Homily for Tuesday Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 13th September, 2022. The Memorial of St. John Chrysostom

  Reading: 1Cor. 12:12-14.27-31; Ps. 100; Luke 7:11-17

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

GOD HAS NOT FORGOTTEN YOU</p>

Pondering, on the struggles, fears, tears, disappointments and betrayals that people are passing through everyday just to survive in this world. How some people have lost hope in themselves and even in everything they do, just like the widow of Nain in our Gospel today who had lost her only son, her only hope, the only thing she had. But it pleased God to restore her joy back even when all hope had gone. 

For we heard  that when Jesus saw the woman he felt sorry for her and said: ‘Do not cry’. Then he went up and put his hand on the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, ‘Young man, I tell you to get up.’ And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God saying, ‘A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.

Here we see the compassionate heart of Jesus on the widow and the restoration of her son. Let us to know that God on appointed time will restore our lost hope and confidence again so that we will know that he, the Lord, is our God. He made us and we belong to him for eternal is his merciful love and he is faithful from age to age.

Dear friends, I don’t know what you are passing through now? I don’t know what seems to be lost in your life or in your family? I don’t know how bad things has become for you now. One thing I know is that God has not abandoned you. God has not forgotten you. Your time has come, it may be today, this month, this year or very sudden just like the widow. 

All we need to do is to pay attention to what St. Paul is telling us in our first reading today when he said: Now you together are Christ’s body; but each of you is a different part of it. So Be ambitious for the higher gifts just like John Chrysostom, whose memorial we celebrate today. For he is known for his excellent preaching skills and was given the name Chrysostom which means “golden mouth” as he is usually called “John of the golden mouth,” because he utilized the gift God gave him. 

Therefore, as you go about your activities, know that God has not forgotten you, cheer up for God understands what you are passing through, and as it pleases him, he is just waiting for the right time to restore your joy back and bless you. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we struggle with our daily challenges, may we through the intercessions of St. John Chrysostom experience your saving help and so be a shining splendour in our family, society and in the world at large. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do  have a fruitful day.

Homily for Monday Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 12th September, 2022.

 Reading: 1Cor. 11:17-26.33; Ps. 40; Luke 7:1-10

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

THE FAITH AND INTERCESSORY PRAYER OF THE ROMAN CENTURION AN INSPIRING EXAMPLE OF US TO FOLLOW 

The doctrines of the Church teaches us that faith is a supernatural gift of God, a supernatural virtue infused in us by God. Little wonder our level of faith are not the same. However, our gift of faith grows depending on our disposition and utilization of the gift. That is why, when Jesus invites people to faith and conversion, he does not coerced them, rather they come to faith through their good disposition and utilization of their experience with him. 

This is exactly the case with the Roman centurion in our Gospel passage today, who sorts help for his sick servant through some Jewish elders whom he sent to Jesus to ask him to come and heal his servant, but when Jesus accepted to come to his home, the centurion hesitates, feeling unworthy of Jesus’ presence in his home, said to him “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and my servant will be healed”.  

Here the centurion believes that Jesus can speak a word of healing, and that will be enough to cure his servant. He has total faith and trust in the power of Jesus’ word. For him, the servant did not even need to hear Jesus speak the word: it was enough that the word was spoken. Jesus praised his faith and genuine humility. Today, these words of the centurion has become a pattern of prayer for us, that before Holy Communion we say it passionately because, his faith and intercessions are inspiring example for us to follow. 

This is exactly the kind of faith that all of us must have as well. The faith that leads us to seek God wholeheartedly, to be humble before Him and to love Him above all and not to allow our pride, ego and desires lead us into faithlessness, disobedience and sin against God. We are also called to trust God at all times, for St Paul in our first reading today said:  I cannot say that you have done well in holding meetings that do you more harm than good, for  what I received from the Lord, I in turn passed on to you.

Dear friends, what is our disposition towards the gift of faith that God has given us? Do we have total faith and trust in God just like the Centurion? The fact remains that our experiences of evil, injustice, suffering and death can shake or shape the gift of faith in us depending on our disposition. Remember, the Centurion interceded for his sick servant, do we intercede for others who are in need of God’s healing and mercy? Do we know that we can speak God’s word in prayer and someone, somewhere, will find healing? Do we often like this Centurion, recognize in all humility our unworthiness before God?  We are called today to learn from this man’s act of humility, faith and intercessory prayer.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are weak and oftentimes we display an act of faithlessness due to the pressure and challenges of life. May the Lord increase our faith and make us humble and patience in doing his will. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful week.

Homily for Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 11th September, 2022

 Readings: Ex. 32:7-11.13-14; Ps.51; 1Tim.1:12-17; Luke 15:1-32

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

DO NOT BE LOST IN THIS PASSING WORLD FOR GOD IS SEARCHING AND WAITING FOR YOU <

One of the common behaviours of the human person is ability to make choices and everyday of our lives we make choices that we think are good for us. The root of any choice we make comes from the fundamental option we have made for or against God; to love or to be selfish, to be good or bad, to be holy or sinful. And any choice we make has great consequences which can be positive or negative as we have in the parables especially that of the prodigal son in our Gospel passage today. 

In this parable, we can identify three main characters: The Father, the elder son and the younger son. The three characters represent the attitude of group of persons in which Jesus was addressing in the Gospel. First the attitude of the tax collectors and sinners, who were seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say. Secondly the attitudes of the Pharisees and scribes who complained, and then Jesus who is seen as a righteous man who welcomes sinners and eats with them.

Looking at the attitudes of these three characters in the parable, we can deduce that the attitude of the Pharisees and Scribes depicts that of the elder son who is obedient to his father but passes judgment on his disobedient brother, the attitude of task collectors and sinner depicts the younger son who seeks reconciliation and forgiveness from his father. While the attitude of the Father can be seen in the person of God (Jesus) who went out to welcome the prodigal son (task collectors and sinners) and goes out as well searching for the elder and dutiful son (Pharisees and Scribes). 

This parable is applicable to our present context, where the Church is seen as the merciful Father, who welcomes, accommodates and lavishes her love on both saints and sinner. The saints are witnesses to God’s grace while repented sinners are witnesses to God’s mercy. This is evident in the life of St. Paul who never forgets that he was once a grave sinner who was once an enemy of the Church of Christ but had experienced God’s mercy and now bears witness to this mercy and grace among the saints of God as we heard in our second reading today. 

So, we can say that the saints and the righteous ones in the Church are seen as the elder son who is obedient and faithful to the Father but with a sense of entitlement and resentment for sinners. While sinners and unbelievers are seen as the prodigal son who has traveled to a far distance country seeking to come back to the Father, just like the people of Israel in our first reading today who abandoned God and fell back into idolatry. They were to be punished by God but he pardoned them through the intercessions of Moses.

 Therefore, the questions we should ask ourselves are: where do I belong in the whole picture of today’s parables? Am I lost in sin? have I traveled far away from God and his Church? Where am I now in my relationship with God, what is the state of my life? what is my attitude towards my neighbour, my family, my father, mother, children? What is my attitude towards those who have offended me in a grievous ways? What is my attitude towards notorious sinners (armed robbers, murderers, prostitutes, drunkards, drug addicts,  womanizers, liars, the wicked, greedy and corrupt people) can I accommodate them if repented?

Dear friends, we must not allow ourselves to get lost in this passing world because of sins, for God is calling us to repentance. God is searching and waiting for us. Sin has taken us away from God, is time to come back. We are lost in a far away land of sin, is time to come back. The excess desire for the things of this passing world has separated us from God, is time to come back.  Unforgiveness, greed, corruption, wickedness, resentment and jealousy have separated from God, is time to come back to God. It doesn't matter what we have done, how sinful we may have been, no matter how grievous. God is searching and waiting for us to come back.  He wants to hear us say like the prodigal son: I will arise and go to my Father and say Father forgive me for I have sinned against heaven and before you. 

Friends, God wants to meet us at the confessional, he wants to meet us in the Eucharist, he wants to meet us in those persons we have offended and those who have offered us. He wants to meet us in those we have refused to forgive. He wants to meet us in our families, in your husband, your wife, your children, your father and mother, your neighbours, your colleagues in the office and market places. He wants to meet you in that man who is suffering in prison and hospital because of your unforgiveness. All he wants us to do today is to say, am sorry to those who we have offended and to forgive those who have offended us.

The choice is yours, don't wait until is too late. Why not put a call to someone today and say to him or her am sorry, I have forgiven you, I just realized how wrong I have been, please forgive me. If we can do this, then we will see how blessed our life will be in this season and we will find reason to rejoice at the end. Remember that conversion is not just about sinners becoming holy, is more than that. Is about  experiencing and acknowledging the love of God everyday of our lives. 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, sin has separated us for your love, as we listen to your words today, may we come back to you just like the prodigal son, with repented heart and strong will to remain faithful like the dutiful son, knowing that you as our merciful Father awaits our return. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed Sunday celebration.

Homily for Saturday Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 10th September, 2022

Readings: 1Cor 10:14-22, Ps.116, Luke: 6: 43-49

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

HAVING A GOOD HEART AND BEARING GOOD FRUITS REQUIRES PUTTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO POSITIVE ACTION 

A tree is known to be either good or bad, healthy or sick by the fruit it produces. In the same way the human heart is known to be either good or bad, holy or sinful, sincere or corrupt by the fruits of our words and actions rooted in our character. Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today said: 

A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart. Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them is like the man who when he built his house laid the foundations on a rock. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man who built his house on soil, with no foundations.

Here, as Jesus conclude the sermon on the plain, he tells us that hearing and doing the word of God is building our faith on a rocky foundation, that cornerstone, that solid ground, through the fiercest drought and storms of life, because the fruit of the Word of God in us is seen when tested in the storms of life. He also reminds us that it is not enough to hear the word of God; we must put it into practice. That it is not sufficient to speak about God, we must practice what we speak. We must let the Word of God touch and shape our lives so that we can bear good and healthy fruit. 

>For it is a waste of time and energy if our lives do not reflect the Gospel we preach, if we do not hear the words of Jesus and act on them. Hence, we must embrace the word of God in our lives and let it unite us together so that we can bear good fruits even in our corrupt society. And St. Paul in our first reading tells us that: the cup of blessing that we bless is a communion with the blood of Christ, and the bread that we break is a communion with the body of Christ. For there is only one loaf, though there are many of us, but we form a single body because we all have a share in this one loaf which is the life we share in Christ Jesus.

Dear friends, having a good heart and bearing good fruits requires putting the Word of God into positive action. So, what kind of fruit are we bearing deep down our hearts? How has the word of God changed my life and the lives of those around me? How has the word of God challenged and propelled me to love God and my neighours? Is my attitude towards the word of God like that of the foolish builder who takes short cuts for quick results? Or that of a wise builder who spend time in digging a secured foundations through constant meditation and practice of the word of God? 

Therefore, we must know that whenever we hear the word we must apply it to our daily lives, because that's the only way we can feed our soul and so bear good fruits. This is important because our society today have enough hearers of the word, what we need now is doers of the word, men and women who will feed their lives with the Word of God and from the abundance of their heart live a life that will influence the society positively. Remember, the houses built by the wise and foolish persons may probably look alike. But the difference is the foundations, which can only be revealed when tested by the storms of life.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, through your Word we find life and hope in Christ your Son who is our all in all, grant us the grace to embrace your word in our lives and so bear good and healthy fruits rooted on a rocky foundation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and peaceful weekend.

Homily for Friday Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 9th September, 2022

 Homily for Friday Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 9th September, 2022

Readings: 1Cor 9:16-19.22-27, Ps.84, Luke: 6: 39-42

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

LEADERSHIP REQUIRES GETTING RID OF OUR LOG OF PRIDE AND ACCOMMODATING THE SPECK OF WEAKNESS IN OTHERS

As humans we are quick to always criticize and condemn other people. We are good in seeing people's faults and mistakes. But has it ever occurred to us that, while we are condemning other persons for their faults, and suddenly we realized that our own faults are just as many as theirs? It is this ugly attitude that Jesus is addressing today in the Gospel passage, when he said: Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? Why do you observe the speck in your brother’s eye and never notice the log in your own? Hypocrite! Take the log out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. 

Here Jesus is referring to the blindness from the truth which the Pharisees and the Scribes and indeed most of us and our so called leaders today have decided to embrace as we have neglected the spirituality behind the natural human traditions and laws, to follow the may ritual and routing traditions and laws we have created out of our own selfish desires. For leaders who have the responsibility to lead, guide and teach the people have decided to embrace darkness and falsehood. And the greed, jealousy and wickedness in our hearts have blindfolded us and made us to become blind leaders of the blind. 

Hence, Jesus told us how we who are leaders have failed to see the log in our eyes while seeking to remove the speck in other's. But what is this log in our eyes? It is the log of pride. Pride makes us to forget who we are and claim who we are not. Pride makes us to look down on people. Pride makes us blind. It makes us not to look into our own live. Little wonder pride is the first capital sin. 

Therefore, we are called to humbly look into our lives and identify all those ugly attitudes of pride in us and get rid of them, so that we can humbly correct and accommodate other people’s speck of faults and weakness. Then we can say like St. Paul in our first reading, who though not a slave of any man, made himself the slave of everyone so as to win as many as he could. For the weak he made himself weak. He made himself all things to all men in order to save some at any cost for the sake of the Gospel and to share in its blessings.

Dear friends, do we know people who behave like blind leaders of the blind? Are we one of such leaders? We are called today to constantly examine our conscience to know what kind of leader we are in any capacity we find ourselves. We are made to know that leadership requires taking away our log of pride in order to humbly remove or accommodate the speck of faults and weaknesses in others. So let us cultivate the right disposition of heart that will make us to be visionary leaders, leading those entrusted to us safely towards the path of truth and eternal life.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, there are so many blind leaders in our world today who out of pride are leading humanity into destruction and death, help us to realize that we need to take away the log of pride that makes us blind in order to humbly remove and accommodate the faults and weakness of others thereby leading them to the path of truth and eternal life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.

Homily for Thursday Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 8th September, 2022. The Feast of The Nativity of The Blessed Virgin Mary

Readings: Rom.8:28-30, Ps.13, Matt. 1:1-16.18-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE BIRTHDAY OF BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, A REMINDER OF OUR BIRTH AND ROLE IN THE MASTER PLAN OF GOD

Every human person has a special role to play in the mystery of this life. Though some seem to have more significant role than others. However, whether significant or not, the truth still remains that we all have a role to play. But the question is, how are we playing this role? Are we playing according to the master plan or against it? 

Mother Mary, whose birthday we celebrate today was chosen in a special way to be the handmaid of the Lord and to play an important part in the history of human salvation and redemption, a role she played according to God's master plan. As handmaid of God she was privileged to be the mother of Jesus our Redeemer. Little wonder our Gospel passage today tells us the history of the genealogy of Jesus from Abraham to Joseph and Mary the parents of Jesus. 

>From this genealogy, we heard how generations came, generations goes, great men and women came and passed on, new generations continue to spring up. This is our own generation, but the questions remain: our genealogy to what extent can it be traced to that of Christ? The things we are doing now to what extent have they been influenced by the events of the passed generations and to what extent are they going to influence the future generations. 

Today, we are reminded that we are playing our own role in the salvation of mankind, our existence means a lot to future generation. And St. Paul in our first reading tells us that God co-operates with all those who love him, with all those he has called according to his purpose. They are the ones he chose specially long ago and intended to become true images of his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest of many brothers. For he called those he intended for this; those he called he justified, and with those he justified he shared his glory.

Dear friends, Mary’s birthday reminds us of our own birth and our role in the master plan of God. For God has plans for everyone of us. Our existence is not by chance or providence, rather it is by the Divine will of God who made it possible for us to participate in his mystery at this present age. He could have willed for us to exist in the past or in the future or not to exist at all. 

Hence, never take your existence for granted, because in every moment of our existence, there is a role we are playing. Therefore, let us like Mary learn to cooperation with the grace of God and live in accordance to God's plan, for we are all created for a purpose and that purpose is the role we have to play in this world.

LET US PRAY:  Heavenly Father, you created us for a purpose and the birthday of our Mother Mary reminds us of this purpose. Grant that through her intercession we may obtain the grace to live out our purpose in this life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Wednesday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 7th September, 2022

 Wednesday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 7th September, 2022. 

Readings: 1Cor 7:25-31, Ps.45, Luke 6:20-26

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHY WOE TO THE RICH AND BLESSINGS FOR THE POOR?

Oftentimes when we reflect on the ups and downs of life, the struggles, the tears and the disappointments that people are passing through everyday. We wonder and feel that Life is not fair to some people. But is there anybody who has it all in this world? The truth is that, we all struggle everyday to make significant impact in our society. And this significant impact often brings division and separation based on class, social and political affiliation. Hence we talk about the poor and the rich in relation to what people have and possessed. 

But this is not the same with Jesus, for today in our Gospel passage Jesus talks about the blessings of the poor and the lots of the rich in relation to the virtue of humility and pride towards the things of this passing world and the things of heaven. For he said, blessed are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now: you shall laugh. But woe to you who are rich: you are having your consolation now. Woe to you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep.

Here Jesus is referring to our disposition towards the things of this passing world and the things of heaven. He wants us to realize that we are not living simply to be happy in this life, but we should be conscious of our heavenly home by constantly examining ourselves on the deeper value of our ways of life in the light of what we can bring with us to eternal life. In this teaching commonly known as the Beatitudes, Jesus gave us the qualities that make for a happy and blessed life. To be blessed means to have inner joy and happiness because of God’s favour upon us. While to be called woe is to have sorrow and pain because we have turned away from God. 

However, the poor, the hungry and those weeping in this Gospel passage are not just referring to the regular poor and hungry people around us rather, Jesus is referring to the fundamental character of the virtue of humility that is rooted in the poverty of the spirit, that consciousness of one’s own weakness and total dependent on God, which can be found in the lives of both regular poor or rich people and can also be lacking in neither depending on one’s disposition. Now we can understand why the woe to the rich and blessings for the poor

Dear friends, our world is in need of more virtuous people than rich people. However, blessed are those who are virtuous and rich, but woe to those that are rich and lack virtue for they shall soon mourn and weep. And St. Paul in our first reading tells us that our time is growing short. Those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn should live as though they had nothing to mourn for; those who are enjoying life should live as though there were nothing to laugh about; those whose life is buying things should live as though they had nothing of their own; and those who have to deal with the world should not become engrossed in it. For the world as we know it is passing away.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are always engrossed with the pride of life, an ugly attitude that often separate us from you. Grant us the grace of humility so that in our poverty, hungry, mourning and hatred in this world, our lives may aim towards our heavenly kingdom and make us a shining splendour in our family, society and in the world at large. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.