Homily for Saturday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 30th July, 2022

 Readings: Jer. 26:11-16.24, Ps. 69, Matt. 14:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WE MUST LEARN TO STAND FOR TRUTH NO MATTER THE COST 

One thing that the world hates to hear is the sound of the word "truth". Why! Because it makes the world to tremble as most things in the world are built on falsehood and deceit and people are becoming comfortable with falsehood as a way of life. This is obvious especially with the ugly situation of corruption where humanity are placed in perpetual darkness and confusion as the voices that speak the truth are silenced by all means. 

Today people want to be "free" to do whatever they like, they don't want anybody to remind them the hard truth about the realities of life. Hence, they can do anything just to silence truth. Thus, the cost of speaking the truth has become so expensive that sometimes it cost a life of an individual or even a whole community. It is even more demanding when the truth to be told has to do with the conversion of one in authority.

This is the case with John the Baptist in our Gospel passage today, whose head was the prize for the truth he told to Herod and Herodias. For Herod had arrested John and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had told him, ‘It is against the Law for you to have her.’ Herod had wanted to kill him but was afraid of the people, who regarded John as a prophet. 

But, on the occasion of Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and so delighted Herod that he promised on oath to give her anything she asked. She conspired with the mother and demanded for the head of John the Baptist. The king was distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered John to be beheaded and the head be given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 

These ugly attitudes towards John the Baptist points at what is done to Jesus in his Passion, demonstrating how good people, especially when they struggle for truth and justice, are often condemned to suffer in the hands of greed and powerful people. But should we stop speaking the truth because of fear of losing our lives. I don't think so, because truth saves life, it brings freedom, it releases tension, it brings peace, it settles quarrels and disputes. Truth is freedom which must be offered to everyone, whoever, whenever and however it will best bring conversion to its enemies, just like John the Baptist did to Herod and Herodias even at the expense of his life. 

Herod made a bad decision, which out of pride finds it difficult to change his mind and admit that he was wrong. He did not plan to execute John that night. He was persuaded by Herodias to do so, because he was a weak man. He is a slave to the opinion of others, he feared the people who revered John; he also fears the reaction of his guests if he should retract his oath. This is also what we have in our first reading where the priest, the prophet and some people planned to kill prophet Jeremiah because he told them the truth concerning their sinful attitude and there repercussions. But he was saved by some officials who stood up for the truth and said: ‘this man does not deserve to die: he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.’

Dear friends, in one way or the other we play one if not all the characters in our readings today. Sometimes we are Herod or Herodias, Herodias’ daughter, Herod’s guests, John the Baptist, Jeremiah, the priests prophets and even the crowds. So   like Herod, how often do we make decisions out of pride? When we make bad decisions, how quick are we able to change our mind, to admit that we are wrong. Are we like Herodias who is waiting for an opportunity to silenced the innocents who confront us with the truth?  If today we happen to be one of the guests of Herod, what would been our reaction? Will I have protested and stand for truth like the officials in the case of Jeremiah or  stayed silent like the guests of Herod? Thus, what do we do when we see others suffering injustice? Do we have the courage to protest, even at the cost of losing our lives? Today we are called to speak the truth, for the world needs to hear the truth no matter the cost.

LET US PRAY:  Lord God, it is difficult to speak and stand for truth in our world today, give us the grace and courage to become instrument of your word in truth and in deeds just like St. John the Baptist and prophet Jeremiah. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.

 

Homily for Friday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 29th July, 2022. The Memorial of Saints. Martha, Mary and Lazarus

  Readings: Jer. 26:1-9; Ps. 69; Luke 10:38-42

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LET US LEARN HOW TO WELCOME AND LISTEN TO GOD AS A FAMILY EVEN IN OUR BUSY SCHEDULES JUST LIKE MARTHA, MARY AND LAZARUS 

Today we celebrate the memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus very close family friends of Jesus. Usually we celebrate only the memorial of Saint Martha, but since January 26th, 2021, Pope Francis made this day an obligatory memorial not just for St. Martha but also for the family. That is Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus. In this family we see what should be a good example of our attitude towards Jesus in our families. In our relationship with Jesus we often do not know what Jesus requires from us.  Oftentimes we worry about so many things in life, and this often distract us from relating with Jesus properly. But just will always have a way of teaching us how to relate with despite our different charisms and disposition. 

This is what is playing out in our Gospel passage today, where we heard the story of how Martha was so busy trying to make Jesus comfortable as he visited them at their house in Bethany. But when Martha observed that her sister Mary was not helping out in the preparation, rather was busy listening to Jesus, she said to Jesus: “Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her”.

 

Here, Jesus is not condemning this great sacrificial virtue nor condoning laziness. Rather, he is saying that busy without listening and listening without doing is completely worthless. Because in our relationship with him, Jesus wants us to learn how to listen to him even in our busy schedules. Hence, he gently corrected the impression of Martha who was too busy and distracted with so many things that she risks losing sight of what is really important, that is, listening to Jesus. This is because Martha gives the impression that Mary is just sitting there doing nothing. But, in fact, she was listening to Jesus. 

However, Jesus is not telling us to be content with sitting down to listen to his word, for he always insists that the best way of listening to his word is by putting it into practice. While his objection to Martha is because she was too anxious and distracted by many things that she was not able to really listen to him and for Jesus listening is the best option. 

This act of listening to God is what the people in the first reading today failed to do, where God through  prophet Jeremiah called the people of Judah to repent and turn away from their sins, so that He might forgive them and stop the wrath and the punishments as a result of their many sins. For unless they repent from their sins, what happened to the sanctuary of Shiloh would also happen to them all. But they did not listened to him, rather, they all seized hold of Jeremiah and said, ‘You shall die! Why have you made this prophecy in the name of the Lord.

Dear friends, in our relationship with Jesus, are we more of listener or more of accommodating and caring? Are we more like Martha, Mary or Lazarus for they were all close family friends of Jesus? Let us learn how to welcome and listen to God as an family even in our busy schedules just like the family of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. For today many of us are so busy and anxious of so many things that we have no time to listen to God speaking to us and addressing the situation we are actually busy trying to solve. 

Today we are called like Martha to pause and listen, so that we can hear God speaking to us and directing us towards the right path. Remember, Martha who was known as a friend of Jesus, loved to welcome him into her home, let us also learn from her, for it is a great virtue to be hospitable and caring especially when we spend quality time to listen to God and letting him direct and guide us towards carrying out our daily tasks without being distracted by the things of this passing world. 

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are anxious and worried about so many things, but indeed only one thing is needed, give us the grace to truly listen to your word and so have a caring and hospitable family just like St. Martha, Mary and Lazarus. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily for Thursday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 28th July, 2022

 Readings: Jer.18:1-6, P 146, Matt 13:37-53

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

GOD IS OUR POTTER WE ARE NOTHING BUT A RAW CLAY HOPING TO BE MOULDED INTO A HEAVENLY VESSEL

A story was told of a beautiful clay pot used to decorate a garden. The clay pot was the point of attraction to all including it’s fellow ordinary clay. So one day the ordinary clay approached the beautiful clay pot and said, we have no doubt that you are clay just like us. But how come you have become so beautiful and special that everyone admires you? The clay pot smiles and said: there was a time when I was nothing but a dumb lump of red clay. Then one day a Potter came with a digger and a hoe, dung me out of the dumb lump and painfully separated me from my fellow clay and brought me to his house I cried out but he ignored me. 

He rolled and pounded me on a wooden table several times without mercy. I cried out, don’t do that! Leave me alone!’ But the Potter suddenly placed me on a spinning wheel and suddenly spun around and around and around until I lost all consciousness. Just when I thought it was over, he placed me carefully into an oven which is hotter than the hell fire. 

Why me! I cried out in anguish! But the potter only smiled and gently said: because you are special! I struggled, I yelled, knocked and broke several times, but the Potter was patient and meticulous in ensuring that I adjusted to his will. Realizing that I cannot win, I surrender completely to the will of the Potter and he only nodded in understanding and quietly said: “is not over yet! 

Then he pulled me out of the oven, when the heat became cooled he carefully picked me up, dust away some dirt and behold I was totally transformed, looking so beautiful and special. And the potter smiled and said:  this is what you are meant to be. For God has made you into a special vessel for special purpose. 

This story reflect what prophet Jeremiah is telling us in our first reading today that God is the Potter and we are the clay. Though God has created humanity as beautiful clay in his hands to be molded into a beautiful and special vessel for heavenly kingdom. But humanity have sinned and rebelled again God and his plan for us. Unless we repent and turn away from our sinful ways we will all perish. 

Hence we are called to repentance for there will be a day of judgement of which Jesus in our Gospel passage, used a parable to describe that the kingdom of heaven will be like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in fish of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. Here Jesus is telling us that the kingdom is open for all but not all can be suitable to dwell in it, only those who on the judgement day are found suitable can be admitted into the kingdom.

Dear friends, God is our potter, we are nothing but raw clay hoping to be moulded into heavenly vessels. So, all God required from us is for us to let him mould us into the heavenly vessels that he planned for humanity. No doubt that sin has destroy our original nature, but just like when the pot a potter was shaping spoils in his hands and he forms it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. So will God re-mould us into a new vessel for his heavenly kingdom if we repent from our pride and sinful ways of life.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, sin and pride has separated humanity from your plans for us, today we come to you like a clay in a dump lump, be our Potter once again and re-mould us into that heavenly vessels which you planned for us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily for Wednesday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 27th July, 2022

 Readings: Jer. 15:10.16-21; Ps. 59; Matt 13:44-46

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS OUR ULTIMATE TREASURE 

Everyday under terrible scourges of the sun and noisy street, people struggle to acquire things that they value as treasures of life. The quarreling and fighting, the early morning rush, the traffic jam, the aggressive words all just to acquire things of this life and people are never tired of acquiring properties for themselves and their generation yet to come, forgetting that all these things sooner or later passes away as we ourselves expire from this world. Thus, today we are called to reflect on what should be our ultimate treasure and how we can acquire it. 

So, in the Gospel passage today, Jesus used two parables to describe to the people that the kingdom of God is the greatest and ultimate treasure anyone can and should acquire. He said to them: the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field. Again he said, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.

Here, the parables describe the kingdom of God as the ultimate treasure that cannot be compared to anything whatsoever we have in this world. Though the kingdom is open for all but not all can be suitable to dwell in it, only those who on the judgement day are found suitable can be admitted into the kingdom. Using these parables Jesus explains what the kingdom of heaven is like and what we need to do in order to acquire it. The essence of these parables is to remind us that the kingdom of heaven is so precious and great, that it is worth more than our entire life and our worldly possessions and treasures.

Therefore, we must do all that it takes to ensure that we acquire it, losing it over the temporal pleasure, joy, glory, fame, power and influence of the things of this passing world will be complete foolishness. For none of them last forever and what good is it for us to gain the whole world but loses our soul out of God’s kingdom. Hence, for the sake of this kingdom the Lord in our first reading said: I will make you a bronze wall fortified against this people. They will fight against you but they will not overcome you, because I am with you to save you and to deliver you.

Dear friends, what is our ultimate treasure in this life? How many of us are paying attention to the ultimate heavenly treasure? How many of us thinks and search for this ultimate treasure of our souls? How many of us desires to personally discover God in our life? How I wish we will understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of losing our soul out of greediness for the things of this passing world. Then, we will sincerely desire to experience God personally, because in him lies the  greatest and ultimate treasure of life. And discovering God personally in our lives is the greatest treasure anyone can ever have.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the world is full of distractions from false treasures, give us a wise and discerning hearts in order to give up all our attachment to worldly possessions in pursue of the heavenly and ultimate treasure of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily for Tuesday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 26th July, 2022. The Memorial of SS. Joachim and Anne

 Readings: Jer.14:17-22, P 78, Matt 13:36-43

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

ARE YOU AMONG THE GOOD SEEDS OF GOD’S KINGDOM OR THE WEEDS OF THIS PASSING WORLD? 

For the past few days now we have been listening to Jesus telling us about the kingdom of God and the need for us to prepare to embrace it. In most of the occasions Jesus used parables to communicate the important of this message. Having listened to him carefully, his disciples in our Gospel passage today asked him to explain the parable of the wheat and the darnel and he said:

 “The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them, the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that provoke offences and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Listen, anyone who has ears!”

What is most important in this message is for us to “Listen carefully”. 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. Little wonder we heard prophet Jeremiah in our first reading saying: “Tears flood my eyes night and day, unceasingly, since a crushing blow falls on the daughter of my people, a most grievous injury. If I go into the countryside, there lie men killed by the sword; if I go into the city, I see people sick with hunger”.

Dear friends, does these signs make us to be afraid of the second coming of the Lord or do we joyfully awaits its coming? Because the explanation of this parable gives us an account of what will happen on the day of reckoning. And today, we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are with regards to our vocation as Christians. Are we among the good seeds of God’s kingdom or the weeds of this passing world? For what will be our lot if the Lord calls us today? Will we be among the virtuous who will shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father? Or among those that will be thrown out of his kingdom and sent into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth? 

The answer to this question is available in our consciences and if we listen carefully now we will hear, for things are not the way they used to be, we all have to face the reality now. Everyday is a golden opportunity, today may be the only opportunity for us to change our sinful ways of life and embrace God completely, just like SS. Joachim and Anne the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose memorial we celebrate today. For they were entrusted with the task of nurturing and bringing up Mary as a great instrument for God’s salvation for humanity. They stand as a model of what good parenting should be 

LET US PRAY:  Heavenly Father, as we listen carefully to your word, let the groans of your children come before you. And through the intercessions of SS. Joachim and Anne, help us to embrace your word and be prepared to embrace your kingdom on the day of reckoning, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily for Monday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 25th July, 2021. The Feast of St. James, Apostle

 Readings: 2Cor 4: 7-15, Ps 126:1-6, Matt: 20:20-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DO NOT STRIVE TO DOMINATE OTHERS RATHER BE OF HUMBLE SERVICE TO OTHER FOR THERE COMES TRUE GREATNESS

To be great is one of the desires of every human person, it is that which makes us to utilize the unique gift God has given us, from  which we serve Him and our neighbours responsibly. However,  human greediness and selfishness have made us to see greatness as domination and subjection of others in a competitive and comparative manner. Today as we celebrate the feast of St. James,  we heard in our Gospel passage how the disciples of Jesus were struggling with this competitive and comparative attitude. 

This is because the mother of Zebedee’s sons came with her sons to make a request from Jesus saying, ‘Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ And Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking’. ‘Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ ‘Very well,’ he said ‘you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.” So, other disciples became angry because James and his brother John through the intercession of their mother desired to have key leadership positions in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus. But Jesus let them know that the transcendent power and authority to lead belong to God and whoever He wishes to share it with. 

 

Here, Jesus prophesied that James and his brother John would "drink of the same chalice" of suffering as himself, since the two brothers had asked to be seated at his right and his left in his kingdom, and he told them that they would be with him in a far different way than they expected. Thus, James suffering martyrdom for the sake of the kingdom, for he was beheaded in Jerusalem at the orders of Herod Agrippa. His death is the only biblical record we have of the death of one of the Apostles, and he was the first to give his life for his Master. He embrace true greatness not by domination and subjection, but, by service, sacrifice and dedication to the faith he has found in Jesus which he wishes to share with others.

So, today we celebrate the feast of a great man, who along with his brother John and Peter was part of the inner circle of Jesus. So like St. James, we are encouraged to seek true greatness in humility of service and sacrifice even at the point of losing everything. And St. Paul also encouraged us in our first reading to be steadfast for we are affiliated in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. Knowing that true greatness is found in humble service and not in domination or subjection of others. For good leaders serve the community, they subdue arguments and divisions, they maintain unity in times of distress and act as role models for the young just like St. James. 

Dear friends, in our strive for greatness, which character in our Gospel passage represent our attitude? Are we like the mother of Zebedee’s son’s? Are we like James and John? Are we like the ten apostles who were angry and jealous for the ugly attitudes of James and John? Are we like the Pharisees who lord it over others? So, we can see how imperfect they were at this stage of their lives, But, later date in their lives, we heard how all these impulses and feelings of imperfection have disappeared. And they became submissive to one another in humble service to the mission of Christ.

Today, we all are called to seek true greatness in humble service of other and not in domination. We are called to utilize the unique gift God has given us and use it to serve Him and our neighbours responsibly in any capacity we find ourselves, bearing in mind that one should not strive to be a leader but a servant because leadership is a gift from God. Remember, true greatness is found in our sacrificial service to others, not in competitive and comparative subjection and domination of others. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you have taught us that true greatness is found in the sacrificial service to humanity, give us the grace to live a life of sacrifice and humility. And through the intercession of St. James my our lives be a good example of true greatness. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful week. 

Homily for Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 24th July, 2022. The World Day For Grandparents and the Elderly

 Reading: Gen. 18:20-32; Ps. 138; Col. 2:12-14; Luke 11:1-13

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

HOW TO DIALOGUE WITH GOD IN PRAYER 

As contingent being, it is common for human beings to reach out to other people when we are in need of something. And oftentimes we seek the intervention God especially in some difficult needs and situations.  No doubt that a good number of us have in one way or the other looked up to God or people for help. 

I don’t know if you have ever been truly in need of something from a friend who is capable of giving you what you needed but he is so busy to give you what you need now? Or have you been in a situation where you needed something from a friend but cannot get it because you can not reach him easily? Such a situation can make one to be under serious pressure. Then the question that comes to mind is, are we going to give up or persevere in our struggles on waiting or reaching out to him? This kind of disposition is what we experience sometimes when we pray and our requests are yet to be granted because we don’t really know how to dialogue with God in prayer.

Hence, the disciples of Jesus knowing how important prayer is, and having watched Jesus prayed, asked him to teach them how to pray as we have it in our Gospel passage today as our Lord’s Prayer. And prayer as we know is a means of communication between God and humanity. It is a close link by which we reach God who dwells in our hearts. It is through prayer we discern the will of God for us.  Thus we can learn how to dialogue with God in prayer  from this prayer Jesus taught his disciples as pattern of all prayers 

In this prayer we have four traditional dimensions of prayer which includes: glorification of God, submission, justice and protection. Jesus begins by saying: Father, hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come, thereby teaching us that we begin any of our prayers by glorifying God. Following this is our total submission to God’s providence when we say: give us each day our daily bread. Then, we acknowledge the justice and mercy of God when we say: forgive us our sins as we for give those we have sinned against us. And finally we ask for God’s guidance and protection when we say: lead us not into temptation but deliver us from all evil.

This tells us that we should approach God with confidence as a friend, persisting until we obtain what we need as Jesus illustrated with the story of  a father and his son and  a man who had a visitor and needed the help of his neighbours. With this illustration Jesus emphasized that if we, who are prune to evil, know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more shall the heavenly Father give to those who ask him. So, we should learn how to  keep on asking, seeking, and knocking in prayer until we obtain the answer we need. Just like a boy asking his father for a fish or an egg, knowing that his father would not give him a snake or a scorpion instead of the fish or egg he had requested. 

This is what Abraham demonstrated in our first reading  when he kept asking for God’s mercy on behalf of the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. But more than Abraham interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord Jesus sacrificed his life for the redemption of humanity and this is what St. Paul in our second reading today made us to know when he said: the Lord has brought you to life with him, he has forgiven us all our sins. He has overridden the Law, and cancelled every record of the debt that we had to pay; he has done away with it by nailing it to the cross. This of course, shows us how God is willing to hear us whenever we call on him in prayer.

 Dear friends, as contingent being there are times when we asked and we received, sought and found, knocked and it was opened to us. But there were also times when we asked but did not receive, seek but did not find, knocked but the door remained shut. In such moments persistency and perseverance in prayer are what we are called to embrace. For they will help us to understand how to trust God knowing  that he does not need to be informed of our needs, thereby encouraging us never to lose heart. This is certainly one of the biggest challenges of our faith today. People are not just patient with God. We want to have everything right now as it is hot. Patient, persistency and perseverance are very difficult virtue for most people today.

Therefore, it is time for us to change our perspective and wrong disposition towards prayers. It is time for us to spend more quality moment in prayer and be connected with God. We must let our prayers also be meaningful and be genuine from our hearts. It is time  for us to improve the quality of our prayer life by imitating Jesus, who always prayed to his heavenly Father at every possible opportunities. But some of us end up spending lots of time reciting the prayers and yet we did not mean what we say, because we have not learnt how to dialogue with God in prayer especially when we have wrong disposition born from unforgiving heart which must be redirected before we can get a positive response from God.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes we are not patient with you in our prayers, because we don't know how to dialogue with you in prayers. Give us the grace to learn how to dialogue with you and to persevere and be persistent in our prayer life and in every other things we do in life, especially in our relationship with others. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday.