The Homily of Monday in Fifth Week of Lent Year B, 22nd March, 2021

 The Homily of Monday in Fifth Week of Lent Year B, 22nd March, 2021

Readings: Dan. 13:1-9.15-17.19-30.33-62, Ps. 22, John:8:1-11

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

THE MERCY OF GOD WILL NOT LET US BE CONDEMNED BY SINFUL PEOPLE

One of the things that separate us from God and one another is sin. It is that which is opposed to God. Sin no doubt has left an ugly legacy on human history. This is evident in our readings today. In the first reading we heard the popular story of Susanna, an innocent and faithful woman, who was blackmailed by two respected elders who lusted over her and wanted to commit sin with her. 

Susanna stood her ground and refused to submit to those men’s desires, and she almost lost her life to false accusation as the two elders abused their authority to falsely accuse Susanna of adultery and promiscuity while it was their own sins that led them to condemning her. But through God’s Spirit and Wisdom Daniel rose up and defended Susanna, forcing the two elders to reopen the investigation when they had almost succeeded in silencing her by condemning her to death. At this point, Daniel trapped the two elders in their own words and false testimonies, and they were convicted by their own words. 

Also a similar situation occurred in our Gospel passage today, where we heard how the Pharisees led a woman caught in the act of adultery to Jesus, condemning her to death by stoning in accordance to the Jewish customs and laws, and they attempted to use her as a test for Jesus, hoping that through his response they would trapped him. This is because they know that  if Jesus had condemned the woman, then the people could then say that Jesus was following the example of the Pharisee and therefore discredit his teaching authority. And if Jesus said that the woman should be set free, the Pharisees then could condemn Jesus for siding with a sinner. 

Here again the wisdom and mercy of God vindicated the woman, when Jesus asked for those who had no sin to cast the first stone on the woman. This is perfectly wise set of words to say in that occasion as it is a reality that every one has sinned before, and the longer that one has lived, the more sins naturally he or she had committed. So they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained standing there. He looked up and said, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir’ she replied. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus ‘go away, and do not sin any more'. 

Dear friends such is the love and mercy of God for each one of us. This shows the fact that God loves us all, and his love for us is even greater than the hatred he has on our sins. And for all those who have faith in him and put their trust in him, God will provide for them and protect them, just as he did to Susanna and this adulterous woman. So, God wants us all to repent and be cleansed from our sins, our wickedness, immorality, corruption and selfishness. He is repeating the same words he told the adulterous woman, that she had been forgiven and yet, she must not sin again. Telling us that sin is something that we must struggle to overcome daily, knowing that God is ever loving and merciful towards us, but we must not take his love and mercy for granted and continue to live in the state of sin.

Therefore, as we approach the Holy week, Jesus uses these examples to explain to us how God searches for us when we are lost in sin and his joy when our friendship with him is restored. His searching for us cost him his life. This can help us realize how precious we are to him. He never gives up on anyone. 

So, are we lost in sin? Have we given up in our struggle against sin? Do you think that your sins are so great that God cannot forgive you? Do you feel lost now? Jesus is waiting for us to come back to him. When was the last time you sincerely fill sorry for your habitual sins?  I just want you to know that God loves you and his mercy will not let you be condemned by sin for you are too precious to be lost in sin.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, you never stopped saving those who come to you for mercy, especially when we have separated ourselves from you because of sin. As we embrace your words today. May we experience your mercy once again in our lives. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful week ahead.

HOMILY ON FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR B, 21ST MARCH, 2021

 HOMILY ON FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR B, 21ST MARCH, 2021

Readings: Jer. 31:31-34; Ps. 51; Heb. 5:7-9; John 12:20-33

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

THE BODY MUST DIE TO SIN, SO THAT THE SOUL COULD BEAR FRUIT OF LOVE

One of the great doctors and mystics of the Church, St. John of the Cross in his poem titled: The Ascent of Mount Carmel, talks about the dark night of the soul, a night that has united the Lover with His beloved. The night through which a soul journeys towards that divine light of perfect union with God through love. Explaining the nature of this dark night, St. John of the Cross gave three reasons for calling this journey towards the union with God a night.

The first has to do with the point of departure, because the individual must deprive himself of his appetite for worldly possessions. This denial and privation is like a night for all his senses. The second reason have to do with the means or road along which a person travels to this union. Now, this road is faith, and for the intellect, faith is also like a dark night. The third reason pertains to the point of arrival, namely, to God. For God as we know is a dark night for those who are still living in the flesh. Thus, these three nights pass through a soul, or rather, the soul pass through them in order to reach divine union with God.

This no doubt, helps us to understand what Jesus is saying in our Gospel passage today, when he talks about his passion saying: Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say: Father, save me from this hour? But it was for this very reason that I have come to this hour. I tell you, most solemnly, unless a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest. Anyone who loves his life will lose it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. For if a man serves me, he must follow me, wherever I am, my servant will be there too.

Here, Jesus is telling us that the journey towards our God demands great sacrifice that will take away every thing that we so much attached ourselves with. We must be ready to sacrifice all to the point of dying to sin in order to bear fruit of love, just the way a healthy seed dies to the ground in order to germinate and give birth to a three of life that bear fruit of love, peace and kindness. And the seed that Jesus is referring here is himself, who sacrificed everything at the Cross of Calvary to bear fruit of love for all humanity. Therefore, we must learn how to pass through the dark night of this sinful world, by denying ourselves the gross and sinful appetite for worldly possessions, in order to journey through the dark night of faith that will lead us to true love for God and our neighbours.

It is this sacrificial love of Jesus that we are called today to embrace. For although he was Son, he learnt to obey through suffering; but having been made perfect, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation, as we heard in our second reading today. And in our first reading, we heard prophet Jeremiah reminding us that deep within our hearts God has planted his Laws. And there will be no further need for neighbour to try to teach neighbour, or brother to say to brother, ‘Learn to know the Lord!’ No, for we will all know him, the least no less than the greatest. For he will be our God and we shall be his people.

Dear friends, what is keeping us today from embracing the love God is offering us? What is keeping us from journeying with our Lord Jesus in this dark night of faith, that helps our to die to sinful things of this passing world, in order to germinate and bear fruit of love? What is it that the world is offering us today, that can be compared to the glory of God and the salvation that the Lord Jesus has worn for us? Why not make up your mind today to embrace the Lord? Why not give up selfishness, pride, corruption, greed and all forms of immoralities in order to join men and women of our time who have given themselves to noble causes for the sake of common good.

 For there are great people who today have given themselves to the service of others: they are those who see to the good of others. They are those parents who teach their children the ways of the Lord by their practical ways of life. They are those people who sacrificed to help others who are victims of the challenging moment of our time. They are friends who speak the truth to their friends and stand by it. They are political leaders who stand for what they represent and are willing to renounce power rather than compromise principles. They are teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, scientist, business men and women who render sincere service to humanity without compromising the truth. 

It may often seems as if they do not bear tangible results, their sacrifices sometimes seem useless. But they maintain their dignity, they cherish their sense of self worth, they value their sense of righteousness. They are indeed, “dead to sin, in order to bear the fruit of God’s love to the world”. Today, they are sons and daughters of God, who have conquered the sinful pride of this passing world. So, like Jesus, they teach us to understand what it means to be like the angels, what it means to remain faithful to our belief, what it means to have faith and hope in God, what it means to say that this world is not my home. Are you one of those? Can you be one of those? Why not make up your mind today, for the Lord is waiting for our response.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for the gift of your words today, as we move towards the holy week, may we journey with the Lord in his passion and death to the things of this sinful world, so as to share in his resurrection at Easter, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Happy Sunday to you all.

The Homily of Saturday in Fourth Week of Lent Year B, 20th March, 2021

 The Homily of Saturday in Fourth Week of Lent Year B, 20th March, 2021

Readings: Jer. 11:18-20, Ps. 7, John:7:40-53

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

FACING THE REALITY OF HUMAN FOLLY

One of our great musicians, Bob Marley said in one of his albums that,

 “there is a natural mystic blowing through the air, this could be the first trumpet, might as well be the last. May more will have to suffer many more will have to die don’t ask me why. For things are not the way they use to be I won’t tell no lie, one and all have to face the reality now”. 

Truly we all have to face the realty before us, both small and great, rich and poor, learned and unlearned, young and old, good and bad, holy and sinful. It’s time for us to seek the truth, it’s time to return to our root, it’s time to turn away from evil and pay attention to the signs of the moment just like prophet Jeremiah delivered warnings from the Lord, of the coming destruction for both Judah and Jerusalem. 

For this he faced lots of difficulties and persecutions from those who hated and disliked him, especially those who out of pride were irritated by the constant words of doom that the prophet Jeremiah delivered from to them as we have it in our first reading today (Jer. 11:18-20). But as the people of the kingdom of Judah continued to live in sin and refused to change their ways until they were doom into captivity. 

In the same way in the Gospel reading, we heard of the same plotting and rejection of the person and massage of Jesus by the Pharisees and the members of the Sanhedrin. They refused to believe in the massage of Jesus and to accept the fact that Jesus is the Messiah, just because they perceived that what Jesus had done were contrary to their way of life  and the way they enforced their piety and faith. Hence, out of pride they wished to persecute and condemn him. 

Dear friends, we are called to pay attention to the massage and signs that God is offering to humanity about the reality of his coming. Telling us that the world as we see it looking so beautiful is passing away and no one knows how and when it will happen. Therefore, we must not let pride leads us to stubbornness and faithlessness so as not to end up acting like the Pharisees, who in their stubbornness refused to listen to Jesus. For this will likely lead us down the path of sin, and those sins will lead us into damnation unless we repent from them. 

Thus, during this Holy Season of Lent, as the world is passing through turbulent moment, we are encouraged to be more humble and willing to open ourselves to accept God’s massage of truth, to open our ears, our eyes and deepen our senses to feel and know what God wants us to do with our lives. Let us realize the shortness of our mortal lives and existence, and realize how unworthy and corrupt we have been because of our sins. Let us come back to God our shield, for he alone can deliver and save us from this trouble and predicament. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we have often failed to remain faithful to your words, as we listen to you today, may the difficulties of our daily struggles, deepen our faith and make us more humble and submissive to your will, so as to experience once again your love and comforting grace. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a safe and peaceful weekend.

The Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of Mary

 The Homily of Friday in Fourth Week of Lent Year B, 19th March, 2021

The Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of Mary

Readings: 2 Sam. 7:4-5.12-14.16, Ps. 88,  Rom. 4:13.16-18.22, Matt. 1:16.18-21.24

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

ST. JOSEPH, THE MAN OF GREAT VIRTUES

Today, we celebrate the solemnity of St Joseph Husband of Mary a man of great virtues. Thus, the liturgy presents to us the events preceding the birth of Jesus and invites us to contemplate in a special way the roles St Joseph in the life of Jesus and Mary. 

In the Gospel, Mary was presented as a virgin betrothed to Joseph. That means, they were not yet living together, because they were not yet married. Meanwhile, Mary, after the annunciation, came to be with a child by the power of the Holy Spirit. When Joseph realized this, he was heartbroken. What will he do? How is he going to handle this? The Gospel tells us that Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put Mary to shame, resolved to send her away quietly. 

Joseph seeks to do his will quietly before the angel spoke to him about his mission and role.  We could imagine the great trauma Joseph was passing through when we think about the love he has for Mary. But even in these circumstances, he intends to do the will of God and decides, surely with great sorrow, to send Mary away quietly. We need to meditate on these words in order to understand the great trial that Joseph had to endure. 

Hence, we can see how this Gospel passage reveals to us the magnanimity of Joseph’s heart and soul. How he wished to follow his own plan, but God was reserving another plan for him, a greater mission. Joseph was a man who always listened to the voice of God, he was deeply sensitive to his secret will, he was a man attentive to the messages that came to him from the depths of his heart. He did not persist in following his own plan, he did not allow bitterness to poison his soul; rather, silently he was ready to make himself available to the event of the new mission entrusted to him, what a great virtue.

Little wonder, Pope John Paul II, who was very devoted to St Joseph, emphasis in his Apostolic Exhortation Redemptoris Custos, “The Guardian of the Redeemer”, that the silence of St Joseph is a model for contemplating the mystery of God in an attitude of total availability to the divine desires. Showing us that Joseph’s silence does not express an inner emptiness but, on the contrary, the fullness of the faith he bears in his heart and which guides all his thoughts and actions. It is this great virtues and personality that made him stand out in the fulfilment of God’s promise in our first reading, which St. Paul affirms in our second reading and is well portrayed in the psalmist of today. 

Dear friends, we really need to embrace these great virtues of St Joseph, especially the virtue of silence. Therefore, let us imitate this virtue of silence and allow ourselves to be filled and guided by silence, especially in a world full of noise and distractions. A world  that encourages neither recollection nor listening to God nor one another. The truth is that, our world is in dear need of people with St Joseph’s kind of virtues, we all are in need of such silence if we really want to make a difference in our society today. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as  we embrace this Holy season of Lent, let us through the intercessions of St. Joseph, cultivate the inner attitude of silence and recollection, in order to fully embrace the spirit of the season so as to joyfully experience the glory of Easter. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace filled day.

The Homily of Thursday in Fourth Week of Lent Year B, 18th March, 2021

 The Homily of Thursday in Fourth Week of Lent Year B, 18th March, 2021

Readings: Ex. 32:7-14, Ps. 105, John 5:31-47

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

WHY DO HUMANITY OFTEN REBELLED AGAINST GOD, DESPITE ALL HIS LOVE FOR US?

Humanity have always rebelled against God despite all his love, care and mercy for us. Sometimes it seems as if the more God cares, loves and blesses us the more we disobeyed and separate ourselves from him. This is obvious in our readings today. In our first reading, we heard how the Israelites rebelled against God in a very terrible manner, because they made for themselves a golden calf, as a god and worshipped it. while it was not too long that God had delivered them from the hands of the Egyptians and opened the sea for them to pass safely on the dry ground, while destroying all the chariots and armies sent after them. 

This happened just because Moses had spent forty days and forty nights in the mountain, trying receiving the commandments for them. So, the people being impatient and weak in faith, chose to take the drastic action of forcing Aaron to make for themselves a golden calf to serve as god over them. Hence, they committed all sorts of atrocities and terrible sinful deeds with the golden idol, and God was very angry with them and about to destroy them. But Moses interceded and pleaded on their behalf, for him to show mercy and to forgive them. Of course, God spared the people but some of those worst offenders and the leaders of the rebellion were indeed not spared by the wrath of God, for it was by their instigation that the whole people of Israel ended up disobeying God and sinned against him. 

This same attitude is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, as he rebuked the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who opposed him just like the people who disobeyed God and hardened their hearts by making idol for themselves to be worshipped as their god. While the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law proudly claimed themselves as the sole guardians of the faith, they ended up idolizing their way of observing the laws of Moses to the point that they forgot why they have the Law in the first place, since they refused to listen to Jesus. Thus he rebuked and reminded the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law as he do the same to us that we need to get rid of our pride, corruption and idolatry.

Dear friends, why have we remained stiff-necked and rebellious? Why do we often exchange the God of glory for the image of a bull that eats grass? Why have we let pride, greed and corruption take away our love for God? Why are we quick to forget what the Lord has done for us? Why do we preferred to offend him despite all his love for us? Today we are reminded of how merciful God has been to us, how patient he has been with our stubbornness, our constant disobedience, our sinful ways and our rebelliousness. 

God has continually forgiven us when we seek his forgiveness and mercy. Because he has always loved us so much even when we have disobeyed him and committed so much evil before him. So, it’s time to return to God not forgetting that he still despises our sins and wickedness, for he loves us, though sinners but despises our sins. Because sin brings corruption on us, and no corruption and wickedness can remain in God’s presence. 

Therefore, this turbulent moment in human history, we are called to make good use of the opportunities we have received in this Holy Season of Lent, by ensuring that we approach the throne of God’s mercy and love. Let us humble ourselves before God and strive to repent from our mistakes and sins, knowing that God is always ready to forgive us if we ourselves are willing to change our ugly and sinful ways of doing things. 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are stiffed- neck and rebellious people who have often taken your love and mercy for granted. As we listen to your words today, may we repent of our sinful ways of life and sincerely embrace your words today. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

The Feast of St. Patrick the Patron St. of Nigeria

 The Homily of Wednesday in Fourth Week of Lent Year B, 17th March, 2021

The Feast of St. Patrick the Patron St. of Nigeria

Readings: 1Peter 4:7-11 , Ps. 96, Luke 5:1-11

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

THE MISSION FROM FISHERMEN TO FISHERS OF MEN

There is something deep and unique about every person, sometimes it takes personal experience to discover this uniqueness. I don't know if you have ever had an experience that made you realize the emptiness of this life, a kind of experience that turns your pride into humility, sinfulness into righteousness. This is the kind of experience that Simon had with Jesus in our Gospel passage today, that made him realize his emptiness and fell at the knees of Jesus confessing his unworthiness. 

This is because Jesus had said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’ And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signaled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them. When Simon Peter saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.’ But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.’ 

 This very encounter brought true conversion in the lives of Simon and his companion, for this encounter changed their destiny and mission from fishermen to fishers of men. For they obeyed the Lord who told them to put out into the deep waters, and as soon as they followed his instructions, they netted so much fish that the whole boat could not take it. This glorious event manifested the power and grace of God at work in us especially when we humble ourselves.

 

Dear friends, today we celebrate the Feast of St. Patrick, a great missionary who understood what it mean to be fishers of men like Simon and his brothers. He was known for his personal experience of the Lord in a vision, in which he was asked to go and evangelize the people of Ireland where he came from. This he successfully carried out and this brought about the Irish missionaries who later became a major force in the spreading of the Gospel all over the world and Nigeria and most African countries are beneficiaries of this great sacrificial mission.  

Therefore, as we celebrate St Patrick, we are called to reflect on our personal encounter with God. How have we personally experience God? When was our spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that does not based on what people have told us about him? In case we have not personally encountered him, all we need to do is to sincerely seek God in those common events in our lives. Then, we will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to us. For we heard in our first reading, that each one of us has received a special gift and as good stewards of God’s different grace, we must render our service to one another ungrudgingly to the glory of God.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, everyday is an opportunity to encounter you through different events that occur in our lives. Grant that we may have a personal encounter of you just like Simon and his companion and through the intercession of St. Patrick, may we experience you in a unique way in our daily activities and through this experience discover our purpose in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

The Homily of Tuesday in Fourth Week of Lent Year B, 16th March, 2021

 The Homily of Tuesday in Fourth Week of Lent Year B, 16th March, 2021

Readings: Ezek. 47:1-9.12 , Ps. 46, John 5:1-16

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

DO YOU WANT TO BE HEALED? THEN RISE, TAKE UP YOUR PALLET AND WALK

In this life, there is a principle that we need to understand, that is, the principle that says that everyday is a gift from God. Which of course is another great opportunity to experience and encounter the Lord. So, I don't know how you woke up today, I don't know what troubles your mind. But all I know is that today is another gift of God to us, I am excited, hopeful and am going to live it with all joy, not trying to change things that I could not change or try to fix things that do not want to be fixed. 

But I will do my best to overcome my daily challenges knowing and hoping that one day I will hear Jesus saying to me, do you want to be healed again? Rise, take up your pallet and walk, just as he said to the sick man in our Gospel reading today. Here we see how a man who was struggle everyday to overcome the ugly situation in his life was heal by a single command from Jesus. This happened on a day like every other days, when he heard Jesus saying: do you want to be healed? As the man was busy narrating his past failed efforts of having no one to put him into the pool when the water is disturbed; Jesus said to him, rise, take up your pallet and walk and immediately he was restored. 

This great and miraculous event brought deep joy into the life of a hopeless man, who out of joy went about expressing his healing. And this draws the attention of the people who marvelled at what had happened to him. But the Jews were more concerned about the Sabbath law rather than the mercy and love of God . An ugly attitude that sometimes happens among us where we disregards the good of others over laws and regulations.

Dear friends, the Lord wishes to heal us no matter the duration of the situation we are passing through. But we shall not let the ugly and failed events of the past to distract us from receiving God’s blessings today. We should rather focus on the blessings that comes with the gift of today. We must learn to follow the directives of the Lord, knowing that he will lead us to the healing water that flows east down to the Arabah from the sanctuary and in it, we shall find every kind of fruit tree with leaves that never wither and fruit that never fails; their fruit will be good to eat and the leaves medicinal, thereby making all things wholesome again as we heard in our first reading. 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, a lot of people are passing through difficult situation which has lingerer for a long time. As we listened to your words today, may we hear the voice of the Lord saying: arise, take up your pallet and go home. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.  It's Tuesday, may the Holy Spirit guide your paths and bring your plans and purposes to a glorious end.