Homily for Saturday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 18th September, 2021

 Homily for Saturday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 18th September, 2021

Readings: 1 Tm 6:13-16; Ps. 100; Luke 8:4-15

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT I S YOU DISPOSITION AND RESPONSE TOWARDS THE WORD OF GOD WE HEAR EVERYDAY

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 needed 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 says: I charge you to keep the commandment unstained with no faults or failures, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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 leads 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.

Homily for Friday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 17th September, 2021

 Homily for Friday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 17th September, 2021

Readings: 1Tim. 6:2-12; Ps. 49; Luke 8:1-3

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

AS A CHRISTIAN, WHAT ARE YOU CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS THE MISSION OF CHRIST?

In his mission to 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 Gospel passage actually points out the nature of 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, we must learn to sacrifice for the mission knowing that the love of money is the root of all evils’ and there are some who, pursuing it, have wandered away from the faith, and so given their souls  several numbers of fatal wounds. But, as people dedicated to God, we must avoid all that. We must aim to be saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle. We must fight the good fight of the faith and win for ourselves eternal life.

Thus as children of eternal life, who are judged worthy of a place in the heavenly Kingdom. So, we are to fully involved in the mission of Christ. For 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.

Homily for Thursday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 16th September, 2021. The memorial of St. Cornelius & St. Cyprian

 Homily for Thursday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 16th September, 2021. The memorial of St. Cornelius & St. Cyprian

Readings: 1Tim. 4: 12-16; Ps.111; Luke 7:36-50

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DO NOT JUDGE AND CONDEMN PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR PAST UGLY WAYS OF LIFE

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 Pharisee, 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 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. But God is always ready to forgive us and the more we express our sorrow for sin, the more our love for Christ grows. Thus, St. Paul in our first reading  said “do not let people disregard you because you are young, but be an example to the believers in the way you speak and behave, and in your love, your faith and your purity, do not let you spiritual gifts lie unused.  

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 of 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 through the intercessions of SS. Cornelius and Cyprian 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.

Homily for Wednesday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 15th September, 2021. The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

 Homily for Wednesday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 15th September, 2021. The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

Readings: Heb. 5:7-9, Ps.31, John 19:25-27

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LORD TEACH US HOW TO BEAR OUR SORROWS OF LIFE PATIENTLY LIKE OUR MOTHER MARY

In life, we encounter ugly events and challenges that cause us sorrows and tears. And often times we don't know how to manage those moments. For just yesterday we celebrated the exaltation and triumph of the Holy Cross, today we are celebrating the sorrows of our Blessed Mother, who experienced a great sorrow at the suffering and death of her Son who suffered grievously for the sins and faults of others and  for the sake of the redemption of all humanity.

So as we commemorate our Lady's greatest sorrows: beginning with the prophecy of Simeon in the temple, her flight into Egypt with the infant Jesus, the loss of Jesus at the age of 12 in Jerusalem, Mary's encounter with her son Jesus on his way to Calvary, his crucifixion, death and burial. In fact our Gospel passage today tells us that Jesus seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son. Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’ Thus from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home. This very action my seem so easy for those who have not experienced the painful torture that comes from witnessing the suffering of your loved ones. But for those who have experienced such torture especially our good mothers, we will understand better that it is harder to watch the pains and suffering of your loved ones then to bear our own pains. 

So, we can now understand the situation and condition our Lady was passing through for the sake of obedience to God’s will as she watched Jesus suffered for our redemption. Little wonder in our first reading we are told that Jesus although was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered, and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. 

Dear friends, I don’t know  what kind of sorrows you are carrying in your heart? Is it the sorrows caused by the ugly situation in your life, your family, your place of work, your in ability to achieve your goals and dreams in like. Or is it sorrows caused by other people or caused by mistakes of your past ugly ways of life? Whatever and however deep the sorrows are, today we are called to learn how to bear our sorrows of life patiently like Mary by linking them to the will of God.

Let us learn how to present our sorrows and problems to God in prayer by raising up our minds and hearts to him and since he promised that he will teach us the way we should go; instruct us and advise us. Let us listen to what he is calling us to do  and ensure we do them just like our Mother Mary, because the Lord Jesus speaks to us from the depths of our heart and he desires that we listen to him whenever we pray and associates our sorrows with his own just like Mary our mother. 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, there are so many sorrows in our lives and people are doing all they can to overcome it. Through the intercession of Our Lady of Sorrows, may we experience your love and help us to know  the best ways to bear our sorrows patiently. We asked this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily for Tuesday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 14th September, 2021. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

 Homily for Tuesday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 14th September, 2021. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Readings: Num. 21:4-9, Ps.78, Phil.2:6-11, John 3:13-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 THE HOLY CROSS OF CHRIST, THE SYMBOL OF THE MYSTERY OF GOD’S UNENDING LOVE FOR HUMANITY

Today we celebrate the Feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross, this feast is so important to our Christ faith, because the Holy Cross is a symbol of sacrificial victory of our faith. This Feast began when St. Helena discovered the relic of the true Cross on which Jesus was crucified, which was preserved in Jerusalem. A sacred relic that represents the mystery of the unending love of God for humanity. Though, the cross in the eyes of early Christians had no beauty, it was a sign of sorrow, a symbol of courage, an expression of faith which stood outside the city walls, decorated only with decaying corpses of Christ faithful who died for their faith in Christ. They are left on the cross as a threat to anyone who believes in Jesus. 

But today, the cross has become the universal image of Christian belief, an instrument of salvation which often appear in Christian art works and countless generations of artists have turned it into a thing of beauty to be carried in procession or worn as jewelry and other religions activities. Here we can see how this ugly event has turned into a glorious act, which shows the power of God over evil. For God is the source of victory, he has the power to turn ugly situation into a glorious one through the power of love. 

Little wonder our Gospel passage today, talks about the relationship between God and the world. Telling us that God loves the world and the humanity living in it. He loves it so much that he gave his only Son, who died a shameful and terrible death on a cross for the seek of his love. God loves the whole world and his love is total and unconditional for every one of his creatures. For God reveals his love, his greatest glory when his Son was lifted up on the cross for there the victory of our salvation was achieved and at the , Jesus tells us everything and solves all our difficult problems.

Just like the Israelites in our first reading who having sinned against God and were punished on account of their sins, complained as they asked Moses to intercede for them and God said to Moses, make a fiery serpent and put it on a standard. If anyone is bitten and looks at it, he shall live. This very symbol is a prefiguration of the Cross of Christ. And St. Paul tells us in our second reading that though Jesus  in the form of God, but he humbled himself by accepting death on a Cross and God exalted him and gave him the name which is above all other names, so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus to the glory of God the Father.

Dear friends, as we reflect and celebrate the exaltation of the Holy Cross and it's saving power in our Christian life, let us deeply look at the Cross, what do we see? How do we feel about the Cross? What does the Cross represents in our life? Do we feel the love of Jesus expressed for us on the Cross? Can we perceive the expensive price of our salvation? We are called today to tell the world how deep God has loved us. We are to demonstrate this love to the world and let this love be felt by those who have lost hope in God especially at this time when humanity is struggling with the ugly situation of corona virus and political crisis.. 

Therefore, let us extend this love in any form, gestures or manner possible to everywhere that it is lacking. A kind word, a single phone call, a text message, an act of forgiveness, a single prayer, sacrifice, patience and any form of generous act shown to anyone around you or as many people you can reach out today, can reflect this love of God for humanity through us, for we are the face of God’s love now, we are the channels of his Mercy and compassion.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we celebrate the feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross, may we experience once again the power of your love for humanity, and give us the grace to reciprocate this love in the world by our way of life, using the gifts, the talents and resources you have given us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy  Feast day to all the Priest and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Lagos.

Homily for Monday Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 13th September, 2021. The Memorial of St. John Chrysostom

 Homily for Monday Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 13th September, 2021. The Memorial of St. John Chrysostom

Reading: 1Tim. 2:1-8 ; Ps. 28; Luke 7:1-10

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

LEARNING FROM THE FAITH AND INTERCESSORY PRAYER OF THE ROMAN CENTURION

The doctrines of the Church teaches us that faith is a supernatural gift of God, a supernatural virtue infused in us by God. Little wonder our level of faith are not the same. However, our gift of faith grows depending on our disposition and utilization of the gift. That is why, when Jesus invites people to faith and conversion, he does not coerced them, rather they come to faith through their good disposition and utilization of their experience with him.

This is exactly the case with the Roman centurion in our Gospel passage today, who sorts help for his sick servant through some Jewish elders whom he sent to Jesus to ask him to come and heal his servant, but when Jesus accepted to come to his home, the centurion hesitates, feeling unworthy of Jesus’ presence in his home, said to him “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and my servant will be healed”.

Here the centurion believes that Jesus can speak a word of healing, and that will be enough to cure his servant. He has total faith and trust in the power of Jesus’ word. For him, the servant did not even need to hear Jesus speak the word: it was enough that the word was spoken. Jesus praised his faith and genuine humility. Today, these words of the centurion has become a pattern of prayer for us, that before Holy Communion we say it passionately because, his faith and compassion are inspiring example for us to follow.

This is exactly the kind of faith that all of us must have as well. The faith that leads us to seek God wholeheartedly, to be humble before Him and to love Him above all and not to allow our pride, ego and desires lead us into faithlessness, disobedience and sin against God. We are also called to trust God at all times, for St Paul in our first reading today said: my advice is that, first of all, there should be prayers offered for everyone: petitions, intercessions and thanksgiving. For there is only one God, and there is only one mediator between God and mankind, himself a man, Christ Jesus, who sacrificed himself as a ransom for all. And this is what we see in the life of John Chrysostom, whose memorial we celebrate today. For he is known for his excellent preaching skills and was given the name Chrysostom which means “golden mouth” as he is usually called “John of the golden mouth,” because he utilized the gift God gave him.

Dear friends, what is our disposition towards the gift of faith that God has given us? Do we have total faith and trust in God just like the Centurion? The fact remains that our experiences of evil, injustice, suffering and death can shake or shape the gift of faith in us depending on our disposition. Remember, the Centurion interceded for his sick servant, do we intercede for others who are in need of God’s healing and mercy? Do we know that we can speak God’s word in prayer and someone, somewhere, will find healing? Do we often like this Centurion, recognize in all humility our unworthiness before God? We are called today to learn from this man’s act of humility, faith and intercessory prayer.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are weak and oftentimes we display an act of faithlessness due to the pressure and challenges of life. Through the intercessions of John Chrysostom, may the Lord increase our faith and make us humble and patience in doing his will. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful week.

Homily for Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 12th September, 2021

 Homily for Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 12th September, 2021

Readings: Is.50:5-9; Ps.116; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHO IS JESUS IN MY LIFE? A PERSONAL AND  FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION FOR ALL CHRISTIANS

Following the ugly events of division, manipulation and multiplication of Churches going on in Christianity today, one can not but repeat this fundamental question of Jesus to Christians all over the world: who do you say I am? Jesus addresses this question to all his disciples. The people are free to believe whatever they want about Jesus, for Jesus has been carefully preparing his disciples to carry on his  work so they ought to know better. They have heard His teachings and witnessed his miracles. What they think of Him should be more critical. 

Thus, St. Peter spoke up and said to him, ‘You are the Christ.’ And he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about him. And he began to teach them that the Son of Man was destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and to be put to death, and after three days to rise again, just as we heard in our first reading through prophet Isaiah. Then, taking him aside, Peter started to rebuke him. But, Jesus rebuked Peter and said to him, ‘Get behind me, Satan! Because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s. And said, ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Here, we see how Peter expressed his personal conviction about the personality of Jesus. He did not have to quote any authority, because his response was a clear and sincere knowledge of who he professed Jesus to be. That is why, Jesus in  Gospels according to Matthew 16:17 says: that Peter's faith is a gift from the Father when he said: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 

This is because Peter’s gift of faith comes from his personal response about who Jesus is, even though he does not want to associate with the suffering aspect of the life of Jesus, and that was why Jesus rebuked that spirit of fear in him.. Thus, our faith requires that we give a personal answer to the question: who do you say I am? For it is not enough to quote the teachings and Catechism of the Church about our faith or the teachings of other theologians and preachers or to respond only from the head but from the heart that is convinced of what it believes on and is really ready to embrace the will of God. 

Therefore, how we answer this question of Jesus should also be critical, since to be a Christian means showing by our way of life our beliefs in Jesus and his teaching. However, the division in the Church is not caused by the words of Jesus rather, it is caused by sin, selfishness and pride in  people who wished to use the name of Jesus to achieve their selfish desires. So, today most people are following Jesus without knowing who Jesus truly represents. Some people find it very difficult to embrace the teaching of Jesus because they lack the faith and conviction about his personality, even when Jesus has revealed himself to us through his great miracles and teachings. 

The fact is that, Jesus wants us to develop a divine way of looking at things, he wants us to know him deep down our soul, so that we can truly profess our faith with deeper meaning and conviction. Little wonder St James in our second reading tells us to show our faith by practical actions of good works, since faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

Dear friends, having heard the teachings and works of Jesus in the scriptures and traditions of the Church, the question remains: who is Jesus to you? What is your personal experience of Jesus? When was you spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that does not based on what people told us of him? How has your knowledge of Jesus help other people to come to faith in Jesus. In case you have not personally experience him, all you need to do is to sincerely seek God in those common events in your life and you will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to you.

So, today we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are with regards to our faith as Christians. We are called today to develop a divine way of understanding the mysteries of God, but not rejecting them because we do not understand them. We are also called to be convinced of who we are and the need to truly unite together in God and His Church entrusted to St. Peter of which the get of underworld shall not prevail against it. Therefore, let us turn towards God once again with all our hearts and devote our whole lives in seeking to know Him more and more.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, you revealed to St. Peter the true identity of Jesus your Son, help us to profess our faith with deeper meaning and conviction. And as we experience the power of your presence, may we embrace more deeply your sacred mysteries. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday.