Homily for Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 3rd July, 2022

Homily for Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time  Year C, 3rd July, 2022

Reading: Is. 66:10-14; Ps. 66; Gal.6:14-18; Luke 10:1-12.17-20

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE AND DISPOSITION TOWARDS THE MISSIONARY MANDATE OF CHRIST 

The rebellious nature of humanity have always keep us away from responding to God's invitation to server him  as we  find it difficult to actively participate in the mission of Christ. This is because we have always failed to understand God’s ways of doing things. However, God has not stopped caring and stretching his hands of love to us. In every generation God always send messengers to remind us of his love and plan for humanity.

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, we heard how the Lord appointed seventy-two persons and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them: ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house! 

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

Thus, We heard  Paul in our second reading today saying: the only thing I can boast about is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. It does not matter if a person is circumcised or not; what matters is for him to become an altogether new creature. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, who form the Israel of God. And prophet Isaiah in our first reading said: rejoice, Jerusalem, be glad for her, all you who love her! Rejoice, rejoice for her, all you who mourned her! 

Dear friends, what is our attitude towards the missionary mandate of Christ? How has the Word of God shape our lives. How are we contributing towards the missionary mandate of Christ? As disciples of Christ, we have received a lot from God without payment; we should learn to give without expecting reward. Therefore,  are called to acknowledge with gratitude all that we have received from God and give freely to others that which we have received. For this act of charity will purify us from pride and self-righteousness, because we are all recipients of God's love, mercy, forgiveness, favour, protection, healing and deliverance. So, we must offer to others these same gifts which we have received.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today you gave us the requirements and nature of our missionary mandate. Help us to effectively follow these requirements  and so fulfill your plan for humanity. We ask this through Christ our Lord Amen. God bless you

Homily For Saturday of Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 2nd July, 2020

 Homily For Saturday of Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 2nd July, 2020

Readings: Amos 9:11-15, Ps 85 , Matt 9:14-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

DO NOT MIX YOUR OLD LIFE OF SIN WITH THE  NEW LIFE OF GRACE THAT JESUS IS OFFERING US 

Today our attention is drawn to the gift of New Life which Jesus is offering to humanity. A gift that differentiate his disciples from other people. This is evident in our Gospel passage today, where we read about the observation made by the disciples of Jesus the Baptist concerning the relationship between Jesus and his disciples and their new ways of doing things. So they came to Jesus and asked him question regarding their manner of fasting and feasting. Jesus used this opportunity to educate them about the New Life of grace which he has come to offer humanity. 

He said to them: Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast. For no one puts a piece of unshrunken cloth on to an old cloak, because the patch pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; if they do, the skins burst, the wine runs out, and the skins are lost. No; they put new wine into fresh skins and both are preserved. 

Here Jesus gave two responses to the question. First, people do not fast when they are in the company of the bridegroom which is a time for celebration. For Jesus is the groom and as long as he is around, it would be inappropriate for his disciples to fast. However, a time will come when the groom will no longer be with them, then they will surely fast, telling us that fasting should be done at the right time for the right reasons. Moreover, being in relationship with Jesus is more important, because, what the bridegroom is to the bride, that what Jesus is to the souls of all who believe in him. 

As his bride, he loves us with a deep and everlasting love. He pays all our debts to God; he supplies all our daily needs; he sympathizes with us in all our troubles; he bears with all our infirmities, and does not reject us because of our weaknesses. He regards us as part of himself:  We share in the glory that he has received from his Father. These are the privileges of all true Christians who are called to the heavenly kingdom. So Jesus is teaching us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not a matter of ritual or ceremonious fasting or feasting. But is about building a personal relationship with God who loves us personally and unconditionally.

In the second response, Jesus shows that he is bringing something totally new which should not be mixed with the old way of life. This he emphasized with the importance of pouring new wine into fresh wineskins and the need to avoid using new cloak to patch an old one. Here the fresh wineskins refers to a new heart that has put off the old cloak of sin and looks forward to the new wine of grace through the process of conversion. 

This is exactly what prophet Amos prophesied concerning the people of Israel in our first reading, when after he spoke of the upcoming reckoning and judgment that the people would suffer for their rebellions and disobedience against God. God also spoke through him about the new life of grace, mercy and compassion towards the people, that His love for them is such that He would bring them back once again to their formal glory and restore them like the good old days.

Dear friends, what is that old garment in our lives that we are patching with the new? What is that old wine of habitual sin that we are pouring into the new wine skins of our redeemed and purified soul? Today we are called to a fresh response towards embracing the New Life of grace which Jesus is offering us. We must not mix our old life of sin with the new life of grace Jesus is offering us. As we think about these, let us struggle to avoid our old sinful ways of life and fully embrace the new righteous way of life that God is offering us.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, You are the source of our new life, grant us the grace of true and total conversion so as to find such great Joy in your abundant Life of grace and mercy, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and peaceful weekend.

Homily for Friday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 1st July, 2022. Happy New Month.

 Homily for Friday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time  Year C,  1st July, 2022. Happy New Month.

Reading: Amos 8:4-6.9-12; Ps. 119; Matt. 9:9-13

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS NOTORIOUS SINNERS? 

There is no doubt that Jesus had been calling people from different works of life to be part of his mission, but today’s call and choice of Matthew a man identified with sinners because of his work as a tax collector, was quite strange to some people. Little wonder in our Gospel passage today after Jesus had called Matthew to follow him, he had a dinner in his house and while at the dinner, it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. This is because to follow Jesus, Matthew needs to abandon his lucrative job, knowing that he can never regain it. Also, he needs to cut himself off from his old network of friends. 

So, it seems likely that, in a spirit of joy, Matthew invites Jesus and his disciples to a great feast at his house. But the Pharisees felt bad and offended about Jesus sharing a meal with "sinners", so they complained to his disciples saying: “Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this he replied, “It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.” 

Here we heard the inner most desire of Jesus for sinful humanity in need of salvation. Because the call of Matthew is like the call of each of us, a choice that demonstrates Jesus' desire for sinners to repent. For all he desires is mercy and not sacrifices, repentance and not pride. Jesus is calling us to repentance, he is inviting us to make a fundamental choice for God just like St Matthew, who though sinner, rose up and followed Jesus at his call for repentance. 

 Therefore, we too are to respond to this invitation without delay, so that we will not be like the people of Israel in our first reading today, who failed to listen to God’s words and warnings. Thus we heard the Lord saying: see the days when I will bring famine on the country, a famine not of bread, a drought not of water, but of hearing the word of the Lord. They will stagger from sea to sea, wander from north to east, seeking the word of the Lord and failing to find it

Dear friends, as Christians who are called to follow the Lord, what is our attitude towards notorious and public sinners? How are we responding to God's call to repentance? How are we relating with those we judge to be sinners? What efforts are we making to convert sinners? Today, we are called to let St. Matthew be an inspiration and hope for every one of us. Let him be an example that will remind us that there is no one beyond the reach of God’s mercy and love. For he is capable of transforming our ugly ways of life into a glorious instrument for human salvation. Remember, Jesus desires mercy and not sacrifice and we are all invited to follow him along the way of salvation and not to condemn or judge anyone. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, despite our sinfulness,  you called and chose us to be instrument of your salvation to all humanity. As we learn for St. Matthew, give us the grace to make good choices that will help us to respond positively to your call for repentance and evangelization. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.  Happy New Month and do have a fruitful month.

Homily for Thursday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 30th June, 2022

 Homily for Thursday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time  Year C,  30th June, 2022

Readings: Amos 7:10-17, Ps 18:8-11 , Matt 9:1-8

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

THE SYMBOL OF THE RESTORATION OF HUMANITY PARALYZED BY SIN

The sin and evil going on in the world are putting our faith to the test and most people are giving in to the scheme of devil because they lack the strong will to withstand the suffering, sickness and problems that befall us as a result of this evil. People are running ups and down seeking for solutions. while the evil ones are taking advantage of the situation to destroy the faith of the people. In fact, one may begin to wonder if there is still hope for the restoration of humanity from this ugly situation. But the fact remains that God is able to heal and restore humanity once again.

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, when some people brought to him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven.’ But some scribes doubted his authority to forgive sins, and Jesus knowing what was in their minds said: ‘Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts? Now, which of these is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ he said to the paralytic, ‘get up, and pick up your bed and go off home.’ And the man got up and went home.

Here we see the power and authority of Jesus towards the restoration of paralytic man carried by his friends. A gesture that signifies the restoration of humanity paralyzed by sin. So Jesus began by forgiving our sins. Though sin seems to be the root of the sickness. But sin may be pardoned, yet the sickness not be removed; the sickness may be removed, yet the sin not pardoned. But for Jesus, healing is holistic for those who have faith in God. And this is what the scribes and the Pharisees failed to understand as they doubted and opposed the power and authority of Jesus just like the priest Amaziah in our first reading, who opposed prophet Amos.

Prophet Amos was doing the work of God, by calling people to repentance and to face the consequences of their sins. This is because, Amaziah and king Jeroboam had sinned and also led the people of Israel to sin against God as well.  So Amaziah saw Amos as a rival and a threat to his own influence, and that was also why he went up to king Jeroboam complaining about Amos and asking him to get out of Israel and return to the land of Judah, and stop prophesying in Bethel because he doesn’t want to hear the truth just like must of our leaders today who does not like to hear the truth. 

Dear friends, today we are called not to be like the priest Amaziah or the scribes who were enslaved by their pride and desire to maintain their prestige in the society, doubted the power and authority of Jesus and rejected the message of truth. Of which Jesus rebuked them, showing us that truly he has power and authority not just to heal and forgive us but to restore us and all humanity back to our formal glory.

 

We are also called to imitate the great faith and love of the friends of the paralytic, the love and faith that radiate from the innermost being of those who exercise it. Let us like them, learn to love and help one another. Because the absence of love is the cause of all the problems in our world today. For most families exist only by grace because of the absence of love. How I wish we can invest our time and resources in ensuring love and goodwill in our dealings with one another, believe me, the world will be a temporal home for everyone.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are paralyzed by the sins and evil we are committing against you and the world you created, as we come to you in faith, forgive us our sins, heal and restore us once again. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily for Wednesday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 29th June, 2022. The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

 Homily for Wednesday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time  Year C,  29th June, 2022. The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

Reading: Acts. 12:1-11; Ps. 34; 2 Tim. 4:6-8.17-18; Matt. 16:13-19

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

LET US LEARN TO BE UNITED IN ONE MISSIONARY MANDATE OF CHRIST JUST LIKE SAINTS PETER AND PAUL 

The solemnity of today presents to us two great personalities in the mission and mandate Christ entrusted to his Church. A solemn celebration that reveals to us that there is something deep and unique about every person as regards to the master plans of God for humanity. But sometimes it takes personal experience to discover this uniqueness. I don't know if you have ever had an experience that made you think about your purpose on this earth as you realize the emptiness of this life. A kind of experience that turns pride into humility, sinfulness into righteousness, an experience that changes your perspective about things or people?

This is the kind of experience Saints Peter and Paul had with Jesus on different occasions that made them change their perception of life as they embraced their mission and mandate from Jesus. Their very encounter with Jesus brought a great transformation. Thus Simon left his fishing profession and became a Fisher of men and a preacher of the word of God with a new name Peter the Rock on which Jesus build his Church, the same thing with St. Paul.

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, where Peter demonstrated an act of faith as he gave an inspired answer to the question about the personality of Jesus. And Jesus stresses that Peter's faith is a gift from the Father when he said: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." 

Here the key represents the authority to open the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to judge whether to admit or to refuse. While the expression “binding and loosing” refers to the doctrinal decisions and disciplinary power of St Peter, that is, the faculty to impose and to lift, a guarantees that Peter’s decisions in the exercise of his ecclesial function are valid in the eyes of God. And that is why in the iconographic tradition we see the keys in the hand of Peter,  because, the faith given to Peter by God is the rock on which Jesus built his Church. This is what St Peter expressed in our first reading today when he said: “Now I know that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen”.

Meanwhile, Paul’s encounter brought true conversion in his life and changed his perspective about Christians with a new identity, changing his name from Saul to Paul. A name indicating his new mission as the Apostle of the Gentiles. Little wonder the iconographic tradition represents St. Paul with a sword. The image of the sword refers to his entire mission of evangelization and that was the instrument with which he was killed. 

No doubt that St. Paul carried out his mission with all his zeal and passion that he is regarded as one of the apostles and today his works still speak about the effect of his personal encounter with Jesus. Hence, we heard him saying in our second reading: I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his appearing.

Thus, the relationship between Peter and Paul is designed by God for the purpose of the mission entrusted to them. Their lives are symbol of unity in one missionary mandate of Christ. For St. Peter was entrusted with the leadership of all the Apostles and Church, while St. Paul was empowered and entrusted with the mission to the Gentiles (Gal.2:8). For this mission they both suffered martyrdom for the faith and their love for God and the mission entrusted to them by Jesus.  

This very sacrificial life of love is what we are celebrating today, as being represented in different images and statues of Saints Peter and Paul as seen in front of Saint Peter’s Basilica, in the seminaries and in parishes, of which they are easily recognizable by their respective attributes: the keys in the hand of St. Peter and the sword held by St. Paul, showing us the fraternal zeal and unity of these two Apostles on their way to martyrdom for the love of Christ. 

Dear friends, we must learn to be united in one missionary mandate of Christ Just like Peter and Paul. We must not encourage or be part of the ugly events of division, manipulation and multiplication of Churches going on in Christianity today. Though, we are blessed with different gifts and apostolates, these are meant for the unity and growth of the mission of Christ and not to bring divisions. 

Therefore, today we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are with regards to our faith as Christians, we are called to be convinced of who we are and the need to truly unite together in God and His Church entrusted to St. Peter of which the get of underworld shall not prevail against it. 

LET US PRAY: Almighty and ever living God, as we begin our day with the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, create in us we pray, a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit of true faith within us, so that your Church may truly be united as one. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 28th June, 2022. The Memorial of St. Irenaeus

Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 28th June, 2022. The Memorial of St. Irenaeus

Readings: Amos 3:1-8,4:11-12, Ps 5: 5-8, Matt 8:23-27

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHY ARE YOU SO FRIGHTENED, YOU MEN OF LITTLE FAITH?

There is no doubt that Christians and in extension humanity are passing through frightening situation as a result of persecution, bad governance and religious fanatics. This ugly situation has serious effect to the faith of the people and are causing serious panic among Christians all over the world. A situation where the need to look for a Saviour is highly expected. Such was the case with the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today, where we heard a story about the disciples' panic and fear of perishing as a result of the heavy storm that was affecting their boat. 

With this heavy storm breaking their boat, the disciples cannot believe that Jesus was asleep while they were afraid and needed help from anywhere. So they went to him and woke him saying, ‘Save us, Lord, we are perishing!’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?’ And with that he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and all was calm again. The men were astounded and said, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.’

This story signifies God's chosen people on a transit of faith, frightened by the guilt of sin and wounded by the waves of the sea, the abode of evil forces and monsters of this world. The boat can be taken as a symbol of the faith of the Church and the people of God struggling with the world’s principalities and powers, while the storm is a symbol of heavy persecutions and suffering by the people of God. And Jesus is saying: why are you so frightened, you men of little faith. 

Today Jesus is calling us to journey on this boat of life with an unwavering faith and a repented heart, because the world is being tossed around by the waves of evil forces, the enemies of humanity. And it is only God who can subdue it, for he has promised to restore us back to himself. In similar way prophet Amos in our first reading warns the people of Israel about the coming judgement, calling them to turn to God in faith and do what is good, just like St Irenaeus whose memorial we celebrate today.

St. Irenaeus, was someone who understood that following the Lord requires giving up everything that one cherishes. He was a holy bishop, a true servant of God, and martyr of the Church. He was known for his great piety and many important works on theology and defended the faithful from heresies even at the cost of his life, for he followed the rigorous path to success and also passed through great persecution and storms without making excuses or giving up. 

Dear friends, I don't know the great storms of doubt and fear in your soul? I don’t know if you are under the power of the evil forces of this world.  Are you frightened by the ugly situation in our society? Are you a victim of the ugly situation of persecution, bad governance and religious fanatics? We must not be faithless but trust in God’s intervention. For I know that with great faith in God, the heavy storms in our lives will become calm, for Jesus will surely rebuke the violent storms in our hearts so that we can experience once again the calmness of peace and joy.

PRAYER: Lord God, as we struggle everyday to overcome the ugly situation around us, grant that the violent storms and waves of bondage in our lives will end in a wonderful calm that brings peace in our souls, And through the intercession of St. Irenaeus may we be ever more nourished by your word and find in it the fount of grace to journey the path of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful day.

Homily for Monday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 27th June, 2022

 Homily for Monday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 27th June, 2022

Reading: Amos 2:6-10.13-16; Ps. 50; Matt. 8:18-22

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

STOP MAKING EXCUSES, COME LET US  FOLLOW THE LORD 

The path to success is so rigorous, strenuous and competitive. The strong pass through it and are celebrated, while the weak will always quit or give up. Hence, a lot of people have not been able to achieve their goal in life because, they always have excuses to give. Oftentimes we hear such people saying I want to do this but.., I could have done it but..., I thought of it but… I was almost there but... 

This kind of attitude is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, when one of the scribes came up and said to him, ‘Master, I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Another man, one of his disciples, said to him, ‘Sir, let me go and bury my father first.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead.’

Here, it seems as if the Lord Jesus was very harsh when he said that those who have chosen to follow him have no place to call their own or that those who died ought to be left on their own to be buried. This is not the case here, rather Jesus is emphasizing that to be his follower requires serious commitment and sacrifices at  all times. That following him requires a life of total self-denial and the man who wished to follow him most reflect thoroughly what following Jesus would entail. So Jesus made it clear that following him would mean giving up many of the personal comforts that one enjoys.

But this is not the same with the people of Israel in our first reading today, who did not follow the instructions the Lord and often broke their covenant with God. Thus the Lord said: For the three crimes, the four crimes, of Israel I have made my decree and will not relent: because they have sold the virtuous man for silver and the poor man for a pair of sandals, because they trample on the heads of ordinary people and push the poor out of their path, because father and son have both resorted to the same girl. See then how I am going to crush you into the ground. For that day, the strong man will find his strength useless, the mighty man will be powerless to save himself. The bowman will not stand his ground, the fast runner will not escape, the horseman will not save himself and the bravest warriors will run away naked.

Dear friends, why making excuses when the Lord has chosen us and called us to follow him? Why do we chose to remain unfaithful and disobedience? How much of our lives and resources can we sacrifice for the sake of following the Lord? How far can we go for the sake of God’s kingdom? The fact remains that, for us to succeed in life we need to pass through some rigorous steps and stop making excuses. 

Sometimes the rigorousness of the paths may seem difficult and impossible but at the end they form the experience that will propel us to success and sustain us as well. So as we journey through the rigorous path of success in our mission and vocations, let us be encouraged to learn how to sacrifice for the sake of following the Lord, knowing that none of our sacrifices and contribution in the mission of Christ and his Church will be in vain.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, following you requires giving up everything, teach us how to faithfully embrace our vocation and mission in life without making excuses. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week