The Homily for Saturday in Seventh Week of Eastertide Year B, 22nd May, 2021

 The Homily for Saturday in Seventh Week of Eastertide Year B, 22nd May, 2021

Readings: Acts 28:16-20.30-31; Ps.11; John 21:20-25

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

THE MORE A SOUL LOVES GOD, THE MORE IT DESIRES GOD TO BE LOVED AND HONOURED BY ALL

One of the greatest mysticists and doctors of the Church,  St. John of the Cross says in the first stanza of his poem entitled: The Living Flame of Love, “O living flame of love that tenderly wounds my soul in it’s deepest center! Since now You are not oppressive, now consummate! if it be Your will: tear through the veil of this sweet encounter!” This flame of love is the Holy Spirit that bathes the soul that encounters it in glory and refreshes it with divine life of love in which the will of the soul is united in the most sublime flame of love for God in Jesus. 

This may be the situation in the life of John the beloved one of the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today, which made the scriptures described him as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’. What a great description of any one’s personality. This disciple had a peculiar share in the love of Christ and was admitted to great nearness and freedom with him that gives him the liberty which no one has among the disciples. This is evident by his leaning on the breast of Jesus at the suggestion of Peter, to asked him at Last supper, who was to be the traitor.

The fact is that, it is a great thing to love Jesus and be loved by Jesus. Yes, Jesus loved all his disciples, yet within that circle of love there was an innermost place in which the beloved John was favoured to dwell.  For those who display an extraordinary love to one, are all the more capable of great affection to many; therefore, because Jesus loved John most, he has an enhanced estimate of his love than the other disciples. Though John was raised, but others were not lowered, rather they were raised with him. 

John was of more intimate communion with Jesus than others. He was always wherever Jesus was. When all the disciples sit at the table, even Peter is not nearest to the Lord like John, for John will lean his head upon the bosom of Jesus with earnest, eager, intense affection. Jesus loves him not just as a disciple but as a dear friend whose personality as young individual has the most profitable opportunity of becoming eminent piety. He was the only disciple who was most nearer to Jesus and his mother at his passion and death. 

Hence, Jesus entrusted his mother to him saying son behold your mother, mother behold your son, because in John, Jesus has found a soul that truly loves. And the more a soul loves God, the more it desires that God be loved and honored by all and the greater this desire becomes, the more the soul labours toward that end in all possible means and this is evidence in all the works of John the beloved.

Dear friends, have you ever feel loved by God personally? Have you ever been identified as one whom God loves? Have you personally desired to be an instrument of God’s love for humanity? Have you ever paid the price of sacrificial love? Have your love ever been rejected by those you loved most or have rejected those who loved you? 

Today we are called to examine our conscience to know if there is any sign of true love of God and neighbours in us. We are called to make ourselves available for God’s love to abide in us. We are called to build a personality that gives room for love to flow in us and through us. As we anticipate the solemnity of Pentecost tomorrow, we are called to open up for the Holy Spirit to enkindle in us the fire of his love so that our soul will be transformed in love. And may this fire of love be  extended to our families, societies, country and the world at large.

LET US PRAY: Loving Father, inflame our hearts once again with the fire of your love. Grant that we may personally and collectively experience you divine love for us and for all humanity through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a lovely weekend.

The Homily for Friday in Seventh Week of Eastertide Year B, 21st May, 2021

 The Homily for Friday in Seventh Week of Eastertide Year B, 21st May, 2021

Readings: Acts 25:13-21; Ps.103; John 21:15-19

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

JESUS WANTS TO RESTORE AND SAVE US FROM THE EFFECTS OF OUR PAST SINFUL LIVES

The ups and downs of life have been a great experience and challenge to humanity. Hence, everyday is a new struggle. Struggles for life, struggle for survival, struggle against the manipulation of the evil ones, more challenging is the struggles of our own self especially our weakness and sinfulness. These struggles are evidence in the life of the disciples of Jesus. All the time they were with Jesus they struggled to be like him, to follow his ways and to understand him and it wasn’t easy. In the cause of these struggles they failed, denied, forsaken, and sinned against the Lord Jesus despite their love for him. But this was well predicted by Jesus who warned them to remain steadfast even in the midst of these struggles. 

However, after all the struggles and fall during his passion and death, Jesus now needed to strengthen his disciples for the great task ahead before departing from them. So in the occasion of Gospel passage today, Jesus said to Peter the leader of his Apostles: ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.

Here  we can imagine the disposition of the disciples when seeing the Lord as they sat together round the fire, eating silently the meal which Jesus had prepared, and no doubt gazing silently at the Lord’s silent. It must really be a great moment of tension as to how the oppressive silence was to be broken and how Peter’s heart must have been troubled when the great silence was broken with the words: Simon, son of John, do you love me? These three times questions have a special force in the restoration of him who had three times denied his Master, and now three times declares his love for Him, and he is three times restored and entrusted with a great task of feeding his master’s sheep. 

From this gracious act we see how God through Jesus treats a soul conscious of its sinfulness and fault; and in Peter’s disposition we see an illustration of how a soul, conscious of its sinfulness and fault, should behave before God.  This gracious event is very symbolic not just that the Lord had forgiven Peter for his threefold denial at the moment of his arrest and suffering, but also that, the Lord restored him again as the leader of his flocks and the entire Universal Church.

Dear friends, in our struggles in this life we have done ugly and sinful things that we are really regretting and don’t what to remember or talk about them just like St Peter. Wishing we could have changed or avoided them, but there is nothing we can do about them anymore except to seek for restoration. And this restoration is what Jesus is offering us today as he says: my child do you still love me? Do you really love me? Do you love me more than all the things of this passing world? 

All we have to say in consciousness of our faults and sinfulness is: Lord you know everything, yes I truly love you. And just like St Peter, the Lord Jesus will not only forgive us, he will restore us to a greater glory. So why struggling in silence, it’s time to break open the hidden wounds of sin in our hearts, for the Lord wants to heal and restore us once again so that we can be open and free to receive the Holy Spirit the promised Paraclete, who will restore us afresh to God’s greater glory.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we anticipate the coming of the Holy Spirit, we come to you today conscious of our faults and sinfulness, grant us we pray your healing and restoration through Christ our Lord. Amen. Remain blessed.

The Homily for Thursday in Seventh Week of Eastertide Year B, 20th May, 2021

 The Homily for Thursday in Seventh Week of Eastertide Year B, 20th May, 2021

Readings: Acts 22:30.23:6-11; Ps.16; John 17:20-26

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

COURAGE! JESUS PRAYS FOR YOU AND I IN OUR STRUGGLES 

Whenever we are passing through a very difficult ugly situation and feels that all hope is gone as our trusted friends have abandoned us, we actually feel great and relieved when we remember that someone is praying for us. It feels right to know that someone is interceding on our behalf, it feels great to hear that someone is communicating with God on our behalf. Yes, for few days now, we have been listening to the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus for his disciples who were with him at the Last Supper, how he prayed for their sanctification and unity. 

However, in this final part of his prayer, Jesus now prays for all those who through the influence of his disciples come to believe in God and in him, of which each one of us belongs to those whom Jesus is praying for when he said in our Gospel passage today: Holy Father, I pray not only for these, but for those also who through their words will believe in me. May they all be one, Father, may they be one in us, as you are in me and I am in you, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me.

Here as Jesus prays for his disciples he also extended his pray to everyone who will come to believe in him for he knows that we will all need similar grace and be exposed to similar trials. Hence he prays that those who follow him may be drawn into the life of the Holy Trinity. The Father sends the Son to humanity precisely so that the Son may draw all humanity into the relationship that exists between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So this prayer reminds us that our unity, our “oneness” is to be a sign to the world of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is a thing of great joy to know that each Christian, no matter how insignificant, humble, unknown, poor, unlearned, or despised is been remembered in prayer by Jesus who is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, who will always grant his request.

So if  we can value the prayers of our friends. How much more should we value the prayer of the Son of God. Because from this single prayer of Jesus, we Christians are infinitely more privileged then any other people of the world. Thus, in the midst of any difficulty, trials, and struggles, we should be more confidence once we remember that the Son of God prays for us, and his  prayers will surely be heard by God. It is this confidence that St. Paul had when he testified before the tribunal of the chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin as we have it in our first reading, and next night, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome.’

Dear friends, I don’t know what you are passing through now especially as regards your faith in Jesus? I don’t know what you are asking God to do for you? I don’t know how ugly the situation in your life has been? I don’t know whatever sickness your are passing through or how abandoned and rejected you feel right now? All I have to let you know is that Jesus has not stopped thinking and praying for you. All you have to do is to be confident and remain faithful like St. Paul and you will hear the Lord say to you ‘Courage my child! You have borne witness for me today through your struggles, now I must do the same for you by restoring you to a greater glory.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we place our hope in You, grant that through the prayers of Jesus we may always come out victorious in all our trials and tribulations and so obtain the joy of your help through Christ our Lord.  Amen. Wishing you the best of God’s favour and blessings.

The Homily for Wednesday in Seventh Week of Eastertide Year B, 19th May, 2021

 The Homily for Wednesday in Seventh Week of Eastertide Year B, 19th May, 2021

Readings: Acts 20:28-38; Ps.68; John 17:11-19

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

LETTING OURSELVES BE SANCTIED IN TRUTH OF CHRIST IN ORDER TO BE ONE WITH HIM

Sanctity, truth and oneness are very vital concepts that any meaningful family, society, groups, community or religion will always need in order to achieve their mission and goals. These are very fundamental because of the role they play in ensuring that things are properly done in any environment they exist. Sanctity which is the quality of being holy comes from the Greek word Hagiason which is related to hagios, which means holy, that is to set apart for God’s service. 

So the concept of Sanctity, sets one apart for the particular service he/she has to render. Truth on the other hand comes from the Latin word veritas which means a representation of things as they are. This concept make one open to the really situation of the realities around him/her. And where these concepts are present openness and tolerance becomes possible, hence oneness and unity can be achieved. 

Therefore, knowing the important of sanctity, truth and oneness in achieving any mission and goal, Jesus in his High Priestly Prayer ask the Father to sanctify his disciples in truth and oneness as we have it in our Gospel passage today, when he prayed ‘Holy Father, keep those you have given me true to your name, so that they may be one just as we are one… I am not asking you to remove them from the world, but to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world, and for their sake I consecrate myself so that they too may be consecrated in truth'.  

In a similar way in our first reading, St. Paul prayed to the elders of the Church in Ephesus to be on their guard for themselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made them overseers, to feed the Church of God which he bought with his own blood and guide them against fierce wolves who will invade them and will have no mercy on the flock. For there will be men coming forward with a travesty of the truth on their lips to induce the disciples to follow them. 

So, from this passage truth becomes the midst by which the sanctification of the disciples will take place. But the evil in the world is a great hindrance to achieving this. However, their likeness to Jesus is the great ground of hope for they have been consecrated to the truth. And this is the real hope and holiness of all true Christians, for through this, the gift of the Holy Spirit is made available to the Church in order to be sanctified in the truth and so share in the oneness of which Christ prayed. This oneness is what the whole Christian community has to achieve and sustain both in nature, will, affection and understanding; not only in their union with Christ, but to one another; abiding together, cleaving to each other, standing fast in one Spirit, having the same designs, and the interest of the mission of the salvation of humanity at heart.

Dear friends, today we are called to embrace the divine truth by which we have been sanctified in order to achieve the goal of unity and oneness of which Christ prayed. This oneness is very important not only as Christians, but also as families, communities, co- workers, friends and couples. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to sanctify us once more to the truth and so achieve the oneness of which Christ prayed.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, sanctify us once again in the truth of which Your Son Jesus has given us, so, that we may once again achieve oneness in our family, society, in the Church and in the world at large through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day. 

The Homily for Tuesday in Seventh Week of Eastertide Year B, 18th May, 2021

 The Homily for Tuesday in Seventh Week of Eastertide Year B, 18th May, 2021

Readings: Acts 20:17-27; Ps.68;  John 17:1-11

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

WHAT IS ETERNAL LIFE  AND HOW CAN WE OBTAIN IT?

The notion of eternal life is one of the things in the consciousness of most religious people and more especially Christians. Oftentimes, we hear people talking about eternal life as if it is like a movie that will soon begin. But the questions we need to ask ourselves are: what is eternal life? What does it really means to have eternal life? How can we obtain it? 

The answer to these questions is found in the High Priestly Prayer of Jesus which we have in our Gospel passage today. In the beginning of this prayer Jesus said: ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

From this prayer we come to know that knowledge is very important to understanding the meaning of eternal life and knowledge as we are told is one of the gifts for the Holy Spirit. So here, Jesus is saying that eternal life which traditionally refers to the continued life after death, is only possible by the knowledge of the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He have sent.

The point here is that eternal life consists in the knowledge of the Father as the only Being answering to the ideal thought of God; and this knowledge is manifested in him, whom God anointed and sent into the world to declare his attributes and character for the sake of redeeming humanity which was possible through the incarnation, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. Thus, eternal life which has been achieved for humanity has been given to believers who have been redeemed from sin and death. This is the sinful humanity's journey and process to eternal life, and when this knowledge has been made perfect, holiness and happiness will be fully achieved. 

These holiness and happiness of the redeemed, are exactly what the glory of Christ, and of his Father signifies. For Jesus endured the cross and death and so ends humanity's sorrows of sin and death, thereby obtaining the victory and glory of eternal life for humanity. Thus our glorifying God and is Son Jesus is needed as an evidence of our interest in Christ, through whom eternal life is given to us as an act of mercy, forgiveness and love, so that we become living souls with unspeakable joy. For his is the meaning of eternal life and the source and manner in which we can obtain it. 

Dear friends, everyday of our life we struggle to know God, through different means and in the Apostles' Creed we often say: I believe in God and his Son Jesus, I believe in the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. But the question is, do we really know God and his Son Jesus? Do our attitudes, behaviour and decisions an evidence of us knowing Christ, through whom eternal life is given to us as an act of mercy, forgiveness and love? Therefore we are called today to sincerely seek  to know God personally through his Son Jesus and so attain the eternal life which he has won for us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, let us seek to know you more personally and so work hard to do Your will in order to attain eternal life of which you have given us through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

The Homily for Monday in Seventh Week of Eastertide Year B, 17th May, 2021

 The Homily for Monday in Seventh Week of Eastertide Year B, 17th May, 2021

Readings: Acts 19:1-8; Ps.68;  John 16:29-33

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

FEAR NOT FOR JESUS HAS OVERCOME THE TRIBULATIONS OF THIS PASSING WORLD

Tribulations and sufferings have been the hallmark of most people’s experience in the world, sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the level of sufferings we are passing through everyday, the sad news we hear and see in our streets, the television and in the social media. These often make us feel hopeless and fearful because the situation is beyond our control. 

This kind of fearful situation is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, knowing that very soon his disciples are going to face a worse situation, so he said to them “Listen; the time will come, in fact it has come already, when you will be scattered, each going his own way and leaving me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may find peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but be brave: I have conquered the world.”

Here Jesus is telling his disciples these, not to discourage them but to prepare them for many troubles and tribulations they are going to face in the future, so that when the time comes they will find peace and confidence in him.  He told them not to worry because he has conquered the world, not in any political or economic sense but in overcoming the evil in the world and so, all the tribulations, sorrow, suffering have been conquered in Jesus through his passion death and resurrection. Therefore, his disciples can share in this victory, as long as they remain faithful and united in peace.

Dear friends, this same promise is available for us his disciples, who today are passing through great tribulations and sufferings in the world. We have to be courageous and find strength in words of Jesus who has conquered the world and all it’s evil and tribulations. For today, Jesus is reassuring us that no matter what is happening in our world, he is still in control and will always ensure that we come out victoriously. 

Thus, as we prepare and wait patiently for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, let us take our fears, sufferings, tribulations, sickness and disappointments to Jesus and ask him to give us the courage and strong faith, so that through the power of the Holy Spirit we will overcome all the ugly situations in our lives, families, societies and the world at large and so enjoy once again the peace of knowing that he is with us always till the end of time.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, may the power of the Holy Spirit come upon us, we pray, so that following your instructions, we may overcome the world and all the trials and tribulations we face everyday through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful week.

The Homily for Seventh Sunday in Eastertide Year B, The World Communications Sunday, 16th May, 2021

 The Homily for Seventh Sunday in Eastertide Year B, The World Communications Sunday, 16th May, 2021

Readings: Acts.1:15-17.20-26; Ps.103; 1 John 4:11-16;  John 17:11-19

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

THE PRAYERS OF JESUS AS WE WAIT FOR THE PROMISED  PARACLETE 

Today the seventh Sunday of the Holy season of Eastertide, the Church celebrates the world communication Sunday which was established by Pope Paul VI in 1967 an annual celebration , for communication as we know is a very important aspect of our faith. Prior to this event is Solemnity of the Ascension which we celebrated last Thursday, of which the Church waits prayerfully for the promised Paraclete. So the Church in this waiting disposition anticipate the promised Paraclete who will help her to communicate the message  of Christ to all humanity.

However, one of the difficult things we don’t like to hear when we are expecting something great to come our way is the word “wait”. The word wait can be very unpleasant to the ears of anyone who is desperately in need of something. But often times, we have little or no option not to wait, and in life we have a lot of waiting to do. We wait for the day to break, we wait for the month to end, we wait for the traffic, we wait for our admission, interviews, jobs, husband, wife, children, we wait and wait and wait, in fact, waiting on God is a regular message of faith which we hear everyday. Waiting can really be difficult and uncomfortable, it can be suicidal for those who lack the virtue of patience. 

Nonetheless, good and great things are worth waiting for. Little wonder, Jesus knowing how difficult it can be for his disciples to wait for the promised Paraclete, have to pray for them as we have it in our Gospel passage today when he said: Holy Father, keep those you have given me true to your name, so that they may be one like us. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world I have sent them into the world, and for their sake I consecrate myself so that they too may be consecrated in truth.

 

In this High Priestly prayer of Jesus, we heard the Lord Jesus asking the Father to sanctify his disciples in truth and oneness knowing the important of sanctity, truth and oneness in achieving their mission and goal. We can see the efficacy of this prayer of Jesus in the election of Matthias to the rank of the Twelve Apostles as we have it in our first reading, which can be seen as an example of how communication in prayer is such an important aspect and part of our faith. We cannot be a true Christian unless we open ourselves to the Lord and communicate with him regularly in order to know his will for us and for others and by so doing dwell in his love. Hence, we heard St John in our second reading saying: My dear people, since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another. No one has ever seen God; but as long as we love one another God will live in us and his love will be complete in us. 

Also, in this High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prayed for his disciples that the Father should take care of them in the midst of the evils in the world, that they should be one as he and the Father are one. In this prayer, Jesus shows us that prayer is a form of communication between us and God, whom we should love dearly and waiting patiently for His will to be done in our lives. This simply means, that we have to learn how to communicate regularly with God and wait patiently for his will be done. And in like manner, we must learn how to wait patiently with our loved ones, our friends, our family members and relatives, our spouses and others who are dear to us, we must learn how to wait patiently with life activities and the challenges and struggles that come with it.

Dear friends, as the disciples are waiting prayerfully for the promised Paraclete, we too are also called to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Holy Spirit this coming Pentecost Sunday, we are called to go to the upper room of our hearts and conscience and wait patiently for the out pouring of the Holy Spirit. We are called to prepare and wait on the Holy Spirit through the ongoing novena to the Holy Spirit. We are called to wait patiently for the fulfillment of God’s plan for each and every one of us just like Matthias. Though waiting may be difficult, but good and great things are worth waiting and prepared for.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, graciously hear our supplications,  as we wait patiently for the fulfillment of your promise, grant that when the Paraclete comes, may we be disposed to receive him as our Advocate and let him teach us what to do, how to do it, when to do it and give us the grace to do it properly through Christ our Lord. Amen.  Do have a grace filled Sunday.