Homily For Friday Third Week of Easter Year A, 28th April, 2023

Readings: Acts. 9:1-20; Ps.117; John 6:52-59

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

WHEN WAS YOUR MOMENT OF ENCOUNTER AND  CONVERSION

 

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 in our first reading today, 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 experience 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. 

 

This goes on to affirm the hard teaching of Jesus in our Gospel passage today, where he was talking about having life in him. For himself draws life from the Father, and he said, that “unless  you eat the flesh of the Son of Man  and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. So whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood will draw life from him. This new life is what Saul experienced when he encountered him and was converted and entrusted with the mission of converting the pagans.

 

Dear friends, as we heard about 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 of God. How have we personally experienced God? When was your moment of encounter and conversion? 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 mission and calling, which  St. Paul himself had received from the Lord. So, in case we have not personally experience the Lord, all we need to do is to sincerely seek God in those common events in our lives and we will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to us.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, 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, 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. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Thursday Third Week of Easter Year A, 27th April, 2023

Readings: Acts. 8:26-40; Ps.66; John 6:44-51

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

WHY WE NEED THE GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING MORE THAN EVER BEFORE?

 

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is understanding. It is the second gift of the Holy Spirit, behind wisdom. Through understanding, we gain a certitude about our beliefs that moves beyond faith. It enables one to see more deeply into the mysteries of the faith and judge with certainty all created things. The essential quality of this gift is the penetrating intuition. For this gift does not only assists in penetrating revealed truths, but also natural realities that are related to the supernatural end.

 

Thus, understanding is not so much the fruit of studies, but the loving desire and penetrating intuition towards understanding all the Father has revealed. This is exactly what happened to Philip while explaining the scriptures to the Ethiopian Eunuch in our first reading today. For when he heard him reading the book of Isaiah the prophet, he asked him, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ the Eunuch replied: ‘How can I understand unless I have someone to guide me?’

 

Here, the Eunuch seeks the gift of understanding which Philip has already received at Pentecost and with the help of this gift he was able to explain the scriptures to him. This is because, the mysteries of God’s revelation have been made known to him and with the Spirit’s prompting, this mysteries can be penetrated and understood by humanity.

 

 The fact remains, that God created us for friendship and this gift enables us to know of his love, mercy, glory, and power which moves our heart to love and live as adopted sons and daughters of God and so enjoy his friendship. Little wonder, Jesus in our Gospel passage today said: No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me, for it is written in the prophets: They will all be taught by God, and will hear the teaching of the Father, and learn from it.

 

Dear friends, we must desire to have the gift of understanding, for this gift, penetrates the truths of faith, operates in several ways: disclosing the hidden meaning of Sacred Scripture; revealing the significance of symbols and figures. It gives us deeper insight into the meaning of the our faith and the moral teachings which serve as standards for human actions. This gift imparts a sense of confidence and certainty in our belief. It helps us grasps the reality of heaven our beatific vision, that is why we need the gift of Understanding more than ever before.

 

It is a gift that is really lacking in our lives not just as Christian but as individuals living in societies full of confusion and lack of sense of direction. But, how can we acquire the gift of understanding? How can the gift of understanding help us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our faith in relation to our struggles with the ugly situations in our world today? The answer is simple, we must learn, just like the Ethiopian Eunuch to cultivate the habit of listening to the Holy Spirit who never ceases to speak to us deep down in our conscience.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. As we listen to your words today, give us the gift of understanding so that we can grasp the meaning of the truths of our faith in relation to our struggles with the ugly situations in our world today. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.

Homily For Wednesday Third Week of Easter Year A, 26th April, 2023

Readings: Acts. 8:1-8; Ps.66; John 6:35-40

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

LET YOUR STAVING SOUL BE SATISFIED IN JESUS THE BREAD OF ETERNAL LIFE

 

What can ever satisfy the human hunger and thirst for peace, wholeness righteousness, love and joy? These are the things we search everyday of our lives. But we seem to have little or no answer. This is because we have often failed to listen to God’s words calling us and directing us towards the path of truth which he has revealed through his son our Lord Jesus Christ, who has been speaking to us in our Gospel since his resurrection.

 

Thus, today Jesus continues with his teaching on the bread of life, he seeks to draw those who listened to him into a profound relationship with himself. He asks them to believe in his wonderful promises about eternal life. In the same way he invites us to partake in a life that is indestructible, to share in the very life of God. Jesus wants us to know that he is the food of our souls. Our souls are really starving due to sins, and indeed thirsty for holiness, love, peace and purity. In Jesus alone can staving and empty souls find their strength and satisfaction. For in him, there is fullness of life.

 

The fact remains that Jesus is the bread of life which came down from heaven. And he wants us to commit our souls into his hands. Thus, whenever we experience anything of spiritual hunger and thirsty, we must come to Jesus and be satisfied. This is what was lacking in the life of Saul, who in our first reading today worked for the total destruction of the Church after he had witnessed and ensured the stoning and death of Stephen. So, he went from house to house arresting both men and women and sending them to prison.  But those who had escaped from him went from place to place preaching the Good News of peace, love holiness and salvation.

 

Dear friends, like Saul, are we weigh down by sorrows in conscience or staving in affections and love especially in this difficult moment in human history and thereby acting in ignorance? Or are we like the disciples who even in the midst of persecution remained faithful in witnessing the love they have found in Jesus.

 

Whatever the situation may be for us now, we must know that Jesus is always ready to relieve and restore us whenever we come to him in faith. So, you have to let your staving soul be satisfied in Jesus the bread of eternal life. For in him alone shall we find lasting satisfaction, peace and love both now and for eternity.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, often times we are thirsty and hungry down within our souls,  may we find in the Words of Jesus that satisfactions which our souls so desired and by so doing fine eternal life. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you the best of God’s favour and blessings.

Homily For Tuesday Second Sunday of Easter, 25th April, 2023. Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist

Readings: 1 Peter 5:5-14; Ps.89; Mark 16:15-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

LET US LEARN TO TAKE OUR MISSIONARY MANDATE SERIOUSLY JUST LIKE ST. MARK

 

Today, the Church calls our attention to the mission and mandate of Christ to his disciples as we Celebrate the Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist. It is truly a feast which is meant for all of us who are followers of Christ to recount our commitment to Jesus which we made at our baptism.

 

This is commitment to bear authentic witness to the faith we profess just as St. Mark recounts in his Gospel passage we read today, which tells us the stories of how Jesus called his disciples and commissioned them to go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. We are also called by Jesus, not only as disciples, but also as evangelists.

 

Therefore evangelization is the very nature and essence of the life of the Church. 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. This Easter season, how have we proclaimed the Risen Lord to the world?

 

Are we shy, ashamed or humiliated because of the Gospel? St Peter in our second reading said: Be calm but vigilant, because your enemy the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat. Stand up to him, strong in faith and in the knowledge that your brothers all over the world are suffering the same things

 

Dear friends, 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 is the cause of the ugly situation we are passing through in our societies today. It's time to come back to God and follow his directions.

 

Thus, it’s time to recall what Jesus says in the Gospel of John (15:1-8), l am the true Vine you are the branches, anyone who remains with me will bear fruit in plenty, but cut off from me you can do nothing but to perish. We have cut ourselves off from the true Vine and now we can do little or nothing about the situations we find ourselves in our families, society and the world at large.

 

Therefore, let us come back to God our true Vine, for our help comes from Him alone. He has commanded us to go into the whole world and preach this Gospel. Like St. Mark whose memorial we celebrate today, let us learn to take this mandate very seriously for 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 and death.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are lost in this world, we are confused because we have cut ourselves off from You our true Vine, as we come back to you once again, please give us the grace to preach the Gospel following the example of St Mark the Evangelist, grant that we may learn from his teaching and walk faithfully in the footsteps of Christ and by so doing draw humanity once again back to You. Amen. Do have a grace filled week.

Homily For Monday in Third Week of Easter Year A, 24th April, 2023

Readings: Acts. 6:8-15; Ps.119; John 6:22-29

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE GRACE AND POWER TO BEAR AUTHENTIC WITNESS

 

In every human heart, there is a secret garden which God has made uniquely for himself and that garden is our conscience. However, God is always at the gate of this garden knocking, but we pretend not to hear him. The truth is that everyday God gives us the grace to experience him and bear witness, he makes himself present in us but we often ignore him or pretend we do not perceive his presence.

 

This was the attitude of the men who sought to kill Stephen out of jealousy in our first reading today, where we heard the account of how St. Stephen, one of the first deacons who full of grace and power bore witness to the risen Lord before the people. He worked many miracles and great signs among the people. But some group of men felt so infuriated and ground their teeth at him since they cannot withstand his wisdom. Nevertheless, Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. This he witnessed before them and they saw his face like that of an angel. 

 

Dear friends, this was possible because Stephen opened completely the door of his heart and finding God, he witnessed him with his life. We too have been given the grace and power to bear authentic witness to the faith we have found in Jesus who tells us in our Gospel passage today, to believe in him and work for the food which endures to eternal life, the kind of food the Son of Man is offering us.  That is, the eternal food of love, compassion, mercy, kindness, peace and salvation.

 

These were the food that Stephen had received from the Lord when he opened the door of his heart and these same food he offered to the members of the Sanhedrin but they cannot comprehend or withstand it. Therefore, Jesus is calling us to work for these kind of food that comes from the heart of a person who has personally encountered him, the risen Lord.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we open our hearts to embrace the eternal food of love, compassion, mercy, kindness, peace and salvation which You offer to humanity, give us the grace and courage to bear authentic witness of Your goodness in the world especially at this moment when humanity needs You the most. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. As the week begins, be strong, be hopeful and stay safe for God is still in control.

Homily For Third Sunday of Easter Year A, 23rd April, 2023

Readings: Acts.2:14.22-33; Ps.16; 1Peter 1:17-21; Luke 24:13-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

WHEN HOPE SEEMS LOST, LOOK FORWARD FOR EMMAUS ENCOUNTER

 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 1817, defines Christian hope as: "the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit”

 

So, the virtue of hope is a necessary vehicle for Christian faith and in journey of life. We can only understand the value of this virtue when we find ourselves in hopeless situation like the two disciples of Jesus on their way to Emmaus as we heard in our Gospel passage today.

 

These two disciples were sad because their hopes had been dashed. They had placed their hope in Jesus, believing that he would be the one who will redeem Israel. They said in Luke 24:21: “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.”

 

They were hoping that Jesus would become a political leader who would once again bring Israel into freedom from Roman oppression just the same way Nigerians where hoping that the last general elections will bring restoration and confidence to our electoral process, just to wake up and realized that we have being deceived.  

 

So, like these disciples we were hoping. But our hope was gone and now we are sad and confused. Most of us are now going back to Emmaus to continue with our old ways of life. This is the reality of life, for in this journey of life we may see ourselves journeying back through the road to Emmaus, walk and looking so sad, hopeless and confused.

 

Yes, there are many things in life that can make us sad and hopeless.  Sometimes, we suffer humiliation and disappointments by family members and friends. At times we lost our jobs, our properties, our friend through quarrels, divorce, abuse, addictions, and other natural and supernatural disasters. And these inflict pains and hopelessness in our heart as we walk sad and hopeless through the Emmaus road of life.

 

And here, comes Jesus journeying with us, letting us to know that hope does not  die!  Because his is alive today and can walk into our life and restore hope, for his presence is hope personify. He wants to have a deep conversation with us, he wants to remind and instruct us about his promises. He wants to reveal himself to us in a personal and collective manner just as he did with his two disciples today. The hope once lost will be restored by his presence through the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Little wonder, Pope Francis while defining Christian hope said, that: "hope is much more than simple optimism for Christians, it is constant expectation, it's a gift from the Holy Spirit, it's a miracle of renewal that never lets us down”. This will help us to understand what happened in our first reading today, where we heard how Peter stood up with the Eleven and addressed the crowd in a loud voice speaking about their personal experience of God, how God raised Jesus to life and how he received from the Father the Holy Spirit, and now they are witnesses to this through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

 

In a similar way, St. Peter in our second reading, wants us to remember that the ransom that was paid to free us from our useless and ugly ways of life was not paid in anything corruptible, neither in silver nor gold, but in the precious blood of a lamb without spot or stain, namely Christ. Here, we see how God chooses to carry out His plan.

 

This awesome nature of God is well demonstrated in the story of the mysterious presence of Jesus before his two disciples who where disappointed and are going back to their old ways of life. These disciples recognized Jesus at the breaking of bread and return back to bear witness of their encounter.

 

Death friends, the setting of this story of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, portrays the structure of our liturgical celebration in a more practical way. At our liturgical celebrations we journey with Jesus along the way of faith, where he unites us with himself though separated by sin as he reconcile with us through the penitential rite. Then he feeds us with his word, as he prepares us for special encounter at the Eucharistic table where he manifest himself in the Eucharist for us to recognize him.  

 

Friends, happy are we who encounter and recognize our risen Lord in the Eucharist, where he constantly invites us to come and be restored.

Therefore, as we continue our journey of faith we may find ourselves on the road to Emmaus with all hope seem lost. The road which represents disappointment, failure, sorrow, grief, bitterness and confusion.  So like the two  Emmaus disciples, we should know that the risen Lord is with us in our journey of life even when we cannot recognize him.

 

In the same way, he is  journeying with us in our liturgical worship even when we don’t recognize him. Jesus is journeying with us today. He wants to hear us discuss about him, he wants to enlighten us, he wants to open our hearts and mind through the scriptures, he wants to address our daily challenges. He wants to reveal himself to us at this Eucharistic celebration. Are you ready to encounter him?

 

LET US PRAY: O God, as we journey with You, especially at this difficult moment in human history, may Your presence strengthen our faith and constantly renew our hope, give us the grace and courage to dedicate ourselves, our time, and energy in serving You, as You fill our heart with the Joy of Your kingdom. Amen. Wishing you and your family a personal encounter of the risen Lord.

Homily For Saturday in Second Week of Easter, 22nd April, 2023

Readings: Acts.6:1-7; Ps.33; John 6:16-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

WHEN JESUS COMES INTO THE BOAT OF YOUR LIFE ALL STORMS WILL CEASE

 

A boat is a craft work made for transportation, fishing, or cruising on the water, it is propelled by oars or wind. It is a full house, a complete and secured vessel. The fisher men and the marine men who are into sea business know the value of a boat and what it means to be in a boat faced with heavy storms. Little wonder, in the Scriptures, Jesus often make use of the boat to teach and instruct the people and his disciples.

 

On the occasion of our Gospel passage today, the disciples got into the boat and went before Jesus to the other side. When evening came, they were there alone on the boat which has gone far on the lake, and was battling with a heavy sea storms. So as the waves were breaking over the boat, the disciples were afraid and needed help from anywhere. It was at this point that they saw Jesus walking on the sea and he said to them: “take courage, it is I, do not be afraid”. And as he got into the boat the wind ceased.

 

In this Gospel passage we can foresee a gesture which signifies the chosen people God 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. Today Jesus is inviting us to journey on this boat of life with an unwavering faith and a repented heart so that our storms of struggles will cease. Because the world is being tossed around by the waves of evil forces the enemies of humankind, inflicting hardships, sickness and sorrows on us.

 

But Jesus is inviting us to come into his boat so that we can find life, peace and grace to overcome our struggles. This is what the apostles did in our first reading today when they had challenges with the distribution of resources to the people. So inspired by the Holy Spirit they said to the people: select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty of distribution to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.

 

Dear friends, the world is full of sea and caves of different problems inform of storms and so many people are trying to find ways to fix their problems. Today Jesus is inviting us to come into his boat of life with an unwavering faith and a repented heart and we will find peace of mind. For his boat is the safest vessel where all our storms can be subdued. Where humanity can find solace, where all our struggles will cease, where hope for the future is guarantied.

 

Therefore, I don't know the great storms of doubt and fear in your soul today? I don’t know how deep your sorrows of constant failure and disappointment are? I don’t know how long or deep you have been involved in the evil going on in this world? All I know is that when Jesus comes into the boat of our lives, our families and societies, all the storms in our lives will cease and then we will worship God in sincerity and freedom.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for being with us in all our struggle against the storms of life, as we invite you into the boat of our lives, grant that the violent storms and waves of bondage in our lives will end in a wonderful calm that brings peace in our souls. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a peaceful weekend.