Homily For Friday Eight Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 2nd June, 2023

Readings: Sir. 44:1.9-13, Ps.149; Mark 11:11-26

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

LET THE LORD PURIFY ONCE AGAIN THE TEMPLE OF OUR SOULS FILLED WITH SIN

 

The temple as we know is described as the sacred dwelling place of God. That’s sacred space where humanity encounter the Divine presence of God. It is a symbolic space where God desires to live together with humanity and rule the world through them. Therefore it is very important to ensure that such Sacred Space (Temple) is kept sacred at all times.

 

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, after Jesus had cursed a fig tree for not being fruitful, we heard a very brief story of how he entered the temple in Jerusalem and drives away the traders from the courts of the Temple saying: “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have turned it into ‘a den of thieves’.” So he chased out all the dishonest, selfish and greedy merchants who are making profits by cheating the faithful pilgrims who came to the Temple to worship God.

 

Here Jesus was not just concerned with cleansing of the temple of Jerusalem, but also the temple of human’s heart, that is, our souls. He is objecting to corruption of the sacred. Our body and soul are temple of the Lord and belong to him alone. It is a sacred space, a house of prayer which must not be given over to the false gods of money, greed and sin.

 

So, by clearing the Temple, the Lord has also urged us all to clear our own spiritual temples, that is our body, mind, heart and soul, in which God dwells, so that we will be among the list of generous men whose good works have not been forgotten as we heard in our first reading today.

 

Dear friends, our souls are sacred dwelling of God’s Temple. Thus, it must be made sacred at all times by ensuring that we get rid of all corruptions, wickedness, pride, ego, greed, wrath and all other sorts of evils within us. We must resist them and strive to inspire and help one another to keep our Temple sacred. For Jesus wishes to cleanse the temple of our soul by removing what has corrupted it, in order to purify it for worship, and making it a dwelling place for God in prayer. But are we willing to let him cleanse us?

 

LET US PRAY: Merciful Father, we are your temple, yet we have let the selfish desires for the things of this passing world to corrupt us so deeply. As we embrace your Words today, may we experience the joy of the purification of our body and soul through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a joyful day.

Homily For Thursday Eight Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 1st June, 2023. The Memorial of St. Justin, Martyr (Happy New Month)

Readings: Sir. 42:15-25, Ps.33; Mark 10:46-52

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT THE LORD TO DO FOR YOU?

 

There is no doubt that Jesus has deep compassion for human suffering, which springs from the love of God the Father and constitutes the basis of the Church’s liberating activities. This of course, manifests in different ways in the scriptures and in the Church.

 

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, Jesus manifested his compassion for human suffering in the story of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar who gave us a complete lesson about faith, expressed with total simplicity in front of Christ Jesus. He had faith enough to call out to Jesus as he passed by, even when he was scolded by the people close to him, his need for Jesus was so great that he cried all the louder, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!

 

Then Jesus asks an unusual question “what do you want me to do for you?” So even though his need was obvious, Jesus wanted him to mention it. In the same way today, Jesus is asking us: my child what do you want me to do for you? Why not like this blind beggar tell Jesus you need. Even though he knows your needs, you still need to present them before him. This blind man needed his eyesight restored, so he said aloud to Jesus, “Lord, that I may see!” And Jesus said: ‘Go your way; your faith has saved you.’

 

Here, we see a man whose faith lead him to puts off his former identity and cried in hope for restoration. Bartimaeus’s faith involves proclamation, prayer, liberation, personal encounter and following of Jesus. More so, Jesus in this healing reveals his compassion towards human sufferings and wants us to imitate Bartimaeus’s faith in our struggles and challenges of life.

 

Dear friends, our country is really passing through difficult time due to bad leaders who have put us in a helpless situations. Like Bartimaeus, we need to cry out to God for help. But, what do you really want the Lord to do for you? What is that one thing we need in this country? Let us present it before the Lord today just like Bartimaeus.

 

Let us also learn to help one another. Do we know people who are helpless and need some help, how strong is our compassion towards them? Let us look at them for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at them. How does he see them? Why not in faith present our needs before Jesus who is willing and ready to help us.

 

So, like Jesus, each one of us are called today to reach out to people around us who are really in need of our assistance. This includes our family members, our neighbours, our colleagues and others who we encounter in life. The truth is that, you may be the only person who can brings the healing and compassion of Jesus into their lives today.

 

Also, we are called to remain steadfast in the midst of this ugly situations and maintain peaceful coexistence with one another, just like St. Justin whose memorial we celebrate today. For he was known for his desire to establish a peaceful relationship between the Church and the state. For through his writings, he tried to convince Emperor Marcus Aurelius to end the persecution of Christians by the Roman state which lead to his martyrdom with some of his followers in the year 165.

 

Today however, St. Justin no doubt, has shown us through his works and interactions, with pagan philosophers and even with the Emperor, that it is indeed possible to be fully faithful and committed to God, while living in harmony as a law-abiding citizens of the community and the state even in the midst of persecutions and operations as we experience in our societies today.

 

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we present our needs before you today, through the intercession of St. Justin, may we experience once again your compassionate love and grant our hearts desire according to your Holy will, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you God’s favour and blessings this New Month.

Homily For Wednesday Eight Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 31st May, 2023. The Feast of Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Reading: Zeph.3:14-18; Ps. Is. 12:2-6; Luke 1:39-56

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

EXPERIENCING THE VISITATION THAT BRINGS HEALING, RESTORATION AND JOY?

 

Every last day of the month of May, we celebrate the Feast of Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A great Marian feast on which we conclude our May devotion in a grand style in procession, with hymns and candle light, singing along with our mother Mary in thanksgiving to God for the good work of our salvation.

 

So, today’s feast as we have it in our Gospel passage, reminds us the moment when Mary, after the event of Annunciation, having received the message from Angel Gabriel, came to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who is now pregnant with a child. For at that time, Mary was just having the Child Jesus in her not long after he was conceived in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, while Elizabeth, who had become pregnant earlier, was having John the Baptist in her womb, even in her old age.

 

Here, Mary sang the magnificat in honour to God for the great thing he has done not just for her, but for all humanity. For having heard that her cousin Elizabeth, who at that time had been long barren have now conceived a child, came and found out that what the Lord had revealed to her through the Angel Gabriel was indeed true, that her cousin Elizabeth had miraculously conceived in her old age. And herself, about to have a Child without any human relations but by the power of the Holy Spirit. These made Mary to rejoice greatly, for it was truly a great and joyful moment which God has shown to all his people.

 

Hence, this grace-filled event reveals the special role that Mary played in God’s plan for human salvation. So, as she brings the Word of life dwelling in her womb to Elizabeth, Mary becomes the image of Church’s missionary activity for she is filled with the spirit ready to visit and bring Christ to all humanity.

 

This also presents to us the joyful moment when Mary bearing the Word Made Flesh visited barren and lonely humanity well represented by the person of Elizabeth. Thus, in this act of kindness, we recall the faith and the wonderful commitment showed by Mary, as an example and inspiration to all of us. For she totally obeyed the Lord and entrusted herself completely to the divine will of God.

 

Dear friends, visitation is part and parcel of our mission, just that we are so busy with everything except the very essence of our mission, which is, the salvation of our souls. The fact remains that, there is joy and power in visiting one another just like Mary. There is grace and sense of belonging in visiting one another.

 

Do you know that there are some visitations that bring healing, restoration and joy? Do you wish to have or give such kind of visitation? For there is inner healing and restoration when we visit each other. So today, who do you wish to visit or who will you like to visit you today? How will you feel if any of your loved one should pay you a surprise visit today? How will you feel if your presence brings joy and happiness to someone today?

 

Why not try to visit someone today? Why not try to visit that your friends, colleagues, classmates, workers, family members and neighbours whom you have abandoned for a long time? Why not try to learn from Mary, for in her we have found a great role model? So, by following her example we also embark on our own journey of faith, learning from her obedience and dedication to the mission that has been entrusted to her throughout her life, just as we are entrusted with the task of spreading the Gospel passage to all humanity.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, only the soul for whom you have done great things can truly proclaim with fitting praise the joy of your presence. As we embrace your words today through the visitation of our Mother Mary, we joyfully surrender unto you, our whole life, our senses, our barrenness and loneliness, for our spirit rejoices at the coming of Christ Jesus our Savour, and may this joy always remain in our hearts through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Tuesday of the Eight Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 30th May, 2023

Readings: Sir. 35:1-12; Ps.50; Mark 10:28-31

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

CAN WE TRULY LEAVE EVERYTHING AND FOLLOW THE LORD?

 

There is no doubt that the things of this world can be very captivating. The more you are attached to them, the more they consume you. For we find it difficult to let go of them or know when we should be detached from them. That is why today, many people are consumed by them since they can not find any reason why they should let go of them. For we see how people can go to any length to acquire properties, treasures, fame, influence and power that will last from forth to their tenth generation, without thinking of that which will lead to life eternal.

 

This is exactly the mind set of most people today, and this is not different from the disposition of some of the disciples of Jesus. Little wonder Peter in our Gospel passage today, asked Jesus a very important question about sacrificing everything for the sake of following him. So, in response, Jesus draws his attention to the fundamental principle of our human existence, when he said to him: ‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, not without persecutions now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.

 

Here, Jesus is calling us to a life of detachment from materials things of this passing world. He is reassuring us that all those who have given everything and committed their time and efforts, and are making sacrifices for the sake of his kingdom would not be disappointed nor left without rewards. Their reward in the end will be truly great, for God remembers those who love him and has given themselves for his sake. He will guide them and remain with them throughout their journey no matter how tough it may be. Hence, we heard in our first reading that a virtuous man’s sacrifice is acceptable, its memorial will not be forgotten, for the Lord is a good rewarder, he will reward him seven times over.

 

Dear friends, today Jesus addressed the very thing that most people are not ready to give up. Those things such as  money, houses, credentials, love of power, pride and wealth. But, if we are honest enough, we will admit that we all have some things we would be very slow to let go if Jesus should make the demand of them. Those things we so much attached ourselves with and would not like God to ask us to give them up for the sake of following him.

 

In fact, it might be a good thing today, for us to ask ourselves, what would be the most difficult thing for us to give up if Jesus should ask us to do so. It might be some thing we own like our properties, treasures, fame, influence and power or our wealth; it may be a relationship, or our job, or our habit and attitudes. So, whatever we posses that will separate us from our mission of following Jesus and loving our neighbours, today we are called to give them up and come follow the Lord, because in leaving them for the sake of Jesus, we actually gain all in abundance.

 

LET US PRAY, Heavenly Father, we are so much attached to things of this passing world, help us to know that excess attachment to our earthly possessions could be an obstacle on our way to your Kingdom. Give us the grace to let go of things that often separate us from you as we learn to share with our neighbours especially the poor. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Monday of the Eight Week in Ordinary Time Year A, The Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church (Mater Ecclesiae), 29th May, 2023

Readings: Gen. 3:9-15.20, Ps.87; John 19:25-34

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

CELEBRATING MARY OUR MOTHER

 

As the Holy season of Eastertide comes to an end with the celebration of Pentecost yesterday, the Church continues with the second face of the Ordinary Time of the liturgical calendar. This begins with the memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church.

 

 Although today’s Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church is new, but the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Mother of the Church, is very ancient. It was Pope Francis, who established the celebration of this Memorial in 2018, which is to be celebrated annually on the day following the Solemnity of Pentecost. Pope Francis said he wished to establish this Memorial in order to encourage the growth of the maternal sense of the Church in the pastors, religious and faithful, as well as a growth of genuine Marian piety.

 

Hence, the Memorial of Mary Mother of the Church is established in order to remind us that Mary is indeed the Mother of all of us. For as God’s chosen people, Mary has been entrusted to us to be our own loving Mother, and to whom we have also been entrusted as her own beloved adopted sons and daughters, through Christ, her Son, who shares his divinity with us as he elevates our humanity, as we have it in our Gospel passage today, when Jesus entrusted his mother to John saying: Woman, behold your Son, then to the disciple he said, Behold your mother.

 

Here, Mary assumes the role of the Mother of the Church, while the disciple represents all of us Christians, who are members of God’s Church and therefore have become children of Mary, God’s own beloved Mother, and she is indeed, the Mother of the Church, the Mother of all Christians. Thus, Mary had always been with the Church as she has always been with the Apostles and the other leaders of the Church, for she is full of grace and had borne Christ who is the Head of the Church.

 

So, it worth honouring her with the title Mater Ecclesiae, the Mother of the Church. For she was the New Eve would resisted the temptations of Satan and remained completely faithful to the Lord as she followed her Son, the New Adam, to the foot of the Cross. Thereby fulfilling the Lord’s prophecy at the very beginning, as we heard in our first reading today.

 

Dear friends, as we celebrate Mary, as our Mother, the Mother of the Church and the Help of all Christians, we entrust all our struggles, suffering, persecutions, challenges, trials and difficulties into her maternal care, in order to remain faithful and survive through the turbulent times and challenges of our time. We also pray for our country Nigeria that through the intercession of Mary Mother of the Church may God intervene in the ugly situations in our country. Let us learn to remain faithful like Mary and not take our faith for granted. Let us remain steadfast knowing that Mary, the Help of all Christians is our Mother and Consoler.

 

LET US PRAY, Lord God, as we celebrate the Memorial of Mary Mother of the Church and Help of Christians, grant through her intercessions, all the graces and courage we need in order to conquer all our fears and challenge of life and so look forward to the coming of Christ our Lord and Saviour. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Pentecost Sunday Year A, 28th May, 2023

Readings: Acts 2:1-11; Ps.104; 1 Cor. 12:3-7,12-13;  John 20:19-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

HOW WELL ARE YOU DISPOSED FOR THE OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?

 

Today the solemnity of Pentecost, we have gathered like the disciples of Jesus who after the preaching, the passion, death, resurrection and the ascension of Jesus were afraid and ashamed to talk about Jesus. So they locked themselves in a room praying and waiting as we have done for the past few weeks now, waiting for fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, that Promised Paraclete as Jesus directed us.

 

Yes, today the Promised Paraclete has come, the Comforter has come, the purifying fire has come. Today all children of God are empowered once more to conquer the world with the Good News of Christ's salvation. Today the fears, the shame, the weakness of sins, the lukewarmness, the lockdown and all the barriers that hold us captive in the upper room have now been consumed by the power of the Holy Ghost which we are receiving today. For we have been set free and empowered to transform the world once again with the truth of the Gospel of Christ.

 

This power is what we receive in our Gospel passage today, when Jesus came and stood among his disciples in their lockdown and fearful situation and said to them as he is saying to us today: ‘Peace be with you,  As the Father sent me, so am I sending you. And after saying this he breathed on them and said: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.” As he is saying to you now: Receive the Holy Spirit!! Gba Ẹmí Mimọ!

Karɓi Ruhu Mai Tsarki! Nara Mmụọ Nsọ!

 

This Gospel passage takes us today to the Upper Room where, after the Last Supper and the ugly event of his passion and death, a sense of loss and fear had saddened the hearts of the Apostles. But their sadness will not be long, for he will not abandon them, he will not leave them orphans. He will send the Consoler, the power of Love, the Spirit of the Father, and this Spirit will enable them to understand that his work is a work of love: love of the One who gave himself, love of the Father who has given him and love for humanity whom he has come to save.

 

This is the mystery of the Pentecost we are celebrating today as we have it in our first reading, When on the Pentecost day the disciples were in a room of fear and shame, and suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.

 

These gifts of the Holy Spirit are grouped into seven with twelve fruits. The seven gifts include: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. While the fruits which are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory are as follows: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.

 

Among all these gifs and fruits, love is the most important of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, just as it is also the most important of all the Christian virtues. Without love, all the good things we have received and accomplished mean nothing. Love helps us to share in the image of God which Jesus is offering us, so that we can live the life of the spirit. For Holy Spirit illuminates the human spirit and reveals in it, the image of Christ Crucified and Risen, in order to become more like him, bearing the image and instrument of the love which flows from Christ. It is in this image of love, that the greatness of the Pentecost event is perceived.

 

Hence, St Paul advised us in our second reading to embrace the Spirit of love that will help us to accommodate each other’s gifts and talents, for though separate individuals, we are united as one body and one Spirit in one baptism. For  there is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of us. This tells us that the gift of the Holy Spirit is meant to be put into use for the good of humanity. But this is not always the case. Because, sometimes we let our gifts be dormant.

 

Little wonder, St. Hilary in his treaties on the Trinity said that:  faculties of the human body, if denied their exercise, will lie dormant. The eye without light, natural or artificial, cannot fulfil its office; the ear will be ignorant of its function unless some voice or sound be heard; the nose will find no work or purpose if it cannot perceive any scent. This is so not because the faculty is absent, rather, because it is never put into use. So, there will be no experience of its existence.

 

This is the same with the soul of man, unless through faith it has appropriated the gift of the Spirit, then it will have the innate faculty of apprehending God. For the Spirit has been given to each according to the measure of his willingness to receive it in his soul. This Holy Spirit we must seek to have it in abundance and then hold fast by faith and obedience to the commands of God.

 

Dear friends, how well are you disposed for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit? What is your disposition towards the outpouring of the Holy Spirit? Some people have come today to receive the Holy Spirit without adequate preparation. Some are prepared just to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. Some have come with extra basket while some have come with a secured vessel to obtain as many gifts as possible.

 

Today the power of the Holy Spirit of love has been poured upon us, so we are called and empowered to go into the whole world and proclaim the Good News of God’s love for humanity. For there are many people in our world today who have not experienced the true love of God in their hearts, because they are distracted by various worldly concerns and selfishness, as they keep hurting each other and causing more trouble in the world.

 

Therefore, let our actions and deeds bear the fruit of this love of God not only to such people, but to our fellow brethren by showing genuine care and concern for each other.  Let us not close our doors of love because, we continually want to feel secure and do not want to be disturbed by others or by God.

 

Rather let us like the apostles break open the doors of our hearts, for Christ overcome our enclosure to bring us love and peace and build a bridge between heaven and earth, so that we can climb up on this bridge of love to reach him and together with him, we too cant reach all humanity, beginning with our families members, our societies and to the ends of the Earth.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we lift up our hearts together with Mary our mother in the Spirit of Pentecost, singing the Veni Sancte Spiritus, may the Holy Spirit of love come down upon us wherever we may be and fill our hearts with the fire of His love. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love. Amen. Wishing you a Spirit-filled Pentecost celebration.

 

Homily For Saturday Seventh Week of Eastertide Year A, 27th May, 2023

Readings: Acts 28:16-20.30-31; Ps.11;  John 21:20-25

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

ARE YOU THAT DISCIPLE THAT JESUS LOVES?

 

In one of his poems entitled "The Living Flame of Love”, St. John of the Cross one of the greatest mysticists and doctors of the Church,  said in the first stanza of the poem: “O living flame of love that tenderly wounds my soul in it’s deepest center! Since now You are not oppressive, now consummate! if it be Your will: tear through the veil of this sweet encounter!”

 

The flame of love, here is the Holy Spirit, which bathes the soul that encounters it in glory and refreshes it with divine life of love in which the will of the soul is united in the most sublime flame of love for God in Jesus.

 

This may be the situation of the life of John the beloved one of the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today, which made the scriptures described him as ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’. What a great description of any one’s personality. This disciple had a peculiar share in the love of Christ and was admitted to great nearness and freedom with Christ. This gave him the liberty which no one has among the disciples.

 

The fact remains that, it is a great thing to love Jesus and be loved by Jesus. Yes, Jesus loved all his disciples, yet within that circle of love there was an innermost place in which the beloved John was favoured to dwell.  For those who display an extraordinary love to one are all the more capable of great affection to many; and therefore, because Jesus loved John most, he has an enhanced estimate of his love to the other disciples. Though John was raised, but others were not lowered, rather they were raised with him.

 

John no doubt was in more intimate communion with Jesus. When all the disciples sit at the table, even Peter is not nearest to the Lord, but John will lean his head upon his bosom with earnest and  intense affection. Jesus loves him not just as a disciple but as a dear friend whose personality as young individual has the most profitable opportunity of becoming eminent piety. He was the only disciple who was most nearer to Jesus and his mother at his passion and death.

 

Hence, Jesus entrusted his mother to him saying son behold your mother, mother behold your son, because in John, Jesus has found a soul that truly loves. And the more a soul loves God, it desires that God be loved and honored by all and the greater this desire becomes, the more the soul labours toward that end in all possible means and this is evidence in all the works John beloved.

 

Dear friends, are you that disciple that Jesus loves? Have you ever feel loved by God personally? Have you ever been identified as one whom God loves? Have you personally desired to be an instrument of God’s love for humanity? Have you ever paid the price of sacrificial love? Have your love ever been rejected by those you loved most or have rejected those who loved you?

 

Today we are called to examine our conscience to know if there is any sign of true love of God and neighbours in us. We are called to make ourselves available for God’s love to abide in us. We are called to build a personality that gives room for love to flow in us and through us. As we anticipate the solemnity of Pentecost tomorrow, we are called to open up for the Holy Spirit to enkindle in us the fire of His love so that our soul will be transformed in love. And let this fire of love be extended to our families, societies, country and the world at large.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, inflame our hearts once again with the fire of your love. Grant that we may personally and collectively experience you divine love for us and for all humanity through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a lovely weekend.