Homily for Monday Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 22nd August, 2022. The Memorial of Our Lady, Mother and Queen

 Readings: 2Thess.1:1-5.11-12, Ps. 9, Matt.23:13-22

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHY DO WE OFTEN SWEAR WHEN WE DO NOT MEAN WHAT WE SAY?

Oftentimes I hear people say: I swear to say the truth nothing but the truth. This is the words we often hear people say in the courts, in the streets, in the market places and even in the Church to express and affirm what they want to do or what they want to say. But I wonder why we don’t really mean what we say or fulfill what we promised. 

This very ugly attitude is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today where the Scribes and the Pharisees who had the responsibility to lead people to the Kingdom of heaven, have become an obstacle for they neither enter nor allow those who want to enter to go in. 

Thus, Jesus called them hypocrites, blind guide because, they misuse the gift of leadership entrusted to them. For they say, “If a man swears by the Temple, it has no force; but if a man swears by the gold of the Temple, he is bound.” But Jesus said to them you fools and blind! For which is of greater worth, the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? Therefore, when a man swears by the altar he is swearing by that and by everything on it. And when a man swears by the Temple he is swearing by that and by the One who dwells in it. And when a man swears by heaven he is swearing by the throne of God and by the One who is seated there.’

Here, Jesus is referring to the ceremonious way in which the Pharisees took oaths. It was one of the things in the culture of their time. That is, people swearing oaths with impressive sounding words before the congregations without fulfilling them like our politicians today . But what were the words of these oaths anyway? 

They were forms of words designed to impress people. They were not indications that the person swearing the oath had any power over the things that the oath mentioned. It was just using words to impress and so produce acceptance of things in relation to the oath, when in fact this is completely fraudulent because the persons taking the oath, do not intend to keep the promises or commitments that they were apparently confirming by taking that oath. They were just fooling the people. And Jesus is saying in essence, that we should not let this foolery ever be part of us because it is hypocrisy and Jesus is against hypocrisy in all its forms, especially when it has to do with taking the name God in vain.

 

To take the name of God in vain means to invoke His name unnecessarily or profanely, to use it without humbly acknowledging the holy character of the One whose name we are invoking. To invoke the name of God in an oath or vow when our statement is false, inconsequential or when we do not intend to honor our words is a direct violation of the third commandment of God. Therefore, the issue Jesus is addressing here goes to the very core of our character as Christians, to the heart of what it means to live as a child of God especially in a society like ours, were deception and falsehood are the order of the day.

Dear friends, Jesus calls us today to be sincere in everything we do or say. That is why he commanded us not to swear an oath, rather we should say yes when you mean yes, and no when you mean no, so as not to become hypocrites and liars. So, today we are called not to be hypocrite or blind guide but good leaders who are committed and responsible with whatever we are entrusted with. Little wonder St Paul in our first reading tells us to stand firm, and keep the traditions that were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself strengthen you in everything good that you do or say.

Today we celebrate the memorial of the Queenship of Mary. An event that follows the solemnity of Assumption which we celebrated eight days ago. For without the Assumption, there can be no Queenship of Mary, since we believe that Mary, who was assumed or taken up body and soul into Heavenly glory, is now seated in Heaven at the right hand of her Son Jesus, as the Queen of Heaven.  For by the virtue of our Lord Jesus being the King of heaven, it follows that his mother is honoured as the Queen. And this Queenship of our Lady was established by Pope Pius XII in 1954, at the end of the Marian Year. Let us learn to be faithful like our Mother Mary.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes we have been hypocrites, blind guide of the things you entrusted to us. May we never take your name in vain or tired of doing what is good. And through the intercessions of Our Lady Mother and Queen, may we be guided along the path of truth , we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful week ahead.

Homily for Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 21st August, 2022.

 Readings: Is. 66:18-21; Ps.117; Heb. 12:5-7.11-13; Luke 13:22-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

DEPART FROM THE WIDE ROAD OF SIN AND DEATH, AND STRIVE TO ENTER BY THE NARROW GATE  OF LOVE THAT LEADS TO ETERNAL LIFE 

Life is nothing but a temporal assignment, a journey which begins in the morning so beautiful, full of expectations and hope, but the sojourner have no knowledge of his/her destination, purpose and end. The only guide is his/ her willingness to constantly following the directives of the Sender who communicates his plans and purposes to those who care and willing to listen. 

Thus, the emptiness and shortness of life makes me to reflect on my future as a human person and the question that comes to my mind is: "where will you and I, and the beautiful things of this world be in the next one, ten, twenty, forty, eighty and hundred years for those who are strong? 

The deep silence in my soul could not offer me any answer to this question rather, it exposed before me the teachings of Jesus in our Gospel passage today when he said:  try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed. For once the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself knocking on the door, saying, “Lord, open to us” but he will answer, “I do not know where you come from.

Here, Jesus calls our attention to the reality of life which we must not take for granted, that is the need for us to follow the teachings of the Lord, for humanity have failed to embrace the life of truth, holiness and love for God and for one another that seems difficult and narrow to them, but prefers to follow the destructive ways of life that is born out of pride, greed and uncontrollable desire for worldly things, as things of this passing world are so captivating and many people have been captured by its seductive power and are greatly following it.  We must not be victims of this ugly situation. Rather, we must learn to submit ourselves to the directives of the Holy Spirit for he is always ready to guide us along the narrow ways of life.

Little wonder we heard the Lord in our second reading today saying: My son, when the Lord corrects you, do not treat it lightly; but do not get discouraged when he reprimands you. For the Lord trains the ones that he loves and he punishes all those that he acknowledges as his sons. And he continues: suffering is part of your training; God is treating you as his sons. Has there ever been any son whose father did not train him? Of course, any punishment is most painful at the time, and far from pleasant; but later, in those on whom it has been used, it bears fruit in peace and goodness. 

So hold up your limp arms and steady your trembling knees and smooth out the path you tread; then the injured limb will grow strong again. And also God through prophet Isaiah in our first reading today says: I am coming to gather the nations of every language. They shall come to witness my glory. I will give them a sign and send some of their survivors to the nations

Dear friends, we must learn to depart from the wide road of sin and death, and strive to enter by the narrow gate love, holiness, peace and goodness that leads to of enteral life. For the worst thing that can happen to us at the last moment of our life is to hear the Lord say: I do not know where you come from. The fact remains that life is indeed very short and the road that leads to death and destruction is truly wide and very captivating, of which many are captives of its seductive power. But the road to life are becoming narrow more and more because humanity are working so hard to expand the seductive roads and gates of destruction against the narrow gate of life. 

Therefore, we are called to embrace the narrow gate of love and road of holiness and peace that leads to eternal life.  There may be some of us who presumed and thought they could enter the kingdom of God because they feel that they are special candidate of heaven. We must be careful about such presumption, because salvation depends on the favour of God and one’s honest struggle to follow Christ the narrow gate of enteral life. Hence, we must work harder by resisting all the temptations and sinful things of this passing world and embrace the life of love and sacrifice which Jesus has offered us. So, let us turn towards God with all our hearts by removing from our hearts all forms of presumption, pride, greed and unhealthy desires that lead us astray down the path of destruction.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, our journey of life depends on you and today you have called us to follow the narrow gate of love and sacrifice. But the seductive road of this passing world is really captivating and many are victim of its power, grant us the grace to resist it but journey through the path and gate that leads to eternal life, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. May God bless your little efforts in life and guide you always. Happy Sunday

Homily Saturday Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 20th August, 2022. The Memorial of St. Benard

 Readings: Ezek. 43:1-7, PS.85, Matt. 23:1-12

Rev. Fr.  Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHY WE NEED TO DO MORE OF WITNESSING THAN PREACHING?</p>

The difference between early Christian community and the present day Christianity is the mode of witnessing. The early Christian community practically preached the word of God by witnessing with their life, while present day Christianity are witnessing by preaching the word of God aloud with megaphones and all media channels and platforms, without sufficient practicing of what we preach. 

This unhealthy attitude towards our mission is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, when he said to the people: “the scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will not lift a finger to move them”.

Here, Jesus made it clear that we should listen to what the authorities are saying to us. However, we should not be such people who do not put into practice what we teach. So, as Christians 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 denunciation. These kind of words lack the real meaning of our faith unless they are accompanied by effective action manifested in our way of life. This is what we see in the life of prophet Ezekiel in our first reading today, who having experienced the glory of God bored witness of it  with his life and constantly admonished of the chosen people of God while acknowledging the authority of God.

In a similar way, we need to acknowledge that our authority as Christians come from God, for we are not to pride ourselves as rabbis, teacher, pastors, prophet in our own name. Rather our actions should reflect the paternity of God in the way we live and serve others. Therefore let us imitate St. Bernard whose memorial we celebrate today, for he isa man outstanding in word and deed, who strove to bring order and concord to the Church.

Dear friends, let us strive to follow prophet Ezekiel and St. Bernard’s examples of faithfulness, dedication and total commitment to God, for they put into practice the word of God they heard. Teaching us that, it is not sufficient to speak, we have to practice. We are called not merely to hear God’s word but to daily put it into action. Let our actions reflect what we preach. Though, hearing or reading the Word is important, but that is not the enough. We must let the Word of God touch and shape our lives. For it is empty and useless if our lives do not reflect the Gospel, if we hear the words of Jesus and do not act on them.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, grant us through the intercessions of St Bernard the grace to strive to practice what your word teaches us and so merit to share in your heavenly banquet. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a peaceful weekend

Homily for Friday Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 19th August, 2022.

 Homily for Friday Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 19th August, 2022. 

Readings:  Ezek. 37:1-14, PS.107, Matt. 22:34-40

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DO WE TRULY LOVE GOD AND NEIGHBOURS?

As human beings, we always desire to know what is required of us in this life. This is even more serious when we are faced with the realities of life, then we wish to know the things that should be our first priority. What should be the most important thing to focus our energy? What should become the foundation of all the things we need to do?

This is the deposition of the Pharisees and the Sadducees in our Gospel passage today, who came together and asked Jesus question concerning which commandment is the greatest. In response Jesus reminded them of the 'Shema Israel' - שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, the prayer that they knew and recite from their earliest years from which they learned that the most important thing in life is to love God with all their heart, and with all thy soul, and with all their mind; that is, with all the powers and the more noble faculties of the soul, the mind, the understanding, judgment, and will. Jesus then added that, to love one’s neigbhour is the second priority. 

In other words, loving God with all our heart, with all our understanding and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves is what is required of us and it is the foundation of all the things we have to do. And Jesus set as the standard of love not just by the love he was able to show, but the depth of love which he shows by dying and rising for our salvation. 

An event which prophet Ezekiel prophesied in our first reading talking about the rising of the dried bones, which represents the ugly condition of the great soldiers of the chosen people of God, who are saying, our bones are dried up, our hope has gone; we are as good as dead.” But the Lord says, I am now going to open your graves; I mean to raise you from your graves, my people, and lead you back to the soil of life again. 

Dear friends, the question we really need to ask ourselves today is: do we truly love God and our neighbours? This is important because love is the center of all the teachings of Jesus, for love is a gift from God to humanity. It is like the stream water, so innocent and pure. A true love is not hidden, it radiates from the innermost being of a person who experienced it. If we love God, then, we will see him in others and treat them justly and honourably. We will not hurt our neighbours but do our utmost best to live in peace with them. 

The truth is that, the absence of love is the cause of all the problems in our world today as most families exist by grace and not by love. Imagine how wonderful the world would be if we all love one another. How I wish we can invest our time and resources in ensuring love and unity in our dealings with one another. Believe me we will not only be fulfilling the first and greatest commandments of God, but we will be building a happy community.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in you we found the fullness of love, for  you made to share in your love. Grant that we may truly love you and our neighbours and so conquer the world full of hatred, self-centeredness, greed and corruption, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful Friday.

Homily for Thursday Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 18th August, 2022.

 Readings: Ezek. 36:23-28, Ps.51, Matt. 22:1-14 

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO GOD’S INVITATION TO HEAVENLY BANQUET 

 A song writer, Miriam Therese Winter composed one of the hymns in our hymn book entitled 'I can not come to the banquet, which gives us the summary of our Gospel passage today and the first and last stanzas of this hymn says: 

1. A certain man had a feast on his fine estate in town,

He laid a festive table and wore a wedding gown

He sent invitations to his neighbors far and wide

But when the meal was ready, each one of them replied!

CHORUS:

I can not come!

I cannot come to the banquet, don't trouble me now,

I have married a wife, I have bought me a cow,

I have fields and commitments that cost a pretty sum,

Pray hold me excused, I cannot come!

2. Now God has written a lesson for the rest of mankind,

If we're slow in responding, He may leave us behind,

He's preparing a banquet for that great and glorious day,

When the Lord and master calls us, be certain not to say.

In this life we are so busy with so many things, that if care is not taking we will miss out from the essence of our existence. Today, the streets are full of people struggling and bobbling, the markets are full of people buying and selling and people rising very early in the morning and coming back late at night. This shows us how much effort people put in everyday just to earn their daily bread, I thought if we can sincerely put in such amount of effort in order to catch up with the train of eternal life which God is inviting us in today’s Gospel passage.

For today, from the parable of the marriage feast, the Lord offers us again an invitation to the banquet of heaven. An invitation which is God's free act of kindness, as He wishes to dine with us. No one deserves it anyway, and He is not obliged to invite us nor are we compared to honour his invitation. Hence in the parable, those who think that they deserve to be invited are too busy to enter the banquet hall. But the poor in spirit and the humble who know that the love God has for them is completely gratuitous, accepted his invitation with joy. 

Dear friends, what is our response to God’s invitation to his heavenly banquet? Are we so busy with the things of this passing world? We are called today not to be too busy to come to our heavenly banquet. For God’s banquet is his Church, good and bad, saints and sinners are invited, for the Church is made up of saints and sinners. The bad are expected to become good while sinners are expected to repent and put on a new garment of holiness and love. As Christians, today we are reminded of our wedding garment, the new suit we put-on on the day of baptism. Therefore, we cannot go on wearing the old garments of sins of pride, greed, adultery, fornication, theft, drunkenness, selfishness and unforgivingness which will throw us into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth, for many are called, but few are chosen. 

Thus, we should put on our wedding garment of love, holiness and open the doors of our hearts to the poor, the marginalized and those rejected by the society. For God through prophet Ezekiel in our first reading, promised to gather us together from all the foreign countries, and bring us home to our own land and shall pour clean water over us in order to cleanse us from all our defilement. He well remove our hearts of stone and give us a new heart, and put a new spirit in us so as to make us keep His laws and sincerely respect his observances. Then, we shall be his people and He will be our God.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, everyday you invite us to your heavenly banquet. As we honor your invitation today may we never be distracted by the vain glory of this passing world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a successful day.

Homily for Wednesday Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 17th August, 2022.

 Readings:  Ezek.34:1-11, PS.23, Matt. 20:1-16

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LIFE IS ABOUT TIME AND TURN, WAIT ON GOD’S TIME AND YOUR TURN

Oftentimes, when we are passing through the dark moment of life, it seems as if all hope is gone. We put up all our energy and enthusiasm struggling and hoping for a better and brighter moment. Sometimes it seems as if that brighter moment won’t come. The truth is that, our time of favour and success is not determine by how long or strenuous we have struggled, but on our disposition towards God's time of grace and generosity, for God alone decides how to reward us for our efforts. All we need is to be disposed to do his will at all times, because life is all about time and turn, so we have to wait on God’s time and our turns.

This is what the parable of the vineyard labourers in our Gospel passage today is teaching us, especially as regards to our disposition towards embracing the kingdom of God. So from the Gospel, the landowner went beyond justice, for motivated by compassion he employed labourers at different times and at the end he decided to paid them the same wages as agreed with those who were hired first, of which they felt bad for the landowner’s generosity towards those hired last.

Here the human mind suspects injustice, while the heart of God sees only an opportunity to be generous. This generosity of God calls us to be generous too; but out of envy we often selfishly consider ourselves more deserving than others. 

However, we can identify three kinds of persons from this parable: First, those who are like the landowner who hire people to get a job done, but with sympathies for those to be employed. Secondly, the unemployed waiting desperately in the market place and thirdly, the labourers who consider themselves more deserving than others.  Thus, we all need to ask ourselves, among these three groups where do I belong? This is important because the way workers and labourers are being treated in our societies these days are really appalling. For those who are meant to lead and shepherd the people are talking advantage of the people they are called to shepherd. 

Hence, God through prophet Ezekiel in our first reading addressed the shepherds who ought to guide and feed the sheep, but are now feeding on the sheep, scattering them in order to select their choice and feed on their milk, wore their wool, eat their flesh, enriching and fatling themselves from their products. While treating the sheep harshly and brutally, abandoning the sick, the weak and the strayed. Showing us how the leaders of our society have betrayed their mission. Instead of promoting a just society in accordance with the plan of God, they are using their authority to enrich themselves while oppressing the people entrusted to them.

Dear friends, today, the duties neglected by our leaders are going to be taken over by God himself, who is the Good Shepherd. He assures us that even though we are the least, the nobodies and most neglected in the eyes of the world, He will not forget us, for He has time and plan for everyone and will continue to provide for our daily needs. But warns the leaders that they should change their greedy and sinful ways, because when the Lord’s time comes, the last will be the first and the first, last. For in his kingdom, there is time and plan for everyone with equal grace and equal status.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, today you promised to take good care of your sheep yourself as you warn us to change from our sinful, greed and corrupt ways of life. Help us to change and be more caring, loving and to always be disposed to doing your will. As we go about our daily activities, may your favour  follow us even to the last hour, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily for Tuesday Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 16th August, 2022

 Readings: Ezek.28:1-10, Deut.33:18-19-22, Matt. 19:16-22

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE MATERIAL RICHES OF THIS PASSING WORLD 

The rate in which people illegally acquires and attached to material things of this passing world is so alarming and this has serious consequences towards the well-being of the common man in the societies. Though, material possessions are gifts from God and he alone gives us the right to them. But what we possess is meant to help us grow in our relationship with God and neighours not to separate us from them, because if we are not careful, too much love for material possession can be an obstacle on our way to God’s Kingdom. 

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today says:  “I tell you solemnly, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven”. When the disciples heard this they were astonished. And they said, “Who can be saved, then?” Jesus gazed at them and said “For men this is impossible; for God everything is possible”.

Here, Jesus tells his disciples about the need to live a life of detachment. For they saw how the rich young man was so sad when Jesus demanded that he should share his possessions with others in order to acquire treasures in heaven by following him. Thus, there is need for us to be prune from our excess love for material possession, because, for a camel to enter through a narrow gate, it must kneel in order for its load to be taken off. We too must learn how to be humbled and detached ourselves from excess attachment to material things of this passing world. 

The fact remains, that, material possessions in themselves are good, for we would not survive for long without them, but excess attachment to it at the expense of eternal life is grade one suicide. No doubt, it is difficult to give out or share our possession, but the ones who give up everything are the ones who receives more in this life as well as in heaven. And prophet Ezekiel in our first reading warns us concerning the issue of pride, for most of us like the people of Tyre who because of their possessions are being swollen with pride, seeing ourselves as gods, while we are nothing but a mere instrument in God’s hands. 

Dear friends, what is your attitude towards the material things of this passing world? How has the material things of this passing world distracted us from God?  Are we still detached to material things of this passing world? How willing are we towards detaching and sharing what we possess with others especially the poor? For this is a sure way to finding life, peace and happiness. And Jesus is telling us that it will be difficult for us to enter his kingdom when we choose to attach ourselves in the riches of this passing world. Though material possessions are gifts from God and he alone gives us the right to have them. However, what we possess is not meant to separate us from God, rather, they should help us to grow in our relationship with God and neighours.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are living in a world where materialism is the order of the day, help us to learn how to live a life of detachment and prune us always from the sin of pride, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.