Tuesday of the 25th week in Ordinary Time Year A, 22nd September, 2020.

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DOING THE WILL OF GOD IS THE ONLY WAY TO BELONGING TO THE FAMILY OF JESUS 

One of the psychological and spiritual needs of the human person is the sense of belonging, this need is just like the need for food, clothes and shelter. The feeling of belonging is fundamental to our sense of happiness and well-being, for it gives value to life and help us in coping with some painful emotions as it improves our motivation. Hence, we often want to belong and identify with one another, to our friends and families, to our culture and from one association and group to another.

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

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

 This family he says, is his true family where doing the will of God is the only way of belonging to this family. This is not to say that Jesus is rejecting his biological family; to do so would be contradicting his own teaching about loving ones parents and loving ones neighbours. However, Jesus is using this opportunity to emphasize that our relationship with God is more important and should be based on our total commitment to doing the will of God through him. Surprisingly, Mary the mother of Jesus belongs to both sides of the family, for she gave birth to Jesus and also was the first to do the will of God when she  said, “let it be done unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). For this reason she is the first disciple of Jesus and a model for all Christians.

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

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

Dear friends, where do we ultimately and truly belong? As Christians, we claimed to belong to God, do our attitudes and decisions show that we truly belong to God? Do we not often commit ourselves to things contrary to the faith we professed in God? Therefore, today like Mary and the disciples of Jesus, we are called to do the will of God always in order to truly belong to that true family of Jesus where love of God and love of neighbour unites us together.

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

Monday of the 25th week in Ordinary Time Year A, 21st September, 2020. Feast of St Matthew, AP& Evangelist

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE CALL OF MATTHEW,  AN EXTENSION OF GOD’S MERCY TO SINFUL HUMANITY

In life we make choices and the choices we make everyday communicate our inner most desire which also determine how meaningful, valuable, healthy and fruitful our lives and mission are going to be. This is not different in the life of Jesus who on account of his mission to save humanity had to make choices of people who will be his instruments of evangelizing in the world. No doubt Jesus had been calling people from different works of life to be part of his mission, but today’s call and choice of Matthew a man identified with sinners because of his work as a tax collector, was quite strange to some people.

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today after Jesus had called Matthew to follow him, he had a dinner in his house and while at the dinner, it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, ‘Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When Jesus heard this he replied, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’   

Here we heard the inner most desire of Jesus for sinful humanity in need of salvation. The call of Matthew is like the call of each of us, a choice that demonstrates Jesus' desire for sinners to repent. For all he desires is mercy and not sacrifices, repentance and not pride. Jesus is calling us to repentance, he is inviting us to make a fundamental choice for God just like St Matthew, who though sinner, rose up and followed Jesus at his call for repentance, we too are to respond to this invitation without delay. Let St. Matthew be an inspiration and hope for every one of us. Let him be an example that will remind us that there is no one beyond the reach of God’s mercy and love. For he is capable of transforming our ugly ways of life into a glorious instrument for human salvation.

Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew, we are called to imitate him. For tradition has it that after his conversion, Matthew became a great evangelizer, who went about preaching the Good News to many people. It was told that he went to Ethiopia where he had a growing communities of Christ faithful. And according to tradition, he was martyred while celebrating the Holy Mass on the Altar, after he rebuked the local king in Ethiopia who lusted and desired to have his own niece who had dedicated herself in holy virginity to God. Here we see how Matthew, who was once a sinner was called and transformed into great saints and great instrument of evangelization. 

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

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

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 20th September, 2020.

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WAIT FOR GOD’S TIME OF GRACE AND GENEROSITY, FOR HE HAS TIME AND PLAN FOR EVERYONE 

Oftentimes, when we are passing through the dark moment of life, it seems as if all hope is gone. We put up all our energy and enthusiasm struggling and hoping for a better and brighter opportunities. Sometimes it seems as if that brighter moment won’t come. The truth is that, our time of favour and success is not determine by how long or strenuous we have struggled, but on our disposition towards God's time of grace and generosity, for God alone decides how to reward us for our efforts. All we need is to be disposed to doing his will at all times. 

This is what the parable of the vineyard labourers in our Gospel passage today is teaching us, especially as regards to our disposition towards embracing the kingdom of God. For the vineyard owner went out at different times and gathered people to work in his vineyard. And as time goes on, he continued to look for more workers, and went out along the way to seek for unemployed workers even at the eleventh and final hour calling all into his vineyard. 

At the end, the landowner went beyond justice. For motivated by compassion and having employed labourers at different times, decided to paid them the same wages as agreed with those who were hired first, of which they felt bad for the landowner’s generosity towards those hired last.

Here the human mind suspects injustice, while the heart of God sees only an opportunity to be generous. This generosity of God calls us to be generous too; but out of envy we often selfishly consider ourselves more deserving than others. 

From this parable, the vineyard owner represents God Himself, while all the labourers represent all of us who are called to work in the Lord’s heavenly vineyard. Thus, we heard how God is reaching out to us at every moment and stage in our lives. He keep sending messengers, prophets, and teachers to call us and to remind us the need for us to be reconciled and be reunited with him. Just like we heard from prophet Isaiah in our first reading saying, seek the Lord while he is still to be found, call to him while he is still near. Let the wicked man abandon his way, the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn back to the Lord who will take pity on him, for our God is rich in forgiving; and his thoughts are not our thoughts, his ways not our ways. This shows how God loves us so much that he constantly tried to call us and to bring us back to himself.

Dear friends, how are we responding to God’s call? What is our disposition towards God’s generosity? What is our attitude towards those whom God has lifted up to our level? From today’s parable, we can identify three kinds of persons. First, those who are like the landowner who hires people to get a job done, but with sympathies for those to be employed. Secondly, the unemployed waiting desperately in the market place and thirdly, the labourers who considered themselves more deserving than others.  Thus, we all need to ask ourselves, among these three groups where do I belong? 

This is important because the way workers and labourers are being treated in our societies these days are really appalling. But God is assuring us today, that even though we are the least, the nobodies and most neglected in the eyes of the world, he will not forget us, for he has time and plan for everyone and will continue to provide for our daily needs. However, he warns those of us that are greedy and selfish to change from our greed and sinful ways, because when his time comes, the last will be the first and the first, last. For in his kingdom, there is time and plan for everyone with equal grace and equal status.

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

Saturday of the 24th week in Ordinary Time Year A, 19th September, 2020.

 Readings: 1Cor 15: 35-37.42-49, Ps.56, Luke 8:4-15

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

MAKE YOUR SOUL A FERTILE GROUND FOR GOD’S WORD TO GERMINATE AND BEAR FRUIT

Our disposition towards whatever we do in life determines how successful we can be. And experience has shown that people’s disposition varies depending on where their interest based.  Therefore, to be fruitful in whatever we do we must have to develop a right disposition towards it. Knowing how important this is need in understanding his mission, Jesus in our Gospel reading today, used the parable of the sower to describe different kinds of human disposition and response towards the Word of God. 

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

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

This is important because today and even in the scriptures, there are many who hear the words of Jesus and do not understand it because of wrong disposition, for instance in the scriptures we have the religious leaders who are against the teachings of Jesus, the crowds that responded positively to Jesus, especially to his miracles of healing, yet turned against him at the end and demanded his crucifixion. Some disciples such as Judas might also be included among those who fell away when trouble or persecution came on account of the Word. While the rich young man who was unable to part with his possessions, provides a clear example of one who hears the word, but the love for the passing things of this world and the lure of wealth choked the word, and it yielded nothing.

 

But what about the good soil? These are those who hear the Word, understand and internalize it, who indeed bear fruit and yield an abundant harvest. Our mother Mary and the apostles excluding Judas are good example of such people. Therefore, the different kinds of ground on which the seed falls represent different ways by which we receive the Word of God. 

And St. Paul in our first readings today made us to know that whatever we sow in the ground has to die before it is given new life and the thing that we sow is not what is going to come out. For when we sow a bare grain, say of wheat or something like that, it germinates and becomes a great tree. It is the same with the resurrection of the dead: the thing that is sown is perishable but what is raised is imperishable; the thing that is sown is contemptible but what is raised is glorious; the thing that is sown is weak but what is raised is powerful; for when it is sown it embodies the soul, when it is raised it embodies the spirit.

Here, St Paul reminds us of our basic Christian faith which teaches that, in order for us to rise with Christ we must first die to ourselves. That is, those things which hold us to the ways of this world must die and we must be reborn to the life of faith. Then we will rise with Christ and share his glory, just as we read in the parable of the Sower. For the Sower being Christ himself, teaches us how to manage the challenges of life in order to yield a rich harvest of faith and attain eternal joy of heaven.

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

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

Friday of the 24th week in Ordinary Time Year A, 18th September, 2020.

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

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

ARE YOU PART OF THE MISSION OF CHRIST?

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

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

This reading actually points out the mission of the Church in proclaiming the word of God and our part in this mission. Thus, we are reminded of how God has called us to follow Christ and contribute to the salvation of humanity. And St. Paul in our first reading tells us that, if our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people. But since Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, as the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep, we have a sure hope in his resurrection.

Thus as children of the resurrection, who are judged worthy of a place in the heavenly Kingdom, we are to fully involved in the mission of Christ. No doubt that there are men and women of our time who give themselves to noble causes. They give themselves to the service of others: they are those who see to the good of others and contribute to the growth of God’s Kingdom just like the women in our Gospel passage today. These are people of noble cause, like parents who teach their children the ways of the Lord by their practical way of life, like people who help the weak and the vulnerable, like friends who speak the truth and stand by it and political and Church leaders, who renounce power rather than compromise principles and uses every opportunity they have to evangelize the people.

Dear friends, are we really part of this mission of Christ? In what ways are we supporting the mission of the Church?

Are we ready to contribute towards this mission by our ways of life? Do we desired to be part of this mission but lack the courage and discipline? Or do we think that this mission is not for us? The fact remains that as baptized persons, it is our obligation to carryout this mission and it is not optional. It is an obligation we must carryout irrespective of our status, position, environment and deposition.

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

Thursday of the 24th week in Ordinary Time Year A, 17th September, 2020.

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

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

YOUR MANY SINS ARE FORGIVEN BECAUSE YOU LOVED MUCH

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

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

But the Pharisees, instead of rejoicing on account of this woman's repentance, they confined their thoughts to her former ugly and sinful ways of life. Then with a parable, Jesus demonstrated that the greater a sinner, the greater the love he/she ought to show to God when he/she receives mercy and pardoned. Little wonder Jesus told Simon the Pharisees, I came into your house, and you poured no water over my feet, but she has poured out her tears over my feet and wiped them away with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but she has been covering my feet with kisses ever since I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. For this reason I tell you that her many sins have been forgiven, for she loved much. 

This is the same with St. Paul in our first reading when he said I am the least of the apostles; in fact, since I persecuted the Church of God, I hardly deserve the name apostle; but by God’s grace that is what I am, and the grace that he gave me has not been fruitless. This tells us that we all are sinners and debtors before God. Though some sinners are greater debtors; but whether our debt be more or less, it is more than we are able to pay. However God is always ready to forgive us and the more we express our sorrow for sin, the more our love for Christ grows.

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

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

Wednesday of the 24th week in Ordinary Time Year A, 16th September, 2020. The memorial of St. Cornelius & St. Cyprian

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

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LOVE IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL VIRTUES

Love is that nature of God which we share, a gift from God to humanity. Love is like the stream water, so innocent and pure. True love is not hidden, it radiates from the innermost being of a person who experience it. Little wonder St Paul in our first reading tells us that  there are three things that last: faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love. For love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes. 

So love is the greatest of all the gifts of God. Since all the virtues, from the lowest to the highest are worthless unless motivated by love. So love however, is the greatest and foundation of all the virtues. Other virtues such as faith will cease with the vision of God, hope will disappear into the possession of what we hoped for. But love is permanent and eternal because, God is love and we are his seed of love in this world. Thus our primary purpose in life is to love, and not just any kind of love, but sacrificial love that is rooted in selflessness that is devoid of greed, selfishness and haughty.

This kind of love is what is lacking among the people of our generation as we have it in our Gospel passage today when we heard Jesus talking about the people who out of jealousy had failed to embrace his teaching and that of John the Baptist. For the people looked down on him and were very judgmental against him and John the Baptist because of their unique personality. 

And this ugly attitude were caused by lack of love, inability to appreciate God’s love and all that He has done for the sake of all humanity. But this is not the same with Pope Cornelius and Cyprian whose memorial we celebrate today. For they were holy servants of God who dedicated their lives to the service of God and for the love of God and their neighbour. And for this they died as martyrs under great persecution, of which they stood firm in their faith and hope which is rooted in their love of God and neighbours.

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

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