Homily For Monday Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 5th June, 2023. The Memorial of St. Boniface

Readings: Tob. 1:3:2:1-8; Ps.112; Mark 12:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHY ALL THIS WICKEDNESS, GREED AND CORRUPTION IN OUR SOCIETY?

 

Oftentimes, I wonder why there are so many evil, greediness and wickedness in the world, despite how God has blessed us with good things. This is evident in our Gospel passage today, marked by a growing conflict between Jesus and the religious and political leaders of his time. And Jesus illustrates this ugly event with an allegory of the Vineyard Owner which was directed towards the ugly attitudes of humanity.

 

In this allegory Jesus tells the story of a man who planted a vineyard, fitted it out with all that was necessary and then leased it out to tenants to cultivate. Now vineyard owner sent his servants to collect the dues and rents from the tenants whom he had entrusted with the care of his vineyard which he leased out to them. Those tenants were wicked and desired to keep everything they gained to themselves, hence they persecuted and killed the servants sent to them. The tenants also killed the son of the vineyard owner, whom the owner sent to them thinking that the tenants would respect his own son.

 

This allegory describes the relationship between God and humanity and how humanity has been summoned for a trial. Here, the owner of the vineyard is God, while the son represents Jesus Himself, the Son of God sent into the world to save humanity. Also the vineyard represents the world itself while the wicked tenants represent the ugly attitudes of humanity towards the resources entrusted to us by God.

 

Dear friends, why all this wickedness, greed and corruption in our society? Today our nation is on a trial before God, for God has presented his case against us, summoning our blessed land and mountains to act as judge between Him and the people of this country, by reminding us how He has blessed us with so many resources, skills, good weather and people. But we have misused them, neglected his message, committed a lot of evil and murder,  yet we are still crying, seeking for solutions and signs from God.

 

Today as tenants in God’s vineyard, we are called to change our attitude positively, we should turn away from greed, corruption, pride and ego. If not, we will likely end up like those wicked tenants who acted with such evil against their fellow men and even against the son of their master and were justly punished.

 

Therefore, what God requires from us today is for us to do justice, to love kindly and to walk humbly with him for our own good and the good of others. So, just like Tobit in our first reading today, we are called to care for one another. For Tobit never stop from sacrificing for the poor, the weak, the loyal-hearted, those in exiled, the sick and also burying the dead.

 

This is what we are called to do especially as we celebrate the memorial of St. Boniface today, we recall the humble way in which he spread the Good News as a renowned Bishop and Martyr of the Church. For he is being remembered for his many works of mission among the pagan peoples living in Germania, what is now known as the modern day Germany, where in early days of the Church, he established the foundation of Christian faith and there he suffered martyrdom in the hands of the pagans.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we celebrate the memorial of St Boniface, grant that through his intercession we may turn away from pride, greed and the corruptions of the this passing world and become steadfast in faith and in care for one another. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you the best of God's favour and blessings.

Homily For Sunday of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Year A, 4th June, 2023

Reading: Ex. 34:4-6.8-9; Ps. Dn. 3:29-34; 2Cor.13:11-13; John 3:16-18

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

CELEBRATING GOD'S REVELATION OF HIS MYSTICAL NATURE TO HUMANITY

 

No doubt that humanity perceive God as a mystery and in need he is a great mystery. But when we perceive something as a mystery, it does not really mean that we cannot know anything about that thing. It simply means that we cannot know everything about that thing. We only know to the extent our reasoning faculty can perceive. This means that perceiving God as a mystery shows that we can know something about him, but we cannot known everything about him.

 

Now the questions are: what do we know about God? How has God revealed himself to us? How have we perceived and understand this revelation? What impact has this revelation and understanding made in our lives as human beings living in the world he created? The answer to these questions are found in the  solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity which we celebrate today.

 

Little wonder, every first Sunday after the great event of Pentecost, that marks the end of Easter season and the Church haven filled with the Holy Spirit, our attention are turned to the mysteries of heaven, where we gaze with an eye of faith into the mystery of God’s revelation of his mystical nature as Trinitarian form of Love.  

 

That is, in a form of three Persons, Father, Son and Spirit who are ONE GOD in substance and essence. Here, the Father is love, the Son is love made Flesh, and the Spirit is love in Action. For there is wholly ONE purest, infinite and eternal LOVE which is God, and Love Personified which is God himself in the person of Jesus and Love in Action which is the Holy Spirit. This of course is the mystery of the Trinity, a reality that surpasses human reason.

 

So, the Church through revelation has come to know, understand and perceived that the Holy Trinity works in one unity and essence. For the invisible Father and invisible Son sent the visible son in the person of Jesus, so as to be visible in the world in order to save humanity. And the actions of the invisible Father through the visible Son are made presence in the world by the Person of the Holy Spirit. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are of the same substance and essence that manifest in three persons of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This is the mystery of God's nature we celebrate today as revealed.

 

For today’s solemnity  reveals to us that “God is love not in the oneness of a single Person, but in the Trinity of one substance”, as we have it in the Preface of today’s celebration. Telling us that God who is Love is the creator and merciful Father; he is the Only-Begotten Son, the eternal Word of Wisdom incarnate, who died and rose for us; he is also the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, who moves all things in history, toward their final and full recapitulation.

 

This is a special feast that gives us the opportunity to gaze into the communitarian life of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who live in a communion of love and calls us to participate in this love. Thereby reminding us of the marvelous plan of our salvation, that finds its origin in this Trinitarian love of the Father, who sent the Son and the Holy Spirit for the redemption of humanity. For we have been called to share in this family of love. This family of love is God’s nature that he shares with humanity through the Son Jesus, the Word Made Flesh and the Holy Spirit the Paraclete.

 

Thus, in this Sunday’s solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, we celebrate the summary of God’s revelation of Himself to humanity which was brought about through the paschal mysteries of Christ’s Death, Resurrection and Ascension to the right hand of the Father, and the gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This great mystical revelation of the Triune God can not be totally comprehended by human mind and language, hence the Church has called us to live it with deep faith and apply it in our daily lives.

 

Little wonder, our readings today tell us about this Trinitarian nature of God in human history, In the First Reading, we heard about the revelation of God’s Name and His active participation in the life of His people, as He proclaims before Moses in the cloud on Mount Sinai saying: “The Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” a God who pardon our sins and iniquities and take us as His inheritance.

 

This is a great act of love of which our Gospel passage today testifies to this in the famous John’s Gospel telling us that: “God so loved the world that he gave his Only Begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ” This clearly shows us love in action, illustrating that God is not closed or satisfied with his own self-sufficiency, but he is that life of love that wants to communicate itself with His fragile creatures in an open and deep relationship.

 

Hence St Paul in our second reading encouraged us to rejoice, mend our ugly ways of life, heed his appeal, agree with one another, live in peace, so that the God of love and peace will be with us. He then, introduced and commended us into the grace and life of the Triune God saying: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”

 

Therefore inviting us to share and participate in the communitarian family of love in the Trinity, that is now open for all humanity. That is why we are Baptize in the name of the Trinity, we are blessed in the name of the Trinity, we are consecrated to the life and family of God through the Trinitarian formula.

 

Dear friends, today’s solemnity invites us to embrace the new life we have found in the Trinity, that new life that calls us to the reality of love that is contained in the mystery of our faith. The One love of the Father, that is made Flesh in the Person of the Son Jesus, and in action in the Person of Holy Spirit, in a purely physical unity of which humanity are called to participate.

 

Hence Jesus has revealed to us that we are essentially “God’s children”, creatures who live in relationship with the Creator God the Father, and are called to share this relationship with one another. Thereby reaching out to God and to our fellow mankind, in whose life we discovers the image of our common love in the Father.

 

Thus, in this love comes the model of the human community, originating from the Triune Family to our individual human families down to the society and the world at large, pointing to us that humanity are one, related in the one love of God our common Father, through His Son Jesus in the active power of the Holy Spirit.

 

This is the faith we have embraced and are called to share with all humility. Therefore, we are called to grow in this mission, knowing that, the Trinity is at the same time unity in love and in mission, the more deep this love dwells in us, the stronger the urge to pour it out and spread it to all, beginning from our family, down to the society and to the ends of the Earth.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as you reveal the mystery of your nature which is love and calls us to share and participate in it, grant that humanity may come to embrace this loving kindness, and so be united as one family sharing one common Father in love and truth, we ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen. Do have a fruitful Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday of the Eight Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 3rd June, 2023. The Memorial of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions

Readings: Sir. 51:12-20, Ps.19; Mark 11:27-33

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

CAN THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF JESUS BE TRACED IN YOU?

 

In our dealings with people, we are often requested to make reference to authorities in order to backup our claim to know or possess anything. And when such authority is not available we may not be taking seriously. Little wonder our Gospel passage today, presents to us the fundamental question concerning the source of Jesus’ authority, namely whether it is divine or human.

 

Here, after Jesus drove away the traders from the courts of the Temple, the chief priests and elders questioned the source of his authority, for they were more concerned to learn whether Jesus had received the proper human authorization by questioning the source of his authority.

 

In response, Jesus draws their attention to John the Baptist and his authority and by so doing he implies that the source of John's authority is the source of his as well. Thus, anyone who correctly identifies the source of John's authority will definitely identify the source of Jesus’ own as well.

 

Therefore the questions we need to ask ourselves are: What is our notion about the authority of Jesus? Do we have any doubt about the authority of Jesus? How much of this authority dwells in you? The crowds identified the source of John and Jesus’ authority as divine, can we personally identified the Divine Authority of Jesus in our lives? Why not ask him to manifest his power and authority once more in your life?

 

Dear friends, we need to open up our hearts to truly embrace the authority of our Lord Jesus. We need to build up our interior lives around his authority, so as to be more close to God and continue to prepare ourselves physically and spiritually for his coming in our hearts and in our souls. For there he awaits our response to his invitation to the life of faith, holiness and love.

 

So let us learn to ask God for his grace and wisdom to be faithful and holy just as we heard in our first reading today. Let us also be encouraged by the lives of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, the Holy Martyrs of Uganda whose memorial we celebrate today, they hold on to their faith in the midst of brutal persecutions and death. We also are called to remain faithful in our faith, even in the midst of all the difficulties and challenges of life as we experience in our country today.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, in your divine authority we build our confidence and hope. Through the intercession of St. Charles Lwanga, may you continue to direct and guide our ways and bring our plans and purposes to a successful end. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a happy and fruitful weekend.

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.