Homily for Tuesday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 19th October, 2021

 Homily for Tuesday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 19th October, 2021. 

Readings: Romans 5:12.15.17-21; Ps. 40; Luke 12:36-38

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

ARE YOU READY AND PREPARED FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD?

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.

 

Thus, St. Paul addressing the ugly situation that humanity found herself and the need for us to be ready to come out of it said in our first reading today that: sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned; but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift of salvation. For this the reason, we should be more prepared and ready for that glorious day of the Lord.

So 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.

Homily for Monday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 18th October, 2021, The Feast of St. Luke The Evangelist

 Homily for Monday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 18th October, 2021, The Feast of St. Luke The Evangelist

Readings: 2Tim. 4:10-17; Ps. 145; Luke 10:19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE LIFE OF ST. LUKE IN RELATION TO OUR CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY MANDATE

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Luke, one of the four great Evangelist of our Christian faith. According to traditions St. Luke was probably a Hellenised Jew or a Greek who embraced the Christian faith as one of the earliest converts among the earliest disciples of Jesus Christ. He was known as a physician and highly educated and intelligent, which made it possible for him to be able to give us a well detailed account for the very important events about the life and ministry of Jesus in Gospel account according to Luke and the life and mission of Christ’s disciples in Act of Apostles as inspired by the Holy Spirit.

No doubt St. Luke through his Gospel account has converted many to the Christian faith, turning many people towards the Lord and calling them to embrace his truth and love. Therefore Luke has proved himself to be a great disciple by demonstrating the act of being a good missionary for we heard in our Gospel passage today, how the Lord appointed seventy-two persons and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house! 

Here, Jesus  gave us the nature and requirements for carrying out his missionary mandate successfully. So, to continue this great mission he invites his disciples and sent them out, commanding them to see themselves as someone who gives freely of the good they have received from God. Hence, we should offer to others what we have received from  God just like St Luke, knowing that it has cost us nothing. We must live a life of detachment that is, in this mission, we are to depend totally on God's providence. Unfortunately, many of the disciples have to face rejection and persecutions from people, who through their rebellious attitude have refused to believe in God even though He has always been so patient, loving, caring and forgiving us.

So, as we celebrate this feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, let us be inspired by his faith and commitment. Let us follow his examples as we carryout our own missionary mandates no matter how insignificant it may be. We should not underrate our efforts or think that it is impossible for us to be like St. Luke because of our background or level of exposures. Rather we should know that God has called his disciples from different backgrounds and works of life,: the poor, the rich, some educated, some illiterate, some privileged and powerful, while others weak and not insignificant. So our background and level does not really matter. What is important is our attitude towards the missionary mandate entrusted to us at any level we find ourselves..

But dear friends, what is our attitude today towards the missionary mandate of Christ? How has the Word of God shape our lives. How are we contributing towards the missionary mandate of Christ?  Today, as we celebrate the feast of St Luke, we recall his great contributions to the Church and the Christian faithful. For just as St Luke gave us the Gospel account and the Act of the Apostles as inspired by the Holy Spirit, we as disciples of Christ, have also received a lot from God and his saints without payment; we should learn to give without expecting reward. Calling us to acknowledge with gratitude all that we have received from God and give freely to others that which we have received. For this act of charity will purify us from pride and self-righteousness, because we are all recipients of God's love, mercy, forgiveness, favour, protection, healing and deliverance. So, we must offer to others these same gifts which we have received.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today as we celebrate the feast of St. Luke you gave us the requirements and nature of our missionary mandate. Help us to effectively following these requirements just like St Luke did. We ask this through Christ our Lord Amen. Do have a favourable week.

Homily for Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 17th October, 2021

 Homily for Twenty-Ninth  Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 17th October, 2021

Readings: Isaiah 53:10-11; Ps. 33; Heb. 4:14-16; Mark 10:35-45

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 TRUE GREATNESS IS FOUND IN HUMBLE SERVICE TO  OTHERS

Reflecting on the ugly attitudes of most people in our societies today, how we are so much obsessed with the love of power. For people are ready to do anything just to grab power and to sustain it. People kill, kidnap, blackmail and condemn others because of their ambition to hold power and sustain it. This ugly attitude of humanity is well displayed in  our Gospel passage today, when the two sons of Zebedee made a request from Jesus that he should promise that they should sit one at his right hand and the other at his left in his kingdom. 

This unfortunate request was made while Jesus was telling his disciples about his passion and death. But instead of reflecting on the seriousness of the words of Jesus, they were busy quarrelling over who grabs power as most people do today. For  when the other ten heard about the request made by these two sons of Zebedee, they were indignant with the two brothers. perhaps because they had misinterpreted Jesus’ teachings about the Kingdom and presumed that it would be a kingdom in which they would have honour and prestige like most people think today. 

But Jesus called them and said, ‘You know that among the pagans the rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many'. 

Dear friends, true greatness is found in sincere and humble service to others and not in over ambition for power nor by plotting against others. This ugly attitude is what we often experienced in our families, societies and in our country today. Where people do all kinds of evil in order to grab power and sustain it. But this should not be the same with us, for we heard what prophet Isaiah in our first reading today said about Jesus that: by his sufferings shall my servant justify many, taking their faults on himself. And since he offers his life in atonement, he shall see his heirs, he shall have a long life and through him what the Lord wishes will be done.

Therefore, I don’t know what your experience have been as regards to serving others? I don’t know which of the characters in our readings can best describe our attitude towards power. Are we like the sons of Zebedee? Is our attitude like that of the ten disciples? Is our attitude like that of the pagan rulers who lord it over others? Which ever category we fall in, today we are called to be humble like Jesus who came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. For he is the supreme high Priest who has been tempted in every way that we are, though he is without sin. Let us be confident, then, in approaching the throne of grace, that we shall have mercy from him and find grace when we are in need of help as we heard in our second reading today. 

Therefore, as leaders, we should see ourselves as servants and not seek after status beyond our reach or plot the down fall of others. Remember, ambition can be a good thing but only if it is kept in check and if pursued for the right reasons, that is, to serve others. 

 LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are often consumed by excess love for power, which we often misused and abused.  As we listen to your teaching today, may we learn to use the power and authority entrusted to us in humble service for the common good of all. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful Sunday celebration.

Homily for Saturday Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 16th October, 2021

 Homily for Saturday Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 16th October, 2021,

Readings: Romans 4:13.16-18; Ps. 105; Luke 12:8-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS THAT SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT IS UNFORGIVABLE

Today, as Jesus continues to instruct his disciples on how to be in good relationship 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). 

Let us 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: Lord 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.

Homily for Friday Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 15th October, 2021. The Memorial of St. Teresa of Avila

 Homily for Friday Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 15th October, 2021. The Memorial of St. Teresa of Avila

Readings: Romans 4:1-8; Ps. 32; Luke 12:1-7

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE LORD SAYS FEAR NOT, FOR YOU ARE SO PRECIOUS TO HIM

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. Thus, St. Paul in our first reading says that happy are those whose crimes are forgiven, whose sins are blotted out; happy the man whom the Lord considers sinless

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.

We can learn from the life of St. Teresa of Avila whose memorial we celebrate today, for she embraced so deeply the teachings of Jesus and became a renowned mystic and holy woman. And with the help of St. John of the Cross, she came 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.

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. Through the intercessions of St Teresa of Avila  rant us 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.

Homily for Thursday Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 14th October, 2021

 Homily for Thursday Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 14th October, 2021. 

Readings:  Romans 3:21-30; Ps. 130; Luke 11:47-54

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

JESUS REPROACH THE UGLY ATTITUDES OF HUMANITY

In our Gospel passage today, 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 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. 

Hence, St. Paul in our first reading tells us that God’s justice that was made known through the Law and the Prophets has now been revealed outside the Law, since it is the same justice of God that comes through faith to everyone. For a man is justified by faith and not just by doing something the Law tells him to do. 

Dear friends, today Jesus rebuked the ugly attitude of humanity, calling us 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. We should not be like the Pharisees and Scribes who looks for the down fall of other because they tried to correct us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as you reproach our ugly attitudes of pride and selfishness today, 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.

Homily for Wednesday Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 13th October, 2021

Homily for Wednesday Twenty-Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 13th October, 2021

Readings: Romans: 2:1-11; Ps. 62; Luke 11:42-46

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LIVING A LIFE OF PACKAGING IS LIKE INVESTING IN A WHITEWASHED TOMB

The condition of our society today calls for deep reflection, as so many things that appear to be good are like whitewashed tombs which outwardly appear beautiful and draws the admiration of people, but within it are full of dead man's bones and all sorts of corruption. They call it packaging, the popular terminology used by people to describe how they make things that are not too good to look extremely good and this has made us to actually loose focus of how we ought to do things right. 

This ugly attitude of the human person is what Jesus is condemning today in our Gospel passage. As he continued to challenge the hypocritical attitude of the scribes and Pharisees which is not different from the attitude of most of us. He said: Alas for you Pharisees! You who pay your tithe of mint and rue and all sorts of garden herbs and overlook justice and the love of God! These you should have practised, without leaving the others undone. Alas for you Pharisees who like taking the seats of honour in the synagogues and being greeted obsequiously in the market squares! Alas for you, because you are like the unmarked tombs that men walk on without knowing it.

Here, Jesus is challenging us to think differently about how we live our life. He is challenging us to look at what is going on in our inner being, our interior life, that part of us that we hide from one another. For most people and the things we see around us today are like whitewashed tombs which outwardly appear beautiful and draws the admiration of people but within us are outright ugliness and all sorts of corruption like the unmarked tombs that men walk on without knowing it.

This is because we like the scribes and the Pharisees are interested mostly in external beauty of things around us while neglecting the essence. We are self-satisfied, and often time think that we are above the law. We often want to look good from the outside but remain ugly and dirty within. Thus, St. Paul in our first reading tells us that, we are abusing God’s abundant goodness, patience and toleration, not realising that this goodness of God is meant to lead you to repentance. And our stubborn refusal to repent is only adding to the anger God will have towards us on that day of anger when his just judgements will be made known. Then he will repay each one as his works deserves. 

Dear friends, today we are challenged to change our ugly ways of life, to change from within us. This may seem very difficult. But, we need to change in so many ways especially as regards our attitude towards things of this passing world. For God is calling us to repentance, He wants to come into our souls and dwells. But he cannot dwell in a heart that is like a whitewashed tomb. Therefore, Jesus is rebuking all humanity, he wants us to stop living a life of deception, immorality and  corruption in the name of packaging. Rather, we should build up our interior being by embracing the things of the heart such as justice, mercy, love and compassion.

LET US PRAY: Loving Father, help us to build our interior life strongly in your love for we are living in a world of whitewashed tombs of deception, immorality and corruption in the name of packaging. Give us grace to be wise enough to discern what is right and pleasing to you. And as we struggle with the ugly situation of this life, may you guide and direct our paths. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.