WILL YOU BE READY WHEN THE LORD SHALL COME?

 Wednesday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 21st October, 2020. 

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WILL YOU BE READY WHEN THE LORD SHALL COME?

Oftentimes when I observed how footballers, boxers, athletes, also engineers, doctors and farmers, business men and women devote time and energy in rigorous preparation towards achieving their goals. I realized that adequate preparation is the secret and foundation of every successful event. Then I said to myself, if we can go to this length of rigorous periods of preparation just for things of this passing world, it will be even more demanding when it has to do with preparing for eternal life. 

However, if we can devote such time and energy towards our spiritual life which we often neglect, we will be more awake and prepared for the day of the Lord. This is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today, when he said to his disciples: “be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’ Then he used the parable of faithful and wise steward to make this point clearer. And he concluded by saying: when a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him.’

  

In this passage we have two commands at the beginning and at the end which are not quite the same. The first command is based on God’s coming at a “day” when you do not know and the second have to do with managing the responsibility entrusted to us. For, just like the householder’s ignorance of the time when the thief would come is the reason why he does not watch. Thus, our ignorance of the day and time should be the reason for our watchfulness in order to prevent being robbed. So the image of the thief is chosen to illustrate the unexpected approach of the second coming of Christ which will be a great surprise to those who are asleep as they will be robbed of Heaven and even their earthly treasures.

Hence, Jesus commanded us to stay awake, because we do not know either the day or the hour when the Lord will come. And St. Paul in our first reading says:  I, who am less than the least of all the saints have been entrusted with this special grace, not only of proclaiming to the pagans the infinite treasure of Christ but also of explaining how the mystery is to be dispensed. So, how are we managing the responsibility entrusted to us, especially the responsibility of managing our lives and also the lives and properties entrusted to us on a great deal of which great deal is expected from us? 

Dear friends, as we struggle with the ugly situation that has  led us to continue with the protest against all the evil and corruption well captured under the “End SARS” protest. We must be courageous, wise, patient and prudent, knowing that our lives as Christians demands that we should be alert. We should be prepared at all times and be ready to make sacrifices like the faithful and wise stewards. We should be watchful for we know neither the day nor the hour when the Lord will call us. Hence, we are reminded today that this world is passing away, so we need to stay awake and be ready, as we look into our inner being, our interior life in order to embrace the life of holiness and self-control that will help us to be more prepared. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often failed to listen to your warnings concerning the things of this passing world and the need for us to stay awake and be ready for your coming, give us the grace and wisdom to be well prepared to stand before you whenever you call us. And as we struggle with the protest against our bad and selfish leaders, may you protect us and grant eternal rest on those who have lost their lives on account of this ugly situation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

HAPPY ARE THOSE WHOM THE LORD FINDS AWAKE AND READY WHEN HE COMES

 Tuesday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 20th October, 2020. 

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

HAPPY ARE THOSE WHOM THE LORD FINDS AWAKE AND READY WHEN HE COMES

There are two most important events in our life as a human person. One is well known, prepared and are constantly celebrated, that is, our birthday. The other, which is the ultimate, is not known and less attention and preparation is being made for it, that is, the day of our departure from this world. 

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

Here we have a scenario which illustrate the unexpected approach of the coming of Christ which will be a great surprise to those who are asleep as they will be missing out the heavenly joy and also be deprived of their earthly treasures. But for those that shall be found awake and ready, the Lord's coming will be a happy day, while for those that are not prepared, it will be very dreadful. Thus our ignorance of the day and time of his coming is the reason for our watchfulness, so we must be awake and ready at all times. 

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

Dear friends, we are called today to be ready. We are called to repentance. We are called to embrace the new life the Lord is offering us. We are called to a life of constant struggle towards perfection in order to embrace the Lord whenever he comes. Therefore, preparation is the key word. Let us not be deceived when the world suggest to us that the day of death is not coming soon and so forget who we are, and then, the day and time will take us by surprise.

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

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

BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS, FOR HUMAN LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST ONLY ON WORLDLY POSSESSIONS

 Monday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 19th October, 2020. 

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS, FOR HUMAN LIFE DOES NOT CONSIST ONLY ON WORLDLY POSSESSIONS 

Material possessions are gifts from God and he alone gives us the right to them. But what we possess is meant to help us grow in our relationship with God and neighours not to separate us from them, because if we are not careful, too much love for material possession can be an obstacle on our way to God’s Kingdom. Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today warns us against covetousness and excessive attachment to worldly possessions which he greatly emphasized with the story of the rich Man Harvest. 

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

Here, Jesus tells his disciples about the need to live a life of detachment. He used this story to teach his disciples and all of us about the futility of worldly desires and it’s pursuits. Thereby showing us the foolishness of human greed, as well as pride and ego. For in this man we see the uselessness of human selfishness, covetousness and excess worldly possession, as he constantly focused only on himself saying I will do this, I will do that, ‘my goods, my fruits, my barns, my soul, etc, without any interest or room for his neighbours or the poor. He has no thought of God, nor of his own servants. If he had looked a little beyond himself, he would have seen many places where he could have bestowed his crops.  Thus, there is need for us to constantly prune ourselves from excess love for material possession of this passing world. 

The fact remains, that, material possessions in themselves are good, for we would not survive for long without them, but excess attachment to it at the expense of eternal life is grade one suicide. No doubt, it is difficult to give out or share our possession, but the ones who give up everything are the ones who receives more in this life as well as in heaven. For St. Paul tells us in our first reading that, we all like those in the past are living sensual lives, ruled entirely by our own physical desires and our own ideas; so that by nature we were as much under God’s anger as the rest of the world. But God loved us with so much love that he was generous with his mercy: when we were dead through our sins, he brought us to life with Christ.

Dear friends, detaching and sharing what we possess with others especially the poor is a sure way to finding life, peace, happiness. And Jesus is telling us that it will be difficult for us to enter his kingdom when we choose to attach ourselves in the riches of this passing world. Though material possessions are gifts from God and he alone gives us the right to have them, but what we possess is not meant to separate us from God, rather, they should help us to grow in our relationship with God and neighours.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are living in a world where materialism is the order of the day, help us to learn how to live a life of detachment and prune us always from the sin of covetousness and pride, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week.

WHOSE IMAGE AND INSCRIPTION ARE IN THE COIN YOU POSSESS IN YOUR LIFE

 Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 18th October, 2020. Mission Sunday

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHOSE IMAGE AND INSCRIPTION ARE IN THE COIN YOU POSSESS IN YOUR LIFE

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

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

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

 Thus, Jesus affirms, that one’s obligation to the government is necessary as long as it is for the good of all, while insisting that one’s obligation to God is always greater and this should be done by rendering the true image of the coin to God which ultimately belongs to Him. And this is what prophet Isaiah is pointing out in our first reading as he expatiate on the relationship between faith and politics which was well demonstrated in the person of Cyrus whose right hand God had used to subdued nations and uncovered the loins of kings. 

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

Dear friends, in our struggles against the ugly political powers and authorities of our generation, we all, in one way or the other possess the coins of this life, but whose image and inscription are in the coin we possess. Are we possessing the coin with the true image and inscription of God or the coin with the empirical image of sin, corruption, greed, selfishness and deception? Today as we celebrate the Mission Sunday, Jesus is telling us to render back to the Caesars of this world all the ugly and sinful coins in our possession for they belong to Caesar. While rendering to God the true image of the coin with the inscription of love, mercy, justice, forgiveness, charity and holiness for they truly belongs to God.

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

THE “UNFORGIVABLE” SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

 Saturday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 17th October, 2020. The Memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE “UNFORGIVABLE” SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

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

From this frightening passage, Jesus reveals to us that sins no matter how grievous can be forgiven, but there is a particular sin that will not be forgiven. That is, the sin against the Holy Spirit. But what is this sin against the Holy Spirit? And why would it not be forgiven? The sin against the Holy Spirit is rooted from ones outright rejection of God’s grace of salvation offered to us through the Holy Spirit ‘s incessant invitations, and warnings. This happens when the will of a person is hardened against God’s mercy and goodness.

Hence the sin against the Holy Spirit is “unforgivable” because it is the sinner himself who rejected God’s forgiveness. This is so, because God respects the freedom which He has given us, for he respects a sinner’s decision to firmly refuse to be forgiven. Thus, this sin, traditionally has been seen as a sin of final impenitence, or presumption, which occurs in a situation where someone sinned gravely and then either fails to have any sorrow for that sin or simply presumes on God’s mercy without truly repenting. And this lack of sorrow closes the door to God’s mercy. 

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

Secondly, by presumption of God’s salvation, this occurs out of pride, when a person cultivates in his soul an idea of his own perfection by believing that his salvation has been guaranteed by what he has done. Thirdly by denying the truth of faith recognized as such by the Magisterium of the Church, by considering his personal understanding to be greater than that of the Church and the teachings of the Holy Spirit even after an exhaustive doctrinal explanation. This attitude is referred as the sin of heresy. 

Fourthly, by envying the grace that God gives to other people. This occurs when one detests other peoples gift and possession wishing to have everything alone, thereby  going against the law of love for one’s neighbour. Fifthly, by obstinacy, this occurs when someone resolved to remain firmly in sin and continue in error even after receiving the light and help of the Holy Spirit by separating him/herself from God’s will and rejection of His salvation. Lastly, by final impenitence. This occurs as a result of complete rejection of God and the invitation of the Holy Spirit, during ones entire life time even at the hour of death.

Dear friends, we must be very wise for there are many false prophets and teachers operating under the power of the devil leading people away from God. Today Jesus is promising us the Spirit of truth that will give us a special sign for distinguishing true doctrine and true teachers from the false ones. Therefore, let us constantly ask the Holy Spirit to give us the grace of discernment in order to distinguish between good and false prophets and teachers in order not to let them lead us to sin against Him (Holy Spirit). 

And as we celebrate the memorial of St. Ignatius, one of the most prominent of all the early Church fathers, who helped to establish solid foundation for the Church in Antioch and also the Universal Church. He wrote extensively to the other Church communities. But was martyred by being thrown to wild beasts in the amphitheatre, where he defended his faith to the very end. Let us also be true Christians in our way of life, words and deeds. Let us learn to put our trust in God who has promised to keep us from falling away from the true faith we have found in His Son Jesus. 

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

FEAR NOT, FOR YOU ARE MORE VALUABLE THAN MANY SPARROWS OF THIS PASSING WORLD

 Friday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 16th October, 2020.

Readings: Eph 1:11-14, Ps. 33, Luke 12:1-7

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

FEAR NOT, FOR YOU ARE MORE VALUABLE THAN MANY SPARROWS OF THIS PASSING WORLD

The word “FEAR” is often defined as an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. Little wonder, threats, intimidation, torture and fear are some of the powerful ways of silencing people from expressing their views, opinion and faith. Hence, Jesus knowing the difficulties and challenges his disciples will encounter, needed to train and instruct them properly, so that they can stand firm in the midst of threats, oppositions and persecution that may bring fear in their midst.

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus continues with his instruction on what it means to be a firm disciple in respect to the mission he is about to entrust to his apostles. He began by saying,  what I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy five sparrows for two pennies? And yet not one is forgotten in God’s sight. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. Fear not: you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

As disciples, these encouraging words of Jesus are very apt especially now that we are passing through difficult moment of killings, brutality, poverty, sickness, persecution, intimidation, greed, immorality, wars, famines, genocide in our families, societies, country and the world at large. This ugly condition can make someone to completely lose hope in humanity and also in God. But Jesus do not want us to lose hope, rather he wants us to be that firm and strong disciples that will stand firm and courageously face the ugly situation we encounter everyday. For Jesus needs firm disciples that will speak and stand for his Gospel no matter the cost. 

He says, we should not fear the threats, intimidation, torture and brutality of people who claim to be powerful because of the office they occupied. We should not give in to some of these powerful ways of silencing people from expressing their views, opinion and faith. Yes all over the world, there are wars against injustice, protests against intimidation and brutality of innocent people especially in our country. Hence, we the youths are out seeking for justice, equity and good governance. We must not stop or give up in our struggles. We must continue to speak and condemn evil without fear, but with the assurance that the Lord is with us, despite everything that we may be suffering and enduring because of the sins and wickedness of evil ones. 

Dear friends, as disciples of Jesus, our purpose in life is to become like him in deeds and in character. By so doing we will have confident that God will enable us to carry out the work that he has entrusted to us even in the midst of persecution, knowing that neither the human person nor the devil can affect our soul. We can be confident of God’s intimate care for us, because He knows even the numbers of the hairs on our head. Thus, as true disciples of Jesus we must have confidence and remain firm in faith even in the midst of persecution, intimidation, brutality, sufferings and sickness, because, His love and care for us surpass all our challenges.

 

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

GOD IS REPROACHING OUR UGLY ATTITUDES OF PRIDE AND SELFISHNESS

 Thursday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 15th October, 2020. The Memorial of St. Teresa of Avila

Readings: Eph 1:1-10, Ps. 98, Luke 11:47-54

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

GOD IS REPROACHING OUR UGLY ATTITUDES OF PRIDE AND SELFISHNESS

Today in our Gospel passage Jesus continued with his reproach on the Scribes and the Pharisee for hardening their hearts from the teaching of Jesus, and therefore behaving like their ancestors. Little wonder, Jesus in his reproach said: woe to you who build the tombs of the prophets, the men your ancestors killed! In this way you both witness what your ancestors did and approve it; they did the killing, you do the building. But the scribes and the Pharisees began a furious attack on him and tried to force answers from him thereby setting traps to catch him out in something he might say.

Here, Jesus was speaking to the people on the ugly attitudes and wickedness of humanity well manifested by the Scribes and Pharisees in the various occasions when we ought to obey the Lord but preferred to live and act in accordance to our own selfish and proud attitudes. Hence by reproaching us, Jesus is reminding us that this is not the right path for us to follow, instead, we should be more faithful and pay more attention to God’s words and teachings which he had repeatedly communicated to us through the prophets, of which we often rejected and killed the prophets. In a similar way, Jesus despite all the signs and wonders he had done for humanity we still refused to have faith in him. 

However, St. Paul in our first reading says: blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ. For he chose us in him before the foundation of world, that we should be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence. A life which St. Teresa of Avila embraced so deeply and became a renowned mystic and holy woman. For with the help of St. John of the Cross, she was a very important figure in the renewal and reformation of the Carmelite order through which she established the Discalced Carmelites. She is one of the few female Doctors of the Church because of her immense contribution to the faith through her writings and way of life by which she sought to return the Christian faith to it’s purer state.

Dear friends, today we are called not to be like the Scribes and Pharisees, who out of pride and selfishness rejected the words of Jesus and sort to kill him. Rather, we should be more humble and disposed towards the words of God we hear everyday. We should make efforts to transform our lives and faith more closer to that of Jesus just like St. Teresa of  Avila who dedicated her life in the reformation of the Christian faith to it’s purest state.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as you reproach our ugly attitudes of pride and selfishness today, through the teaching and intercession of St. Teresa of Avila, may we be filled with the longing for true holiness and humility, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.