Homily For Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 30th, October 2022

 Readings: Wis.11:22-12:2; Ps.145; 2 Thess. 1:11-2:2; Luke:19:1-10

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHEN A SINNER HUMBLY CLIMBS THE SYCAMORE TREE OF GRACE THE LORD RESPONSE TO HIS INNER DESIRE FOR SALVATION

Last Sunday the Lord made us to know the important of having the right disposition towards prayers using the parable of the prayers of a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisee had a wrong disposition and was not at peace with God, but the tax collector went home at peace with God for he humbled himself before God saying: “be merciful to me a sinner”. In continuation to this teaching, Jesus today in our Gospel passage teaches us how God response to the inner desire of a humble sinner who wishes to be saved, for the Lord is not like us who are judgmental and selfish. 

For oftentimes we are quick to criticize, condemn and label people as sinners, outcast and good for nothing. But this is not the attitude of Jesus who is always compassionate especially to sinners and those rejected in the society and wants us to do the same. This is evident in the story of Zacchaeus. A man who was regarded as a public sinner.  Wanting to see Jesus, but being small in size, he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree and waited for Jesus to come by. He really had great desire to see Jesus. 

Truly, I must confess that the attitude of Jesus upon seeing Zacchaeus on the tree was very touching. For Jesus did not condemned or criticize him, nor  demanded anything from Zacchaeus. He only responded to the inner desire of a sinful man who seeks to see him and he said to him: “Zacchaeus come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your home today”.  Zacchaeus quickly came down and with great joy received Jesus.

No doubt, people complained and criticized Jesus saying “He has gone to stay in the house of a sinner”. But Jesus does not care about the their criticism. He went to the house of Zacchaeus and defended him from people’s criticism. And rather than calling him a sinner, he called him “son of Abraham”. Here we see how Jesus accepts those who were reject by the society. He offers a place to those who do not have. He receives as brothers and sisters people whom the society and religion rejected. For sometimes in our lives when we struggle with our inner desires and weaknesses all we need is to sacrifice our pride and humbly climb the sycamore tree of grace for on it we find the satisfaction and peace that we desired just like Zacchaeus.

But what can we learn from this story, we can learn that no one is beyond God’s redemption. We can learn that whenever sin has made us short of courage to reach God, we must do whatever it takes to get to Jesus no matter the obstacles. We must learn to welcome Jesus into our heart and our homes. We must be prepared to confront and overcome the obstacles and challenges along the path towards our salvation. We must do whatever it takes to change our ugly ways of life to be better and positive . We must be willing to accept and accommodate other people when they repent from their ugly attitudes. We must know that sin makes us short of courage to reach out to God, so we must learn to climb the sycamore tree of grace just like Zacchaeus. We must not be comfortable with ugly and sinful situation we found in and around us.  We must learn to make restitutions of all the things we have done wrong.

But how many of us will be ready to say just like Zacchaeus: Lord I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount? We must know that it is necessary and mandatory for us to make restitutions for all the bad things we have done. So, having listened to the story of Zacchaeus, how many of us will make restitutions of all the things we have acquired through sinful and corrupt means? How many of us will make restitutions for all the wealth we acquired through corruption and greediness? How many of us will stepdown or resign from our present position which we acquired through corruption and bribery. 

How many of us will make restitutions for the things we achieved with fake certificate and deception? How many of us will make restitutions of our houses, cars and other properties we acquired through bribery, corruption, wickedness, falsehood and cheating of others? How many of us today will make restitutions of all our ugly and immoral behaviours against your wife, your husband, your children, our parents, friends, neighbours, colleagues, workers, employer, lecturers and students? How many of us dear friends will make restitutions for the souls we have sent away from this passing world through wickedness, negligence, killing, kidnapping and abortions, ? How many of us will make restitutions to the people we have ruined their lives and left hopeless and miserable out of pride, greediness and jealousy?

Dear friends, we must learn from Zacchaeus, how to make honest restitutions. How to remain faithful and not live a life of pretense. We must learn to be a good example to other people and try to accommodate people’s differences and weaknesses. We must learn to accept people who are despised and marginalized in our society? Also, can we, like Jesus, perceive people’s inner desire for compassion and give them attention? 

Zacchaeus made restitutions of all he had acquired illegally, and he was giving a new label, a new statues, new friends, new family and a new life. We too should not be afraid to do the same and so make a new name, new family, and a new life for ourselves. For this may bring about the peace, hope, joy, love and new life that we desire to have today. But oftentimes because of what people will say we find it difficult to do the right thing even when we wish to do so. We must learn to be courageous and sincere like Zacchaeus. 

For we are told in our first reading today that little by little, the Lord corrects those who sin against him. He admonished and remind them of how they have sinned, so that they may abstain from evil and trust in him. Little wonder St. Paul in our second reading says: “we pray continually that our God will make you worthy of his call, and by his power fulfil all your desires for goodness and complete all that you have been doing through faith”. Remember that, it was the compassion and loving heart of Jesus that brought about a total change in the life of Zacchaeus. Why not show some compassion to those we meet today and make some restitutions for our sins, for it may be the only opportunity to embrace the salvation that we will ever have in this passing world. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are sinners in need of your mercy. As we climb the sycamore tree of grace with contrite hearts, may you find in us the inner desire for mercies and in your compassion purify us and welcome us back to your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed Sunday celebration.

Homily for Saturday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 29th October, 2022

 Readings: Phil. 1:18-26, Ps  42, Luke 14:1.7-11

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHY WE MUST LEARN TO CHOOSE HUMILITY OVER PRIDE?

One of the virtues the world needs more is humility, this virtue is really lacking in our society today because pride has become a way of life which most people wishes to embrace. Hence we often hear people saying in a very proud way, do you know who I am? By the time I finish with you then you will fear me. We hear people taking all sorts of honorific titles whether merited or not, they want to be addressed and recognized so gloriously at every public events.

This should not be our attitudes or disposition for Jesus while addressing the Pharisees told a parable about humility saying in our Gospel passage today: When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man.” And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher.” In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’

Here, we see the important of humility, we see how humility can help to elevate someone from nothing to something great. While pride can bring down the might into nothing. The truth is that, humility is not a way of glory, but a road of surrender that leads to passion and death of ones self. It is  a way of sacrifice, a service to others at the price of self- sacrifice. That is why many people do not want to be humble. So let us learn from St. Paul in our first reading today for he said now as always I shall have the courage for Christ to be glorified in my body, whether by my life or by my death. Life to me, of course, is Christ, but then death would bring me something more.

Dear friends, it may seem so difficult to embrace the virtue of humility especially in our society today, but this virtue has a lot to offer us both as individuals or as a group. In fact, our world is in need of humble men and women, because a good society is built on all kinds of commendable virtues such as humility. 

Therefore, it is time for us to put off our old self which is led by pride the first capital sin, in order to put on a new person born of humility, love, compassion, contentment, purity, forgiveness etc. So let us work heard to add more virtues in our activities and behaviour for blessed are those who are virtuous for they easily solve their problems. Thus, why not try humility in solving those difficult and challenging moments in your life and that is why we must learn to choose humility over pride. Just try to be humble because it works like miracle.

LET US PRAY:  Heavenly Father, we have often failed to follow the example of Christ’s humility which he has taught us. As we are reminded once again the need to be humble, give us the grace to truly be humble at any level we find ourselves, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and peaceful weekend.

Homily For Friday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 27th October, 2022. The Feast of SS. Simon and Jude, Apostles

 Readings: Eph.2:19-22, Ps  19, Luke 6:12-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

AS FELLOW CITIZENS OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD WE MUST NOT FORGET OUR MISSIONARY MANDATE

Will you leave? We you care? Will you risk? Will you let  the Lord to lead you? These are questions of great demands which every true disciple must constantly reflect through in life, in order to be aware of the seriousness of the commitment required of everyone of us as a disciple of Jesus. This great demand is presented to us in our liturgy today as we celebrate the feast day of too great apostles St. Simon and St. Jude and our readings propel us to reflect on our call to discipleship. 

In the Gospel we heard how Jesus after deep prayers called from among his disciples twelve apostles of which Simon and Jude were part of the twelve. Simon also known as the Zealot, was a member of the Zealots, the extremists who fought for the freedom of the Israelites against the Romans at the time of Jesus. While, St. Jude often referred as St. Jude Thaddeus, was a member of the extended family of Jesus.

These  two apostles along with others followed the Lord faithfully throughout his ministry. Simon though a member of the Zealot, abandoned his previous life as a freedom fighter to a great missionary along with St. Jude Thaddeus who was the probable author of the Epistle of St. Jude. These two apostles together served the Lord and reach out to many peoples and evangelized may nations. That is why both of them are celebrated together today, because of their missionary zeal and commitment to God even to the very end of their lives.

Tradition has it that Simon spread the Gospel to places like Persia and Armenia, Egypt and Ethiopia and along with Jude, they evangelized throughout Judea, Samaria, Persia, Armenia and other places. Sadly, after many decade of their missionary activities, these two great apostles were martyred in Lebanon. They committed themselves wholeheartedly to the mission of Christ and his Church, they converted many, established firm foundations of the Christian faith in many places. Little wonder St Paul in our first reading tells us that we are fellow citizens of God’s household that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone.

Dear friends, evangelization is the very nature and essence of the Church. And Jesus gives us the mandate and the commission to evangelize, that is, to announce the Good News to all the nations and to spread the Gospel to every creature. This commission is shared by all those who are baptized both priests and lay faithful. Everyone has a particular responsibility to share in the work of proclamation of the Gospel. Today, we should ask ourselves, how have we proclaimed the Gospel to the world? What efforts are we making to ensure that the mandate Christ entrusted to us is carried out effectively in our generation? 

Therefore, at this moment when the world is confused, because we have removed God out of our daily lives, at this time when we have placed our hope in the activities of the human person who seems to have taken the place of God, at this time when our governments, scientists, doctors, lawyers, professors and even pastors assumed the place of God, which of course have brought about the ugly situation we are facing in our societies today. We are reminded once again about our very mission, for it is time to take this mandate very seriously, because it is our responsibility to fulfil our promises to God and ensure that the Christian faith is preached and sustained in the world and by so doing save humanity once again from sin, death and destruction that we have caused for ourselves.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are lost in this world, we are confused because we have cut ourselves off from You our cornerstone, as we come back to you once again, please give us the grace to preach the Gospel following the examples of saints Simon and Jude, may we learn from their teaching and walk faithfully in the footsteps of Christ and by so doing draw humanity back to You once again.  We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Thursday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 27th October, 2022

 Readings: Eph.6:10-20, Ps  143, Luke 13:31-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

ARE YOU STILL PUTTING ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD?

In this world we struggle with so many things and we often encounter ugly events and challenges that cause us sorrows and ties. And most times we don't know how to manage those moments. This is because there is an active presence of evil in the world which manifest itself in different forms. So everyday is a struggle against the malice of the evil ones, and people are doing everything they can to overcome them. 

Today, St. Paul in our first reading encouraged us to be strong and prepared against the attacks and assaults from the evil one and it’s wicked forces. He said: Put on the whole armour of God so as to be able to resist the devil’s tactics. For it is not against flesh and blood that we have to struggle, but against the principalities and powers originated from the darkness of this world. So stand your ground, with belt of truth buckled round your waist, and put on integrity of life for a breastplate, wearing shoes on your feet with that eagerness to spread the gospel of peace and always carrying the shield of faith so that you can use it to put out the burning arrows of the evil one. And then take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. He told us to be firm in our faith in God and to be ready to resist those who are going to try to harm us and bring us down.

This is exactly what Jesus did in our Gospel passage today when some of the Pharisees warned him to leave the area where he was teaching because Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great was after him. This warning was just a way of trying  to get rid of Jesus by frightening him using external forces and authority under the name of Herod. But Jesus was not moved by all their threats. For he knows that his mission is part of  God’s larger plan which can not be interrupted by any external forces and authority. Hence, he ignored them and continued with his work of healing the people and liberating them from evil ones

Dear friends, our lives are in God’s hands for we are part of God’s larger plan and nothing will happen to us which is in conflict with God’s wishes and plans for us. All we need is to embrace the whole amour of God in faith, with belt of truth buckled round our waist, and put on integrity of life for a breastplate, with eagerness to spread the gospel of peace while carrying the shield of faith so that we can use it to put out the burning arrows of the evil ones, using the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. By so doing overcome the ugly situation we face everyday in our societies and families today.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, everyday is a struggle against the malice of the evil ones, and oftentimes we don’t know what to do. As we embrace your words today, grant that we may find the courage and strength to conquer our fears and struggles against the evil ones, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you and fruitful day.

Homily For Wednesday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 26th October, 2022

 Readings: Eph.6:1-9; Ps 145; Luke 13:22-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 “I DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU COME FROM”

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 St. Paul in our first reading today says that: you can be sure that everyone, whether a slave or a free man, will be properly rewarded by the Lord for whatever work he has done well. And those of you who are employers, treat your slaves in the same spirit; do without threats, remembering that they and you have the same Master in heaven.

Dear friends, 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 may 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 and road that leads to eternal life. 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 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.

Homily For Tuesday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 25th October, 2022

 Readings: Eph.5:21-33, Ps 128 , Luke 13:18-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHAT KIND OF SEED ARE YOU WATERING IN YOUR LIFE?

In the scriptures, it is obvious that Jesus often like to use a simple story to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson when addressing the people regarding things that are very important, So, by couching his teaching in parables, Jesus made certain points much clearer to his audience. This is evident in our Gospel passage today where he told us two parables: the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the Yeast, using them to describe the nature of God’s kingdom which he came to establish in the hearts of humanity. 

In these parables, Jesus compared the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed growing from the Word of God spoken to the hearts of his few disciples which will grow and spread in the hearts of all humanity. This analogy focuses on the size of the seed that grows to become a might tree that gives shelter and salvation to all. Here also, Jesus is not just speaking of the size of the mustard seed, but the faith of the people as that of a mustard seed. Telling us that just as the mustard seed responds to the word of God and grows into a might tree, so will the faith of the people grow into great vessel through hearing and doing the word of God. However, God has given humanity the freedom to choose whether to hear his word and embrace the faith so as to bear fruits of the kingdom or to reject it and perish. 

More so, this analogy of the mustard seed symbolizes the humble beginnings of the Christian faith which is well watered by the Holy Spirit to grow and give life and hospitality to all the people of the world. However, we need to know that there are good for nothing seeds present in this world to deceive people from listening to God’s word, seeds such as: fear, regrets, doubt, jealousy, hatred, disrespect, greediness, lying, gossip, impurity, wickedness and all sorts of sinful acts. 

Those who embrace these good for nothing seeds follow the dictates of their own hardened hearts and will soon be thrown away as good for nothing, because they have not listened to God’s words. Hence, St. Paul in our first read encouraged us to embrace the good seeds of God’s words in our families by giving us the principles that will guide the relationship between husband and wife using the analogy of the relationship between Christ and his Church. 

Dear friends, in the world today, we have different kinds of seeds. But the question remains, what kind of seeds are we embracing and watering in our lives today? Are we watering valuable mustard seeds of faith and love or weeds of fear, regrets, doubt, jealousy, hatred, disrespect, greediness, lying, gossip, impurity, wickedness and all kinds of sinful deeds that will destroy us? 

Today we are called to quit watering these weeds because that's what the enemies want and we must not fall into their traps. Rather we are called to water those valuable mustard seeds of faith, love, holiness, hospitality, obedience, charity and make them our values of life. For when we feed and water such values, we will grow stronger like the mustard tree where people may find solace and so build up God’s kingdom.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as you sow the seeds of your word in our hearts, give us the grace to water and grow it into the mustard tree of faith, holiness and hospitality that will usher us into your kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 24th October, 2022

 Readings: Eph.4:32-5:8, Ps 1 , Luke 13:10-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

NO HUMAN LAW CAN RESTRICT GOD’S LOVE AND CARE FOR HUMANITY

From the scriptures, it seems like every encounter that the Pharisees had with Jesus were always aimed at finding faults with what Jesus is doing. But to their greatness surprise, Jesus will always escape and used that opportunity to communicate an important message to the people. Such was the occasion of our Gospel passage today. When on a Sabbath day Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a woman was there who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that left her enfeebled; she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright. 

When Jesus saw her he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are rid of your infirmity’ and he laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God. But the synagogue official was indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, and he addressed the people present saying: There are six days when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the Sabbath. Then Jesus said, this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years was it not right to untie her bonds on the Sabbath day? 

Thus, Jesus in this passage have to teach us that humanity’s welfare should not be neglected because of laws and regulations. That nothing should restrict us from doing good to people not even the laws Sabbath. Therefore, in as much as we desire to honour God’s laws we must seek the good of people as well. This is what the Pharisees have failed to understand, for they are rather fault- finders and self- righteous people, who only wish to mislead the oppress and suppress the truth and the good works of others, just because of their selfish desires to sustain their ego, pride and their worldly ambition. But we should not be like them, rather we should be compassionate and merciful for that is what we are called to do. 

And St. Paul in our first reading, calls us to imitate God as children of his that he loves and follow Christ loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God. He also calls us to examine our lives to see if there is any root of pride and sexual immorality in us a sinful act which even the pagans condemned. 

Dear friends, today we are Made to know that no human laws can restrict God’s love and care for humanity. So we are called to constantly do good to everyone. We are called not to be faults-finders who are blindfolded by pride. We must also renounce all sorts of immoral actions and wickedness that may destroy the purity of our souls. Therefore, let us be compassionate and merciful for that is what we are called to do in this life.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often failed to listen to your teaching because of our selfish desires and pride, help us to always listen to you and be willing to do good always as we resolve to live a life of purity and humility. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week ahead.