Homily For Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 25th January, 2026

 
The Sunday of the Enthronement of the Word of God.

Readings: Is. 9:1-4; Ps. 27; 1Cor.1:10-13.17; Matt. 4:12-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS MY EXPERIENCE WITH JESUS THE LIVING WORD OF GOD

Today, being the third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, we are called to celebrate the Word of God. On 30th September, 2019, Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter Aperuit Illis, declared and instituted “A Sunday for the Word of God”, which is to be celebrated every third Sunday in Ordinary Time of the Church’s Liturgical Year. This is of great importance and significance, as it is the light and strength of our faith.

The purpose of this declaration is to remind all Christ faithful that the Word of God, as contained in the scriptures, is vital and integral in the development of our faith in God. The Word of God, in this case, does not just refer to the Scriptures as we know them, but also refers to Christ Himself as our Lord and Saviour, the Divine Word made Incarnate.

Hence, our readings today emphasised making the word of God the light of our lives. In the first reading, Prophet Isaiah talked about the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali, which were conquered by the Assyrians in 732 BC, and dwelt in the darkness of oppression. So he predicted how God would liberate his people who live and walk in the deep darkness of oppression, how they would be set free by the great light of God’s glory.

These words of the Prophet Isaiah were fulfilled in our Gospel passage today, where the chosen people of God who dwell in the lands of Naphtali and Zebulun failed to drive out the Gentiles that are in their midst, they preferred to live with them in the darkness of corruption, sin and shame. These are the people to whom Jesus brought his ministry of the words of light in the midst of the darkness that surrounded them. The presence of Jesus brought them great light.

Here, Matthew is saying that God has chosen Galilee of the Gentiles to be the place where His light will shine. And wherever light and darkness are used in scriptures, it connotes the power of good over evil, order over chaos, security over danger, joy over sorrow, truth over falsehood, life over death and salvation over condemnation. Though, Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee, his mission will be extended to the whole world.

Hence, he called his disciples, who would be instruments to extend his mission to the whole world. Jesus’ invitation to become disciples offers them the opportunity to observe him closely daily. And by doing so, they will learn more from him to become familiar with his ways of doing things. They will unconsciously copy his manner of speaking, his gestures, his dealings with people. They will see how he solves problems and counters opposition. So that gradually, they will become like Jesus in thought, word and deed.

This speaks powerfully about discipleship, which the people of Corinth failed to understand, as we heard in our second reading. Hence they divided the body of Christ into groups of instrumental personnel of Christ, namely: Paul and Apollos. This is due to a lack of good knowledge of the scriptures. Thus, St. Paul, while reminding them that all were baptised into one Christ, said: I appeal to you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make up the differences between you, and instead of disagreeing among yourselves, to be united again in your belief and practice. Therefore, there can only be one loyalty, that is to Christ alone, who is the Word Made Flesh and dwells among us.

Dear friends, the question we need to ask ourselves is: What is my relationship with Jesus, the Living Word of God made flesh, who dwells among us? What is my experience with the Word of God? Have I truly encountered the Lord in His Word? What is my response towards the Word of God we hear every day? How much of this Word dwells in us? How have we experienced and encountered God in His Word? How have I communicated my experience with the Word of God to humanity? How often do I reverence the Lord in His Word? How often have I shied away from speaking about God and His Word in my daily conversations with other people? How often do I obey the instructions of the Lord through his Words

Brethren, the emphasis on the Word of God today is very important to all of us the faithful people of God. For if we are to follow Christ faithfully, we must cultivate the habit of studying the scriptures because the Word of God is our daily sustenance and the source of our strength and faith. We should make the Word of God the guiding principle of our lives. For in the scriptures we find the strength and courage to promote good over evil, order over chaos, security over danger, joy over sorrow, truth over falsehood, life over death and salvation over condemnation.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we enthroned your Word in our lives, our families and in your Church today, grant we pray, that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we may come to discover the power and the efficacy of the scriptures in our lives as individuals, families and community of God’s people. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed and lovely Sunday.

Homily For Saturday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 24th January, 2026. The Memorial of St. Francis De Sales

 

Readings: 2 Samuel 1:1-4,11-12,17,19,23-27; Ps.80; Mark 3:20-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE SACRIFICE OF DISCIPLESHIP

Often, people think that being a successful Christian means living a comfortable lifestyle. They believe that once we embrace the Christian faith, we will no longer encounter challenges and difficulties in life. But this is not true, because Christian faith requires the sacrifice of all our time, energy, compassion and resources. 

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, where we heard how the Lord Jesus and his disciples were so engaged in the redemptive works among the people. The work was so great to the extent that they were so busy doing their work that they had no time to rest at all, and even to eat, even when they were hungry. They were so engrossed in the work to the extent that the relatives of Jesus could not believe it and they thought he was out of his mind. This was because they felt he spent so much time in his ministry, since he did not spend much time with his family.

This is to remind us that following the Lord is not always an easy and comfortable journey, and more often than not, we may be required to make great sacrifices. However, those sacrifices were not without rewards, for those who had committed themselves to the service of the Lord, shall receive the grace of eternal life and shall never be disappointed in their endeavour in life. Just like the disciples of the Lord, who out of compassion sacrifice all their time and resources to the service of the Lord and were not disappointed or abandoned in their struggles and challenges because they understood what it means to acquire the heart of their master Jesus.

This is exactly what we see in the life of David in our first reading today, where we heard how David, full of compassion and love, reacted upon hearing the tragic story of the death of King Saul and his son Jonathan at the Battle of Mount Gilboa against the Philistines, where the Israelites were grossly defeated. Then David made this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan saying: How did the heroes fall? Saul and Jonathan, loved and lovely, neither in life, nor in death, were divided. O Jonathan, in your death I am stricken, I am desolate for you, Jonathan my brother. This shows how deep David’s love and compassion for his people were despite how Saul treated him.

Dear friends, we are reminded that following the Lord requires the sacrifice of our time, our compassion and our resources. For in Christ Jesus, God has accomplished his redemptive work. What is needed is for us to identify ourselves with this covenantal sacrifice through our active participation in the missionary activities and mandate that the Lord has entrusted to us as his disciples. Therefore, we are called to embrace these missionary activities with the sacrificial love of Christ and his people by coming out of our comfort zones of ugly and sinful ways of life, to embrace the love and mercy the Lord is offering us and be ever more grateful to God for such an act of kindness and compassion. 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for such a great act of love which you have shown to us through Christ your Son, who is full of love and compassion. Grant that we may be ever more faithful in following and doing your will, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Have a blessed and favourable weekend.

Homily For Friday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 23rd January 2026

 

Readings: 1Sam.24:2-21; Ps.57; Mark 3:13-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

RESPONDING POSITIVELY TO GOD'S CALL AND MISSION

 

As Jesus continued his work of evangelisation and mission towards the salvation of humanity, he needed people who would be entrusted with this mission. Thus, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus chose twelve apostles out of his disciples. He called and separated them from the crowd so that they would be with him. And he gave them power to preach the gospel, to heal the sick, and to cast out devils.

 

Here, Jesus clarifies the extreme nature of his mission, which he will entrust to his apostles, so that those who would follow him must first count the cost because they will definitely share in his sufferings to share in his glory. Thus, Jesus, who had earlier given the disciples explicit instructions about his mission, makes known to the apostles their specific mission.

 

Consequently, each one of us, like the apostles, is called by name into a deep personal and intimate relationship with Jesus in order to be sent to bear witness to him in the world. Absolute commitment is a necessary quality for this mission. Jesus did not choose people because of what they were. Rather, he chose them for what they could become under his direction and power.

 

This is what we see in the life of David in our first reading today, where we see the magnanimity of David’s heart, for he refused to kill Saul when he had a perfect opportunity to strike Saul and claim the Kingship of Israel for himself. 

Although he has been chosen as the new King of Israel, that should not have justified him to murder a person in the time of his weakness, and even less so to do so for the pursuit of power and personal glory, as most people do today. This is because David was truly filled with love for God and respect for Saul. He did everything to serve the Lord according to his will and mission for him.

 

Dear friends, how are we responding to God's call and mission? How best are we carrying out this mission of preaching the Gospel, healing the sick and casting out the devil? How are we relating to those we judge to be sinners and those we see as our enemies? 

What efforts are we making to convert them? Remember, as followers of Christ, we are called to journey with Jesus in love and compassion towards others, even in the midst of suffering, rejection, and persecution.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you called and chose us to be with you to bear witness of our salvation to humanity, help us to have the missionary zeal that will enable us to live with integrity, purity and detachment from the things of this passing world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.

Homily For Thursday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 22nd January, 2026

 

Readings: 1Sam. 18:6-9,19:1-7; Ps. 56; Mark 3:7-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE LORD WISHES TO SET US FREE FROM THE SHACKLES OF THE EVIL ONES

Today, in our Gospel, Mark provides a summary of Jesus' activities among people from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumaea, and even the pagan regions of Tyre and Sidon. Telling us that Jesus is really concerned about the struggles of humanity and wishes to set us free from the shackles of the devil

As Jesus heals the people and performs great works, most people wish to see Him and to touch Him. The people were so numerous that Jesus himself was concerned with the danger of being crushed by the multitude.

Thus, he asked disciples to have a boat ready for him so that the crowd would not crush him, for they were crowding forward to touch him. And from the boat, he spoke to them and healed the sick, and set free those possessed especially the excluded and the marginalized who came to him with their ailments.

Those who were not accepted in the society of the time were accepted by Jesus. The power of evil, which causes great fear in people, was overcome by Jesus, so we do not need to be afraid of Satan anymore.

Dear friends, Jesus wishes to set us free from sickness and the forces and manipulations of the evil ones. He desires to be with us as we struggle every day to overcome the forces of evil in our families, society and the world at large. Therefore, we should not be afraid to stand firm against the manipulations of the devil, because Jesus will not abandon us in this battle of life.

This is evident in our first reading today in the case of David and King Saul. For out of jealousy for what the women attribute to David as a way of praising God for the victory he gave them through David, Saul has a hatred for David to the point of planning to kill him. This should not be our disposition; rather, we should learn to appreciate what God has accomplished through other people and not behave like Saul, who became jealous of David.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we struggle every day to do your will, may your presence be felt in our midst through Christ our Lord. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Wednesday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 21st January, 2026. The Memorial of St. Agnes

 

Readings: 1Sam. 16:17:32-33.37.40-51; Ps. 144; Mark 3:1-6

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

NO LAW SHALL RESTRICT US FROM DOING PEOPLE

From the scriptures, it seems like every encounter that the Pharisees had with Jesus was always aimed at finding faults with what Jesus was doing. But to their greatest surprise, Jesus will always escape and use that opportunity to communicate an important message to the people. Such was the occasion in our Gospel passage today.

When on a Sabbath day Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him to see if he would cure the man on the Sabbath, hoping to find something to use against him. But knowing their thoughts he said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up! Come out into the middle.’

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

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

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

Therefore, in as much as 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 people and suppress the truth and the good works of others, just because of their selfish desires to sustain their ego, pride and their worldly ambition.

But we should not be like them, rather we should be compassionate and merciful for that is what we are called to do. We should learn to be courageous and resist any law or people who use laws or their physical position to oppress others. We should learn from David in our first reading today who courageously confronted Goliath and defeated him despite his intimidating physical appearance and so brought victory to God’s people who were intimidated by Goliath.

This is what we also see in the life of St. Agnes whose memorial we celebrate today. For as a noble young Roman woman, St. Agnes had many suitors and those who were interested in her, but she rejected them all for she had dedicated and consecrated her purity and virginity to God, and will not allowing any of those men to desecrate her virginity and sanctity. So out of pride and jealousy suitors became very angry at her, and reported her to the authorities as a suspected Christian, since to be a Christian was a crime punishable by death.

On account of this, the Roman prefect, named Sempronius condemned her to death and attempted to kill her by various methods. First the attempts by several men to defile her virginity by force failed because they were immediately struck blind before they died. The attempts also to hurt her by other means such as burning on a stake also failed for the flames refused to burn the wood. But eventually she was beheaded by being stabbed in the throat and that’s how Agnes met her end through martyrdom and brought glory to God and his mission.

Dear friends, today we are called to know that no law should restrict us from constantly doing good to everyone. We are called not to be fault-finders who are blindfolded by pride. We must also renounce all sorts of prideful actions and wickedness that may destroy our relationship with others and the purity of our souls. Therefore, let us be compassionate and merciful for that is what we are called to do in this life, especially in this moment when our societies and families are really in chaotic situations.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often fail to listen to your teaching because of our selfish desires and pride, help us to always listen to you and be willing to do good, especially in the interpretation and application of laws and regulations. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Tuesday of The Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 20th January 2026

 

The Feast of Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi

Readings: Phil 2:1-11, Ps. Is.12:2-6, Matt.13:44-46

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS OUR ULTIMATE TREASURE AND HOW ARE YOU ACQUIRING IT?

There is no doubt in my mind that every human being desires to make it into the kingdom of God. But what will lead us to that kingdom is where people have challenges that will often make it seem as if they are not interested.

Therefore, what are the things that will help us to understand the importance of embracing those things that will lead us to God's Kingdom? This is what we have in our Gospel passage today, where Jesus used two parables to describe to the people that the kingdom of God is the greatest and ultimate treasure anyone can and should acquire.

Here, he describes the kingdom of God as the ultimate treasure that cannot be compared to anything whatsoever we have in this world. However, the kingdom is open for all, but not all can be suitable to dwell in it; only those who on the judgment day are found suitable can be admitted into the kingdom. Using these parables Jesus explains what the kingdom of heaven is like and what we need to do in order to acquire it.

Thus, in the life of Blessed Michael Iwene Tansi whose Feast we celebrate today, we see a man who understood these parables, one who discovered the great treasure of heaven, sold everything and acquired it. In Tansi, we see how the light of faith was sown in him like the mustard seed grew to give hope to many people.

 Tansi was born in Aguleri, Anambra State, in September 1903, but died in Leicester, England, on 20th January 1964. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of Onitsha. He was known for love of neighbour, healing and reconciliation of the people with God, with oneself, with one another and with the created reality.

Tansi dedicated himself not only to daily contemplative prayer but also to active ministry. He evangelized the youth, prepared couples for marriage, visited the sick, was a very good confessor, promoted vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and provided for the needs of the poor.

Hence, in Tanis, we see a man who understood that the kingdom of heaven is so precious and great that it is worth more than our entire life and our worldly possessions and treasures.

Dear friends, obtaining the ultimate treasure of heaven requires the sacrifice of all our worldly possessions. Though in the world we have different kinds of treasures. But the question is: what is your ultimate treasure and how are you acquiring it? How are we searching for it? Are we really ready to sacrifice all for this treasure?

So, let us learn from Tansi, whose life shows us how the humble beginning of the Christian faith sown in him was well watered by the Holy Spirit to grow and give life and hospitality to people of the world.

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading says that though Jesus was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God as a thing to be grasped. For he rather emptied himself in humble obedience to God his Father. Therefore, today we are called to empty ourselves of the passing things of this world in order to humbly acquire the heavenly treasure, just like Tansi, who humbly sacrificed the treasures of this passing world in order to embrace the treasures of heaven.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the world is full of distractions from false treasures, through the intercession of Blessed Tansi, give us grace to discover the treasures of your kingdom and nurture these treasures in faith, holiness and hospitality which we received during our baptism in order to give up all our attachment to worldly possessions in pursue of the heavenly and ultimate treasure of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Feast Day!! 

Homily For Monday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 19th January, 2026

 

Readings: 1Sam.15:16-23; Ps. 50; Mark 2:18-22

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

PRESERVING THE NEW LIFE OF GRACE WITH THE FRESH SKIN OF GOODWILL 

 

Reflecting one of my favourite communion hymns titled New Life, especially its chorus that says:

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

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

 

This hymn calls our attention to the gift of New Life which Jesus is offering to humanity. A gift that differentiates his disciples from other people. This is evident in our Gospel passage today, where we read about the observation made by the disciples of John the Baptist concerning the relationship between Jesus and his disciples and 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.

 

He said to them: Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast. For no one puts a piece of unshrunken cloth onto an old cloak, because the patch pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; if they do, the skins burst, the wine runs out, and the skins are lost. No; they put new wine into fresh skins and both are preserved.

 

Here Jesus gave two responses to the question. First, people do not fast when they are in the company of the bridegroom which is a time for celebration. For Jesus is the groom and as long as he is around, it would be inappropriate for his disciples to fast. However, a time will come when the groom will no longer be with them, then they will surely fast, telling us that fasting should be done at the right time for the right reasons. Moreover, being in a relationship with Jesus is more important, because, what the bridegroom is to the bride, that's what Jesus is to the souls of all who believe in him.

 

Then, in the second response, Jesus shows that he is bringing something totally new which should not be mixed with the old way of life. He emphasized the importance of pouring new wine into fresh wineskins and the need to avoid using a new cloak to patch an old one. Here, the fresh wineskins refer to a new heart that has put off the old cloak of sin and looks forward to the new wine of grace through the process of conversion.

 

So, as his bride, he loves us with a deep and everlasting love. He pays all our debts to God; he supplies all our daily needs; he sympathizes with us in all our troubles; he bears with all our infirmities, and does not reject us because of our weaknesses. He regards us as part of himself:  We share in the glory that he has received from his Father. These are the privileges of all true Christians who are called to the heavenly kingdom.

 

So, Jesus is teaching us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not a matter of ritual or ceremonious fasting or feasting. But is about building a personal relationship with God who loves us personally and unconditionally. Little wonder, we heard Samuel telling Saul in our first reading that, in our relationship with God obedience is better than sacrifice.

 

Dear friends, 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 a fresh response towards embracing the New Life of grace which Jesus is offering us. We are called to put our New Life of grace into the fresh skin of restoration. 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 Jesus is offering us.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, You are the source of our new life, for in Your light we see light. Grant us the grace of true and total conversion so as to find such great Joy in your abundant Life of grace and mercy, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed and favourable week

Homily For Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 18th January, 2026

Readings: Is. 49:3.5-6; Ps. 40, 1Cor. 1:1-3; John 1:29-34

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING AND PARTICIPATION IN THE MISSION OF JESUS THE LAMB OF GOD

Today is the second Sunday in Ordinary Time of the Liturgical year A, which begins immediately after we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord last Monday. The beauty of this season lies in the fact that it invites us to live our ordinary life as a journey of holiness, faith and friendship with Jesus in order to continually discover our vocation and mission, which is rooted in Christ’s own mission.

Hence, our readings today present to us a call to encounter and follow the Lord, which points out the mission of the Church in proclaiming the word of God and our part in this mission.

Thus, in our Gospel passage, we heard how God has called us through John the Baptist to follow Christ, the Lamb of God and Saviour of the world. This is clear when John the Baptist in our Gospel saw Jesus passing by and declared: This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

For this is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’

Here he is pointing out the essence of Jesus’ mission, telling us about the great Servant of God, whose mission was to bring sinners back to God as we heard in our first reading through prophet Isaiah saying: ‘It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel; I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Considering this great task of Jesus, John introduced him as the Lamb of God and not the Lion of God and also described the Holy Spirit as a dove, not a hawk which is more powerful. why? Because the Lamb is the most gentle, harmless and loving creature of God, while the dove is a gentle bird, a symbol of peace and goodwill.

So these images tell us about the person of Jesus and the approach by which he will carry out his mission. Consequently, Jesus, the gentle Lamb of God, gently died for our sins, so that we could live in joy and freedom as God’s children, teaching us to do the same in our relationship with one another.

Thus, how to effectively carryout this vocation and mission is what St. Paul spoke about in our second reading as he addressed the Church and the faithful in Corinth and indeed to all of us Christians, who have been called to follow Christ and have been sanctified and blessed to be God’s chosen people, who are reunited and brought together from the world to bear the fruit of love and holiness of life. Hence, St. Paul addressed us as: the holy people of Jesus Christ, who are called to take their place among all the saints everywhere who pray to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, he reminded us that we are called to holiness every day of our lives, especially in this ordinary time. He made us to know that we are not meant to defile our bodies through any forms of ugly attitudes such as fornication: for the body is meant for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. For God who raised the Lord from the dead, will by his power raise us up too.

Hence, we must keep away from any forms of defilement such as: adultery, fornication and impure thoughts. Because all the other sins are committed outside the body, but to fornicate is to sin against our own body. And our body, as we know, is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in us to help us in our vocation and mission this year.

Dear friends, today we are called to holiness towards the mission of following Christ the Lamb of God, for there are so many things that are distracting us from our mission and vocation, and are leading us into sin, and we are so attached to them because the world has sexualized almost everything around us. The television, the internet, the music, movies, cartoons, and even our social and religious activities are corrupted by these sexualisation motives.

This, of course, drives and tempts us to commit the sins of adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism and masturbation. Because we have lost the virtue of self-control towards our sexuality, which of course is the cause of the increase in rape, incest, divorce and all forms of gender transformation going on in our society today. The main point here is for us not to indulge in sins that will ruin our souls.

Therefore, as the year unfolds, we are all challenged to live a holy life as the Lord has taught us. And as we carryout our mission, we are called to follow the way of the Lamb. That is, we are to be the most gentle, harmless and loving children of God. We must be a symbol of peace, compassion and goodwill. We are not to force people to believe in God by the use of intimidation or force, and neither should we use any forms of tricks or false persuasions. Rather, we should be more selfless and forgiving in our interactions with one another, putting aside our pride, ego and selfish desires, knowing that the grace of God is always sufficient for us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we struggle every day to do your will and respond positively in the mission and vocation entrusted to us, give us the grace to be responsible with our sexuality, especially in this time when the world as lost the true meaning and value of human sexuality, and as a result so many lives and families are being destroyed. Help us we pray to find joy, courage and solace in your saving grace as you guide us through the year. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed Sunday celebration. 

Homily For Saturday of The First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 17th January, 2026

Readings: 1 Sam. 9:1-4.17-19.10:1; Ps. 21; Mark 2:13-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE LORD CAME TO CALL SINNERS AND NOT THE RIGHTEOUS

The mission of Jesus is often misunderstood by people who feel that they should be the ones to dictate to God what to do. But Jesus will always surprise them and use them to set a good example for the rest of us. This is evident in our Gospel passage today, which presents to us the call of Levi who was a tax collector, a presumably public sinner. As Jesus passed by, he said to Levi, “Follow Me.” This is a present-tense command, which is a call for Levi to leave his old way of life behind and to begin a new life of following him.

But why would Jesus have any interest in a man like this? There is only one word that can answer this question, that is, grace. Despite his ugly occupation, his ugly lifestyle, his failures, and his sins, Jesus loved Levi, and he called him to a new life. The fact remains that, Jesus never condemned anyone nor does he judge people by their past behaviour. He is only interested in what they can be now and in the future. There and then, Levi drops everything and goes after Jesus just the same way Peter and Andrew, James and John had also done.

Later, when Jesus was dining at Levi’s house, several known sinners and tax collectors were at the table with him and his disciples. This was a real scandal for the scribes and Pharisees. For them, if Jesus really was a Rabbi he would have had nothing to do with such people. But Jesus replied: It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous but sinners.

With this statement, we are meant to know that Jesus' whole mission is the salvation of souls and the redemption of people to wholeness. And the best way to achieve this is by having direct contact with them. But we are often not present where people are most in need of hearing God’s message. Sometimes, we tend to side with the Pharisees and feel we should keep away from sinful and ‘immoral’ people.

Dear friends, we need to learn that the Gospel message can most effectively be communicated to those who have lost touch with God and the meaning of life by reaching out to them. We should not be afraid to reach out to people, especially those who have been captured by the things of this sinful world.

For we heard in our first reading today that Samuel encountered Saul and, before anointing him, said: Go up ahead of me to the high place. You are to eat with me today. In the morning I shall take leave of you and tell you all that is in your heart. It was after this encounter that Samuel anointed Saul, for the word of God is something alive and active: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit and can judge the secret emotions and thoughts of everyone of us.

Hence, Jesus' calling Levi to follow him shows that with God, there is great mercy to pardon the greatest sinners. There is grace to change the greatest sinners and make them holy. And this is a great sign of hope for anyone who thinks that God has abandoned him or her because of sin or past ugly ways of life. God is not interested in our past ugly and sinful ways of life. Rather he is interested in what he can make out of us now and in the future.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, your love and compassion for humanity are so great that, even in our sinful and ugly ways of life, you never abandoned us. So Lord, when sin separates us from you, may your grace and providence bring us back. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday of The First Week in Ordinary Time Year A 16th January, 2026

 

Readings: 1 Sam.8 4-7.10-22; Ps. 89; Mark 2:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

GET UP, AND PICK UP YOUR BED AND GO HOME?

The sin and evil going on in the world are putting our faith to the test and most people are giving in to this scheme because they lack the strong will to withstand the suffering, sickness and problems that befall us as a result of this evil. People are running up and down seeking solutions. 

While the evil ones are taking advantage of the ugly situation to destroy the faith of the people. In fact, one may begin to wonder if there is still hope for the restoration of humanity from this ugly situation. But the fact remains that God is able and willing to heal and restore humanity once again.

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, when some people brought to him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven.’ But some scribes doubted his authority to forgive sins, and Jesus, knowing what was in their minds, said: ‘Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts? 

Now, which of these is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ he said to the paralytic, ‘get up, and pick up your bed and go off home.’ And the man got up and went home.

Here we see the power and authority of Jesus towards the restoration of the paralytic man carried by his friends. A gesture that signifies the restoration of humanity paralyzed by sins and evil. So Jesus will always begin by forgiving our sins, for sin seems to be the root of the sickness. But sin may be pardoned, yet the sickness not be removed; the sickness may be removed, yet the sin not pardoned. But for Jesus, healing is holistic for those who have faith in God. 

However, this is what the scribes and the Pharisees failed to understand as they doubted and opposed the power and authority of Jesus, just like the Israelites in our first reading today, who rejected Samuel and the Kingship authority of God while requesting a human King. And the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for it is not you they have rejected; they have rejected me from ruling over them.’

Dear friends, have we rejected the authority and kingship of God in our lives? Don’t you think that the problem in our world today is a result of our rejection of  God and his kingship in our dealings? So, today we are called to be submissive to the Kingly authority of God and not be like the Israelites and the scribes who were enslaved by their pride and desire to maintain their prestige in society. 

They doubted the power and authority of the Lord and rejected the message of truth. Of which Jesus rebuked them, showing us that truly he has power and authority not just to heal and forgive us, but to restore us and all humanity back to our former glory.

 

Therefore, we are also called to imitate the great faith and love of the friends of the paralytic, the love and faith that radiate from the innermost being of those who exercise it. Let us like them, learn to love and help one another. Because the absence of love is the cause of all the problems in our world today. 

Most families exist only by grace because of the absence of love. How I wish we could invest our time and resources in ensuring love and goodwill in our dealings with one another, believe me, the world will be a temporary home for everyone.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are paralyzed by the sins and evil we are committing against you and the world you created out of our pride, greed and selfishness. As we submit to your kingship and authority in faith, forgive us our sins, heal and restore us once again. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Thursday of The First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 15th January, 2026

 

Readings: 1 Sam. 4:1-11; Ps. 44; Mark 1:40-45

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

EXPERIENCING THE HEALING POWER OF JESUS

There is no doubt that the compassionate love of Jesus in solidarity with human suffering is evident in the scriptures and even in our daily lives. Little wonder, we have great events in the scriptures that illustrate the compassionate concern of Jesus in the struggles of humanity and how he wishes to set us free from the shackles of our troubles.

This is evident in the occasion of our Gospel passage today, where a leper came up and bowed low in front of Jesus and said to him, " If you will, you can make me clean. Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I will! Be clean!’ And immediately his leprosy was cured at once.

Here, the touching of Jesus is very significant since no ordinary person would dare to touch a leper. We can think of the inner healing that must have resulted from the touch of Jesus, that moment of physical contact which the leper had not experienced for a long time due to rejection. Touch is something we all need, but are so often lacking in our relationship with God and one another, and it is even becoming worse with the ugly situation of the coronavirus and the need for social and physical distancing. But this cannot stop Jesus from reaching out to his children who call on him for healing and restoration.

Thus, the leper was despised, feared, shunned and rejected in society, but when he approached Jesus in humility, he became the object of divine attention. We, too, just like the leper, are in need of healing, including the healing that comes from the touch of Jesus. All we need is to approach Jesus in humility, and we will become a person of divine attention.

More so, the story of this leper is a good example of how we sinners can and should appeal to Jesus for cleansing especially from our sins. We should come in faith knowing that God is always willing to cleanse every sinner who comes to Him. So, let us sincerely turn to God once again with all of our hearts and with all of our strength, just like the leper who came to Jesus with faith, knowing that he could heal him and make him better.

This is what all of us must have as well, a strong and genuine faith in God. But we should not be like the Israelites in our first reading today, who only remembered God when they were in need of him. For they have made God a tool to be used only when they need him. That is why when they were defeated in war, the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, came with the ark. And when the ark of the Lord arrived in the camp, all Israel gave a great shout so that the earth resounded. However, they were defeated despite the presence of the Ark of the Lord.

Dear friends, we should never take the gift of God’s presence in our lives for granted. We must learn to utilise any encounter we have with the Lord, for it may be our great opportunity to be restored and what is needed is to put our faith in action by saying Lord, if you will, you can restore me.

So friends, I don’t know what type of leprocious problems you are passing through? Are you weighed down by sin or sickness? Are you feeling helpless and rejected? Or do we know people who are helpless and need some help? Do we feel the need for Jesus’s help in some part of our lives? Let us pause for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at us. How does he see us? What are you saying to us?

Brethren, Jesus in solidarity with human sufferings, wishes to set us free from sickness, troubles, challenges and manipulations from the evil ones. He desires to be with us as we struggle every day to overcome the challenges in our lives, in our families, society and the world at large. Therefore, we should not be afraid to approach Jesus for healing and restoration, all we need is an active faith like the leper in our Gospel passage today.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, humanity is in deep darkness caused by different forms of leprosies and only you can heal and restore us. For you know our innermost being and the challenges we are facing today, come to our aid, we pray and cleanse us from all our physical, emotional, economic, and spiritual leprosies, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Wednesday of The First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 14th January, 2026

 

Readings: 1Sam. 3:1-10.19-20; Ps. 40; Mark 1:29-39

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

EXPERIENCING THE HEALING POWER OF JESUS AND DIVINE DIRECTION 

As Jesus continued to carry out his mission of preaching, he also showed compassion and care for those who were passing through difficulties. This shows the love and mercy of God for humanity. Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, when Jesus returned from preaching in the synagogue, he entered Simon Peter's house, and behold, Peter's mother-in-law was sick with a fever. 

This is not a minor sickness in the ancient world. A fever was not only debilitating for a short while, but was often a symptom of a condition that would lead to death. So, Jesus simply raised her up, and the fever left her. She immediately began to serve them, something she was unable to do because of her illness.  Thus, she was able to render her service to the first Christian communities. 

She was healed and restored with new strength so that she may again rise and take up her proper place in the community of God’s people. This clearly shows how and why Jesus came down upon us and by taking up our human nature made it possible for him to identify himself with the struggles of humanity as he embraced us with his love, compassion and care. For he came to heal us from our sins and from all the afflictions we encounter.

Dear friends, God really cares for our well-being, his always ready to help us in our struggles so that we can be well disposed to serve him. Hence, whenever we are sick both physically or spiritually and are cured from this sickness, it is tempting to sit back and accept people’s good wishes and congratulations. These should not be our attitudes; we should rather learn from Peter’s mother-in-law that healing is not just to make us well but to enable us to become active again in rendering service to God and his community.

Therefore, let us learn to trust in the Lord’s power and authority to help us in our struggles. Let us learn from the experience of Samuel in our first reading today, who was guided by Eli to discern the call of the Lord. Let us learn to say Hear I am Lord since you called me, for the Lord is always ready and willing to heal and help us in our struggles.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, we are really sick in need of your healing and compassion. As we struggle every day to serve you and humanity, heal all our illnesses and give us grace to get up and become more active again in order to render more quality services to you and to our communities. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a favourable day.

Homily For Tuesday of The First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 13th January, 2026

 

Readings: 1Sam.1:9-20; Ps. 1Sam 2:4-7; Mark 1:21-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE POWER AND AUTHORITY OF JESUS OVER THE EVIL ONES

Oftentimes, when people are about to do something serious, it is always the case that they will need to back up their activities and message with authority. And when this is lacking, people may not take their activities and message seriously. Thus, in our Gospel passage today we heard people making reference to the authority by which Jesus speaks and carried out his mission. For he spoke and acted with God-given authority.

This is even more evidence of the manner in which he was able to rebuke the man possessed by an unclean spirit. These spirits are malicious beings that might be demons or fallen angels who have followed Satan to rebel against God. They might appear powerful as Satan, but in the end, none of them were able to rise up against God. For God alone is the source of all power and authority.

So Jesus, being the Son of God, wants to show us that he has been given all the power and authority over the evil ones. And through him, we have been given all authority and power over those spirits. The unclean spirit recognised Jesus as the power of God. His power over demons is a direct defeat of the evil one while the restoration of the possessed man signifies the inauguration of God's kingdom in the world.

Dear friends, it is obvious to everyone that Jesus had authority, his authority does not come from his position in life or from worldly power. Rather, his authority comes from his relationship with God his Father. He listened to his voice and spoke his words. Therefore, if we want to speak with authority, we must learn to spend time with God, listening to his voice and doing his will.

And this is what we see in the life of Hannah in our first reading today, who recognized the power and authority of God to answer her prayers and heal her barrenness. So she went to the temple and poured out her heart to God, and she conceived and gave birth to a son, and called him Samuel, since she said ‘I asked the Lord for him.

Hence, today we are called to recognize that the presence of Jesus in the world brings about victory over all our troubles. And 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 evangelize the world and to confront evil and overcome it.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in a world full of evil and intimidation, we need your authority once again to speak and stand for what is right and just. As we struggle with our daily tasks, may we be courageous, knowing that the same Jesus who delivered the possessed man can heal our fears, anxieties and worries, for his presence sets us free from evil manipulations, he who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Remember, the power to overcome resides in you. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Monday First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 12th January, 2026

 

Readings: 1Sam. 1:1-8; Ps. 116; Mark 1:14-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HOW ARE YOU RESPONDING TO GOD’S CALL TO FOLLOW HIM? 

Today marks the beginning of the Season of Ordinary Time in this current Liturgical year. Today we are reminded of our call and vocation as Christians, which is well illustrated in our Gospel passage today for it gives us the account of the calling of the first Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, the four fishermen, Peter and his brother Andrew, as well as James and John, the sons of Zebedee, whom he called just right after he began his ministry after his baptism at the Jordan. 

Here we heard how Jesus called them, and they responded by leaving everything behind, their boat, their families and their profession, to follow the Lord. Today we are called like these Apostles to follow Jesus, and following Jesus means leaving behind the life we have now and embracing the new life he is offering to us. When we opt to follow Jesus, our life revolves around him. It’s no longer what we feel like doing, but what his word instructs us to do. It also means leaving behind our sinful ways of life and embracing the holiness of life. We need to surrender all the things that distract us, we need to submit our struggles and worries to God who has called us. And this is what we see in the life of Hannah in our first reading today. 

Dear friends, in this call to follow the Lord, how are we responding? What have we left behind? What have we sacrificed? Today we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are as regards our vocation as Christians. How have we personally experienced Jesus? When was your spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that is not based on what people told us about him? In case we have not personally experienced him, all we need to do is to sincerely seek God in those common events in our lives, and we will realise how much God is willing to reveal himself to us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are reminded of our call to follow your Son Jesus. As we respond to this call, may we find inner joy in our souls that will prompt us to spread the Good News of the Gospel with faith and conviction. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful week ahead.

Homily For Sunday The Feast of The Baptism of The Lord Year A, 11th January, 2026

Readings: Is 42:1-4.6-7; Ps. 29; Acts. 10:34-38; Matt. 3:13-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

CELEBRATING THE GIFT AND GRACE OF BAPTISM 

Today we celebrate the feast of the Lord’s baptism, an event which marks the end of the Christmas season. This feast is not just about the Lord’s baptism, but our own baptism as well and the renewing of its grace in our lives. The celebration of the baptism of Jesus reminds us of our identity and mission as Christ faithful. 

The feast reminds us of who we are and our commitment to God on the day we were baptised. This feast reminds us that Jesus received baptism not because he needed it; rather, it was to identify himself with his people, who, as a result of John's preaching, are now aware of their sins and of their need for repentance. 

Little wonder in the Gospel,  we heard how the true identity of Jesus was confirmed at his baptism where God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and power and his voice was heard saying: “This is My beloved Son with Whom I am well pleased." This is a confirmation of the word of God through the prophet Isaiah in our first reading, who said: Thus says the Lord: Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have endowed him with my spirit that he may bring true justice to the nations. 

This shows God's revelation to mankind, especially about the mystery of the Trinity and also to reveal Jesus’ true identity and mission, stressing the importance of professing our faith in Jesus Christ, which is an essential aspect of the rite of Baptism. This symbolises the new covenant God wants to make with humanity, thereby calling us to repentance and faith in him. So this is the significance of baptism in our Christian faith and mission. 

Thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC 1279 emphasises that by our baptism, we become adoptive sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, members of his Church, heirs of heaven and temples of the Holy Spirit. We become incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made sharers in the priesthood of Christ. Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other Sacraments (CCC 1213).  

Hence, let us come and receive the immortality that flows from baptism through the testimonies of water, Spirit and Blood which bear witness to the love of God for humanity.  For we are told by one ancient author that this is the water that is linked to the Spirit, the water that irrigates Paradise, makes the earth fertile, gives growth to plants, and brings forth living creatures. 

In short, this is the water by which a man receives new birth and life, the water in which even Christ was baptised, the water into which the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove. And whoever goes down into these waters of rebirth with faith renounces the devil and pledges himself to Christ. He comes up from baptism, throws off his servitude, and becomes an adopted son of God and a co-heir with Christ, resplendent as the sun and purified.

Therefore, the baptism of Jesus reminds us of our mission that is, to experience the presence of God within us and share it with others, to acknowledge our own dignity as God’s children, to live as children of God in thought, word and action, to lead a holy and transparent Christian life and not to desecrate our bodies with impurity, injustice, intolerance, jealousy or hatred in order to grow daily in intimacy with God and be co-creators in building up of his Kingdom on earth. 

Hence, every baptism is a moment of decision, a moment of identification with the people of God, a moment of approval, a moment of conviction, a moment of certainties and assurance, a moment of equipment and indeed a moment of personal encounter with the Trinity.

Dear friends, today is a special day for us to remember the graces we have received at baptism in order to renew them. We can recall that on the day of our baptism,  we were anointed with the Oil of Catechumens, the sign of Christ's gentle strength, to fight against evil. Blessed water was poured over us, an effective sign of interior purification through the gift of the Holy Spirit. We were then anointed with Chrism to show that we were thus consecrated in the image of Jesus as Priests, prophets and Kings. A white cloth was placed on our foreheads as a sign of purity and our Christian dignity. 

Also, the candle lighted from the Paschal Candle was given to us as a symbol of the light of Faith, which our parents and godparents must have continually safeguarded and nourished with the life-giving grace of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, this is another day for us to renew our baptismal promises, consecrating ourselves to the Holy Trinity and rejecting Satan and all his empty promises.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift and grace of baptism. As we celebrate today’s feast may we rediscover in a new way the beauty of our baptism and so be filled with the grace and joy of Christ’s presence, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Saturday After the Epiphany of the Lord, 10th January, 2026

 

Readings: 1 John 5:14-21, Ps.149, John 3:22-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING OUR ROLE IN THE MISSION OF CHRIST

As Christians, one of the mandates that Jesus gave to us is to proclaim the Good News of our salvation, for in this mandate, every one of us has a special role to play. But the question is, what is our role in the mission of Christ, and how are we playing this role?

Today’s Gospel passage presents to us the humility with which John the Baptist plays his role in the mission of Christ. John knew who he was in the sight of God. He knew his strengths and his weaknesses; he knew that his life was centred on Christ.

This was not a burden for him, for he clearly understood God’s sovereignty; he understood who Jesus was. He rejoiced in the coming of Jesus and his role in the mission and life of Jesus. He knew he was the announcer of Good News, but not the Good News itself.

However, he did not have to make a public show of himself. He was not out to promote his ministry or reputation. Even though it seems as if he is becoming insignificant when Jesus arrives, he does not feel so. He aimed to identify Jesus to the people, which he did with all humility as we heard him say, “he must increase, but I must decrease”.

Thus, John shows us what it means to be a true disciple of the Lord. As disciples, we should not allow pride, ambition, ego and selfish desire to dictate how we live our lives. If not, we will easily be carried away by worldly temptations and lose our way by falling deep into the trap of sin.

Rather, we are called to be humble and to be faithful to God at all times. Hence, St. John, in our first reading today, tells us to struggle to free ourselves from sin and reject the path of sin so that we will not end up being trapped more and more in the path of sin, for this may make us end up in eternal damnation if we are not careful.

Dear friends, we all have a significant role to play in the plan of God, John understood his role in the mission of Christ and showed great humility in exercising it. But do we have any clue what our role is in the mission of Christ? In what ways do we exemplify humility in the little tasks entrusted to us? Let us learn from John the Baptist how to humbly exercise our role in any task or mission entrusted to us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, John the Baptist humbly remarked that it was only right that while his Lord and Master increased in importance and prominence, he should decrease, thereby showing and teaching us what it means to be humble servants and disciples. As we contemplate his life, may we learn to be humble in carrying out the mission and vocation entrusted to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a peaceful weekend.

Homily For Friday After the Epiphany of the Lord, 9th January, 2026p

 

Readings: 1 John 5:5-13, Ps.147, Luke 5:12-16

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE LORD JESUS IS ALWAYS WILLING TO HEAL US WHEN WE CALL ON HIM

Reflecting on the ugly situation in our lives, our families, societies and the world at large, there is no doubt that most people are sick and in need of God’s healing touch. Thus, our Gospel passage today presents to us the story of a leper who approached Jesus for healing.

He made this request with faith and trust in the power of Jesus. He said: “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Probably, he may have heard stories of Jesus' many healings. So in response, Jesus immediately touched him, saying: “I will be clean.” The man was healed immediately.

This can be symbolic in relation to what God has done for humanity. For a while, we were still in a state of sin, corruption and deep darkness as a result of the evil activities in this world.

The Lord has not abandoned us; rather, he always reached out to us and touched us with his generous love and often had mercy on us for our sins, which had separated us from God just as the leper had been separated and cast out from the society.

Here also, the touching of Jesus is very significant. No ordinary person would dare to touch a leper. Think of the inner healing that must have resulted from the touch of Jesus, that moment of physical contact. Touch is something we all need but are so often lacking in our relationship with God and one another. Thus, we too, need healing, including the healing that comes from the touch of Jesus.

And the truth is that we all have received this amazing loving touch of God, his mercy, compassion, forgiveness and healing. This is what St. John, in our first reading today, is reminding us when he spoke about overcoming the challenges of this world by believing in Jesus, who, through the testimonies of water, Spirit and Blood, bears witness to the love of God.

Dear friends, I don’t know what type of leprocious problems you are passing through, I don’t know how severe or hopeless your condition is. All I know is that Jesus is willing to help us if we come to him in faith. So, let us put our trust in the healing power of Jesus.

The story of this leper is a good example of how sinners can and should appeal to Jesus for cleansing, especially from our sins. We should come in faith, knowing that God can cleanse us because he is always willing to cleanse every sinner who comes to him.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we come to you today just like the man in our Gospel passage, you know our innermost being, so we ask that if you will, you can cleanse us, our families, our societies and the world from physical, emotional, greed, Unforgiveness, sinful and spiritual leprosies. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Thursday After the Epiphany of the Lord, 8th January, 2026

Readings: 1 John 4:19-5:4, Ps.72, Luke 4:14-22

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LOVE GOD?

For the past few days now, we have been hearing about love from the first letter of St John. As we know, John is one of the inner circle of the disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is known as the beloved disciple of Jesus as his character and personality portray this, and all his teachings are centred on love.

Thus, our first reading today, centers on the summary of God’s commandments, that is, the love of God and the love of neighbour. Here, John was just very practical because anyone who loves God will naturally love all God’s children, who are, of course, in a very real sense our neighbours.

We must love every single person because we are all created in the image and likeness of God. It is not possible to separate the love of God from the love of neighbour, for it is one commandment with two parts which will be the criterion for the final judgement of God.

John tells us that these commandments are not burdensome. Not because they are always easy to carry out fully but because we live in the strength of the Holy Spirit and also because they are in total conformity with our nature made in the likeness of God; there is nothing artificial or arbitrary about them.

To observe them is to become more and more what we are meant to be, that is, living in that image of our Creator, which we share with him. This is the teaching and mission of Jesus Christ as we have it in our Gospel passage today, where we heard Jesus proclaimed his mission and goals as the fulfilment of all the wonderful promises of God’s salvation for humanity.

Dear friends, our Lord Jesus has taught and revealed to us what it means for us to love. He often reached out to us, even to the worst and the most wicked sinners. He always touches us with his love and also calls us to follow his example. But are we willing and able to commit ourselves to follow his example? I don’t know if you have ever loved someone and you show it, or someone loves you and shows it.

The truth is that it feels right and awesome because love brings healing and wholeness into people’s lives. Thus, it is by loving God in our neighbours that we can share and experience this nature of God in us and by so doing we will conquer the world full of hatred, self-centeredness, greed and sin.

LET US PRAY: Father, love is your gift to humanity, help us to embrace this gift of love and learn to share it with one another, just as Jesus has taught us who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Have a lovely day.

Homily For Wednesday After the Epiphany of the Lord, 7th January, 2026

 

Readings: 1 John 4:11-18, Ps.72,  Mark 6:45-52

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

TAKE COURAGE IT IS THE LORD WHO WILL NOT ABANDON YOU 

Recalling my first time sailing through the sea on a boat for forty minutes with a group of friends. It was fun, we were all putting on our life jackets with all the safety measures and cation. 

But I must confess that it was not too pleasant when we had to navigate through the waves of the sea. Then I realized what it means to be on the sea with heavy storms. A condition where the need to look for a Saviour is highly expected. 

Such was the case with the disciples of Jesus in the Gospel passage today. It is a story about panic, for after the miracle of the multiplication of loaves, Jesus asked his disciples to get into the boat and sail to the other side while he went to pray. With the waves breaking over the boat, the disciples were afraid. 

Hence, they needed help from anywhere. It was at this point that they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and he said to them: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid”. 

This story signifies God's chosen people on a transit of faith, frightened by the guilt of sin and wounded by the waves of the sea, the abode of evil forces and monsters of this world. The boat can be taken as a symbol of the young Christian Church struggling with the world’s principalities and powers, while the storm is a symbol of persecution suffered by this young Christian community. 

However, John, in our first reading, tells us that God abides in us and his love is perfected in us, for there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. Thus, Jesus says: "Do not be afraid" as we struggle with the storms of this passing world for he abides with us.

Dear friends, today  Jesus is calling us to journey on his boat of life with an unwavering faith and a repented heart because, the world is being tossed around by the waves of the evil forces, the enemies of humankind. And it is only  God who can subdue it, for he has promised to restore us to himself. 

Therefore, I don't know the great storms of doubt and fear in your soul as a result of the power of the evil forces of this world. All I know is that with great faith in God, the words of Jesus: “Take courage, it is I,” will surely resound in the hearts of all of us, especially those victims around us and all Christians who live in a hostile community.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for constantly intervening in our daily storms of life. As we go about our duties today may you guide us through the storms of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Homily For Tuesday After the Epiphany of the Lord, 6th January 2026

 

Readings: 1 John 4:7-10, Ps.72, Mark 6:34-44

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

YOU ARE SPECIAL BECAUSE GOD LOVES FOR YOU SHARE IN HIS NATURE

One of the common words we use to express our feelings is the word “love” and this word means a lot of things to different people. But what is love? For me, love is God’s nature which he shares with us. That is why love is beyond human nature.

When we love, we are acting out that very nature of God in us. Love is greater than human nature because it is the nature of God that we share. Therefore, to understand the depth of God's love for us, there is a principle that we need to abide by, that is, the principle that says that every day is a gift from God to us.

A gift that shows how much He loves us by sending His Son, whose life-giving sacrifice means salvation for all humanity. But the world prefers darkness to light, life, and death, and these have made the world a difficult place to live in.

Today, in our first reading, we are told that God loves us so much that he sent his Son Jesus to be the expiation for our sins. And the event of feeding of the five thousand as we have in our Gospel passage today, speaks of the generosity of God and his kindness towards us.

Telling us that when God gives, he gives abundantly. He gives us more than we need for ourselves so that we can share with those who lack. In fact, we can interpret this miracle as the fruit of sharing with one another, for it is possible that once the disciples began to share the little food they had with those around, others also who had brought some food with them started sharing what they have and indeed grace multiplied what they have to the point of having left over.

Dear friends, God loves us so much, that he is willing and ready to satisfy our unquenchable hunger for physical and spiritual things. How I wish humanity could give up greed, selfishness, hatred, and embezzlement of our common resources in order to embrace true love for one another.

Let us learn to share our resources with one another for the purpose for which they are meant; believe me, the world will witness another miracle of the multiplication of resources that will be enough for everyone with left over for future generations.

But we have failed to embrace this love, we have failed to share this love with one another or give up greed and our other ugly attitudes. Therefore, let us embrace Jesus and the love he is offering us. Let us, like Jesus, have compassion and love for everyone, for that is the very nature of God which he shares with us.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are really hungry and in need of your love and satisfaction both physically and spiritually; feed us once again with your heavenly grace and multiply the little bread and fish we share with others and provide for us the basic needs of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a lovely day.