Homily For Sunday the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) Year A, 11th June, 2023

Reading: Deut. 8:2-3.14-16; Ps. 147; 1Cor. 10:16-17; John 6:51-58

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

CELEBRATING CHRIST'S LOVING PRESENCE FOR HUMANITY IN THE EUCHARIST.

 

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ also called the Corpus Christi celebration. This solemnity usually takes place on Thursday or Sunday after the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. It is a solemn celebration were we reaffirm with great joy our faith in the Eucharistic Mystery of Christ's loving presence for humanity. An event that reminds us of God’s infinite gift of love for humanity which was made present in the Person of Christ Jesus under the appearance of Bread and Wine.

 

The mystery of the solemnity of Corpus Christi, constitutes a very important aspect of our Christian faith, which is rooted in the historical and cultural context of the Jewish people's experience with God, of which Jesus is the fullest of this experience and revelation. Therefore, in the occasion of our Gospel passage today, we heard how Jesus engaged the people in a very important discussion about the reality of his sacrificial love for humanity that is not so familiar with the people.

 

 He said to them “I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live for ever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world… I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him.

 

This teaching seemed so hard and difficult to understand as many disciples of Jesus withdrew from him and abandoned him just like some of our brethren in faith chose to abandon this same truth of our faith concerning the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. However, their abandoning Jesus does not made him to change his statement. But for those Apostles who stayed, he made known this mystery at the Last Supper when he instituted the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and gave them power and authority to do this in memory of him.

 

This is a very important mission, which the Apostles had faithfully carried out and have passed on to all of their successors, the bishops and the priests of the Church, who have been ordained and received the same power and authority of the Lord to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. For at Last Supper, Jesus presented the Bread and Wine as his Body and Blood which he offered as a sacrificial love for humanity and ask his disciples to do the same in memory of him.

 

This very mandate of Christ is what the Church is doing at every celebration of the Holy sacrifice of the Mass, where Christ through the priest who act  ‘in persona Christi’ by the power of consecration, transubstantiate the Bread and Wine into his Real Body and Blood and offer it to God His Father as an unbloodied sacrificial love for humanity.

 

This means that the substance and essence of the bread and wine the priest blessed and offered to God at the celebration of the Holy Mass, has truly become the very Body and Blood of Christ Himself, under the appearance of bread and wine through the mystery of Transubstantiation. Thus, through the word ‘transubstantiation’ from the two words ‘Trans’ which means ‘change’ and ‘Substantiate’ meaning ‘substance or essence’, we can explain the mystery of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Here, we have the change of the whole substance of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ through the prayer of consecration by Christ Himself through the priest in the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Therefore, at every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, through the power of the Holy Spirit the substance of bread and wine become the Real and Most Precious Body and Blood of Christ Jesus, just in the same way he spoke at the Last Supper saying ‘This is My Body, which shall be given up for you’, ‘This is the Chalice of My Blood, the Blood of the New and Eternal Covenant, which shall be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins’.

 

This he fulfilled at the Cross in Calvary, where he offered himself; Body, Soul and Divinity for the salvation of humanity. Hence, we share in this grace of salvation when we participate fully in this sacrificial offering of God’s love for humanity. That is why the Church defined the Eucharist as the sacrament of the true body and blood of Jesus Christ, together with his Soul and Divinity, under the appearance of bread and wine. Though, the appearances of bread and wine remain in the Holy Eucharist, for we cannot see Christ with our bodily eyes in this sacrament. But we do see him with the eyes of faith

 

Little wonder St Paul says in our second reading today that: The cup of blessing that we bless is a participation in the blood of Christ, and the bread that we break is a participation in the body of Christ. For there is only one bread in a form of a single body and we all have a share in this one bread of which we aspire to become what we receive. This is because Jesus offers his own blood, having won an eternal redemption for us. He has purified our inner self from dead actions so that we can offer our service to the living God.

 

The fact remains that in the Eucharist, we are physically and spiritually fed much more than the Israelites in the wilderness, who were fed with manna as we have it in our first reading. For  they were given the manna to survive in the wilderness, but Christ gave us the Eucharist not just for us to survive in this world, but, for us to gain eternal life and come to share in his love. This will help us to understand that the Eucharist is the presence of Christ's love for humanity.

 

Dear friends, what is our relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist? What is our attitude towards the Holy Eucharist? What is our experience of Jesus in the Eucharist? How has the Eucharist we receive almost everyday change our lives positively? How has the Eucharist influence our lives to sacrifice for the good of humanity? Do we still have that strong desire to receive Christ in the Eucharist? Do we still believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist? Do we still feel the love of Jesus in the Eucharist?

 

 How often have we abuse the Eucharist and treat the body of Christ without due reverence? How often have we received the Eucharist unworthily? The answer to these questions is blowing in the wind because we have forgotten that anyone who received the Eucharist in an unworthy state, received judgment unto his or herself (1Cor. 11:27-29). For anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession ( CCC. 1457).

 

Therefore,  it is important that we receive the Eucharist worthily and reverently. And these are benefits we gain when we receive Eucharist worthily: first we gain eternal Life and renew the life of grace we received at Baptism. We also gain forgiveness of Venial Sins, we receive spiritual joy, Supernatural Protection and closeness to the Trinity. Yes, the Eucharist fills our hearts with love and thanksgiving. It gives us hope that God is with us in our daily struggles. In the Eucharist we have a personal communion with Christ. For it keeps us in one communion with God, the church and with one another. It reminds us of God's constant presence with humanity and his love for us.

 

So, today we are called to embrace the love of God present in the Holy Eucharist, the power of God’s mercy for sinful humanity. We are called to deepened our understanding of the rich mystery of our faith in the Eucharist. Today we are called to change the way we relate with Jesus in the Eucharist. We are called to strive to worthily receive the Holy Eucharist. We are called to be grateful for this Sacrificial love of Christ in the Holy Eucharist and form the habit of adoring Christ our Lord present in the Holy Eucharist. We are called to let the love of his presence to transform our souls into that purest love that will renew our families, our societies, our country and the world at large.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, through the sacrificial love of your Son Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist, grant us the grace to constantly experience your presence within us especially in the midst of doubt, ignorance, persecution, trials and uncertainties of life. May the Eucharistic Power of Christ's love fill our hearts once again and so renew the hatred, greed and corruption in the hearts of sinful humanity. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday to you all.

Homily For Saturday Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 10th June, 2023

Reading: Tobit 12:1.5-15.20; Ps Tobit 13:2.6 -8; Mark12:38-44

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

DEALING WITH HUMAN PRIDE AND EGO

 

Beginning from the time of Adam and Eve in the Gardens of Eden, Devil has been tempting mankind with the capital sin of pride and ego, knowing how vulnerable and weak we can be in resisting our desires for knowledge and power. These are temptations for every age, however, it is more obvious in our society today, as we all want and like red carpet treatment. We all enjoy wearing a well tailored clothes and be addressed by honorific titles in different occasions and events even in the Church.

 

These of course can be done innocently without any harm depending on how they affect our relationships with God and our neighbours. When it is done out of pride and ego then, it becomes harmful to others and this can lead to idolatry, where man will seek to be like God or assume the honor and glory due to God.

 

This ugly attitude is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, when he said “Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted obsequiously in the market squares, to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets; these are the men who swallow the property of widows, while making a show of lengthy prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive”.

 

Here, Jesus points to men entrusted with religious leadership who have turned their positions of trust into selfish interest as they focus on what they can get, rather than what they can give. So Jesus warning his disciples against such kind of behaviour, especially how they exercised and practiced their faith.

 

The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law often prided themselves in their privileged and highly respected position in the community, and showed off their faith, seeking important and privileged positions. What Jesus is telling us all is to be careful and vigilant against the temptations of ego and pride in our lives. We must focus our attention on God and put Him first and foremost in all we do.

 

Dear friends, the warning of Jesus concerning our pride and ego is not only for religious leaders and ministers, but for everyone of us: fathers, mothers, teachers, lecturers, government officials, military leaders, businessmen and women, celebrities, doctors, mechanics and leaders of all works of life.

 

We are to be on the watch in order to avoid being carried away by the titles of honour and dignity that comes with the pride of life, like some of the scribes in our Gospel passage today. Rather, we should humble ourselves in the midst of external respect and honour, for noble souls despise these kind of honour, as they offer it to God, to whom all respect and honour belongs.

 

Therefore, let us learn an act of humility by ensuring that we give all honour  and glory to God just as Tobit and Tobias were advice by archangel Raphael as we heard him in our first reading saying ‘Bless God, utter his praise before all the living for all the favours he has given you. Bless and extol his name. Proclaim before all men the deeds of God as they deserve, and never tire of giving him thanks.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as you warn us today to beware of the pride and ego of the human life, grant us the grace of humility in the midst of all prideful events in our lives, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace-filled weekend.

Homily For Friday Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 9th June, 2023

Reading: Tobit 11:5-17; Ps. 146; Mark 12:35-37

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

WHY IS THERE CONSTANT PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IN THE WORLD?

 

A critical study of the history of Christianity, one will discover that  persecution, sufferings, trails and martyrdom have been a reoccurring event. Jesus, his apostles and their successors met painful sufferings and martyrdoms, and yet, they still continued to give their best to serve the Lord and humanity with their faith. But I wondered why it should be so, given that the teaching and doctrines of Christian faith offers nothing but love, peace and truth to humanity.

 

So what is it about the Christian faith that frightens the world so deep that it seems as if Christianity should be extinguished from the world? The simple reason is because, Christian faith offers truth and light to the darkness, ignorance and sinful humanity who have grown rotten in the darkness of this sinful world.

 

The scourge of truth is so painful and difficult to for humanity to bear, hence, they prefers to avoid or resist it and the only way to escape this, is by persecuting the bearers of truth and this gives birth to unending ugly act of persecution, sufferings and trials we are passing through today especially as Christians. 

 

Thus, in the Gospel passage, we heard how the personality of Jesus was challenged by the people in the temple. Here Jesus taught them that the Messiah, though from the lineage of David was not a mere man, as they supposed, but that he was both God and man, therefore they ought not to wonder or to be offended because he called himself the Son of God.

 

This they heard with great attention and pleasure; for the clear and solid answers with which Jesus responded, gave them a high opinion of his wisdom, and showed them how far he was superior to their most renowned rabbis who still dwell in the darkness of ignorance as they seek means to extinguish the truth by persecuting him the more.

 

Dear friends, we can see why there are  constant persecution of Christians in our world. Should we stop being Christian? How do you think the world will be if there are no Christians to remind humanity about God? So, we must not give up, we must not stop being Christians, for God will always be with his people no matter how much they may have to suffer or be persecuted. This is well illustrated in our first reading today with the story of the restoration of the sights of Tobit and the reunion of his family.

 

Therefore, we must remain faithful in our faith for we are not alone in the sufferings and persecution we encounter as a result of our faith and the mission entrusted to us by Jesus. For through our perseverance many people will be touched by the truth, and come to know more about the truth and with open hearts and minds embrace it.

 

So, friends, as we struggle with our faith and mission, we are encouraged to persevere in the midst of all our fears, sufferings, trials and persecutions. Though it may seem as if our condition is now hopeless and irredeemable, but for those who put their trust in God, all things work out for our good just like that of Tobit and Tobias.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we struggle with the sufferings and persecution of this passing world because of our faith in you, grant that our lives may bear great witness to the truth we have found in Jesus, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Remain blessed.

Homily For Thursday Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 8th June, 2023

Reading: Tobit 6:9-12.7:1.9-12.16.8:1.4-9; Ps. 128; Mark12:28-34

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE FROM US

 

In our journey of faith we struggle with so many commitments and responsibilities. Oftentimes, we want to know which one should be our first priority. What should be the most important thing to focus our energy? What should become the foundation of all the things we need to do? In fact, we just want to know what is really required of us?

 

This is the deposition of the Scribe in our Gospel passage today, who came to Jesus and asked the same question. In response to his question which is about the greatest commandment? Jesus reminds him of the 'Shema Israel' - שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, the prayer that they knew and recite from their earliest years.

 

In this prayer they learned that the most important thing in life is to love God with all their heart, and with all thy soul, and with all their mind. That is, with all the powers and faculties of the soul; as under the influence and guidance of the more noble faculties of the soul, the mind, the understanding, judgment, and will. Jesus then added: to love one’s neigbhour as the second priority.

 

In other words, loving God with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is what the Lord required of us and it is the foundation of all the things we have to do. And Jesus set as the standard of love not just by the love he was able to show, but by the depth of love which he shows by dying for us thereby calling us to do to do the same. This is possible only when we understand the true meaning of love and sacrifice and this is what is really lacking in our relationship with God and neighbours.

 

 

In fact, a critical look at what is happening in our world today, it is obvious that the world has lost the true meaning of love and sacrifice. This present generation has failed to understand the true meaning and source of love and this can be seen in the kind of fruit we bear. The fruit of love in this generation is so complicated: love has become a tool for selfishness, deception, greed, emotional and sexual satisfaction. This is because we have abandoned God who is the source and power of love and create for ourselves a mirage in the name love.

 

Dear friends, today, we are called to come back to the source of love, God himself, who teaches us that love is an attitude that seeks the good of others despite how we feel about them, he teaches us to be merciful, just as he is merciful. That love is an attitude that is sacrificial, an attitude that forgives, an attitude that accommodates, preserves, heals and builds up when every other things fails.

 

This is exactly what we see  in the lives of Tobias and Sarah in our first reading, who through prayers chose to invite God first in their relationship. This is the kind of attitude the world needs now, the attitude that comes from the pure love of God and neighbours, not the kind of selfish and humiliating can of love we see in our society today.

 

But how can humanity recover this power of love and harness it to bear more fruit in our societies where it seems as if true love exist no more? This is possible when we realize that we are products of love and are called to live out our essence, which is to love. Therefore, we can make our choice today to renew our commitment to keeping these two commandments and to reflect on how best we can put them together for our own good and the good of humanity. Remember, in you resides that love that is lacking in others.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in you is the fullness of love, grant that we may remain steadfast in faith by truly loving you and our neighbours and so conquer the world full of hatred, self-centeredness, greed and corruption, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Wednesday Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 7th June, 2023

Reading: Tobit 3:1-11.16-17; Ps. 25; Mark12:18-27

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

WHAT IS YOUR DISPOSITION ABOUT RESURRECTION?

 

The question about what becomes of the human person after death has been a contextual topic in every human generation and this has not totally changed in our own generation. However, the answer to this question has been given to us by Jesus in the occasion of our Gospel passage today, when the Sadducees, one of the most powerful and influential group within the Jewish community at time of Jesus asked him question regarding the notion about resurrection.

 

This group are made up of secular and powerful societal elites who were mostly irreligious and worldly in their attitudes. They rejected the spiritual aspects of the Jewish customs and teachings, refusing to believe in the presence of Angels and the Spirit, as well as the concept of the afterlife. They rejected the notion of resurrection and life after death.

 

To them, this life on earth is the only life they have and are living through, for no other things matter more than to enjoy the world as it is, and thus, they tend to live an extravagant lifestyle and selfish attitudes. So they came up to Jesus with a trick question concerning the notion about resurrection using example of seven brothers who shared a woman as their wife and died without a child, for according to the Jewish laws and customs, when a man died without having any descendant to continue his name and lineage, it was his brother’s responsibility and obligation to take the widow of the deceased man to be his own wife, and the firstborn child of the union would be considered as the child of the deceased brother.

 

Thus, they asked Jesus, who’s wife will she be at the resurrection? Here, Jesus rebuked them for their ignorant of the scriptures and the power of God. Then he goes on to explain how people will relate to each other in the afterlife. For after death and resurrection, men and women do not marry, for they will be like the angels in heaven.

 

He reminds them of the scene where the voice from the burning bush identifies itself to Moses. “I AM the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:6). He is the God of the living and not of the dead. After this reply of Jesus, they no longer dared to ask him any questions, because, he has given them a mind-blowing answer to their ignorance and unbelief.

 

Dear friends, it is natural for us to ask questions about the resurrection of life, but we should not expect to understand it fully while we are still alive. But we have to believe in the resurrection not so much because of Jesus’ arguments with the Sadducees, but because of his own resurrection and his promise to share his life with us forever. This will help us to understand what God did in the family of Tobit as we have it in our first reading today especially with the presence of angel Raphael.

 

For Jesus tells and showed us that we are children of the resurrection and children of God who neither marries nor given in marriage in the heavenly kingdom. For all that matters is our relationship with our God and neighbour, as for what we shall be after death is known by God alone.

 

Therefore, as Christians we are challenged to overcome our excessive attachments to the things of this passing world and to be more closer to God and allow him to guide us in our path of life. We also are called to remain faithful in our faith, even in the midst of all the difficulties, challenges and doubt.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, there are may things that challenge our faith everyday, as we listen to your words today addressing the questions about the resurrection, may we remain steadfast in faith even in the midst of all false teachings that bring about doubt in our minds. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Tuesday Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 6th June, 2023

Reading: Tobit 2:9-14; Ps. 112; Mark12:13-17

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

THE COIN OF LIFE: WHOSE IMAGE AND INSCRIPTION IS IN THE COIN YOU POSSESS

 

At the time of Jesus, one of the great means of exchange is the use of coin, A coin as we know is a small, flat, round piece of metal used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender use in order to facilitate trade. They are most often issued by the government with particular images, numerals and inscriptions. It is a very important commodity use in payment of taxes and other important goods, this gives great value to anyone who has enough for it in his possession.

 

So in the occasion of our Gospel passage today, when the Pharisees and Herodians attempted to trap Jesus using the mandatory law of paying tax to Caesar. It was a serious trap for Jesus because a negative response from him would make him a serious enemy of Rome; a positive response would make him lose the trust of his own people, who generally detest paying this tax.

 

Thus, Jesus said to them: “why do you set this trap for me? Bring me a coin and let me see it.’ They handed him one and he said, ‘Whose image and inscriptions is it?’ Caesar’s they told him. Jesus said to them, ‘Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.’ This reply took them completely by surprise.

 

But what do this reply means? Here Jesus requested for a coin; he secures the coin; he inquires about the image and inscription in the coin; and they responded by identifying the coin with Caesar. In the context of these actions Jesus is probably holding the coin this implies that the true image of the coin is in his possession but the empirical image and inscription of the coin are the sum total of the things that belong to Caesar. In order words the true image and inscriptions of anything comes and belongs to God.

 

However the empirical image of corruption, greediness, pride, operation and deception that are found in this coin belongs to Caesar and should be rendered back to him. Thus, Jesus affirms, that one’s obligation to the government is necessary as long as it is for the good of all, while insisting that one’s obligation to God is always greater and this should be done by rendering the true image of the coin to God which ultimately belongs to Him.

 

Dear friends, in one way or the other we all possess the coins of this life, but whose image and inscription is in the coin we possess. Are we possessing the coin with the true image and inscription of God or the coin with the empirical image of Caesar which signifies sin, corruption, greed, selfishness and deception? Today Jesus is telling us to render back to the Caesars of this world all the ugly and sinful coins in our possession for they belong to them. While rendering to God the true image of the coin with the inscription of holiness, love, mercy, forgiveness, charity for they truly belongs to God.

 

When this is done we will hear the consoling words of the Lord like that of Tobit's wife as we heard her consoling Tobit in our first reading today saying: ‘What about your own charitable deeds? What about your own good works? Everyone knows what return you have had for them.’ For in the life of Tobit, we see that it is indeed possible to be fully faithful and committed to God, while living in harmony as law-abiding citizens of the community even in the midst of persecutions and operations as we experience in our societies today.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, whose providence never fails in its design, grant that we may always render to you what really belongs to you, as we do away with all that offends you and our fellow neighbours and so live in harmony with the authority of the state. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

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.