The Homily For Thursday in Third Week of Lent Year C, 24th March, 2022

 The Homily  For Thursday in Third Week of Lent Year C, 24th March, 2022

Readings: Jer. 7:23-28, Ps. 95, Luke: 11:14-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

WE ALL HAVE TO MAKE A FUNDAMENTAL OPTION FOR GOD OR AGAINST HIM

Having journeyed with the Lord in the midst all the ugly situations going on in the world today. It is time to examine our conscience to know if we are still truly with the Lord in this journey of faith. This is the question we need to constantly ask ourselves, because not all those who are journeying with us are really sharing the same faith and destination with us. Thus, how to identify those who are with us in this journey, Jesus made it clear in our Gospel passage today.

In this Gospel Jesus said, that ‘he who is not with me is against me; and he who does not gather with me scatters.’ This statement was made when the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law accused Jesus of using the power of Beelzebub to cast out other demons. Hence, Jesus rebuked them saying that the devil and demons would not have divided among themselves if they were to achieve their goal which is the destruction of humanity. 

Dear friends, today as we listened to the words of God, we are called to turn back to God and abandon our sinful ways in order to be and remain with the Lord. Little wonder, in our first reading today, we heard prophet Jeremiah reminding us of the need to be with the Lord as we make our journey, thereby reminding us of the need to repent and to change our ugly ways of life. Therefore, we must make up our minds to follow the Lord. For the world as we know is offering us so many things, good and bad alike. 

But sometimes the options are so confusing and we must make choices. To make right choice, we need to make a fundamental option that will form a solid base for all the choices we will be making in life. To make this fundamental option, we need to understand not just where we are physically but, where we are existentially in terms of our convictions, goals, desires, dreams and the destination of our soul in this journey of life.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we make the examination of conscience, help us to discover who we are and who we are journeying with. May we never be against you and your family the Church as we hope to remain united as one big family of faith, with one Father and one goal which is to be united with you in your heavenly kingdom. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

The Homily For Wednesday in Third Week of Lent Year C, 23rd March, 2022

 The Homily For  Wednesday in Third Week of Lent Year C, 23rd March, 2022

Readings: Deut. 4:1.5-9, Ps. 147, Matt 5:17-19

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

WE OBTAIN TRUE GREATNESS BY KEEPING AND TEACHING THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD

To be great is the dream of most people, but often time when reflecting on the emptiness of life and the things of this passing world, I can not but ask myself: what is that thing that one really need to obtain in life that will be referred to as true greatness? I find the answer to this question in our Gospel passage today.

In this Gospel passage, Jesus while describing what true greatness means said to his disciples as he is instructing us, that the man who infringes even one of the least of his commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven. Here, Jesus points out that keeping and teaching the commandments of God is the sure way to achieving greatness not just here on earth but also in heaven. 

So, as Christians we obtain true greatness by keeping and teaching the commandments of God. It is our duty is to teach and bear sincere witness to God’s commandments by our ways of life. Therefore we need to be serious with how carryout our responsibility towards keeping and teaching the commandments of God. We need to start practicing what we preach, we need to do more of witnessing then preaching. 

It is not enough to recall principles, state intentions, point to blatant injustice and utter prophetic declarations and denunciation; these kind of words lack real meaning of our faith unless they are accompanied by effective action manifested by our way of life. Hence we need to acknowledge that our authority as Christians come from God who through Moses commanded us in our first reading not to forget the things our eyes have seen, nor let them slip from our heart all the days of our lives; rather, we should tell them to our children and to our children’s children.’

Dear friends, today Jesus tells us that he has not come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to complete them, so we are not called to compromise the teachings and laws of God to suit our wrong motives and parade ourselves as Christians, teachers, pastors, prophets. Rather we are called to live them out so that our actions should reflect the paternity of God in the way we live and serve others, knowing that true greatness is found in keeping and teaching the commandments of God, of which Jesus tell us that the greatest of these commandments is to love God and our neighbour. 

Therefore, true greatness is rooted in our love for God and our neighbours, of which Jesus emphasized that it is too bad to break one of these commandments, but to teach someone else to do the same is a terrible evil thing to do. Thus, we should ask ourselves today, am I breaking these commandments and teaching others to do the same through my attitude and way of life? Am I following my own opinions contrary to the commandments and laws of love which Jesus has taught us by his way of life? Or am I keeping and teaching these commandments through my attitude and my way of life? The answer to these questions are not far from us.

  

LET US PRAY: Lord God, all good things come from you, as we struggle to sincerely witness our faith and keep your commandments, grant us the grace to keep and teach them by our way of life and so obtain the Joy of true greatness in this world and in your heavenly kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.

The Homily For Tuesday in Third Week of Lent Year C, 22nd March, 2022

 The Homily For Tuesday in Third Week of Lent Year C, 22nd March, 2022

Readings: Dan 3:2.11-20, Ps. 25, Matt.18:21-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

WHY WE MUST LEARN TO FORGIVE OTHERS FROM YOUR HEART

In our Lord’s prayer which Jesus gave us as a pattern of all prayers and as a fundamental principle of Christian living, there is a portion that point out something so important. This portion says “forgive us our trespasses as we for give those who trespassed against us” (Matt.6:12). By this pray we are making a covenant and commitment that will be a standard by which we are going to be judged as regards our relationship with others and with God. But often times we are not conscious of this principles especially when we have to face the difficult moment of forgiving a grievous offense.

Thus, Peter one of the disciples of Jesus being conscious of this fact, asked Jesus in our Gospel passage today saying: ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy times seven. And he practicalized his answer with an example of a servant who owed his master a great debt that he and his generation cannot pay. But when he pleads for mercy, the master forgave him all the debts. However, this same servant found a fellow servant who owed him as little as one hundred denarii, he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him and even when he pleaded for mercy, instead of forgiving him, he puts him in prison according to the norms of the law until he had paid his debt. 

This unforgiven servant did to his fellow servant what the master could have done to him, but did not. So, when the master heard how he treated his fellow servant, handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debts.” Jesus then said, this is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’ For God will apply the principle he has given us in our Lord’s Prayer, which will automatically put us where we properly belongs based on how we have related with other.

In this story, we see the extreme estimate of the debt the servant owed his master, ten thousand talents, even if him and his family had to work their whole life, they would never have been able to pay that debt. So, that’s a huge amount compared to hundred denarii his fellow servant owed him, in fact, there was no comparison between the two debtors at all. However, this will exposed to us the ugly attitude of unforgiveness and also help us to understand that our debt before God is so huge and countless for we cannot be able to pay them. Therefore we are bound, then, to have pity on others and forgive them from our hearts just as God had pity on us and forgives us our sins, for this is the only way to salvation. 

Dear friends, there is no doubt that forgiven a grievous offense can be very difficult, but when this is done, it is like recovery a lost treasure that contains: joy, peace, freedom and healing. Hence, are there people we have vowed not to forgive? Have people hurt us so much that we can’t forgive them? Have we offended people and cannot be humble enough to ask for their forgiveness? Do we think that our sins are so huge for God to forgive? Are we finding it difficult to forgive those who have offended us? 

This Holy season of Lent, we need to pray for God’s grace and courage to forgive people who have offered us, knowing that we are rebellious and proud people, we lack the courage and disposition to forgive just as we heard in our first reading. So today, Jesus is asking us to learn how to forgive others always and unconditionally from our hearts, so that God will also forgive us always and unconditionally. Therefore, we must never refuse to forgive or reject an offer of reconciliation in our relationship with God and with our fellow human beings and if this becomes difficult, bring it to Jesus in prayer. 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, today you have made us to realize how unlimited you mercy is, as you exposed how huge our debts are in comparison with the little debts of forgiveness others owe us. As we make it a habit to forgive from the debt of our hearts all those who have offended us, may we discover and experience the hidden treasures that forgiveness brings. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace filled day.

The Homily For Monday in Third Week of Lent Year C, 21st March, 2022

 The Homily For Monday in Third Week of Lent Year C, 21st March, 2022

Readings: 2Kings 5:1-15; Ps. 42; Luke 4:24-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

CONQUER YOUR PRIDE LESS IT MAY DEPRIVE YOU OF GOD’S BLESSINGS

One of the forces that drives the world order today is pride. People can do anything to prove how powerful, influential, popular, wealthy and connected they are before everyone they encounter. Hence, at any little provocation, you see them ranting: "I will show you today who am I", "by the time I finish with you, you will come to know me". I will do this, I will do that... just to prove who they parade themselves to be. Everywhere they go, they want to be highly recognized, they look down on every other person. This ugly attitude is what the devil certainly wants us to have, so that we end up distancing ourselves from God.

The devil does not want us to be saved, and he would tempt us to be arrogant and prideful as we heard in our first reading today in the story of Naaman the Syrian, who went to the land of Israel seeking for healing from the leprosy he had been suffering from. But when Naaman sought the prophet Elisha, he was told to wash himself at the River Jordan seven times, and he would be healed. But he refused out of pride. 

This was exactly how the devil tried to prevent Naaman from finding healing, not just from leprosy but also from his sinfulness and lack of faith by placing pride, ego and stubbornness in his way. It was at this point that, Naaman’s servant reminded him to be humble and accept the conditions in order for him to be healed since it was a very easy thing for him to do. In the end, Naaman obeyed, humbling himself in obedience to the advice of the servant and was healed.

In the same way in our Gospel passage today, the people of Nazareth refused to listen to Jesus or believe in him because they stubbornly persisted in believing that what they had known earlier about Jesus as the Son of a mere carpenter, he could not have attained such power, authority and wisdom. Their prejudices and ego prevented them from having faith as they hardened their hearts and minds against God. As such, the Lord could not do much in their midst, and in the end, making reference to the events of Naaman and the widow of Zarephath. Thus, he left his hometown doing little because of their pride and lack of faith.

Dear friends, pride is the first capital sin, so, do not let pride deprive you of God’s blessings. Thus, we are called today to renounce pride and embrace the courage of humility. We must entrust ourselves humbly to the Lord, because only in this way will we be able to become docile instruments in his hands and allow him to do great things through us and  in our lives. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes we have failed to humble ourselves, because of pride and this has deprived us of your blessings. As we listen to your words today, may we learn to humble ourselves and so obtain your blessings and favours. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and favourable week.

HOMILY ON THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR C, 20th MARCH, 2022

 HOMILY ON THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR C, 20th MARCH, 2022

Readings: Ex.3:1-8.13-15; Ps. 103; 2Cor 10:1-6.10-12; Luke 13:1-9

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

REPENT NOW, FOR THIS MAYBE THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE

Reflecting on the ugly situations in our families, our societies, our country and in the world at large, I can not but recall the song of one of our great music legends Bob Marley, who said in one of his songs titled Natural Mystic:

There's a natural mystic

Blowing through the air

If you listen carefully now you will hear

This could be the first trumpet

Might as well be the last

Many more will have to suffer

Many more will have to die

Don't ask me why

Things are not the way they used to be

I won't tell no lie

One and all got to face reality now.

The meaning of the words in this song, describe completely the situation in our societies today which is very much in  line with the topic of our message today. For we can feel the struggles, the killings, the tears, the disappointments that people are passing through everyday. In fact, some people are losing hope in themselves and even in everything they do, as they run up and down seeking for solutions. The poor are searching for daily bread, upliftment and favour, the rich are seeking for protection and good health, while the evil ones are taking advantage of the situation to destroy the little hope and faith of the people. All these are signs from God who gives us the opportunity to repent from our sinful ways of life.

This is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today when he said: “Do you suppose the Galileans who suffered like this were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Then with a parable of the barren fig tree, Jesus demonstrated how God has made every moment of our lives an opportunity for us to repent and be fruitful. This is clear when he said in the parable, “Look, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the vinedresser replied “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”  

Such is God’s patience with us for he gives us the opportunity to turn away from our sinful and ugly ways of life. Repentance is the key message of this Gospel passage, for Jesus makes it clear that those who suffered and were killed were not worse offenders than others, rather he uses the opportunity to call us to repentance. Note that, the purpose of this message is not for condemnation rather for redemption. 

And what is most important in this message is for us to “listen carefully now and repent from our sinful ways of life”. This is because the world as we know is coming to an end, for the day of reckoning is very close at hand. This could be the first trumpet might as well be the last. For it is obvious from the signs we are seeing around us today. How can we interpret the signs of this times, the signs that tell us that this world is passing away. 

Many are suffering and many more will have to suffer from greediness of others. Many have died and may more will have to die. Many are perishing in sin, many more will have to perish if we refuse to repent from sin and greediness. And we heard in our first reading second readings, how the chosen people of  God failed to listen to God in spite of his warning. They failed to please God and their corpses littered the desert. All this happened to them as a warning, and it was written down to be a lesson for us who are living at this end of the age. For the man who thinks he is safe must be careful that he does not fall.

Dear friends, this call for repentance shows us that it is not too late for us to repent, for this may be the last opportunity. Because we can never tell what will happen in the next moment. We can never tell who is next to die, we can never know the form it will take or where it will occur, all that matters is for us to repent now that we still have the opportunity. For none of those who have died knew that it going to happen that day. 

Therefore, let us repent now, for repentance helps us to be well disposed for life and for death. Repentance helps us to live right and at peace with God and with one another. Repentance gives us the courage and confidence to face any situation without fear of death. All we need is to listen to God who is speaking to us now. For if we listen carefully now we will hear him telling us, that things are not the way they used to be, we all have to face the reality  now which tells us that: everyday is a golden opportunity, today may be the last and only opportunity, today maybe that golden opportunity for us to change our sinful ways of life and embrace God completely.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, You are the author of our lives, freedom and salvation, all we have are yours, thank you for being with us in our daily troubles, struggles, fears, tears, hope and joy, may you provide for the poor, console the troubled, heal the sick, protect and put simile on the faces of your children today and always as we make effort to repent from our sinful ways, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed Sunday celebration

The Homily of Saturday in Second Week of Lent Year C, 19th March, 2022

 The Homily of Saturday in Second Week of Lent Year C, 19th March, 2022

The Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of Mary

Readings: 2 Sam. 7:4-5.12-14.16, Ps. 89,  Rom. 4:13.16-18.22, Matt. 1:16.18-21.24

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

CULTIVATING THE INNER VIRTUE OF SILENCE LIKE ST. JOSEPH

Today, we celebrate the solemnity of St Joseph Husband of Mary a man of great virtues. Thus, the liturgy presents to us the events preceding the birth of Jesus and invites us to contemplate in a special way the roles St Joseph in the life of Jesus and Mary. 

In the Gospel, Mary was presented as a virgin betrothed to Joseph. That means, they were not yet living together, because they were not yet married. Meanwhile, Mary, after the annunciation, came to be with a child by the power of the Holy Spirit. When Joseph realized this, he was heartbroken. What will he do? How is he going to handle this? The Gospel tells us that Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put Mary to shame, resolved to send her away quietly. 

Joseph seeks to do his will quietly before the angel spoke to him about his mission and role.  We could imagine the great trauma Joseph was passing through when we think about the love he has for Mary. But even in these circumstances, he intends to do the will of God and decides, surely with great sorrow, to send Mary away quietly. We need to meditate on these words in order to understand the great trial that Joseph had to endure. 

Hence, we can see how this Gospel passage reveals to us the magnanimity of Joseph’s heart and soul. How he wished to follow his own plan, but God was reserving another plan for him, a greater mission. Joseph was a man who always listened to the voice of God, he was deeply sensitive to his secret will, he was a man attentive to the messages that came to him from the depths of his heart. He did not persist in following his own plan, he did not allow bitterness to poison his soul; rather, silently he was ready to make himself available to the event of the new mission entrusted to him, what a great virtue.

Little wonder, Pope John Paul II, who was very devoted to St Joseph, emphasis in his Apostolic Exhortation Redemptoris Custos, “The Guardian of the Redeemer”, that the silence of St Joseph is a model for contemplating the mystery of God in an attitude of total availability to the divine desires. Showing us that Joseph’s silence does not express an inner emptiness but, on the contrary, the fullness of the faith he bears in his heart and which guides all his thoughts and actions. It is this great virtues and personality that made him stand out in the fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham and David in our first reading, which St. Paul affirms in our second reading and is well portrayed in the psalmist telling us that his dynasty will last forever which consist not on account of any law but on account of the righteousness which consists in faith.

Dear friends, we really need to embrace great virtues of St Joseph, especially the virtue of silence. Therefore, let us cultivate this virtue of silence and allow ourselves to be filled and guided by silence, especially in a world full of noise and distractions. A world  that encourages neither recollection nor listening to God nor one another. The truth is that, our world is in dear need of people with St Joseph’s kind of virtues, we all are in need of such silence if we really wish to make great and positive decisions  that will make a difference in our society today. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as  we embrace this Holy season of Lent, let us through the intercessions of St. Joseph, cultivate the inner attitude of silence and recollection, in order to fully embrace the spirit of the season so as to joyfully experience the glory of Easter. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace filled day.

The Homily of Friday in Second Week of Lent Year C, 18th March, 2022

 The Homily of Friday in Second Week of Lent Year C, 18th March, 2022

Readings: Gen. 37:3-4.12-13.17-28, Ps. 105, Matt.21:33-43.45-46

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE THINGS GOD HAS ENTRUSTED TO YOU?

The relationship between God and humanity has always been described with different stories and parables. Which often show how humanity has always been unfaithful to God who has shown so much love to us. One of such parables and stories is what we have in our readings today.

In our Gospel passage, we heard the great parable of a vineyard owner who sent his servants to collect the dues and rents of the tenants whom he had entrusted with the care of his vineyard he leased out to them. But these tenants were wicked and desired to keep everything they gained to themselves, hence they persecuted and killed the servants sent to them. The tenants also killed the son of the vineyard owner, whom he sent to them thinking that the tenants would respect his own son. 

At the end, the vineyard owner came down himself and dealt with all those wicked tenants, punishing them all for their wickedness and the evil things which they had committed out of greed and ego. They lost everything and were punished justly by the owner. This same attitude we have in our first reading in the despicable act which the brothers of Joseph committed against him in order to end his dream and gain for themselves favour and inheritance.

Thus, the parable describes the relationship between God and humanity and how humanity has been summoned for a trial. Here, the owner of the vineyard is God, while the son represents Jesus himself, the Son of God sent into the world to save humanity but was crucified by the same humanity. Again, the vineyard represents the world itself while the wicked tenants represent the ugly attitudes of humanity towards the resources entrusted to us by God. 

Dear friends, what is your attitude towards all the things God has entrusted to you? Can you give an honest account of the things God has given you? Is it not obvious that our nation is on a trial before God? For God has presented his case against us today, summoning our blessed land and mountains to act as judge between him and the people of this nation, by reminding us how he has blessed us with so many resource, skills, good weather and people. But we have misused them, neglected his message, committed a lot of evil and murder,  yet we are still carrying, seeking for solutions and signs from God. 

Today as tenants in God’s vineyard, we are called to change our ugly attitude positively, we should turn away from greed, corruption, pride and ego. If not, we will likely end up like those wicked tenants who acted with such evil against their fellow men and even against the son of their master and were justly punished. Therefore, what God requires from us today is to do justice, to love kindly and to walk humbly with him for our own good and the good of others. Remember, It was the stone rejected by the builders that became the cornerstone. 

LET US PRAY: Almighty Father, the world is filled with greed, corruption, pride and ego, because humanity have often failed to remain faithful and accountable with the things entrusted us. As we listen to your words today, we ask for your mercy and forgiveness for the time we have failed to be faithful, obedient and accountable with the things you entrusted to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.