Homily For Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 29th January, 2023

Readings: Zep. 2:3:3:12-12; Ps. 146; 1Cor.1:26-31; Matt. 5:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

A CALL TO EMBRACE THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN LIFE

 

Each day of our lives is a struggle for perfection, we grow from one level of understanding and knowledge to another. But what really gives value to this growth is the fundamental principles we follow. Because the fundamental principles of life helps us to be focused and determined to achieve our goals. Therefore, Jesus knowing the value and important of the faith he has come to offer humanity, lay down the fundamental principles that will guide his disciples in the new way of life which he is offering us.

 

These fundamental principles are what we have in our Gospel passage today, in the famous Sermon on the Mount by our Lord Jesus, which is also known as the Beatitudes. This famous Sermon opens to us the interior life of Jesus: poor in spirit, gentle, merciful, hungry for justice, pure in heart, a peacemaker, who is prepared to sacrifice and suffer persecution for the cause of what is right. These of course  are guiding principles to a new life he has called us to live. Here Jesus gave us eight characters of blessed people, which are the fundamental principles of Christian life. Each of these Beatitudes is a statement of an ideal way we ought to live and be in close contact with God. Let us now examine these principles in relation to the life of Christ especially his passion.

 

First, these principles began by talking about the poor in spirit which brings to mind the low condition of mankind that looks up to a Redeemer and the glory to come. This we can relate to the life of Jesus, who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. But, upon the cross he was stripped, mocked, spat upon, crowned with thorns, and given vinegar to drink. Secondly,  we were told that those who mourn are blessed, for their true repentance, watchfulness, humble mind, and continual dependence on the mercy of God through Christ Jesus shall be comforted by the Lord. We can recalled the agony of Jesus, we can recall his cry my God!, my God! Why have you forsaken me. But he was console with the grace of resurrection.

 

In these principles we were told that the meek are blessed, for being patient, silent and submissive to the will of God and so are comforted even in this world. This is true because Christ endured much on the cross, and did so patiently. For we were told that when he suffered he did not threaten; he was led like a sheep to the slaughter and he did not open his mouth. Therefore Christ’s patience on the cross was great. So, we too must be meek and patience looking upon to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.

 

Next is about those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they are blessed. This is because, their desires for spiritual blessings shall be satisfied. Since in his passion,  Christ taught us the way to perfection and holiness. Also, we are told that the merciful are blessed, for their compassion, help and pity on the souls of humanity who are in sin and needs mercy. Yes,  Christ suffered for us as a remedy for our sins, and secondly, as an example for us to follow. So we must be merciful. We are also told that the pure in heart are blessed; for they shall see God, since their hearts are made pure in holiness and are capable of seeing God, just like Jesus who was like us in everything except sin.

 

Also, the peace-makers are blessed, for they love and delight in peace which Christ is offering to humanity, when he said peace be upon us,  forgive them Father for they do not know what they are doing. Finally we were told that those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake are blessed, for victory is theirs since they understand that, there is nothing in our sufferings that can be compared to the victory of eternal life.  Yes, for Christ says: that no man has greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. And this is what Christ did on the cross. And if he gave his life for us, then it should not be difficult for us to bear whatever hardships that arises for his sake.

 

These are exactly what we heard in our first reading today which says: Seek the Lord, all you, the humble of the earth, who obey his commands. Seek integrity, seek humility: you may perhaps find shelter on the day of the anger of the Lord. In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people, and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord. Little wonder,  St Paul in our second reading said: it was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish  by human standards, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human standards; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen, for he has chosen those who are nothing at all to shame those who are everything.

 

Dear friends, we are called to embrace these fundamental principles of Christian life of perfection. For we are truly blessed when we are poor in spirit, when we mourn for our sinfulness, gentle, hunger and thirst for holiness. We are blessed when we are merciful and peacemakers in a world that is full of wickedness, greed and corruption. Today, we are called to live our lives in these virtues and when we encounter challenges, difficulties, persecutions and troubles, we should remain  faithful to the end for none of these tribulations shall be compared to the victory of eternal life.

 

 LET US PRAY: O God, from whom all good things come, grant us the grace to live out these fundamental principles of our Christian life and so overcome this sinful world, so as to enjoy the beatific vision of eternal life in You, through Christ our Lord. Amen. As you begin your task this week, may the glory of God inspire you and elevate you to greater heights. Do have a blessed Sunday.

Homily For Saturday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 28th January, 2023 The Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas

Readings: Heb. 11:1-2.8-19, Ps.Luke 1:69-75, Mark 4:35-41

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

DO NOT BE FRIGHTENED BY THE STORMS OF THIS PASSING WORLD,  HAVE FAITH IN GOD

 

In this scriptures, we often hear stories of how people struggles with heavy storms as they assailed through the sea. Today our fisherman and the Marine men who were into the sea business can tell us better what it means to be on the sea with heavy storms. A situation where the need to look for a Saviour is highly expected. Such was the case with the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today. It is a story about the disciples' panic and fear of perishing as a result of the heavy storm that is effecting their boat.

 

As this heavy storm was almost breaking their boat, the disciples cannot believe that Jesus was asleep while they were afraid and needed help from anywhere. So they went to him and woke him saying, ‘Teacher, do you not care if we perish? And Jesus said: “Peace! Be still!!” And the Storm ceased and there was a great calm. And he said to them, ‘Then he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?’ The men were astounded and said, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.’

 

This story signifies God's chosen people on a transit of faith, frightened by the guilt of sin and wounded by the waves of the sea, the abode of evil forces and monsters of this world. The boat can be taken as a symbol of the faith of the Church and the people of God struggling with the world’s principalities and powers, while the storms are symbols of heavy persecutions and sufferings by the people of God. And Jesus is saying: why are you so frightened, you men of little faith. Little wonder we are told in our first reading that only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen. For it was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac in obedience to God.

 

Dear friends, there is no doubt that 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.  Do not be frightened by the storms of this passing world,  have faith in God. For today Jesus is inviting us into his boat of life, thereby calling us to journey on this boat with an unwavering faith and a repented heart, because the world is being tossed around by the waves of the evil forces, the enemies of humanity. And it is only God who can subdue it, for he has promised to restore us back to himself.

 

Therefore, I don't know the great storms of doubt and fear in your soul? I don’t know if you are under the power of the evil forces of this world. All I know is that with great faith in God, the heavy storms in our lives will become calm, for Jesus will surely rebuke the violent storms in our hearts so that we can experience once again the calmness of his peace and joy. Meanwhile,  let us learn from Thomas Aquinas whose memorial we celebrate. For he was the famous theologian, who understands what it means to have deep faith in God. He is often remembered for his great work, the Summa Theologiae and  many other contributions, writings and works of faith which still influenced and inspired so many people. Thereby showing us the important of listening and demonstrating our faith our in God.

 

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God. As we struggle everyday to overcome the ugly situation around us, grant that through  the intercession of St.  Thomas Aquinas the violent storms and waves of bondage in our lives, our families and the world, will end in a wonderful calm that brings peace in our souls. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful and joyful weekend.

Homily For Friday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 27th January, 2023

Readings: Heb. 10: 32-39, Ps.37, Mark 4:26-34

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

LET YOUR FAITH IN GOD GROW LIKE THE GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED

 

In the scriptures, using a simple story to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson has always been one of the characteristics of Jesus when addressing the people regarding things that are very important. 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 the parable of the mustard seed, using it to describe the nature of God’s kingdom which he came to establish in the hearts of humanity.

 

Here, Jesus compares 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 to 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.

More so, Jesus is not just speaking of the size of the mustard seed, but also the faith of the people as that of a mustard seed. Telling us that just as the mustard seed responded 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 and so build up the kingdom of God.

 

Nevertheless, these two analogies of the mustard seed symbolize 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. Hence, in building the kingdom of God, we are reminded in our first reading that we will need endurance to do God’s will and gain what he has promised. For we should not be the sort of people who draw back, and are lost by it; rather, we should be the sort of people who keep faithful until our souls are saved in our heavenly kingdom.

 

Dear friends, we need to let our knowledge of God’s kingdom grow like that of mustard seed, knowing that 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, love, holiness, hospitality, obedience, charity that will lead us to God’s kingdom? Or are we watering weeds that are distracting us from attaining heaven. We  must stop watering such weeds, rather let us feed ourselves with valuable mustard seeds. 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: Heavenly Father, as you sow the seeds of your word in our hearts, give us the grace to grow it into the mustard tree of faith, holiness and hospitality and by so doing build up your heavenly kingdom, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Thursday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 26th January, 2023 The Memorial of SS Timothy and Titus. (Today is My Birthday, Do Remember me in your Prays)

Readings: 2Tim 1:1-8, Ps. 96, Luke 10:1-9

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY MANDATE

 

The rebellious nature of humanity have always distract  us  from responding to God's invitation to server him and to serve one another, for we have always failed to understand God’s ways of doing things. That is why we often find it difficult to actively participate in the mission of Christ. However, God has not stopped caring and stretching his hands of love to us. In every generation God always send messengers to remind us of his love and plan for humanity.

 

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, we heard how the Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two persons and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!

 

Here, Jesus  gave us the nature and requirements for carrying out his missionary mandate successfully. So, to continue this great mission he invites his disciples and sent them out, commanding them to see themselves as someone who gives freely of the good they have received from God. Hence, they should offer to others what they have received from God, knowing that it has cost them nothing. This is also applicable to us. We must live a life of detachment that is, in this mission, we  are to depend totally on God's providence. Unfortunately, many of the disciples have to face rejection and persecutions from people, who through their rebellious attitude have refused to believe in God even though He has always been so patient, loving, caring and forgiving us.

 

Concerning this great mission, St.  Paul, while addressing his second letter to Timothy in our first reading today said: I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy.

 

Little wonder, today we are celebrating the memorial of SS Timothy and Titus, servants who truly understood what the mission of Christ requires of them. For they were both close collaborators of St. Paul who entrusted to them the care of the flock of the faithful, of which they were regarded among the first Bishops of the Church. They were great servants of God with great commitment and dedication to doing the will of the Lord and suffer martyrdom for their faith and contributed greatly to the growth of the early Church and became good examples to their fellow Christians.

 

Dear friends, what is our attitude towards the missionary mandate of Christ? How have we contributed to this mission? What are we sacrificing for the sake of this missionary mandate? As disciples of Christ, we have received a lot from God without payment; we should learn to give without expecting reward. So we must learn to acknowledge with gratitude all that we have received from God and give freely to others that which we have received. For this act of charity will purify us from pride and self-righteousness, because we are all recipients of God's love, mercy, forgiveness, favour, protection, healing and deliverance. So, we must offer to others these same gifts which we have received. And by so doing we will fulfil our missionary mandate following the requirements that Jesus had given us today

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today you gave us the requirements and nature of our missionary mandate. Help us to effectively following these requirements just like SS Timothy and Titus, we ask this through Christ our Lord Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Wednesday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 25th January, 2023 The Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul

Readings: Act: 22:3-16, Ps. 117, Mark 16:15-18

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE GRACE OF TRUE CONVERSION BEGINS WITH PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH THE LORD

There is something deep and unique about every person, sometimes it takes personal experience to discover this uniqueness. This is evident in our first reading today as we celebrate the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, an event that prompt me to reflect on my personal experience of God. I am confident enough to tell you that everyday is an opportunity to encounter God through different events that occur in our lives.

 

I don't know if you have ever had an experience that made you realize the emptiness of this life, a kind of experience that turns pride into humility, sinfulness into righteousness, an experience that changes your perspective about things or people?

 

This is the kind of experience that Saul had with Jesus that made him realize the emptiness of his life and how wrong he was, fighting against God’s people. For Saul was a young and zealous Pharisee who was deeply involved in the persecutions of early Christians. He was present at the moment when St. Stephen was martyred and stoned to death. Saul was also a leading figure among the Sanhedrin in their attempt to destroy the Church and the followers of Christ, for he went from place to place and carried out violent attacks against the followers of Christ until he encountered the Lord on his way to Damascus.

 

This very encounter brought true conversion in his life and changed his perspective about Christians. This encounter gave him a new identity, changing his name from Saul to Paul. A name indicating his new mission. A mission he so carried out with all his zeal and passion that he is regarded as one of the apostles and today his works still speak about the effect of his personal encounter with Jesus. For his life is a fulfilment of the command of Jesus in our Gospel passage today when he said to his disciples, ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned.

 

Dear friends, as we celebrate the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, we are called to reflect on our own conversion. Today like St. Paul, we are called to reflect on our personal experience with God. How have we personally experienced God? When was your spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that does not based on what people told us of him?  Remember that by the virtue of our baptism we are called to share in the same ministry and calling that St. Paul himself had received from the Lord. So, in case you have not personally experience the Lord, all you need to do is to sincerely seek God in those common events in your life and you will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to you.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we really need to have a personal encounter of your presence in our lives. As we reflect on the encounter and conversion of St. Paul today, may we experience your presence in a unique way and through this experience discover our purpose and mission in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Do have a blessed and favourable day.

Homily For Tuesday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 24tn January, 2023. The Memorial of St. Francis de Sales

Readings: Heb. 10:1-10; Ps. 40; Mark 3:31-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHERE DO YOU ULTIMATELY AND TRULY BELONG?

 

To have the feeling for a sense of belonging is fundamental to human happiness and well-being, for it gives value to our life and helps us in coping with some painful emotions. Hence, we often want to belong with one another, to our friends and families, to our culture or from one association to another. However, one of the common and safest place to belong is our families, especially when it is rooted in the love of God and neighbour.

 

So, today in our Gospel passage, Jesus speaks about belonging to his family and his relationship with members of his family when he said: ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.’ From this Gospel, Jesus speaks of two ways the people around him could be identified as members of his family. Firstly he talks about those who belong to the family of his birth that is, his mother, father and relations. Then his other family which is made up of those who do the will of God.

 

 This family he says, is his true family where doing the will of God is the only way of belonging to this family. This is not to say that Jesus is rejecting his family; to do so would be contradicting his own teaching about loving ones parents and loving ones neighbours. However, Jesus is using this opportunity to emphasize that relationship with God is more important and this should depends on our total commitment to doing the will of God through him. Surprisingly, Mary the mother of Jesus belongs to both sides of the family, for she gave birth to Jesus and also the first to do the will of God when she  said, “let it be done unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). For this reason she is the first disciple of Jesus and a model for all Christians.

 

Thus, to be a Christian or a disciple is to enter into the family of Jesus and embrace a new relationship with God and with one another for this is the most important place to belong. All other bonds, including those of blood should be considered secondary. Because, belonging to God is fundamental to our basic relationships, prior to all human relations. Since we belong first to God before belonging to our families, after which we all go back to God where we ultimately belongs, which is determined by how we have been doing God’s will here on earth.

 

Little wonder we heard in our first reading today the need to do the will of God not just follow the laws that will not bring us to God. For the reading says: You did not want what the Law lays down as the things to be offered, that is: the sacrifices, the oblations, the holocausts and the sacrifices for sin, for the Lord took no pleasure in them; and then he says: Here I am! I am coming to obey your will. He is abolishing the first sort to replace it with the second. And this will was for us to be made holy by the offering of his body made once and for all by Jesus Christ.

 

Dear friends, where do we ultimately and truly belong? As Christians, we claimed to belong to God, do our attitudes and decisions show that we truly belong to God? Do we not often commit ourselves to things contrary to the faith we professed in God? Today we celebrate the memorial of St.  Francis  de Sales, a man who truly understood what it means to belong to the true family of Jesus.

 

Though, St. Francis was born in a noble family, but his encounters with the Lord and some questions about the faith eventually led him to seek the Lord more closely through discernment. He later gave up his rights and inheritance after his encounter with the Lord and became a priest and later a bishop. He dedicated a lot of time for the people. He tirelessly involved himself in reaching out to many Christians, including those who have separated themselves from the Church. Today,  we are called to imitate him in life a life that shows what we truly and ultimately belong to God.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are called to do your will always in order to truly belong to that true family of Jesus where love of you and of our neighbour unites us together. Grant that through the intercessions of St.  Francis de Sales, we may learn to do your will and be a good collaborators with others in the mission and vocation entrusted to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Monday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 23rd January, 2023

Readings: Heb. 9:15.24-28; Ps.98; Mark 3:22-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

DOT NOT LET ENVEY, JEALOUSY OR PRIDE LEAD YOU INTO SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

One of the gifts of God to us is the gift of discernment, which enables us to know and distinguish between good and evil spirit. This gift is very important to the office of every leader. But it is sad and unacceptable when a leader decided to misused this gift out of envy,  jealousy and ignorance. This is the attitudes of the scribes in our Gospel passage today.

 

For  we heard how Jesus had delivered a man possessed by an evil spirit. The spirit had bound his tongue and made him mute. But when Jesus had cast out the demon from the man and the man spoke, some scribes who watched this great miracle as it happeed said that it was through the power of Beelzebul the prince of demons that he was able to cast the devil out.

 

This is because they were adamant in their opposition against Jesus which were propelled by envy and jealousy. That is why they were unable to look beyond their narrow-mindedness and stubbornness in insisting that their way was the true way while others like our Lord Jesus were wrong. But Jesus as usual used the opportunity to correct them by pointing out the mistakes in their argument. Thus, telling us that it does not make sense for the demons to be fighting one another and so be divided among themselves. Because any house that divides within itself can not stand, and as we know the evil ones are always united in their plans to bring about destruction in human activities.

 

So, it is obvious that the scribes know the truth but were not ready to accept it rather the chose to deny the work of God, that why Jesus conclude the Gospel by saying that: everyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. From this frightening passage, Jesus reveals to us that sins no matter how grievous can be forgiven, but there is a particular sin that will not be forgiven. That is, the sin against the Holy Spirit.

 

But what is this sin against the Holy Spirit? And why would it not be forgiven? The sin against the Holy Spirit is rooted from ones outright rejection of God’s grace of salvation offered to us through the Holy Spirit‘s incessant invitations, and warnings. This happens when the will of a person is hardened against God’s mercy and goodness. This is so because, it is the sinner himself who rejected God’s forgiveness. And since God respects the freedom which He has given us, for he respects a sinner’s decision to firmly refuse to be forgiven.

 

Dear friends, do not let pride, envy,  jealousy or ignorance lead you into sin against the Holy Spirit. For we are called today not to be like the scribes who out of pride and ignorance denied the power of God over spiritual realities and so sin against the Holy Spirit. Rather we should make proper use of the gift of discernment which the Lord has given us. We must not let envy, jealousy and over ambition make us to deny the truth about the spiritual realities we experience from the Lord. We must not let the devil succeed in sowing the spirit of division among us.

 

We should also ask God to endow us with the spirit of discernment and truth especially this period that we often faced with the ugly and sad attitude of human deception all over the world. Therefore,  let us pay attention to the teaching and correction of Jesus, for we heard in our first reading that Christ brings a new covenant, as the mediator, only so that the people who were called to an eternal inheritance may actually receive what was promised: for his death took place to cancel the sins that infringed the earlier covenant.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we struggle everyday with the manipulation of the evils ones, give us the grace to overcome them, may we never be misled by the devil and all of his forces, as they often attempted to sow divisions and dissensions among us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful week.