Thirty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 21st November, 2021. The Solemnity of Christ the Universal King

 Thirty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 21st November, 2021. The Solemnity of Christ the Universal King

Readings: Dan. 7:13-14; Ps.93; Rev. 1:5-8; John 18:33-37

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THE KINGSHIP OF CHRIST?

Every last Sunday of the liturgical year, the Church  celebrates the solemnity of Christ the Universal King. It was Pope Pius XI who promulgated this Feast of Christ the King in 1925. At the period when the world was still recovering from the ugly event of the First World War that ended in 1918, the period when humanity turned away from the teachings of the Gospel, in search for worldly powers and dominion apart from God. So the Pope believed that the celebration of the Feast of Christ the Universal King will be appropriate at that period in order to call humanity to conversion and renewal of loyalty to Jesus the True Universal King.

So as we celebrate this great event, the questions that always come to mind are: what is the nature of this Kingship of Christ? How does it relate to the events of human history? What is the effect of this Kingship in our society today? What message or lessons can we learn from it? This same question is the issues in our Gospel passage today. Where we heard Pilate asking Jesus about his mission and the nature of his kingship. “Jesus replied, ‘Mine is not a kingdom of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, my men would have fought to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this kind.’ ‘So you are a king then?’ Pilate asked him. And Jesus said ‘It is you who say it’. ‘Yes, I am a king. I was born for this, I came into the world for this: to bear witness to the truth; and all who are on the side of truth listen to my voice.”

Here, Jesus gave us the answers to all the questions we have in mind concerning his kingship.  He made us to know that his kingdom is beyond the activities of this passing world. So, we are called to look to the future with more insight into the ultimate goal of history towards the eternal kingdom of Christ. For he was with the Father in the beginning, when the world was created, and he will fully manifest his Lordships at the end of time, when he will come as a triumphant King and judge humanity based on our actions, deeds and faith. Then will be time for great separation, when the good will be separated from the bad, holy from sinful, righteous from evil, sheep from goats of which our deeds will reveal who we are and where we belong as we heard from prophet Daniel in our first reading in relation to the redemption brought by Christ Jesus as we have it in our second reading today.

Dear friends, no doubt that we are living in a world full of greed and selfish people who are swallowed in values of egoism and materialism, with uncontrollable desires for pleasure. We are called today to embrace the teachings of Christ the Universal King for this is what today’s celebration requires of us. 

Therefore, as we celebrate this great event, let us turn toward Christ for he is our true King. Following him means carrying our own cross, forgetting our self, and faithfully obeying his commandment of sacrificial love. For it is by the blood of his cross, that Jesus reveals the nature of his Kingship, not in saving his life, but in offering it as a ransom for our salvation. 

Thus, trying to do away with the cross in our lives deprives our souls of these true love and loyalty to Christ our King, who today wants to reign supreme in our hearts and soul. So, let us join in the triumphant procession holding palm branches singing Hosanna in the Highest, recalling the inscription above the cross: Jesus the King of the Jews. Let us show him honour, not just with palm branches but with the splendour of heart full of love and merciful deeds. Let us in joy express and spread before his presence the garments  of our heavy heart weigh down by sins  along with the inner desires of our souls so that he can passing through our souls and purify our whole being so as to rule in our hearts as the King of Peace, for that is the nature of his Kingship.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly King, as we celebrate the universal Kingship of Christ your Son, amidst the hostile forces and evil of this passing world, may we be victorious as you fill us with the peace and joy of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a blessed Christ the King celebration.

Homily for Saturday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 20th November, 2021.

 Homily for Saturday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 20th November, 2021. 

Readings:R1Macc.6:1-13; Ps.9; Luke:20:27-40

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

RESURRECTION IS A REALITY THAT WILL SURELY HAPPEN

Oftentimes when we talk about the teaching on resurrection people always want to know what and how is going to be like. We often get this teaching wrong because we are using our little knowledge of the things of this passing world to judge the heavenly things. This is the disposition of the Sadducees in our Gospel passage today, for since they do not believe in the resurrection, they decided to challenge Jesus concerning the notion about resurrection using the analogy of marital union in relation to afterlife in order to discredit the teachings of Jesus. 

As usual, Jesus goes on to explain how people will relate to each other in the afterlife. That those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection they are sons of God. He then challenged the Sadducees’ unbelief about life after death. 

He reminded them of the scene where the voice from the burning bush identifies itself to Moses. “I AM the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6). For He is the God of the living and not of the dead. After this reply of Jesus to both the Pharisees and the Sadducees, they no longer dared to ask him any questions.

Dear friends, we believe in the resurrection not so much because of Jesus’ arguments here, but because of his own resurrection of which he promise to share his life and joy with us forever. Jesus tells us that we are children of the resurrection and children of God who neither married nor given in marriage in the heavenly kingdom. Thus, it is natural for us to ask questions about resurrection of life, but we should not expect to understand it fully while we are still alive. All that matters is our relationship with our God and neighbour for what we shall be after death is known by God alone.

So, we must not be like the Pharisees and Scribes who doubt the teaching on resurrection, rather we should have faith in the teachings of Jesus for he has not only taught us about the event of resurrection he practically demonstrated it so that we may know that truly our lives does not begin in this passing world and will definitely not end in this world.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we look forward to the resurrection of mankind. May we be inspired by the great example of our Lord Jesus and so obtain the joy of his resurrection. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.

Homily for Friday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 19th November, 2021

 Homily for Friday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 19th November, 2021.

Readings: 1 Macc. 4:36-37.52-59;  Ps. 1Chron. 29:10-12; Luke:19:45-48

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LORD, CLEANSE THE TEMPLE OF OUR SOUL ONCE AGAIN FROM SINS AND CORRUPTION

The Temple as we know is described as the sacred dwelling place of God. That’s sacred space where humanity encounter the Divine presence of God. It is a symbolic space where God desires to live together with humanity and rule the world through them. Therefore it is very important to ensure that such Sacred Space (Temple) is kept sacred at all times. 

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, we heard a very brief story of how Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem and drove away the traders from the courts of the Temple saying: “My house must be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into ‘a den of thieves’.” So he chased out all the dishonest, selfish and greedy merchants who are making profits by cheating the faithful pilgrims who came to the Temple to worship God.

Here Jesus was not just concerned with cleansing of the temple of Jerusalem, but also the temple of human’s heart, that is, our souls. He is objecting to corruption of the sacred. Our body and soul are temple of the Lord and belong to him alone. It is a sacred space, a house of prayer which must not be given over to the false gods of money, greed and sin. Just as we  heard in our first reading today how Judas and his  brothers after defeating their enemies who wished to force them to defile the temple of God said:  Now that our enemies have been defeated, let us go up to purify the sanctuary and dedicate it. So, the whole people fell prostrate in adoration, praising to the skies him who had made them so successful. For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar, joyfully offering holocausts, communion sacrifices and thanksgivings God.

Dear friends, by clearing the Temple, the Lord has also urged us all to clear our own spiritual temples, that is our body, mind, heart and soul, in which God dwells. For our souls are sacred dwelling of God’s Temple. Thus, it must be made sacred at all times by ensuring that we get rid of all corruptions, wickedness, pride, ego, greed, wrath, unforgiveness and all other sorts of evils within us. We must resist them and strive to inspire and help one another to keep our Temple sacred. For Jesus wishes to cleanse the temple of our soul by removing what has corrupted it, in order to purify it for worship, and making it a dwelling place for prayer. But are we willing to let him cleanse us?

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are your temple, yet we have let the selfish desires for the things of this passing world to corrupt us so deeply. As we embrace your Words today, may we experience the joy of the purification of our body and soul. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily for Thursday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 18th November, 2021

 Homily for Thursday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 18th November, 2021

Readings: 1Macc. 2:15-29; Ps. 50; Luke:19:41-44

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

JESUS WEPT FOR LACK OF PEACE IN THE HEARTS OF HUMANITY

Peace is what every human person desire to have. It is a necessary commodity in human societies. A city that has peace is surely to have great success. It is the dream of everyone. But a city that lacks peace is disastrous. Little wonder today in our gospel passage, Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem. For Jesus who is the King of peace came to Jerusalem a city whose name stands for peace but find no peace in it. 

He looked at the city and it coming disaster which would indeed happen in a few decades after its destruction at the hand of the Romans. So he wept and prayed for its people. Since they have rejected the peace that God is offering them, they have no option than to face the consequences. Jesus felt deep sorrow at the city’s resistance to God’s word, wishing that it might receive what God is offering. 

Today we too can look around us, also our cities, societies, country and the world at large, and feel sorrow at so much  greed, corruption, suffering and disregard for truth and for what is right and discover that peace is no where to be found. But we should not be afraid. Rather, we should draw strength from Mattathias in our first reading today who courageously resisted the order of the king who requested that the people of Israel should turn away from the Law and ordinances of God. Raising his voice, Mattathias retorted, ‘Even if every nation living in the king’s dominions obeys him, each forsaking its ancestral religion to conform to his decrees, I, my sons and my brothers will still follow the covenant of our ancestors. So nothing should make us for sake the teachings of our Lord, for Jesus the Lamb of God has triumphed over all evil. He has been glorified and as such has purchased for us our eternal peace and salvation.

 

Hence, we must be courageous because despite the challenges and trials that we have to face in this passing world, we have the Lamb of God, triumphant and victorious by our side. He tells us that even though tribulations will come our way in form of the doom and destruction like that of Jerusalem, we should be steadfast for in God we shall be triumphant.

Dear friends, if we can consider the words of Jesus and embrace the peace and love he is offering us, we will realize that he longs for our good and growth. There are many temptations and distractions in this world trying to mislead us and separate us from our God. Let us not be misled by these things. Let us remain firm in our faith and let our lives shine with the light of Christ, so that his light will illuminate all the darkest moments in our lives, in our societies, country and the world at large. For the Lord wishes to lead us to the final victory that he has won for us. But are we willing to commit our lives to Christ?. All we need to do is to embrace all the possibilities of peace and love that God is offering to us every day. Then it shall be well with us. 

LET US PRAY, Heavenly Father, you are the King of peace and in Christ your son you have offered humanity peace. But we have failed to embrace it. As we struggle with the ugly situation in our world today, may the peace of Christ reign in our hearts, homes, societies, country and the world at large. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Remain blessed.

Homily for Wednesday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 17th November, 2021. The Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary

 Homily for Wednesday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 17th November, 2021. The Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Readings: 2Macc.7:1.20-31; Ps.17; Luke:19:11-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UTILIZING THE GIFTS AND OPPORTUNITIES GOD HAS GIVEN US

In this life God has given special gifts and opportunities for everyone. If we use these gifts and the opportunities wisely for our own benefit and the benefit of others, we will grow and blossom. But on the other hand if we fail to use them, we will remain dormant and unsuccessful. This is what the parable in our Gospel passage today is addressing. In this parable we heard how a king summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds to do business until he comes back. Some of them utilized these gifts and opportunity and so became successful and for that they were entrusted with more gifts. While some decided to neglect and abandoned their gifts and so remained dormant and unsuccessful. 

This parable teaches us that we all have been given gifts by God which we must give account of. Because our gifts are meant to be put to use in the service of God and humanity. And our service to God should not be done grudgingly or fearfully but generously with the willingness to take risks in responding to God's mandate. We must be ready to lose our life in order to find it. God wants us to use the individual gifts and opportunities given to us to make a difference in the world. We are not to relax into a comfort zone doing nothing with them. God wants the best from us and when we have given our best, we receive more from him. 

Dear friends, we all are special, unique and a masterpiece and God has given us a very unique gift. These gifts may represent different physical and spiritual gifts of God, but it's  basic foundation is the love of God towards us.  This love is what God has given to us which needs to be reciprocated through an active love for our neighbours. However, we often fine it difficult to discover our other gifts or to accept the one God has given to us because we have failed to embrace love. So, we are called today to search and discover our gifts. Love is the greatest gift God has given to humanity, let us discover love and invest on it for in it comes other gifts that will help us to achieve the purpose by which we are created. 

This gift of love is what made the woman and her children to sacrifice their lives for the sake of their belief in God’s instructions and ordinances as we have it in our first reading today. And also in the life of Elizabeth of Hungary whose memorial we celebrate today who discovered love in the poor. For she was known for her constant visit to the sick and those who were particularly repulsive; to some she gave food, to others clothing; some she carried on her own shoulders, and performed many other kindly services out of love. We are called to do the same.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, you have endowed us with special and unique gifts and opportunities. Help us to discover these gifts and utilize them for the purpose of which they were given to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily for Tuesday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 16th November, 2021

 Homily for Tuesday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 16th November, 2021.

Readings: 2Macc. 6:18-31; Ps.15; Luke:19:1-10

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

SOMETIMES ALL WE NEED IS TO HUMBLY CLIMB THE SYCAMORE TREE OF GRACE

Oftentimes we are quick to criticize, condemn and label people as sinners, outcast and good for nothing. But this is not the attitude of Jesus who is always compassionate especially to sinners and those rejected in the society and wants us to do the same. This is evident in our Gospel passage today, where we were told the story of Zacchaeus. A man who was regarded as a public sinner.  Wanting to see Jesus, but being small in size, he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree and waited for Jesus to come by. He really had a great desire to see Jesus. 

Thus, the attitude of Jesus upon seeing Zacchaeus on the tree was very touching. Jesus does not ask, nor does he demanded anything. He only responded to the inner desire of a sinful man who seeks to see him and he said to him, “Zacchaeus come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your home today” Zacchaeus gets down and received Jesus, in his house with great joy, for sometimes in our lives when we struggle with our inner desires and weaknesses all we need is to sacrifice our pride and humbly climb the sycamore tree of grace for on it we find the satisfaction and peace. 

No doubt, people complained and criticized Jesus saying “He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house”. But Jesus does not care about the criticism. He went to the house of Zacchaeus and defended him from the criticism. And rather than calling him a sinner, he called him “son of Abraham”. Here we see how Jesus accepts those who were not accepted. He offers a place to those who do not have. He receives as brothers and sisters people whom the society and religion rejected. 

In a similar way we heard in our first reading how Eleazar demonstrated a life of nobility by resisting to live a life of pretence and defilement for he, resolving to die with honour rather than to live disgraced. Such pretence he said, “does not square with our time of life; many young people would suppose that Eleazar at the age of ninety had conformed to the foreigners’ way of life, and so be led astray on my account; This will only bring defilement and disgrace on my old age. For even though for the moment I avoid execution by man, I can never, living or dead, elude the grasp of the Almighty”.

Dear friends, we must learn from Zacchaeus and Eleazar how to remain faithful and not live a life of pretence. We must learn be a good example to other people and try to accommodate people’s differences and weaknesses. But how do we accept people who are despised and marginalized in our society? Can we, like Jesus, perceive people’s inner desire for compassion and give them attention? Remember, the compassion and tenderness of Jesus brought about a total change in the life of Zacchaeus. Why not show some compassion to those we meet today, for it may be the only opportunity to embrace the salvation they will ever have in their life. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are sinners in need of your mercy. As we climb the sycamore tree of grace with contrite hearts, may you find in us the inner desire for mercies and in your compassion purify us and welcome us back to your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily for Monday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 15th November, 2021

 Homily for Monday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 15th November, 2021.

Readings: 1Macc. 1:10-15.41-43.54-57.62-64; Ps.119; Luke:18:35-43

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS THAT ONE THING YOU REALLY NEED FROM GOD

The compassionate love of Jesus in it’s historical and physical solidarity with human suffering, springs from the love of God the Father and constitutes the basis of the Church’s liberating activity which is rooted in our faith in God. Little wonder in today’s Gospel passage, the blind beggar gives us a complete lesson about faith, expressed with total simplicity in front of Christ Jesus. He had faith enough to call out to Jesus as he passed by, even when he was scolded by the people close to him, his need for Jesus was so great that he cried all the louder, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! 

Then Jesus asks an unusual question “what do you want me to do for you?” So even though his need was obvious, Jesus wanted him to ask. In the same way today, Jesus is asking us: my child what do you want me to do for you? Why not like this blind beggar tell Jesus you need. Even though he knows your needs, you still need to present them before him. This blind man needed his eyesight restored, so he asked Jesus aloud, “Lord, that I may see!” And Jesus said receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.’ 

Here Jesus reveals his compassion towards human sufferings and wants us to imitate him in trying to overcome these suffering though caused by our sins and disobedience to God’s command as we heard in our first reading todays were the king issued a proclamation to his whole kingdom that all were to become a single people, each renouncing his particular customs to accept his religion, sacrificing to idols and profaning the Sabbath. The king erected the abomination of desolation above the altar; and any books of the Law that came to light were torn up and burned. Whenever anyone was discovered possessing a copy of the covenant or practicing the Law, the king’s decree sentenced him to death. But God never abandoned his people, for those who hoped in him were protected.

Dear friends, what is that one thing you really need in your life? Have we ever felt helpless? Do we feel the need of Jesus’s help in some part of our lives? Why not in faith present it before him who is willing to help us. Also, do we know people who are helpless and need some help? How strong is our compassion towards them? Let us look at them for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at them. How does he sees them? 

Therefore, like Jesus, each one of us are called to reach out to people around us who are really in need of our assistance. This includes our families members, our neighbours, our colleagues and others who we encounter in life. The truth is that, you may be the only person who can brings the healing and compassion of Jesus into their lives. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we present our needs before you today, may we experience once again your compassionate love and grant our hearts desire according to your Holy will, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. It’s another week, wishing you God’s favour and blessings.