Homily for Tuesday Thirty- First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 2nd November, 2021. The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day.)

 Homily for Tuesday Thirty- First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 2nd November, 2021. The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day.)

Readings: Wis.3:1-9 , Ps.23, Rom 5:5-11 , Matt. 5:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT CAN YOU OFFER TO SUFFERING SOULS IN NEED OF PURIFICATION?

Every 2nd November, a day after the solemnity of All Saints, the Church in her wisdom asked us to commemorate and pray for all the faithful departed (All Souls), especially the suffering Church, that is, as militant Church, we are expected to pray for those souls that belong to the body of Christ but are still in need of purification. Thus, we called to remember our loved ones who have gone before us into eternal life by  visiting their tombs and praying for them.

So as regards to this visitation, I will recall my experience visiting the cemetery as seminarian, for as customary in the seminary, every 2nd November we  often chose people to visit the cemetery to pray for the souls of the Faithful Departed and Oftentimes my name will always be among those going to visit the cemetery but not often when it’s comes to going for other glorious occasions and events. Though at a point I felt I should complain but I accepted it even though I had no option. Then, as usual in 2017, I was privileged again to be among those to visit a cemetery at Oke-Are in Ibadan. On our way to the cemetery which is located on a hill in the heart of Ibadan, passing through the market and streets all I could see were people struggling, buying and selling, fighting and cursing each other, beggars, sick people and poor alike, among the people were the rich, the educated, their leaders both traditional and political. 

But getting to the cemetery I saw in a wall names and dates of some men and women who had passed on from this interesting community. Than I asked myself in my deep reflection, where will all of us in this beautiful community be in the next hundred years? Where are all these people whose names are listed in this wall? Where they like us before? Are we going to be like them later? With this in mind I realized that there is time for everything in this world, a time to be born, and a time to die, a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to break down and a time to build up (Eccl: 3:1-11). Then I realized the reality of this life and the need to reflect and pray for the souls that have passed away from this passing world.

This I did not in grief but in the spirit of faith and hope, knowing that they are living in communion with us as they share in the resurrection of Christ. Just as we heard in our first reading that the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God for those who are faithful will live with him in love; since grace and mercy await those he has chosen. And St. Paul in our second reading tell us to rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation in order to live a beatific life which Jesus gave us it’s guiding principles in our Gospel passage today.

Dear friends, do you know that you can offer some little help to souls struggling to attain heaven our beatific vision? Do we know that there are helpless souls who only rely on our help to attain the beatific vision? What am I willing to do for this helpless souls? Before now, have I even thought of it that my departed brethren need my assistance in other to reach their destination. Am I sure that I can avoid this state of suffering and purification? Do we ever remember that our loved ones may be there now?

Perhaps while they were in this life, they were of great help to us. Do we realize that our prayers and sacrifices represent the key to release them and we can use it if we want to? Do we care about using it? Therefore, as we remember the souls who are passing through this rigor of purification, it would be good for us to offer some prayers of intercession especially for our loved ones as plenary indigence awaits us when we do this devoutly today or any day in this month of November at the Holy Mass or at the cemetery. 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we commemorate and pray for all souls today, may the light of your mercy shine upon them, especially those who are in need of your mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a favourable day.

Homily for Monday Thirty- First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 1st November, 2021. Solemnity of All Saints

 Homily for Monday Thirty- First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 1st November, 2021. Solemnity of All Saints.

Readings: Rev. 7:2-4.9-14, Ps.24, 1John 3:1-3, Matt. 5:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

CELEBRATING THE TRIUMPHANT CHURCH AS THE GREAT SIGN OF OUR FUTURE GLORY

Today the Church celebrates two special events, first one is the gift of another new month of which I say happy new month to you all. The second which is the most important is the solemnity of All Saints. The Church as we know is not  just the physical structure we have all over the places, no, the Church is much more than that. The Church is the body of Christ which everyone of us are member by the virtue of our baptism. 

This Church is divided into three groups, that is the militant Church, the suffering Church and the triumphant Church. The militant Church are all of us especially the baptized who are still inhabiting and struggling with the human flesh. But immediately after death we belong either to the suffering Church or the triumphant Church. The suffering Church are the souls that belong to the body of Christ but are still in need of purification. While the triumphant Church are the souls of the saints which we are celebrating today.

Thus, every first November, the Church presents to us the solemnity of All Saints. A day we celebrate the triumphant Church that is all the saints known or unknown to us who have triumphed victorious to heavenly glory, which of course reminds us that we are called to grow in holiness and to become saints, for that is our primary goal in life. 

This solemnity dates back to 7th century, and the occasion of its introduction was the conversion of the ancient Roman Pantheon into a Christian Church. For emperor Phocas gave the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV, who converted it into a Church and dedicated it to the blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints about the year 608. But later in the year 731, Pope Gregory III consecrated a chapel in St. Peter’s Church in honour of all the saints and since then the solemnity of All Saints has been celebrated all over the world.

Therefore, in this great event, we are called to imitate the heroic virtues of the saints by living a life of beatitudes as peace makers, pure of heart, meek, humble and merciful as Jesus teaches us in our Gospel passage today. And in our first reading St. John in the book of revelation tells that these saints are the people who have been through the great persecution, and they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb, of which in our second reading he made us to know that we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; but when it is revealed we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is. And everyone who entertains this hope must purify himself and try to be as pure as Christ.

Dear friends, this solemnity remind us of our universal vocation to holiness, it strengthens us in our struggles towards our goal which is to attain eternal life.  It helps us to recall our communion with saints. It reminds us that we are pilgrims on this earth and also it strengthens our faith in the teachings of the Church. No doubt all of us wants to become saints and  oftentimes we really want to live a holy life but there are always obstacles on our way to holiness, these obstacles make us become so aware of our sins, our weaknesses and our failures. 

Yes, we are sinners, but so were the saints. They only relied on God’s mercy and grace and so we too. We cannot become holy through our efforts alone we need to cooperation with the grace of God. Remember, anything worth having is worth making sacrifices for, and the more it’s worth, the more significant sacrifices we should be willing to make for it. If holiness is necessary for one to attain heaven. Then it worth all the sacrifices Jesus mentioned in the beatitudes. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as militant Church on earth, there are lot of troubles and challenges we are struggling with, help us through the intercession of all the saints, to overcome them and so make it triumphantly to your heavenly kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy new month and a blessed All Saints celebration.

Homily for Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 31th October, 2021

 Homily for Thirty-First  Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 31th October, 2021. 

Readings: Deut. 6:2-6; Ps. 18; Heb.7:23-28; Mark 12:28-34

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LOVE IS THE HARD WAY AND LOVE IS THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS OF HUMANITY

As human beings living in a world full of crisis, hatred and uncertainty, we often struggle with so many commitments and responsibilities trying to resolve our problems and challenges. But, when we are faced with these realities of life, we want to know the things that should be our first priority. What should be the most important thing to focus our energy? What should become the foundation of all the things we need to do? What will be the very solution to our problems and challenges. In fact, we  always desire to know what is required of us in this life. This is the deposition of one of the scribes in our Gospel passage today, who came to Jesus and asked him question concerning which commandment is the greatest. 

In response to his question, Jesus reminded him of the 'Shema Israel' - שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, the prayer that every Jew knew and recite from their earliest years from which they learned that the most important thing in life is to love God with all their heart, and with all thy soul, and with all their mind; that is, with all the powers  and the very noble faculties of the soul which includes the mind, the understanding, the judgment, and our will. Jesus then added: to love one’s neigbhour as the second priority. 

This is just very practical because, anyone who loves God will naturally love all God’s children who are, of course, in a very real sense our neighbours. We must love every single person because we are all created in the image and likeness of God. In other words, loving God with all our heart, with all our understanding and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves is what is required of us and it is the foundation of all the things we have to do.  So, we can see that it is not possible to separate the love of God from the love of neighbour, for it is one commandment with two parts which will be the criterion for the final judgement of God.

Therefore, Jesus set this as a standard of love not just by the love he was able to show, but the depth of love which he shows by dying and sacrificing himself for us as the ideal high Priest. This is exactly what we have in our second reading which says: To suit us, the ideal high priest would have to be holy, innocent and uncontaminated, beyond the influence of sinners, and raised up above the heavens; one who would not need to offer sacrifices every day, as the other high priests do for their own sins and then for those of the people, because he has done this once and for all by offering himself. 

So, today we are called to embrace the true love of God in our hearts. This is possible only when we understand the true meaning of love and sacrifice and this is what is really lacking in our relationship with God  and our neighbours. In fact, a critical look at what is happening in our world today, it is obvious that the world has lost the true meaning of love. This present generation has failed to understand the true meaning and source of love and this can be seen in the kind of fruit we bear. The fruit of love in this generation is so complicated: love has become a tool for selfishness, deception, greed, emotional and sexual satisfaction. This is because we have abandoned God who is the source and power of love and creates for ourselves a mirage in the name love. 

Dear friends, love is the hard way and love is the only way to solve the problems of humanity. So today, we are called to come back to the source of love, God himself, who teaches us that love is an attitude that seeks the good of others despite how we feel about them. Love teaches us to be merciful, just as our Father in heaven is merciful. Love is an attitude that is sacrificial, an attitude that forgives, an attitude that accommodates, perseveres, preserves, heals and builds up when every other things fails. This is the kind of attitude the world needs now, the attitude that comes from the pure love of God  and our neighbours. 

I don’t know if you have ever loved someone and you show it, or someone loves you and you know it? The fact is that, it actually feels right and awesome, because love bring healing and wholeness into people’s lives. Love is peace, Joy, strength and passion, love is stronger than death, why? Because, it is that nature of God that we share.

   

Friends, it is by loving God in our neighbours that we can share and experience this nature of God in us and by so doing we will conquer the world full of hatred, self-centeredness, greed and sin. The truth is that, the absence of love is the cause of all the problems in our world today as most families exist by grace and not by love. Imagine how wonderful the world would be if we all love one another. How I wish we can invest our time and resources in ensuring love and unity in our dealings with one another. Believe me, we will not only be fulfilling the first and greatest commandments of God, but we will be building a happy humanity.

But how can humanity recover this power of love and harnessed it to bear more fruit in our societies where it seems as if true love exist no more? This is possible when we realize that we are all products of love and are called to live out our essence, which is to love. Therefore, we can make our choice today to renew our commitment to keeping these two commandments and to reflect on how best we can put them together for our own good and the good of humanity. Remember, God loves you and in you resides that love that is lacking in your neighbours.. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in You is the fullness of love, grant that we may truly love you and our neighbours and so conquer the world full of hatred, self-centeredness, greed and corruption, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed Sunday celebration

Homily for Saturday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 30th October, 2021.

 Homily for Saturday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 30th October, 2021.

Readings: Romans 12: 1-2.11-12.25-27;, Ps  93; Luke 14:1.7-11

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

HUMILITY ELEVATES US TO GREATNESS BUT PRIDE BRINGS DOWN THE MIGHTY TO NOTHINGNESS

One of the virtues that is lacking in our world today is humility, this virtue is really lacking in our society today because pride has become a way of life which most people wishes to embrace. Hence we often hear people saying in a very proud way, do you know who I am? By the time I finish with you then you will fear me. We hear people taking all sorts of honorific titles whether merited or not, they want to be addressed and recognized so gloriously at every public events.

This should not be our attitudes or disposition for Jesus in our Gospel passage today while addressing the Pharisees told a parable about humility saying: When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

Here, we see the important of humility, we see how humility can help to elevate someone from nothingness to something great. While pride can bring down the might into nothingness. The truth is that, humility is not a way of glory, but a road of surrender that leads to passion and death of one’s self. It is  a way of sacrifice, a service to others at the price of self- sacrifice. That is why many people do not want to be humble. Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading put this question before us saying: have the Jews fallen for ever, or have they just stumbled? Obviously they have not fallen for ever: their fall, though, has saved the pagans in a way the Jews may now well emulate. Think of the extent to which the world, the pagan world, has benefited from their fall and defection – then think how much more it will benefit from the conversion of them all. There is a hidden reason for all this, brothers.

So, dear friends, it may seem so difficult to embrace the virtue of humility especially in our society today, but this virtue has a lot to offer us both as individuals or as a group. In fact, our world is in need of humble men and women, because a good society is built on all kinds of commendable virtues such as humility. 

Therefore, it is time for us to put off our old self which is led by pride the first capital sin, in order to put on a new person born of humility, love, compassion, contentment, purity, forgiveness etc. So let us work heard to add more virtues in our activities and behaviour for blessed are those who are virtuous for they easily solve their problems. Thus, why not try humility in solving those difficult and challenging moments in your life. Just try to be humble because it works like miracle.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we have often failed to follow the example of Christ humility which he has taught us. As we are reminded once again the need to be humble, give us the grace to truly be humble at any level we find ourselves, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and peaceful weekend.

Homily for Friday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 29th October, 2021

 Homily for Friday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 29th October, 2021

Readings: Romans 9:1-5; Ps  147; Luke 14:1-6

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

NOTHING CAN STOP THE LORD FROM TAKING CARE OF OUR WELLBEING

Most times when we reflect on the relationship between Jesus and his audience, we wonder how he was able to manage all the situation placed before him even when it seems as if he has no escape root. Such is the situation in our Gospel passage today when on a Sabbath day Jesus went for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees who had invited him; of which they watched him closely. Because in front of him was a man with dropsy, and Jesus addressed the lawyers and Pharisees saying: ‘Is it against the law to cure a man on the Sabbath, or not?’ But they remained silent, so he took the man and cured him and sent him away.

Here, we see Jesus who always honour all his invitation whether from the poor or the rich, friends or ‘enemies’ including Pharisee and Sadducees whose invitation was a trap to set him up. But Jesus cannot be trapped, rather he used the opportunity to teach us that no Sabbath law, no religious restriction, can ever forbid us from being compassionate and caring for the poor and the sick. And St. in our first reading made us to know  that as God’s chosen people, we have been adopted as sons, we have been given the glory and the covenants; the Law and the ritual were drawn up for us, and the promises of God were made to us in order to completely embrace the will of God 

Dear friends, we can see that nothing can stop the Lord from taking care of us. So, today we called to learn how to be compassionate no matter the situation we may find ourselves, because Jesus has always been compassionate to us. For this kind of attitude  will help us to become pure and blameless, and prepare us for the Day of Christ, when we all will reach the perfect goodness  which the Lord Jesus planted in us for the glory and praise of God.  But, are we  really willing and ready to show love, compassion and care to those who need our love and care especially when it seems very difficult? 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often wish to be compassionate and caring like you. But we often failed because of fear and lack of proper disposition. As we listened to your words today, may we find the courage to be compassionate and caring, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with.

Homily for Thursday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year B; 28th October, 2021. The Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

 Homily for Thursday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year B; 28th October, 2021. The Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

Readings: Eph.2:19-22, Ps  19, Luke 6:12-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

EMBRACING THE LIFE OF DISCIPLESHIP

As disciples of our Lord Jesus, Will you leave? We you care? Will you risk? Will you let  the Lord to lead you through the  sacrificial nature of our discipleship? These are questions of great demands which every true disciple must constantly reflect through in life, in order to be aware of the seriousness of the commitment required of everyone of us as a disciple of Jesus. This great demand is presented to us in our liturgy today as we celebrate the feast day of two great apostles St. Simon and St. Jude and our readings propel us to reflect on our call to discipleship. 

In the Gospel we heard how Jesus after deep prayers called from among his disciples twelve apostles of which Simon and Jude were part of the twelve. Simon also known as the Zealot, was a member of the Zealots, the extremists who fought for the freedom of the Israelites against the Romans at the time of Jesus. While, St. Jude often referred as St. Jude Thaddeus, was a member of the extended family of Jesus.

These  two apostles along with others followed the Lord faithfully throughout his ministry. Simon though a member of the Zealot, abandoned his previous life as a freedom fighter to a great missionary along with St. Jude Thaddeus who was the probable author of the Epistle of St. Jude. These two apostles together served the Lord and reach out to many peoples and evangelized may nations. That is why both of them are celebrated together today, because of their missionary zeal and commitment to God even to the very end of their lives.

 

Tradition has it that Simon spread the Gospel to places like Persia and Armenia, Egypt and Ethiopia and along with Jude, they evangelized throughout Judea, Samaria, Persia, Armenia and other places. Sadly, after many decade of their missionary activities, these two great apostles were martyred in Lebanon. They committed themselves wholeheartedly to the mission of Christ and his Church, they converted many, established firm foundations of the Christian faith in many places. Little wonder St Paul in our first reading tells us that we are fellow citizens of God’s household that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone.

Dear friends, reflecting on the nature of our mission activities in the world today, will you leave? We you care? Will you risk? Will you let the Lord to lead you in the struggle to be effective missionary and disciples? No doubt that evangelization an integral aspect of the life of the Church. Thus, Jesus gives us the mandate and the commission to evangelize, that is, to announce the Good News to all the nations and to spread the Gospel to every creature. This commission is shared by all those who are baptized both priests and lay faithful. Everyone has a particular responsibility to share in the work of proclamation of the Gospel. Today, we should ask ourselves, how have we proclaimed the Gospel to the world? What efforts are we making to ensure that the mandate Christ entrusted to us is carried out effectively in our generation? 

Therefore, at this moment when the world is confused, because we have removed God out of our daily lives, at this time when we have placed our hope in the activities of the human person who seems to have taken the place of God, at this time when our governments, scientists, doctors, lawyers, professors and even pastors assumed the place of God, which of course have brought about the ugly situation we are facing in our societies today. We and reminded once again about our very mission, for it is time to take this mandate very seriously, because it is our responsibility to fulfil our promises to God and ensure that the Christian faith is preached and sustained in the world and by so doing save humanity once again from sin, death and destruction.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are lost in this world, we are confused because we have cut ourselves off from You our cornerstone, as we come back to you once again, please give us the grace to preach the Gospel following the examples of saints Simon and Jude, may we learn from their teaching and walk faithfully in the footsteps of Christ and by so doing draw humanity back to You once again.  We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily for Wednesday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 27th October, 2021

 Homily for Wednesday  Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 27th October, 2021

Readings: Romans 8:26-30; Ps 13; Luke 13:22-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHAT IF AFTER ALL THE PLEASURABLE THINGS OF THIS WORLD YOU HEAR THE LORD SAYING: I DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU COME FROM?

Life is nothing but a temporal assignment, a journey which begins in the morning so beautiful, full of expectations and hope, but the sojourner have no knowledge of his/her destination, purpose and end. The only guide is his/ her willingness to constantly following the directives of the Sender who communicates his plans and purposes to those who care and willing to listen. 

Thus, the emptiness and shortness of life makes me to reflect on my future as a human person and the question that comes to my mind is: "where will you and I, and the beautiful things of this world be in the next one, ten, twenty, forty, eighty and hundred years for those who are strong? The deep silence in my soul could not offer me any answer to this question rather, it exposed before me the teachings of Jesus in our Gospel passage today when he said:  try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed. For once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself knocking on the door, saying, “Lord, open to us” but he will answer, “I do not know where you come from.

Here, Jesus calls our attention to the reality of life which we must not take for granted, that is the need for us to follow the teachings of the Lord, for humanity have failed to embrace the life of truth, holiness and love for God and for one another that seems difficult and narrow to them, but prefers to follow the destructive ways of life that is born out of pride, greed and uncontrollable desire for worldly things, as things of this passing world are so captivating and many people have been captured by its seductive power and are greatly following it.  We must not be victims of this ugly situation. Rather, we must learn to submit ourselves to the directives of the Holy Spirit for he is always ready to guide us along the narrow ways of life.

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading today says that: the Spirit comes to help us in our weakness. For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words, and God who knows everything in our hearts knows perfectly well what he means, because the Spirit intercedes for us according to the mind of God.

For those he predestined, he called and those whom he called he justified, and with those he justified he shared his glory.

Dear friends, the worst thing that can happen to us at the last moment of our life is to hear the Lord say: I do not know where you come from. The fact remains that life is indeed very short and the road that leads to death and destruction is truly wide and very captivating, of which may are captives of its seductive power. But the road to life are becoming narrow more and more because humanity are working so hard to expand the seductive roads and gates of destruction against the narrow gate of life. 

Therefore, we are called to embrace the narrow gate and road that leads to eternal life. We must work harder by resisting all the temptations and sinful things of this passing world and embrace the life of love and sacrifice which Jesus has offered us. So, let us turn towards God with all our hearts by removing from our hearts all forms of pride, greed and unhealthy desires that lead us astray down the path of destruction.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, our journey of life depends on you and today you have called us to follow the narrow gate of love and sacrifice. But the seductive road of this passing world is really captivating and many are victim of its power, grant us the grace to resist it but journey through the path and gate that leads to eternal life, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. May God bless your little efforts in life and guide you always.