil one.

And then take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. He told us to be firm in our faith in God and to be ready to resist those who are going to try to harm us and bring us down.

This is exactly what Jesus did in our Gospel passage today when some of the Pharisees warned him to leave the area where he was teaching because Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great was after him. This warning was just a way of trying to get rid of Jesus by frightening him using external forces and authority under the name of Herod.

But Jesus was not moved by all their threats. For he knows that his mission is part of God’s larger plan, which can not be interrupted by any external forces or authority. Hence, he ignored them and continued with his work of healing the people and liberating them from evil ones

Dear friends, our lives are in God’s hands, for we are part of God’s larger plan, and nothing will happen to us that conflicts with God’s wishes and plans for us. All we need is to embrace the whole armour of God in faith, with the belt of truth buckled round our waist, and put on integrity of life for a breastplate, with eagerness to spread the gospel of peace

We are to carry the shield of faith so that we can use it to put out the burning arrows of the evil ones, using the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. By so doing, we overcome the ugly situation we face every day in our societies and families today.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, every day is a struggle against the malice of the evil ones, and oftentimes, we don’t know what to do. As we embrace your words today, grant that we may find the courage and strength to conquer our fears and struggles against the evil ones, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful day

Homily For Wednesday, Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 28th October 2026. The Feast of SS. Simon and Jude, Apostles

 

Readings: Eph.2:19-22; Ps 19; Luke 6:12-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING AND EMBRACING THE SACRIFICIAL NATURE OF DISCIPLESHIP

Will you leave? Will you care? Will you risk? Will you let the Lord lead you? These are questions of great demand which every true disciple must constantly reflect on in life to be aware of the seriousness of the commitment required of every one of us as disciples of Jesus. Today, as we celebrate the feast day of the great apostles St. Simon and St. Jude, our liturgy presents this great demand and our readings propel us to reflect on our call to discipleship.

In the Gospel, we heard how Jesus, after deep prayers, called from among his disciples twelve apostles, of whom Simon and Jude were part. Simon also known as the Zealot, was a member of the Zealots, the extremists who fought for the freedom of the Israelites against the Romans at the time of Jesus. St. Jude, often referred to as St. Jude Thaddeus, was a member of the extended family of Jesus.

These two apostles, along with others, followed the Lord faithfully throughout his ministry. Simon, though a member of the Zealots, abandoned his previous life as a freedom fighter for a great missionary work along with St. Jude Thaddeus, who was the probable author of the Epistle of St. Jude.

These two apostles together served the Lord, reached out to many peoples, and evangelised many nations. That is why both of them are celebrated together today, because of their missionary zeal and commitment to God even to the very end of their lives.

Tradition has it that Simon spread the Gospel to places like Persia and Armenia, Egypt and Ethiopia, and along with Jude, they evangelised throughout Judea, Samaria, Persia, Armenia and other places. Sadly, after many decades of missionary activities, these two great apostles were martyred in Lebanon.

They committed themselves wholeheartedly to the mission of Christ and his Church; they converted many and established firm foundations of the Christian faith in many places. Little wonder St Paul, in our first reading, tells us that we are fellow citizens of God’s household that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations and Christ Jesus himself as its main cornerstone.

Dear friends, evangelisation is the very nature and essence of the Church. And Jesus gives us the mandate and the commission to evangelise, that is, to announce the Good News to all the nations and to spread the Gospel to every creature. This commission is shared by all those who are baptized both priests and lay faithful.

Everyone has a particular responsibility to share in the work of proclamation of the Gospel. Today, we should ask ourselves, how have we proclaimed the Gospel to the world? What efforts are we making to ensure that the mandate Christ entrusted to us is carried out effectively in our generation?

Therefore, at this moment when the world is confused because we have removed God from our daily lives, at this time when we have placed our hope in the activities of the human person who seems to have taken the place of God, at this time when our governments, scientists, doctors, lawyers, professors and even pastors have assumed the place of God, which of course, has brought about the ugly situation we are facing in our societies today.

We are reminded once again about our very mission, for it is time to take this mandate very seriously because it is our responsibility to fulfil our promises to God and ensure that the Christian faith is preached and sustained in the world and by so doing save humanity once again from sin, death and destruction that we have caused for ourselves.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are lost in this world; we are confused because we have cut ourselves off from You our cornerstone, as we come back to You once again, please give us the grace to preach the Gospel following the examples of saints Simon and Jude, may we learn from their teaching and walk faithfully in the footsteps of Christ and by so doing draw humanity back to You once again. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Tuesday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 27th October 2026

 

Readings: Eph.5:21-33, Ps 128 , Luke 13:18-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

MAKE YOUR HEART A FERTILE GROUND FOR THE WORD OF GOD TO GROW LIKE A MUSTARD SEED

In the scriptures, it is obvious that Jesus often likes to use a simple story to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson when addressing the people regarding very important things. So, by couching his teaching in parables, Jesus made certain points much clearer to his audience.

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, where he told us two parables, the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the Yeast, using them to describe the nature of God’s kingdom, which he came to establish in the hearts of humanity.

In these parables, Jesus compared the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed growing from the Word of God spoken to the hearts of his few disciples which will grow and spread in the hearts of all humanity. This analogy focuses on the size of the seed that grows to become a mighty tree that gives shelter and salvation to all.

Here also, Jesus is not just speaking of the size of the mustard seed, but the faith of the people as that of a mustard seed. Telling us that just as the mustard seed responds to the word of God and grows into a mighty tree, so will the faith of the people grow into great vessels through hearing and doing what the word of God says. However, God has given humanity the freedom to choose whether to hear his word and embrace the faith to bear the fruits of the kingdom or to reject it and perish.

More so, this analogy of the mustard seed symbolises the humble beginnings of the Christian faith, which is well watered by the Holy Spirit to grow and give life and hospitality to all the people of the world.

However, we need to know that there are good-for-nothing seeds present in this world to deceive people from listening to God’s word, seeds such as fear, regrets, doubt, jealousy, hatred, disrespect, greediness, lying, gossip, impurity, wickedness and all sorts of sinful acts.

Those who embrace these good-for-nothing seeds follow the dictates of their hardened hearts and will soon be thrown away as good-for-nothing because they have not listened to God’s words. Hence, St. Paul, in our first reading, encouraged us to embrace the good seeds of God’s words in our families by giving us the principles that will guide the relationship between husband and wife using the analogy of the relationship between Christ and his Church.

Dear friends, make your heart a fertile ground for the word of God to grow like a mustard seed. But today, we have different kinds of seeds. So, the question remains, what kind of seeds are we embracing and watering in our lives today? Are we watering valuable mustard seeds of faith and love or weeds of fear, regrets, doubt, jealousy, hatred, disrespect, greediness, lying, gossip, impurity, wickedness and all kinds of sinful deeds that will destroy us?

Today, we are called to quit watering these weeds because that's what the enemies want, and we must not fall into their traps. Rather, we are called to water those valuable mustard seeds of faith, love, holiness, hospitality, obedience, and charity and make them our values of life. When we feed and water such values, we will grow stronger like the mustard tree where people may find solace and so build up God’s kingdom.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as you sow the seeds of your word in our hearts, give us the grace to water and grow it into the mustard tree of faith, holiness and hospitality that will usher us into your kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily For Monday, Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 26th October, 2026

 

Readings: Eph. 4:32-5:8; Ps 1; Luke 13:10-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

LEARN TO DO GOOD AND APPRECIATE THE GOOD OF OTHERS AND NOT A FAULT-FINDER

From the Scriptures, it seems like every encounter that the Pharisees had with Jesus was always aimed at finding fault with what Jesus was doing. This is because they are jealous of Jesus' great work. But to their surprise, Jesus always escaped and used the opportunity to communicate an important message to the people.

Such was the occasion of our Gospel passage today. When on a Sabbath day Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a woman was there who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that left her enfeebled; she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright.

When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are rid of your infirmity,’ and he laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God. But the synagogue official was indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, and they addressed the people present saying: There are six days when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the Sabbath. Then Jesus said, This woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years, was it not right to untie her bonds on the Sabbath day?

Here the synagogue official affirms that the Sabbath is not an appropriate time for God to manifest his compassion and mercy. But Jesus, on the other hand, made us know that God’s actions cannot be dictated or restricted by humans. God’s mercy and healing know no limits of time or place if we sincerely turn to him.

Hence, 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 of the laws of life.

This, Jesus, in this passage, has to teach us that humanity’s welfare should not be neglected because of laws and regulations. That 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 jealousy and their selfish desires to sustain their ego, pride and their worldly ambition, since they dwell in the flesh rather than the Spirit. So, we should not be like them; rather, we should be compassionate and merciful like our Lord Jesus Christ, for that is what we are called to do.

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading, tells us that we can be quite certain that nobody who actually indulges in fornication or impurity or promiscuity-which is worshipping a false god-can inherit anything of the kingdom of God. Do not let anyone deceive you with empty arguments: it is for this loose living that God’s anger comes down on those who rebel against him. Make sure that you are not included with them. You were darkness once, but now you are light in the Lord; be like children of light.

Dear friends, no law or regulation should stop us from ensuring and caring for the well-being of people around us. So today, we are called to constantly do good to everyone. We are called not to be fault-finders who are blindfolded by pride.

We must also renounce all sorts of immoral 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.

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 always, as we resolve to live a life of purity and humility. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed week ahead

Homily for the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, 25th October 2026

 

Readings: Ex. 22:21-27, Ps.18, 1Thess. 1:5-10, Matt. 22:34-40

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY LOVING GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR ARE THE GREATEST PRIORITIES OF THE HUMAN PERSON

Due to the fragile and contingent nature of the human person, there are so many principles we need to embrace in order to ensure peaceful coexistence with one another and with our environment. These principles have a way of assuring us peace and success in whatever we do, but neglecting these principles will bring about grave consequences.

Hence, when we are faced with the realities of life, we want to know the principle that should be our first priority and the foundation of every other principle. In fact, we always desire to know what is required of us in this life.

This is partially the deposition of the Pharisees in our Gospel passage today, who, after they had exhausted all their energy trying to see how they could discredit the teachings of Jesus, who had just silenced the Sadducees, came together, and one of them asked Jesus a question concerning which commandment is the greatest.

In response Jesus reminded them of the 'Shema Israel', the prayer that they knew and recited 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 their 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.

Here, Jesus gave us the fundamental principle that should guide human existence. He made it clear that loving God and our neighbours are the greatest priority of the human person. 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.

This is the foundation of all the things we have to do. And Jesus set as a standard for all to see, not just by the love he was able to show to people, but by the depth of love which he showed by dying and rising for our salvation.

This principle of love, especially that of loving our neighbours, is what we have in our first reading, where we were told not to molest the stranger, for we all are strangers in the world. We must not be harsh with the widow, the orphan, the poor, the less privileged; if we do, they will surely cry out to God, and be sure he shall hear their cry; his anger will flare and he will surely visit the oppressors with the same sword with which they used against the poor, as we have seen in our country today.

Therefore, we are called to show love to our neighbours, especially the poor, the widow and the orphans. We are called not to embezzle public resources meant for the good and well-being of the poor. Rather we are called to learn from the early Christian community who embraced this principle of love in a very practical way as we have in our second reading today

Here, we heard St. Paul saying: you observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your instruction, and you were led to become imitators of us, and of the Lord; and it was with the joy of the Holy Spirit that you took to the Gospel, despite the great opposition all round you.

Dear friends, love is the centre of all the teachings of Jesus, for love is a gift from God to humanity. It is like the stream water, so innocent and pure. True love is not hidden; it radiates from the innermost being of a person who experiences 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 best 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. The rate of corruption and greediness in this country is so appalling. People are never tired of acquiring and embezzling public funds for their own selfish gain and now they are coming back again to ask permission to continue with this ugly behaviour.

So there is no doubt, we need a radical transformation. A transformation that will bring about a new outfit that makes one a new person, with a new life, a new mind and a new way of doing things. And this is possible only when we understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of greediness; then we will be able to do things the right way.

For this country will be transformed only when the power of love and goodwill supersedes the love of power and then, justice and faithfulness become the habit of everyone of us in this country. 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 country, a happy society and a happy family.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the world is full of distractions, evil and selfish people. Help us to build a family, society and the world that is governed by love, goodwill and integrity of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a lovely Sunday celebration. 

Homily For Saturday, Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 24th October 2026

 

Readings: Eph.4:7-16, Ps 122 , Luke 13:1-9

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

EVERY MOMENT OF OUR LIFE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REPENT AND BE FRUITFUL

With the ugly situation in our country today, there is no doubt that both the poor and the rich are testifying to the suffering in our society. Hence, we can feel the struggles, the scarcity of food and resources, the kidnappings, the killings, the flooding, the tears, and the disappointments that people are passing through every day. Some people are losing hope in themselves and even in everything they do as they run up and down seeking solutions.

The poor seek daily bread, upliftment, and favour; the rich seek protection and good health, while the evil ones take advantage of the situation to destroy the people's little hope and faith. All these are signs from God who gives us the opportunity to repent from our sinful ways of life.

This is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today when he said: “Do you suppose the Galileans who suffered like this were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No, but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Then, with the parable of the barren fig tree, Jesus showed that God has made every moment of our lives an opportunity to repent and be fruitful.

This is clear when he said in the parable, “Look, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the man replied, “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”

Such is God’s patience with us for he gives us the opportunity to turn away from our sinful and ugly ways of life. Repentance is the key message of this Gospel, for Jesus makes it clear that those who suffered and were killed were not worse offenders than others; rather, he uses the opportunity to call us to repentance. Note that the purpose of this message is not for condemnation but for redemption.

This is what St. Paul is emphasising in our first reading, saying: we shall not be children any longer, or be tossed one way or another and carried along by every wind of doctrine, at the mercy of all the tricks men play and their cleverness in practising deceit. But if we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together.

Dear friends, this call for repentance shows us that it is not too late for us to repent, for this may be the last opportunity. Because we can never tell what will happen in the next moment. We can never tell who is next to die, and we can never know the form it will take, or where it will occur. All that matters is for us to repent now that we still have the opportunity.

Therefore, let us repent now, for repentance helps us to be well-disposed in life and for death. It helps us to live right and at peace with God and with one another. It gives us the courage and confidence to face any situation without fear of death.

LET US PRAY: Almighty, ever-living God, You are the author of our lives, freedom and salvation; all we have are yours. Thank you for being with us in our daily troubles, struggles, fears, tears, hope and joy. May you provide for the poor, console the troubled, heal the sick, protect and put smiles on the faces of your children today and always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed and safe weekend. 

Homily For Friday, Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 23rd October 2026

 

Readings: Eph.4:1-6, Ps 24, Luke 12: 54-59

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

HOW ARE YOU INTERPRETING THE SIGNS OF THIS PASSING WORLD?

As human persons, we often try to discern the events happening around us in order to predict what the outcome of such events may be in the future. We often read the signs of nature to predict what will happen in the environment.

Little wonder Jesus, while rebuking the crowd in our Gospel reading today, said: when you see a cloud looming up in the west, you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How can you not interpret these times?

Here, Jesus condemned the ugly attitudes of the crowds for they can read the signs of nature and so predict the future, but now out of jealousy and selfishness, they have failed to recognise the truth by refusing to acknowledge Jesus one who comes from God, one who speaks God’s word and acts in the power of God. So Jesus rebuked them for such a hypocritical attitude. In the second aspect of the Gospel, Jesus is asking us to put things right while there is still time.

Thus, St. Paul, in our first reading, implores us to lead a life worthy of our vocation. To bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience by preserving the unity of the Spirit, knowing that we are one Body, one Spirit, sharing the same hope in one Lord, one faith, one baptism in one God who is Father of all.

Dear friends, there are so many signs around us today. How are you interpreting the signs of this passing world, the signs that tell us that this world is passing by? What is our disposition towards these signs? Can we identify the signs of our time? How can we understand and interpret them?

Are we reading the hand of God in what is going on around us, especially in our country, societies and our families? How are we responding to these signs? What do we think Jesus would do if he were living with us now? Today, Jesus is calling us to discernment. We have to discern our actions towards the signs we see in our world today.

Though it is very easy to condemn the ugly situation going on in our country, societies and families, are we learning anything from it? Are we having any sense of guilt and repentance? Why allow this evil to linger in us by getting into endless arguments and deception when we already know what is right?

Why waste so much time arguing about unnecessary things while missing out on the main points that are more basic and challenging? I think it is time we come back to the real issues, which are justice, honesty, transparency, equity, love and respect for human life and property. These are the things we all need to put right at all levels and sectors we find ourselves in.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, in every event that happens to us, you said, has your mark on it. Help us to discern the signs of our time, in order to embrace your will for us and to follow you wherever you may lead us as we struggle to overcome the ugly situation in our country, societies and families. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. May God protect and keep us safe always.

Homily For Thursday, Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 22nd October 2026

 

Readings: Eph.3:14-21; Ps 33; Luke 12: 49-53

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTING THE REALITY FROM THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGES

The way things are going in our societies today, we need to think twice about our faith as Christians and whether we are ready to live out our faith in the midst of the ugly situation in our country today. The hostility, brutality, persecution, and the influential power of worldly things, which have eaten deep into the minds of our leaders, are disturbing, for things are getting tougher, and we need to do something about it.

Therefore, if we are willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision towards our discipleship in a personal and radical way, for these days, it is not enough to say I am a Christian; we must convincingly and radically practice our faith by following the example of our Lord Jesus.

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level when he said: 'Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on, a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, a daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, a daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.

Here, Jesus does not directly intend to cause tensions and divisions in family life, but he wants us to accept the consequences that come with the truth of the Gospel teaching; more importantly, when it comes to living out the Gospel message radically, especially in a situation where our family values have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excessive desires for worldly pleasures and possessions, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God.

So, these hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our life experience because there are moments when we have to make radical and difficult choices as disciples of Jesus. These moments may wield the sword of division or separation among those people and things which are so dear to us.

However, Jesus does not endorse us engaging in armed conflict, but he warns that we have to struggle to put him first before family ties, knowing that divisions will surely occur as people have to decide to be for or against God. Hence, he states that the cost of discipleship extends to one even losing his life. Because following Jesus demands the sacrifice of all that one has.

None of us can become his true disciple if we do not give up our excess desire for worldly pleasures and possessions and pay our unreserved loyalty and allegiance to God over all other competing loyalties in our lives, including family, self-interest, and possessions. Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading prayed for us to grow strong in faith and love of God our Father, from whom every family, whether spiritual or natural, takes its name

Dear friends, we are called today to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully live out our Christian faith and morals. But how much are we willing to let go for the sake of our faith in God? Why are we finding it difficult to follow Jesus? What are 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: Lord God, the excessive desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts towards you; give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires and attitudes, to hold firm in our faith despite losing people and things that are dear to us, as we ask you to heal and transform our nation once again. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily For Wednesday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 21st October 2026

Readings: Eph.3:2-12, Isaiah 12, Luke 12: 39-48

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

A CALL TO BE READY AND RESPONSIBLE

Oftentimes, I observed how people devote time and energy to rigorous preparation towards achieving their goals. I realised that adequate preparation is the secret and foundation of every successful event.

Then I said to myself, if we can go to this length of rigorous periods of preparation just for things of this passing world, it will be even more demanding when it comes to preparing for eternal life.

Therefore, if we can devote such time and energy towards our spiritual life, which we often neglect, we will be more awake and prepared for the day of the Lord. This is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today when he said to his disciples: “Be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

Then he used the parable of the faithful and wise steward to make this point clearer. He concluded by saying: when a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’

In this passage, we have two commands at the beginning and the end, which are not quite the same. The first command is based on God’s coming at a “day” when you do not know, and the second has to do with managing the responsibility entrusted to us. For just as the householder’s ignorance of the time when the thief would come is the reason why he does not watch.

Thus, our ignorance of the day and time should be the reason for our watchfulness in order 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 even their earthly treasures.

Hence, Jesus commanded us to stay awake, because we do not know either the day or the hour when the Lord will come. And St. Paul, in our first reading, says: I, who am less than the least of all the saints, have been entrusted with this special grace, not only of proclaiming to the pagans the infinite treasure of Christ but also of explaining how the mystery is to be dispensed.

So, how are we managing the responsibility entrusted to us, especially the responsibility of managing our lives and also the lives and properties entrusted to us, a great deal of which is expected from us?

Dear friends, as managers of God’s resources, we must stand ready to avoid being robbed of our earthly and heavenly treasures. We must be courageous, wise, patient and prudent, knowing that our lives as Christians demand that we be alert. We should be prepared at all times and be ready to make sacrifices like faithful and wise stewards.

We should be watchful for we know neither the day nor the hour when the Lord will call us. Hence, we are reminded today that this world is passing away, so we need to stay awake and be ready as we look into our inner being and our interior life to embrace the life of holiness and self-control that will help us to be more prepared.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, 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. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Tuesday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 20th October 2026

 

Readings: Eph.2:12-22, Ps.84:9-14, Luke 12:36-38

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHY WE MUST BE READY AT ALL TIMES

There are two most important events in our life as a human person. 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 departure from this world.

So, Jesus, knowing how important this day is, instructed his disciples in our Gospel passage today, saying: “Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third; wait for him, for happy are those servants if he finds them ready when he comes.”

Here, we have a scenario which illustrates the unexpected approach of the coming of Christ, which will be a great surprise to those who are asleep as they will be missing out on the heavenly joy and also be deprived of their earthly treasures.

But for those that shall be found awake and ready, the Lord's coming will be a happy day, while for those that are not prepared, it will be very dreadful. Thus our ignorance of the day and time of his coming is the reason for our watchfulness, so we must be awake and ready at all times.

And St. Paul, in our first reading, made us know that we are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: we are citizens like all the saints and part of God’s household. We are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets as its foundations and Christ Jesus himself as its main cornerstone. For this reason, we should be more prepared and ready for that glorious day of the Lord.

Dear friends, will you be ready when the Lord shall come? For we are called today 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 in order to embrace the Lord whenever he comes. 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, so we forget who we are, and then the day and time will take us by surprise.

Rather, let us be like those wise servants who are prepared at all times for the coming of the master. Thus, we must change our disposition, especially as regards our attitude towards the things of this passing world, to embrace more of the things that will lead us to our heavenly kingdom, for we are nothing but travellers in this world.

LET US PRAY, Lord God; today, 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 Monday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 19 October, 2026

 

Readings: Eph 2:1:10, Ps.100, Luke 12:13-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

ALL YOUR WORLDLY POSSESSIONS WHO WILL HAVE THEM WHEN YOU ARE CALLED?

There is no doubt that the material things of this passing world are very necessary for our well-being. They 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 our neighbours, not to separate us from them.

So, if we are not careful, too much love for material possessions can stand in the way of our journey toward God’s Kingdom. Little wonder Jesus, in our Gospel passage today, warns us against covetousness and excessive attachment to worldly possessions. This he greatly emphasised with the story of the Rich Man’s Harvest.

In this story a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his farm, thought to himself, “What am I to do? I do not have enough room to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.” But God said to him, “Fool! This very night, the demand will be made for your soul and this hoard of yours; whose will it be then?

Here, Jesus tells his disciples about the need to live a life of detachment. He used this story to teach his disciples and all of us about the futility of worldly desires and their pursuits. Thereby showing us the foolishness of human greed, as well as pride and ego. For in this man, we see the uselessness of human selfishness, covetousness and excessive desire for worldly possessions.

He constantly focused only on himself, saying I will do this, I will do that, my goods, my fruits, my barns, my soul, etc., without any interest or room for his neighbours or the poor. He has no thought of God, nor his servants.

If he had looked a little beyond himself, he would have seen many places where he could have bestowed his crops. Thus, there is a need for us to constantly prune ourselves from excess love for material possessions 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.

For St. Paul tells us in our first reading that we all, like those in the past, are living sensual lives, ruled entirely by our physical desires and our ideas; so we, by nature, were as much under God’s anger as the rest of the world. But God loved us with so much love that he was generous with his mercy: when we were dead through our sins, he brought us to life with Christ.

Dear friends, if the Lord should call us today, what becomes of our souls and our worldly possessions? Today, detaching and sharing what we possess with others, especially the poor, is a sure way to find life, peace, and happiness. And 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, and he alone gives us the right to have them, what we possess is not meant to separate us from God; rather, they should help us to grow in our relationship with God and our 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 covetousness and pride; we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed week.

Homily for the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, 18th October, 2026. Mission Sunday

 
Readings: Is 45:1.4-6, Ps. 96, 1Thess.1:1-5 Matt. 22:15-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

COME, LET US RETURN TO OUR ORIGINAL STATE, WHICH IS GOD’S IMAGE OF PURITY, HOLINESS AND LOVE

At the time of Jesus, one of the great means of exchange was the use of coin. A coin, as we know, is a small, flat, round piece of metal used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender to facilitate trade. Coins are most often issued by the government with particular images, numerals and inscriptions. It is a very important commodity used in the payment of taxes and other important goods; this gives great value to anyone who has enough of it in his possession.

So, on the occasion of our Gospel passage today, the Pharisees and Herodians attempted to trap Jesus using the mandatory law of paying tax to Caesar. It was a serious trap for Jesus, because a negative response from him would make him a serious enemy of Rome; a positive response would make him lose the trust of his own people, who generally detest paying this tax. Thus, Jesus said to them: “Why do you set this trap for me? Bring me a coin and let me see it.’ They handed him one and he said, ‘Whose image and inscriptions is it?’ Caesar’s they told him. Jesus said to them, ‘Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.’ This reply took them completely by surprise.

But what does this reply mean? Here Jesus requests a coin; he secures the coin; he inquires about the image and inscription of the coin; and they respond by identifying the coin with Caesar. In the context of these actions, Jesus is probably holding the coin; this implies that the true image of the coin is in his possession, but the empirical image and inscription of the coin are the sum total of the things that belong to Caesar. In other words, the true image and inscriptions of anything come and belong to God. However, the empirical image of corruption, greediness, pride, oppression, and deception that are found in this coin belongs to Caesar and should be rendered back to him.

 Thus, Jesus affirms that one’s obligation to the government is necessary as long as it is for the good of all, while insisting that one’s obligation to God is always greater, and this should be done by rendering the true image of the coin to God, which ultimately belongs to Him. The image of justice, charity, mercy, compassion, integrity, purity, fairness, faith, trust, support and sacrificial love in our dealings with one another

This is what prophet Isaiah is pointing out in our first reading as he expatiates on the relationship between faith and politics, which was well demonstrated in the person of Cyrus, whose right hand God had used to subdue nations and uncover the loins of kings.

In the same light, St. Paul in our second reading encouraged the Church of Thessalonians to remember their faith, love and hope in God even in the midst of their struggles against the political powers and authority around them.

Dear friends, in our struggles against the ugly political powers and authorities of our generation, we all, in one way or another, possess the coins of this life, but whose image and inscription are in the coin we possess? Are we possessing the coin with the true image and inscription of God or the coin with the empirical image of sin, corruption, greed, selfishness and deception?

Today, as we celebrate Mission Sunday, Jesus is telling us to render back to the Caesars of this world all the ugly and sinful coins in our possession, for they belong to Caesar. While rendering to God the true image of the coin with the inscription of love, mercy, justice, forgiveness, charity, faith, trust, support, compassion, integrity, fairness, purity and holiness, for they truly belong to God.

LET US PRAY: O God, whose providence never fails in its design, grant that we may always render to you what really belongs to you, as we do away with all that offends you and our fellow neighbours, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful Mission Sunday celebration

Homily For Saturday, Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A, 17th October, 2026. The Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch

 

Readings: Eph 1:15-23, Ps. 8, Luke 12:8-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT ARE THE SINS THAT CANNOT BE FORGIVEN AND WHY?

Today, as Jesus continues to instruct his disciples on how to relate to him, he made a very vital statement that is so important and different from his usual messages, when he said in our Gospel passage today: “If anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of men, the Son of Man will declare himself for him in the presence of the angels. But the man who disowns me in the presence of men will be disowned in the presence of God’s angels. Everyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

From this frightening passage, Jesus reveals to us that sins, no matter how grievous, can be forgiven, but there is a particular sin that will not be forgiven. That is the sin against the Holy Spirit. But what is this sin against the Holy Spirit? And why would it not be forgiven?

The sin against the Holy Spirit is rooted in one's outright rejection of God’s grace of salvation offered to us through the Holy Spirit‘s incessant invitations and warnings. This happens when the will of a person is hardened against God’s mercy and goodness.

Hence the sin against the Holy Spirit is “unforgivable” because it is the sinner himself who rejected God’s forgiveness. This is so because God respects the freedom which He has given us, for he respects a sinner’s decision to firmly refuse to be forgiven.

Thus, this sin, traditionally has been seen as a sin of final impenitence, or presumption, which occurs in a situation where someone sinned gravely and then either fails to have any sorrow for that sin or simply presumes on God’s mercy without truly repenting. And this lack of sorrow closes the door to God’s mercy against the sinner.

To make this clearer, Pope Pius X, in our catechism, made us know that there are six elements of this sin against the Holy Spirit, which include: Firstly, despairing of God’s salvation, which occurs when a person completely loses hope of salvation by judging and undermining the divine mercy of God.

Secondly, the presumption of God’s salvation occurs out of pride, when a person cultivates in his soul an idea of his perfection by believing that his salvation has been guaranteed by what he has done.

Thirdly, by denying the truth of faith recognised as such by the Magisterium of the Church, by considering his understanding to be greater than that of the Church and the teachings of the Holy Spirit even after an exhaustive doctrinal explanation. This attitude is referred to as the sin of heresy.

Fourthly, envying the grace that God gives to other people. This occurs when one detests other people's gifts and possessions, wishing to have everything alone, thereby going against the law of love for one’s neighbour.

Fifthly, obstinacy occurs when someone resolves to remain firmly in sin and continues in error even after receiving the light and help of the Holy Spirit by separating him/herself from God’s will and rejecting His salvation. Lastly, by final impenitence. This occurs as a result of the complete rejection of God and the invitation of the Holy Spirit during one's entire lifetime even at the hour of death.

Dear friends, we must be very wise, for many false prophets and teachers are operating under the power of the devil, leading people away from God. Today Jesus is promising us the Spirit of truth that will give us a special sign for distinguishing true doctrine and true teachers from the false ones.

Therefore, let us constantly ask the Holy Spirit to give us the grace of discernment to distinguish between good and false prophets and teachers in order not to let them lead us to sin against Him (Holy Spirit).

Little wonder St. Paul, in our first reading today, says: may the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him.

So, let us learn how to be true Christians in our way of life, words and deeds. Let us learn to put our trust in God who has promised to keep us from falling away from the true faith we have found in His Son Jesus.

This is what we see in the life of St. Ignatius of Antioch whose memorial we celebrate today. He was one of the most prominent of all the early Church fathers, who helped to establish a solid foundation for the Church in Antioch and also the Universal Church. He wrote extensively to the other Church communities. But he was martyred by being thrown to wild beasts in the amphitheatre, where he defended his faith to the very end.

LET US PRAY: O God, you promised to send us the Spirit of truth; grant us that we will always stand and witness to the truth we have found in Jesus against all the false influential prophets and teachers in our society today and never sin against the Holy Spirit. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday, Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A. 16th October 2026

Readings: Eph. 1:11-14; Ps. 32; Luke 12:1-7

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY WE SHOULD FEAR HE WHO CAN DESTROY THE SOULS AND THE BODY

The word “FEAR” is often defined as an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. Little wonder, threats, intimidation, torture and fear are some of the powerful ways of silencing people from expressing their views, opinions and faith.

Hence, Jesus, knowing the difficulties and challenges his disciples would encounter, needed to train and instruct them properly, so they could stand firm amid threats, opposition,n and persecution that might bring fear.

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus continues his instruction on what it means to be a firm disciple in light of the mission he is about to entrust to his apostles.

He began by saying, What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy five sparrows for two pennies? And yet not one is forgotten in God’s sight. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. Fear not: you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

As disciples, these encouraging words of Jesus are very apt especially now that we are passing through difficult moments of intimidation, persecution, brutality, killings, war, genocide, poverty, sickness, greed, immorality and famines in our families, societies, country and the world at large.

This ugly condition can make someone completely lose hope in humanity and also in God. But Jesus does not want us to lose hope; rather, he wants us to be firm and strong disciples who will stand firm and courageously face the ugly situations we encounter every day. For Jesus needs firm disciples who will speak and stand for his Gospel no matter the cost.

He says we should not fear the threats, intimidation, torture and brutality of people who claim to be powerful because of the office they occupy. We should not give in to some of these powerful ways of silencing people from expressing their views, opinions and faith. Yes, all over the world, there are struggles against injustice, protests against intimidation and brutality against innocent people, especially in our country.

Hence, we, the youths, are out seeking justice, equity and good governance. We must not stop or give up on our struggles. We must continue to speak and condemn evil without fear, but with the assurance that the Lord is with us, despite everything that we may be suffering and enduring because of the sins and wickedness of the evil ones.

Thus, St. Paul in our first reading says: It is in Christ that we were claimed as God’s own, chosen from the beginning, under the predetermined plan of the one who guides all things as he decides by his own will.

Dear friends, today we are called to be firm disciples of Jesus who has conquered fear, for our purpose in life is to become Jesus in deeds and character. By so doing, we will have confidence that God will enable us to carry out the work that he has entrusted to us, even amid persecution, knowing that neither the human person nor the devil can affect our souls.

We can be confident of God’s ultimate care for us because He knows even the number of hairs on our heads. Thus, as true disciples of Jesus, we must have confidence and remain firm in faith even during persecution, intimidation, brutality, suffering and sickness, because, His love and care for us surpass all our challenges.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, our society is full of threats, intimidation, brutality, torture and fear from people who are entrusted with authority and ought to protect the interests of humanity. Grant us the grace to resist their evil and ugly attitude and to stand firm amid all the opposition and persecutions we may encounter in our daily lives, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a blessed day.