Homily For Thursday Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 10th November, 2022. The Memorial of St. Leo The Great

 Readings: Philemon 1:7-20, Ps.146, Luke:17:20-25

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND DISPOSITION TOWARDS THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Oftentimes whenever we hear about the kingdom of God, two questions comes to mind, the first question is when is it coming? And the second question is how will it looks like? This is not different from the Pharisees in our Gospel passage today who after hearing Jesus talking about the kingdom of God, asked him when the kingdom will come. This is because they presume that the kingdom of God is yet to come, and will be visible like an earthly kingdom. 

But, Jesus replies that the kingdom is already present though invisible, for the kingdom of God is within us. The kingdom is essentially God's reign in the soul of humanity through his Son Jesus. For with the presence of Jesus, the kingdom of God is already here among us. And within our hearts, God’s reign has already begun. So through our union with Jesus, we already have a foretaste of eternal life. 

However, Jesus said to his disciples, 'a time will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man and will not see it. They will say to you, “Look there!” or, “Look here!” Make no move; do not set off in pursuit; for as the lightning flashing from one part of heaven lights up the other, so will be the Son of Man when his day comes. 

Here, Jesus encourages his disciples not to get worked up, or even overly curious, about the end times and the second coming of the Son of Man. Instead let us concentrate on the here and now, especially on our relationship with him as we ponder constantly on his teaching. Jesus also warns us not to be distracted by fake prophets and preachers who claim private revelations about the end of the world. Rather, we should focus on how to shape our life to attain the demands of God’s kingdom.

Dear friends, we must learn to prepare ourselves for God’s kingdom not as something that will come in a far distance time, but as something that is already here with us. And this should be seen in our attitudes and actions especially in our relationship with God and with one another. This is what St. Paul in our first reading today is teaching us when he said to Philemon: “I did not want to do anything without your consent; it would have been forcing your act of kindness, which should be spontaneous. I know you have been deprived of Onesimus for a time, but it was only so that you could have him back for ever, not as a slave any more, but something much better than a slave, a dear brother; especially dear to me, but how much more to you, as a blood-brother as well as a brother in the Lord.” 

This words of St. Paul describes how we ought to relate with one another as one people of God, just like Pope St. Leo the Great whose memorial we celebrate today. For he showed us what it means to be a true and dedicated disciple of the Lord. As the Pope he dedicated himself wholeheartedly to the well-being of his flock. He led the Church and the faithful through the most difficult moment, and was instrumental in strengthening the Church against the various heresies of his time, telling all Christians to recognize our dignity and remain faithful and commitment to the mission entrusted to them by Christ Jesus.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we await your Kingdom, help us to be well prepared for it whenever it comes. And through the intercession of St Leo the Great, give us the grace to be faithful and dedicated servants, we ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen. Do have a faithful day.

Homily For Wednesday Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 9th November, 2022. The Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

 Readings: Ez.47:1-2.8-9.12, Ps.46, 1Cor3:9-11.16-17, John 2:13-22

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOD’S TEMPLE, A SACRED REALITY DEDICATED TO GOD?

Today in a special way the Church celebrate the feast of the dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica Rome. It is the Mother and head of all the Churches and a symbol of unity for all the Churches in the world with the Roman Church. This feast reminds us of our need to live in deep communion with the Pope, the successor of St. Peter, the rock on which Jesus built his Church on which our faith as Christians depends  However, we should never lose sight of the fact that it is the symbol of the true meeting point between man and God, and Jesus Christ who is the actual temple. 

Little wonder Jesus in the Gospel passage today points to himself as the temple of God in the world, the one through whom God is present in the world.  Here, he is speaking of the Temple that was his body when he said to the Jews: destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Thus, prophet Ezekiel in our first reading today prophesying about this Temple said: ‘along the river, on either bank, will grow every kind of fruit tree with leaves that never wither and fruit that never fails; they will bear new fruit every month, because this water comes from the sanctuary. And their fruit will be good to eat and the leaves medicinal.’ 

While St. Paul in our second reading, emphasis that the Christian community, the body of Christ, is the place where God is to be truly present in the world. That the Church is a spiritual temple and each individual member of the Church is a temple of the Holy Spirit, a living expressions of God’s loving presence in our world today. He said: ‘do you not know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anybody should destroy the temple of God, God will destroy him, because the temple of God is sacred; and you are that temple'.

So today’s feast of dedication reminds us about our dedication to God by showing us the theological understanding of what Church dedication represent. It reminds us that the Church building is a sign of God’s worshipping community, pointing out that the people should be aware that the holiness of the building depends not on the “blessed stones”, but on the saving words proclaimed in it, the holy sacrifice offered there, the sacraments of salvation celebrate there and the presence of the Holy Spirit who dwells in the hearts of the faithful gathered in the Holy Assembly for worship.  

As temple of God, we are nourished in the Church with the Word of God, calling us to repentance and encouraging us in our daily struggles in life.  In the Church, we receive the sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation and are nourished by the Holy Eucharist. In the Church, we come to God with our burden of sin and sickness, and he heals us through the sacraments of reconciliation and anointing of the sick. Also, in the Church, we  receive God’s grace and blessings to server him in different vocations and ministries through the sacraments of matrimony and Holy Orders. In the Church, our Lord Jesus Christ remains present with us in the Holy Eucharist present in the tabernacle in company of Our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints. And when we passed away from this world especially as temple of God, the Church accompany us through prayers to our heavenly temple where we will be united with the triumphant Church in the presence of God our Loving Father.  

Dear f now we can understand why St Paul says that our bodies are sacred temple of the Lord, this in fact is the heart of our own baptismal character, to become temples of God through whom God’s loving presence touches the lives of others. So, today we are reminded that we are sacred reality, where God dwells, which should not be profaned or used as may material object. Therefore, we must preserve our bodies from stains of sin and corruption. We must not let the pleasurable things of this passing world defile our bodies which by virtue of our baptism have become a scared dwelling of the Holy Spirit. For this reason we must unite together to build up the body of Christ which is his Church. 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we celebrate the feast of the dedication of your Church, help us to realize that our bodies are sacred temple of your dwelling presence and so preserve it always from the stains of sin and corruption. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Tuesday Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 2022

 Readings: Titus 2:1-8.11-14, Ps.37, Luke:17:7-10

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO BE A HUMBLE AND FAITHFUL SERVANT 

These days the rate people seek for rewards for what they have done and some even for what they have not done is quite disturbing. Today it is difficult for people to do things without looking for what they will gain from it. In fact, it takes courage to trust people even when they extend their hands of generosity to others because we often think that they have some interior motives behind the generosity. But this should not be our attitudes as disciples of Christ. 

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, Jesus  in the parable of a dutiful servant corrects some of the wrong thinking and notion about being a disciple and teaches us what our true place and disposition should be. In the parable Jesus compared our relationship with God to that of a master and his servant. Where the servant had a duty to serve his master well and to do what he had been told to do without seeking for any compliments. Because the master has no obligation to congratulate or please the servant. 

Therefore, telling us that we are “unworthy servants” before our Worthy and righteous God who loves us even in our unworthiness. So disciples should not seek reward for their good deeds. For our obedience to God is required by the very nature of who God is and not something to boast about or seek a reward for, since our obedience to him is that of a son or daughter to a loving Father.

Dear friends, today we are reminded that in following Jesus, we should do all our good works in humility without any strange attachment. We should do what we can to help others we meet on our way for no reason other than to help for the seek of helping. And St. Paul in our first reading tells us how each and every one of us ought to behave in the respective positions we found ourselves, 

Therefore, as a faithful servant, all that is required is for us to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly before God without seeking any reward for that is what we are called to do. Remember that everything that happens to us, whether prosperous or adverse, comes from God, so that you neither become puffed up in prosperity nor discouraged in adversity. Thus, in anything you do avoid evil, do good, and seek peace.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, teach us how to be a humble and faithful servant, even when it is difficult. Grant us the grace to be faithful and humble servants at any level we find ourselves without seeking for rewards. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen  Do have a faithful day.

Homily For Monday Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 7th, November 2022

 Readings: Titus 1:1-9; Ps.24; Luke 17:1-6

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

FRATERNAL CHARITY REQUIRES THAT WE CONSTANTLY FORGIVE AND CORRECT ONE ANOTHER

The fragile nature of the human person has made it clear that we are not perfect, as we are likely to offend one another in any relationship we find ourselves. As a result of this, there is need for us to learn how to accommodate one another’s imperfections. But one of the major challenges we face in most relationships today is the ability to properly accommodate and correct one another especially when one is straying from the norms set up for the good of the relationship.

This is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, for he gave us the practical steps we need to follow in order to correct and reconcile with one another so as to build a stronger relationship when he said, be on your guard for when your brother does something wrong, reprove him and, if he is sorry, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times a day and seven times comes back to you and says, “I am sorry,” you must forgive him.’

Here, Jesus calls us to forgive and apply fraternal correction in any relationship we find ourselves, for we are responsible for one another’s welfare and these steps and stages give room for reconciliation and accommodation. So, fraternal correction must always be inspired by real charity which is one of the spiritual works of mercy. Though, this is never an easy task especially when one has to bear the sacrifice of forgiveness, because forgiving a very grievous offense is one of the most difficult things to do.

However, forgiven a grievous offense is like recovery a lost treasure that contains: joy, peace, freedom, healthy mind and healing. But how often do we seek to recover this lost treasure in our lives caused by unforgiveness? Hence Jesus today calls us to persistently seek for reconciliation until we gain our brothers and sisters back whenever they have offended and separated from us. But if they refused to be reconciled we should pray for their conversion. For in all our proceedings we should seek direction in prayer, knowing that God manifests his mercy when he transforms people and lead them to conversion, as he changes us and turns us from selfish and rebellious individuals into truly loving persons. For we are meant to watch over our neighbours. And it is necessary for us to cultivate a good character and show good example in any stage and level we find ourselves.

Little wonder St. Paul addressing the issues of leadership said to Titus in our first reading today: I told you: that a leader must be a man of irreproachable character; he must not have been married more than once, and his children must be believers and not uncontrollable or liable to be charged with disorderly conduct. Since, as president, he will be God’s representative, he must be irreproachable: never an arrogant or hot-tempered man, nor a heavy drinker or violent, nor out to make money; but a man who is hospitable and a friend of all that is good; sensible, moral, devout and self-controlled; and he must have a firm grasp of the unchanging message of the tradition.

Dear friends, it is our duty, obligation and responsibility to ensure in a fraternal charity that our fellow brothers and sisters, friends and neighbours, colleagues and collaborators are forgiven, corrected and guided whenever they go astray. For each and every one of us have the responsibility to strengthen our relationship and be a good examples for one another as we work the path towards our salvation. Therefore, mutual love and fraternal charity are the only way and process of fulfill this obligation.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are rebellious and proud people, we lack the courage and disposition to correct and accept corrections, give us the grace and courage to correct one another in fraternal charity as we also learn to accept corrections when corrected. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week.

Homily For Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 6th, November 2022

  Readings: 2Macc.7:1-2.9-14; Ps.17; 2Thess.2:16-3:5; Luke:20:27-38

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE IN RESURRECTION FOR IT IS A REALITY THAT WILL SURELY HAPPEN

Oftentimes when we talk about the teaching on resurrection people always want to know what and how is going to be like. And no matter how we try to explain it we can not exhaust it’s mystery. This is why we often get this teaching wrong whenever we think we can explain it completely, because we are using our little knowledge of the things of this passing world to judge the mystical things of heavenly. This is the disposition and situation with the Sadducees in our Gospel passage today, for since they do not believe in the resurrection, they decided to challenge Jesus concerning the notion about resurrection using the analogy of marital union in relation to afterlife event in order to discredit the teachings of Jesus.

As usual, Jesus goes on to explain how people will relate to each other in the afterlife. That those who are judged worthy of a place in afterlife and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection they are sons of God. He then instructed and challenged the Sadducees’ unbelief about life after death saying: “The children of this world take wives and husbands, but those who are judged worthy of a place in the other world and in the resurrection from the dead do not marry because they can no longer die, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection they are sons of God”.

He also reminded them of the scene where the voice from the burning bush identifies itself to Moses. “I AM the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6). For He is the God of the living and not of the dead. After this reply of Jesus to both the Pharisees and the Sadducees, they no longer dared to ask him any questions. But even so, we need to remember that the mysteries yet to be revealed remind us precisely that what our bodies and existences will be like in the life to come is not yet clear. 

This is because God reveals the resurrection of the dead to his people progressively for we can not comprehend it completely while still in mortal flesh. Hence, hope in the bodily resurrection of the dead established itself as a consequence intrinsic to faith in God as creator of the whole man, soul and body. The creator of heaven and earth is also the one who faithfully maintains his covenant with Abraham and his posterity. It was in this double perspective that faith in the resurrection came to be expressed (CCC. 992).

Little wonder in our first reading we heard that in their trials, the Maccabean martyrs confessed saying: you may discharge us from this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up, since it is for his laws that we die, to live again for ever. Yes, ours is the better choice, to meet death at men’s hands, yet relying on God’s promise that we shall be raised up by him; whereas for you there can be no resurrection, no new life.’

Therefore, what we need to be content with is the line in Luke 20:36 where Jesus reminds us that we will be “God’s children” in that life to come, this he demonstrated by his own life, death and resurrection.  And if that is not enough for us, I don’t know what else it would be for us to believe in him. Maybe, the parable of the poor man Lazarus and the words of Christ on the cross to the good thief, as well as other New Testament texts which speak of a final destiny of the soul can help us to believe in the resurrection. For the Church believes that the souls of all who die in Christ’s grace are the people of God who are beyond death. For on the day of resurrection, death will be  conquered definitely, while the souls will be reunited with their bodies.

This mystery exceeds our imagination and understanding; for it is accessible only to faith. Yet our participation in the Eucharist already gives us a foretaste of Christ's transfiguration of our bodies: For just as bread that comes from the earth, after God's blessing has been invoked upon it, is no longer ordinary bread, but Eucharist, formed of two things, the one earthly and the other heavenly: so too our bodies, which partake of the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, but possess the hope of resurrection.(CCC. 1000). 

As we know that whatever seed you sow does not come to life unless it dies to the earth. And what you sow is not the body which is a bare seed that is perishable, while what is produced is alive and imperishable. In a similar way, what is in the flesh is perishable but what is raised is imperishable. The dead will be raised imperishable.  For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality (1 Cor 15:35-37,42,52,53). Hence, St. Paul instruct us in our second reading today saying: Lord is faithful, and he will give you strength and guard you from the evil one, and we, in the Lord, have every confidence that you are doing and will go on doing all that we taught you.

Dear friends, the question that comes to mind after listening to the Word of God today is: do you truly believe in the resurrection? Can our attitudes towards the things of this passing world show that we truly believe in the resurrection? How often have I preach and teach people about my faith in the resurrection of Jesus. Do I have any personal experience of the resurrection of the dead that I can share with people? How deep is my understanding of the teachings of Jesus on the mystery of resurrection? How far can I go in trying to understand the mystery of resurrection and instruct others who are ignorant of this? 

Friends, we believe in the resurrection not so much because of Jesus’ arguments here, but because of his own resurrection of which he promise to share his life and joy with us forever. Jesus tells us that we are children of the resurrection and children of God who neither married nor given in marriage in the heavenly kingdom. Though, it is natural for us to ask questions about resurrection of life, but we should not expect to understand it fully while we are still alive. All that matters is for us to use our little understanding of this teaching and revelation to improve our relationship with our God and neighbours for what we shall be after death is known by God alone.

So, we must not be like the Sadducees who doubted the teaching on resurrection, rather we should have faith in the teachings of Jesus for he has not only taught us about the event of resurrection he practically demonstrated it so that we may know that truly our lives does not begin in this passing world and will definitely not end in this world. Therefore, let this little understanding be enough to guide us towards the divine mystery of resurrection. Let our lives be model towards this mystery. Let us learn to die to the perishable things of this passing world so as to be raised with the imperishable nature of the glorious heavenly  beings.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we look forward to the resurrection of mankind. May we be inspired by the great example of our Lord Jesus and so obtain the joy of his resurrection. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful Sunday celebration.

Homily for Saturday Thirty- First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 5th November, 2022

 Readings: Phil 4:10-19 , Ps.111 , Luke 16: 9-15

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO USE MONEY AND WEALTH TO WIN FRIENDS FOR YOURSELF IN HEAVEN 

Walking through the streets I observed how people are struggling with the things of this life, I can feel their passion, their determination and willingness even in the midst of corruption and challenges of life. How I wish we can put such energy in working towards the things that edifice our soul. 

This is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today when he said; use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity. For the man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?

Here, we have the continuation of yesterday’s parable of the dishonest steward, in which today Jesus explained its meaning and how it can be related to the lives of the people, telling us that we should be  careful not to fall into the temptations of money and other worldly pleasures which are trying to lead us away from God and the salvation he has given us. Rather, we should learn to use worldly wealth to gain friends for ourselves, so that when it is gone, we will be welcomed into eternal dwellings but how are we going to do this. 

This is possible if we know that we can use money for so many things in relation to the kingdom of heaven. First, we need money to fund the work of building God’s kingdom. For we are told to “go into all the world and preach the gospel” this task requires money, because evangelization cost a lot of money.

Secondly, we are told to be responsible and charitable, this also requires money. So we must learn to use our money and wealth responsibly. Thirdly we are told to subdue the earth have dominion over the earth. To do this we must be part of major discussion and decisions made in our societies. This of course requires money and influence. So our wealth and influence in the society can be channeled into promotion of God’s Kingdom by influencing things positively in the society using our influence, money and wealth. 

Dear friends, today we are called to live a life of integrity and to learn how to use money and our wealth to make friends for ourselves in heaven. Each and every one of us are called to be good manager and custodians of whatever blessings and resources God has given us, for we are all reminded that we have been called to follow the Lord and to devote ourselves to Him wholeheartedly. And St. Paul in our first reading tell us that there is nothing we cannot master with the help of the One who gives us strength.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we listened to your words today, may we not be carried away by the things of this passing world. Rather give us the grace to a life of integrity and to develop our societies positively, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace filled weekend.

Homily for Friday Thirty- First Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 4th November, 2022 the Memorial of St Charles Borromeo

 Readings: Phil 3:17-4:1 , Ps.121 , Luke 16: 1-8

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO SMARTLY USE THE THINGS OF THIS PASSING WORLD TO SAFEGUARD YOUR SOUL

The elements of good and bad seem inherent in every human person, little wonder the world involves both good and bad mixed together. This will help us to understand the reason for corruption, greediness, immoral and social decadence in our world today. But even in the midst of all these ugly situation, we are expected to be wise and smart in our deals with the thing of this passing world.

Little wonder, in the Gospel passage today, Jesus tells the parable of this dishonest steward who, having acted unjustly and having being exposed by his master, went to great lengths to make friends of his master’s debtors in order to secure his future. In this parable, Jesus is not telling us to be dishonest, but he wants us to know that we can learn even from this dishonest servant how to prudently use the things of this passing world to gain our salvation. Thus, Jesus points out that we too should be smart but not exactly like the dishonest steward, using dishonest wealth to exploit others as most rich people do today. No, instead we his disciples are to use our wealth to win souls for the kingdom and safeguard our own soul. 

But more importantly, if we understand the principle that says that everything we own is a gift from God, then we will realize that God is the owner of everything and that we are His stewards. As such, we are to use the Master’s resources to further the Master’s work and not the contrary. In this contest, we are told to be generous with our resources and use it for the safety of our souls and the growth of God’s kingdom. For we heard St. Paul in our first reading saying: I have told you often, and I repeat it today with tears, there are many who are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ. They are destined to be lost. They make foods into their god and they are proudest of something they ought to think shameful; the things they think important are earthly things. For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for.

Dear friends, today, we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are with regards to our vocation as Christians. How can we best harness the things entrusted to us so that they can be source and midst of safeguarding our souls surrounded by corruption and greediness. We are called today to be wise and smart, for if the worldly minded people can be smart in their dealing, we too should be smarter in our struggles for our  and the salvation of humanity. We should utilize the resources available to us and use them to secure our salvation. 

Hence, let us learn from St. Charles Borromeo whose memorial we celebrate today for he said in one of his sermons: I admit that we are all weak, but if we want help, the Lord God has given us the means to find it easily. So, Are you in charge of a parish? If so, do not neglect the parish of your own soul, do not give yourself to others so completely that you have nothing left for yourself. You have to be mindful of your people without becoming forgetful of yourself.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in our struggles with the ugly situation in our societies today, give us through the intercessions of St. Charles Borromeo the grace and skills to manage the resources entrusted to us and use them properly for the salvation of humanity, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. It’s Friday, wishing you a fruitful day.