Homily For Wednesday of The Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 26th January, 2022. The Memorial of SS. Timothy and Titus

 Homily For Wednesday of The Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 26th January, 2022. The Memorial of SS. Timothy and Titus.

Readings: 2Tim 1:1-8; Ps. 96; Mark 4:1-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

MAKE YOUR HEART A FERTILE GROUND SO THAT THE WORD OF GOD CAN  BEAR GREAT FRUIT THAT WILL MANIFEST IN OUR INTERIOR LIFE.

A good disposition and positive response towards whatever we do in life has a way of building up our confidence and interior life, and this of course, leads us to great success. Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, Jesus uses the parable of the sower to describe different kinds of response to God's Word. He  explained the parable by pointing out our different disposition towards the Word of God in relation to our interior life. This will help us to know whether our soul is like dry rocky ground 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.

In the scriptures, there are many who hear the words of Jesus and do not understand it because of poor disposition, for instance the religious leaders who are against his teachings, the crowds that responded positively to Jesus, especially to his miracles of healing, yet turned against him at the end and demanded for his crucifixion. Some disciples such as Judas might also be included among those who fall 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, understands it and internalize it. They indeed bear fruit and yield an abundant harvest. Our mother Mary and the disciples 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. 

Dear friends, our hearts are the fields in which the Word of God is scattered. But, to which do our hearts belong? the path way, the rocky ground, the thorns or the good soil? Whichever one, we are called to have right disposition and positive response to the Word of God. We are to pay attention and take some time to appreciate God’s Word in our lives by allowing it to bear solid root in us so that we can bear great fruits that will manifest in our interior life.

So, let us learn from SS. Timothy and Titus whose memorial we celebrate today, they were servants who truly understood what it means to belong to family of Jesus and have the right disposition towards his Word. For they were both close collaborators of St. Paul who entrusted to them the care of God’s faithful, of which they were known to be among the first Bishops of the Church. They were great servants of God with great commitment and dedication to doing the will of the Lord and suffer martyrdom for their faith.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes our disposition and response towards your Words is so poor. As we listen to your Words today, through the intercessions of SS. Timothy and Titus give us grace to remain open to receiving your Words, so as to bear fruit abu

Homily For Tuesday of The Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 25th January, 2022

 Homily For Tuesday of The Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 25th January, 2022

The Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.

Readings: Act: 22:3-16, Ps. 117, Mark 16:15-18

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HAVING AN EXPIRENCE OF CHRIST THAT LEADS TO TRUE CONVERSION

There is something deep and unique about every person, sometimes it takes personal experience to discover this uniqueness. This is evident in our first reading today as we celebrate the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, an event that prompt me to reflect on my personal experience of God. I am confident enough to tell you that everyday is an opportunity to encounter God through different events that occur in our lives. 

I don't know if you have ever had an experience that made you realize the emptiness of this life, a kind of experience that turns pride into humility, sinfulness into righteousness, an experience that changes your perception about things or people?

This is the kind of experience that Saul had with Jesus that made him realize the emptiness of his life and how wrong he was, fighting against God’s people. For Saul was a young and zealous Pharisee who was deeply involved in the persecutions of early Christians. He was present at the moment when St. Stephen was martyred and stoned to death. Saul was also a leading figure among the Sanhedrin in their attempt to destroy the Church and the followers of Christ, for he went from place to place and carried out violent attacks against the followers of Christ until he encountered the Lord on his way to Damascus. 

This very encounter brought true conversion in his life and changed his perception about Christians. This encounter gave him a new identity, changing his name from Saul to Paul. A name indicating his new mission. A mission he so carried out with all his zeal and passion just as the Lord commanded his disciples  in our Gospel passage today saying: ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. Little wonder Paul is regarded as one of the apostles and today his works still speak about the effect of his personal encounter with Jesus.

Dear friends, as we celebrate the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, we are called to reflect on our own conversion. Today like St. Paul, we are called to reflect on our personal experience with God. How have we personally experienced God? When was your spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that does not based on what people told us of him?  Remember that by the virtue of our baptism we are called to share in the same ministry and calling that St. Paul himself had received from the Lord. So, in case you have not personally experience the Lord, 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. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we really need to have a personal encounter of your presence in our lives. As we reflect on the encounter and conversion of St. Paul, may we experience your presence in a unique way and through this experience discover our purpose and mission in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Do have a blessed and favourable week.

Homily For Monday of The Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 24th January, 2022. The Memorial of St. Francis De Sales

 Homily For Monday of The Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 24th  January, 2022. The Memorial of St. Francis De Sales

Readings: 2 Samuel 5:1-7.10;; Ps.89; Mark 3:22-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DOT NOT DENY GOD’S POWER OVER SPIRITUAL REALITIES  OUT OF IGNORANCE OR JEALOUSY

One of the gifts of God to us is the gift of discernment, which enables us to know and distinguish between good and evil spirit. This gift is very important to the office of every leader. But it is sad and unacceptable when a leader decided to misused this gift out of envy,  jealousy and ignorance. This is the attitudes of the scribes in our Gospel passage today.

For  we heard how Jesus had delivered a man possessed by an evil spirit. The spirit had bound his tongue and made him mute. But when Jesus had cast out the demon from the man and the man spoke, some scribes who watched this great miracle as it happened said that it was through the power of Beelzebul the prince of demons that he was able to cast the devil out. 

This is because they were adamant in their opposition against Jesus which were propelled by envy and jealousy. That is why they were unable to look beyond their narrow-mindedness and stubbornness in insisting that their way was the true way while others like our Lord Jesus were wrong. But Jesus as usual used the opportunity to correct them by pointing out the mistakes in their argument. Thus, telling us that it does not make sense for the demons to be fighting one another and so be divided among themselves. Because any house that divides within itself can not stand, and as we know the evil ones are always united in their plans to bring about destruction in human activities. 

So, it is obvious that the scribes know the truth but were not ready to accept it rather the chose to deny the work of God, that why Jesus conclude the gospel by saying that: 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. This is so because, it is the sinner himself who rejected God’s forgiveness. And since God respects the freedom which He has given us, for he respects a sinner’s decision to firmly refuse to be forgiven.

Dear friends, we are called today not to be like the scribes who out of pride and ignorance denied the power of God over spiritual realities and so sin against the Holy Spirit. Rather we should make proper use of the gift of discernment which the Lord has given us. We must not let envy, jealousy and over ambition make us to deny the truth about the spiritual realities we experience from the Lord. We must not let the devil succeed in sowing the spirit of division among us. We should also ask God to endow us with the spirit of discernment and truth especially this period that we are often faced with the ugly and sad attitude of human deception all over the world. 

Let us like David in our first reading today, discern the will and the message God is communicating to us as we struggle with our daily challenges. Let us be inspired by the faith and the good examples of St. Francis de Sales whose memorial we celebrate today. St. Francis was born a noble, but his encounters with the Lord and some questions about the faith eventually led him to seek the Lord more closely through discernment. St. Francis de Sales later gave up his rights and inheritance and became a priest and later a bishop. He dedicated himself a lot for the people. He tirelessly involved himself in reaching out to many Christians, including those who have separated themselves from the Church.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we struggle everyday with the manipulation of the evils ones, give us the grace to overcome them, may we never be misled by the devil and all of his forces, as they often attempted to sow divisions and dissensions among us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you. 

Homily For Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 23rd January, 2022.

 Homily For Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 23rd January, 2022.

The Sunday of the Enthronement of the Word of God And Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Readings: Neh. 8:2-4.5-6.8-10; Ps. 19; 1Cor.12:12-30; Luke 1:1-4;4:14-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LET THE WORD OF GOD MAKE GREAT IMPACT IN OUR LIVES

On 30th September, 2019, our Holy Father Pope Francis in his Apostolic Letter Aperuit Illis declared and instituted “A Sunday for the Word of God”, which is to be celebrated every third Sunday in Ordinary Time of the Church’s Liturgical Year. The purpose of this declaration is to remind all Christ faithful that the Word of God as contained in the Scriptures are very vital and integral in the development of our faith in God. The Word of God in this case does not just refer to the Scriptures as we know it, but is also refers to Christ himself as our Lord and Saviour, the Divine Word made Incarnate. 

So today being the third Sunday in Ordinary Time year C,  we are called to celebrate the Word of God. This is very important and significant in our liturgical celebration and our readings today, as they emphasis on the important and significant of the Word of God in the lives of his people. In the first reading, we heard how the rebellious attitude of the people towards the Word of God brought about the capture and exile of the people of Israel. But having gain their freedom, they decided to hear and mediate on the word and law’s of God, which when the word was read and interpreted they wept for their ignorance and negligence of God’s Word, but Ezra said to all the people, ‘This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not be mournful, do not weep.’ For the people were all in tears as they listened to the words of the Law.

This gracious event ushers us into our Gospel passage today, where we heard how  Jesus  The Word made Flesh came to his hometown and entered the synagogue, they handed over to him the Word of God as proclaimed by prophet Isaiah, and unrolling the scroll, he read a potion of the scripture that declared what he referred to as his mission and goals in regards to the fulfilment of all the wonderful promises of God’s salvation for humanity. Here, we heard the manifestation and fulfilment of the missionary mandate of our Lord Jesus. For the Word made Flesh is now dwelling among his people. Of course, the people in the synagogue must have been astonished when they heard how he spoke with such great wisdom and authority, as he revealed the truth of God’s Word to all, and how everything that the prophets had spoken would be fulfilled through him.

Thus, Jesus the Word made Flesh and dwell among us, has become the center of our lives. Because our faith is founded upon this very Word of God made Flesh, the Divine Word Made Incarnate. For the Church is founded on the base of the Word of God that is: the Scriptures, the Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. And this Word is what unite us together. Little wonder today we also celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Hence this week, we have to spend some time to reflect  on the Word of God and see how we can foster unity within the  Church through the Word of the scriptures. 

But this will be very difficult if we are ignorant of the truth of God’s Word as contained in the Sacred Scriptures. We need to first deepen our knowledge of God and build a sold relationship with him. And this is what St. Paul is telling us in our second reading today, as he uses the analogy of the human body though with different parts made up of one body, to explain what ought to be our relationship with God and one another. Because the body of Christ ought to be truly one united and indivisible Body of all the faithful people of God.

However, this has not really been achieved because we have neglected the very center of  our faith and unity. We have failed to embrace the Word of God and make it the guiding principles of our lives. We do not have time to study the bible or create time to listen to God speaking to us and addressing some of our challenges. We are either too busy with our work and career, or are distracted by all the ugly activities the world is selling to us through the internet that often captured our thoughts and imaginations, that there is no room for God and his words in our lives. So, from this Sunday till Ash Wednesday, we are reminded that it is time for us to reflect on the Word of God and reaffirm our relationship with God before it is too late.

But dear friends, the question we need to ask ourselves are: what is our response towards the Word of God we hear everyday? How much of this Word dwells in us? What is my relationship with Jesus the Living Word of God made flesh and dwells among us? Has the Word of  God ever strike me in anyway to the point of shading tears? Today we must let the Word of God make great impact in our lives. That is why, the emphasis on the Word of God today is very important to all of us the faithful people of God who have been called to follow the Lord. 

Therefore, if we are to follow Christ faithfully, we must cultivate the habit of listening to God and studying the scriptures because the Word of God is our daily sustenance and the source of our strength and faith. Hence, we are called to make the Word of God the guiding principle in our lives. For in the scriptures we find the strength and courage to conquer the darkness of sin around us. By the Word of God, we acquire grace and courage to conquer evil and sin, promote good over evil, order over chaos, security over danger, joy over sorrow, truth over falsehood, salvation over condemnation and life over death.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we enthrone your Word in our lives, our families and in your Church today, grant we pray, that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we may come to discover the power and the efficacy of the scriptures in our lives as individuals, families and community of God’s people. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and lovely Sunday.

WHY THE DEDICATION? A HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF CHURCH DEDICATION

WHY THE DEDICATION? A HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF CHURCH DEDICATION 

REV. FR. EMMANUEL EMENIKE ONYIA

INTRODUCTION 

The Church is understood as the Assembly of God’s people gathered to celebrate the divine mysteries, usually within a specific community that provides a specific place and space for this celebration. With time this specific place and space becomes a habitual place of meeting and there a building is being erected for worship. So, through the deep relationship between the building and this Assembly of God’s people, the building takes the name of the assembly which is the Church and so the building is often referred to as the Church. As the assembly gives its name to the building, they accord it the reverence necessary and if they feel the necessity and the joy of reserving it exclusively for worship of God by means of an action that expresses this decision and more importantly to call down the favour of God upon it. The liturgical process of obtaining this statue is called the Rite of Dedication of a Church. 

So, reflecting on the Rite of the Dedication of a Church according to the Handbook for Liturgical Studies volume v pages 333-376, which presents to us the historical progression of the rite of dedication of a Church, starting from the Pre-Constantinian period, the period between fourth to seventh centuries, the rituals of the eighth century, the rite of dedication from tenth to the fifteenth centuries down to Vatican II, we will understand the important value of a dedicated Church. 

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT 

Prior to the first three centuries of Christianity, there was no need for any ritual for the dedication of Church because, there were no churches as the historical condition of Christians at this period do not permit the construction of buildings for worship do to recurring persecutions which made them lack juridical personality. So, the communities were reluctant to providing a building for worship. However, towards the end of the first century and the beginning of the second century the disciples had adopted the Pauline idea of “spiritual worship” where they talk about the human person as the temple of the Holy Spirit where true worship occurs. Hence, the notion brought about a profound change in the attitude of the disciples towards the temple of Jerusalem and the Levitical worship. This made them to regard the temple to be not just the physical structure like the temple of Jerusalem but spiritual phenomena that reside in the soul of the human person. For them, it is better to dedicate to God a sanctuary in our souls by practice of virtues, having right spirit, a pure heart and a sincere soul where true sacrifices are offered to God through the practice of justice, love and charity just as apostle Peter instructed them in 1Peter 2:5, that they should build themselves into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. And also following St. Paul admonition in 1Corth. 3:16 saying: “do you not know that you are God’s temple, God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple”.

 However, the Christian community following the event of Pentecost do gather together to celebrate the memorial according to the command of the Lord. Every day as the spent time together in the temple they also broke bread at homes and ate their meal with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people (Acts 2:46-47). With time, they turned their homes into special place of Christian worship. Example of some of these houses were clearly mentioned in Acts of the Apostles, starting from Acts 1:13, talking about the “Upper Room” where the disciples met, together with certain women including Mary the mother of Jesus, the house of Mary the mother of John whose other name is Mark (Acts 12:12), the house of Aquila and Priscilla in Ephesus, the house of Philemon in which the community at Colossae gathered (Phlm. 2).

So with constant meeting and celebration of the Eucharist in these same houses in an atmosphere of faith and fellowship, they turned into a fixed place of Christian worship which was consequently adopted as a place of worship with an architectural works. Nevertheless, since the supreme celebration of Christian worship which is the Eucharist begins in a house at the upper room the Christian communities have to continue to celebrate it in a house.           

However, between the periods of 3th to 7th centuries religious freedom was granted by the edict of Licinius and Constantine in 313 when the Christian communities enjoyed the right to own places of public worship. This brings us to another stage, the stage of securing and building a place of worship and the need to consecrate these newly built places of worship. At this point, the Christian communities have to face a very important challenge, which is the challenge of the choice of an architectural model for place of worship that is different from Jerusalem temple, synagogues, and pagan temples rather they chose as a model the basilica forense and a civic building that had plenty of rooms for meetings as these were essential requirement of the Christian liturgy. So within the second half of the fifth century to seventh century there were already some ritual sequences that would be more like elements that makes up the dedication of the Church given the rise to the spacious rite of the dedication of a Church. These elements include: the celebration of the Eucharist, deposition of martyrs’ relics, anointing with chrism, wishing with water, the sign of the cross and the first sign of regression.

 The Celebration of Eucharist: At this period, given the important of Eucharistic liturgy as associated with the idea of a ‘sacrifice’, Eucharistic celebration becomes the essential act in the dedication of a Church. 

Depositing of Martyrs’ Relics: Another element necessary for the rite of dedication of a Church is the placing of martyrs’ relics beneath the altar of the sanctuary, this began around second half of the fourth century in certain places of the northern Italy and the East as well. So many factors brought about the introduction of this element in the rite of dedication of a church such factors include: first is the fact of the history of worship which is found in the very ancient act of veneration of martyrs which brought about the adorning of their tombs with decorative components, building of monument or small sacred shrines over their tombs, celebration of the Eucharist on the anniversary of their martyrdom, pilgrimages to their tombs in order to obtain protection and help. 

So it is the desire of each community to posses the relics of the great heroes of faith which is a thing of great joy for them. Also the idea of placing the relics of the martyrs in altar comes from the relationship between the ‘martyrs and the altar’ which is attested in the book of revelation 6:9 where, at the opening of the “fifth seal,” the seer discovers under the alter the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given. Following this is the consideration that the greatest honor that can be given to witnesses of Christ is to bury them beneath the altar where the sacrificial offering of their Lord is perpetuated. So the altar and the relics of martyr symbolizes the present of Christ with his most outstanding witnesses which brings the complete meaning of regarding the building as Church. 

Anointing with Chrism: The rite of anointing of the alter which originated in the East as early as the patristic age has it theological value from the church’s reflection on Christ where they reached the identification between Christ and the altar as atlare Christus est following Pauline allegory where the “rock was Christ” and Christ means “ Anointed ”. Therefore, the altar which symbolizes Christ needs to be anointed in order to be a complete symbol of the “Lord’s Anointed”.

The Washing with Water: Between fourth to Seventh centuries the rite of washing is another element used in the dedication of a Church. This rite of washing and anointing with chrism are two ritual elements that liken the dedication of the Church to Christian rite of initiation. 

The Opening of the Door: Another element in dedication of a Church is the rite of opening the door. This rite is simple and solemn, showing Christ the King of glory represented by the book of Gospel enters the sanctuary of the new people of God, thereby fulfilling symbolically the ancient liturgy of entrance into the temple.   

The Sign of the Cross: This rite is traceable to seventh century where bishops, on entering a new Church traces a large cross in the form of X on the floor, which was later expanded by adding the writing of the alphabet, in Greek and Latin, on a double layer of ashes strewn on the ground a rite signifying taking of possession.

Nevertheless, the rite of dedication continues to develop from tenth to fifteenth century and later Pontificals down to Vatican II. At this Period the rite of the dedication of a church that is found in the Roman Pontifical is very fine and rich but it no longer meets modern needs and situations because it is too long and the fatigue caused by such long and complex rites becomes excessive for consecrating bishops. So there was a liturgical reform just before the opening of Vatican II. However, the ritual in Ponitificale Romanum 1961 which was promulgated on April 13, 1961 contained the rite of the dedication of a Church titled Ordo ad ecclesiam dedicandam et conserandam was divided into four parts: the washing and dedication of the Church, the deposition of relics and the Holy Mass. However, from the day of promulgation of the constitution sacrosanctum Concilium in 1963 to 1977, the Roman liturgy had been a subject of a far-reaching enthusiastic and radical renewal. So there was redaction of the Ordo didicationis. The ordo contains now seven chapters starting from the placing of the first stone of the Church; the dedication of a Church, the rite which is in four parts: first the introductory rite which includes the assembly of the community at another Church, the procession to the new Church, the station at the threshold of the Church, the opening of the door, the blessing and sprinkling of water. The second part contains the liturgy of the word which includes the showing of the book and opening of the book. The third part is prayer of dedication and anointing which include singing of the litany of the saints, the deposition of the relics, prayer of dedication, the anointing of altar and walls, illumination of the altar and the Church. The fourth part is the Eucharistic Liturgy. 

CONCLUSION 

The main reason why we dedicate a Church to God is to show the theological understanding of what a Church represent, that the Church building is a sign of God’s worshipping community, pointing out that the people should be aware that the holiness of the building depends not on the “blessed stones”, but on the saving words proclaimed in it, the holy sacrifice offered there, the sacraments of salvation celebrate there and the presence of the Holy Spirit who dwells in the hearts of the faithful gathered in the Holy Assembly for worship. It reflects the Church’s idea of itself and its fidelity to Christ. Also, it reflects the ups and downs of the Church’s own history with its cultural changes, its political and social situations and the theological emphases that have succeeded one another through the centuries.  

Therefore, as we gathered today to dedicate our Church, St. Pater Catholic Church Odoragushin, we are also rededicating ourselves once more to God. This is because we are not just dedicating the structures but also the souls of all who gathered here for worship, for we are made to know through St Paul that our bodies are temple of God, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. So, today is a special day for all who have gathered here. It is a day we renew our commitment to God. It is a day we obtain special grace to be more prepared to embrace our heavenly temple where we will behold the face of our Loving God. 

Hence, I say congratulations to all who have gathered here today for this dedication, especially the parishioners of St Peter Catholic Church Odoragushin and our dearest Mama, Christiana Otedola Doja who celebrates her 90th birthday today and dedicating this Church to God in thanksgiving to God for the awesome gift of life.

Homily For Saturday of The Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 22nd January, 2022

 Homily For Saturday of The Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 22nd January, 2022

Readings: 2 Samuel 1:1-4,11-12,17,19,23-27; Ps.80; Mark 3:20-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

FOLLOWING THE LORD REQUIRES THE SACRIFICE OF OUR TIME, OUR COMPASSION AND OUR RESOURCES

Oftentimes, people think that being a successful Christian mean living a comfortable life style. They think that once we embrace the Christian faith we are no longer going to encounter challenges and difficulties in life. But this is not true, because Christian faith requires the sacrifice of all our time, energy, compassion and resources. 

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, where we heard how the Lord Jesus and his disciples were so much engaged in the redemptive works among the people. The work was so great to the extent that they were so busy in doing their work that they had no time to rest at all and even to eat, even when they were hungry. They were so engrossed in the work to the extent that the relatives of Jesus could not believe it and they thought he was out of his mind. This was because they feel he spent so much time in his ministry, since he did not spend much time with his family people.

This is to remind us that following the Lord is not always an easy and comfortable journey, and more often than not, we may be required to make great sacrifices. However, those sacrifices were not without rewards, for those who had committed themselves to the service of the Lord, shall receive the grace of eternal life and shall never be disappointed in their  endeavour in life. Just like the disciples of the Lord, who out of compassion sacrifice all their time and resources to the service of the Lord and were not disappointed or abandoned in their struggles and challenges because they understood what it means to acquire the heart of their master Jesus.

This is exactly what we see in the life of David in our first reading today, where we heard how David full of compassion and love reacted upon hearing the tragic story of the death of King Saul and his son Jonathan at battle of Mount Gilboa against the Philistines where the Israelites were grossly defeated. Then David made this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan saying: How did the heroes fall? Saul and Jonathan, loved and lovely, neither in life, nor in death, were divided. O Jonathan, in your death I am stricken, I am desolate for you, Jonathan my brother. This shows how deep David’s love and compassion for his people were despite how Saul treated him.

Dear friends, we are reminded that following the Lord requires the sacrifice of our time, our compassion and our resources. For in Christ Jesus, God has accomplished his redemptive work. What is needed is for us to identify ourselves with this covenantal sacrifice through our active participation in the missionary activities and mandate that the Lord has entrusted to us as his disciples. Therefore, we are called to embrace this missionary activities with the sacrificial love of Christ and his people by coming out of our comfort zones of ugly and sinful ways of life, in order to embrace the love and  mercy the Lord is offering us and be ever more grateful to God for such an act of kindness and compassion. 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for such great act of love which you have shown to us through Christ your Son who is full of love and compassion. Grant that we may be ever more faithful in following and doing your will, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Do have a blessed and favourable weekend.

Homily For Friday of The Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 21st January, 2022. The Memorial of St. Agnes of Rome

 

Homily For Friday of The Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 21st January, 2022. The Memorial of St. Agnes of Rome

Readings: 1Sam.24:2-20; Ps.57; Mark 3:13-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HAVING A MISSIONARY ZEAL AND PASSION IS NECESSARY FOR AUTHENTIC WITNESSING 

As Jesus continues his work of evangelization and mission towards the salvation of humanity, he needed to have people who will be entrusted with this mission. Thus, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus chose twelve apostles out of his disciples. He called and separated them from the crowd so that they will be with him. And he gave them power to preach the gospel, to heal the sick, and to cast out devils. 

Here Jesus clarifies the extreme nature of his mission which he will entrust to his apostles, so that those who would follow him must first count the cost, because they will definitely share in his sufferings in order to share in his glory. Thus, Jesus who has earlier given the disciples explicit instructions about his mission makes know to the apostles their specific mission.

Consequently, each one of us like the apostles are called by name into a deep personal and intimate relationship with Jesus in order to be sent to bear witness of him in the world. Absolute commitment is a necessary quality for this mission. Because, Jesus did not choose people because of what they were. Rather, he chose them for what they could become under his direction and power.

This is what we see in the life of David in our first reading today, where we see the magnanimity of David’s heart, for he refused to kill Saul when he had a perfect opportunity to strike Saul and claim the Kingship of Israel for himself. Although he has been chosen as the new King of Israel, but that should not have given him the justification to murder a person in the time of his weakness, and less still to do so for the pursuit of power and personal glory as most people do today. This is because David was truly filled with love for God. He did everything to serve the Lord according to his will and mission for him.

This genuine obedience and commitment to God’s mission is what we also see in the life of St. Agnes whose memorial we celebrate today. For as a noble young Roman woman, St. Agnes had many suitors and those who were interested in her, but she rejected them all for she had dedicated and consecrated her purity and virginity to God, and will not allowing any of those men to desecrate her virginity and sanctity. So out of pride and jealousy suitors became very angry at her, and reported her to the authorities as a suspected Christian, since to be a Christian was a crime punishable by death. 

On account of this, the Roman prefect, named Sempronius condemned her to death and attempted to kill her by various methods. First the attempts by several men to defile her virginity by force failed because they were immediately struck blind before they died. The attempts also to hurt her by other means such as burning on a stake also failed for the flames refused to burn the wood. But eventually she was beheaded by being stabbed in the throat and that’s how Agnes met her end through martyrdom and brought glory to God and his mission.

Dear friends, how are we responding to God's call and mission? How best are we carrying out this mission of preaching the Gospel, healing the sick and casting out devil? How are we relating with those we judge to be sinners and those we see as our enemies? What efforts are we making to convert them. Remember, as followers of Christ we are called to journey with Jesus in love and compassion towards other people even in the midst of sufferings, rejection and persecution.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you called and chose us to be with you in order to bear witness of our salvation to humanity, through the intercessions of St. Agnes, help us to have the missionary zeal that will enable us to live with integrity, purity and detachment from the thing of this passing world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.