Homily For Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 5th August, 2023.

Readings: Lev. 25:1.8-17; Ps. 67; Matt. 14:1-12

 

LEARN TO SPEAK THE TRUTH NO MATTER THE COST

 

One thing that the world hates to hear is the sound of the word "truth". Why! Because it makes the world to tremble as most things in the world are built on falsehood and deceit and people are becoming comfortable with falsehood as a way of life. This is obvious especially with the ugly situation of society today where humanity are placed in perpetual darkness and confusion as the voices that speak the truth are silenced by all means.

 

Today people want to be "free" to do whatever they like, they don't want anybody to remind them the hard truth about the realities of life. Hence, they can do anything just to silence truth. Thus, the cost of speaking the truth has become so expensive that some times it cost a life of an individual or even a whole community. It is even more demanding when the truth to be told has to do with the conversion of one in authority.

 

This is the case with John the Baptist in our Gospel passage today, whose head was the prize he paid for the truth he told to Herod and Herodias. For Herod had arrested John and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had told him, ‘It is against the Law for you to have her.’ Herod had wanted to kill him but was afraid of the people, who regarded John as a prophet.

 

But, on the occasion of Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and so delighted Herod that he promised on oath to give her anything she asked. She conspired with the mother and demanded for the head of John the Baptist. The king was distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered John to be beheaded and the head be given to the girl, who took it to her mother.

 

These ugly attitudes towards John the Baptist points at what is done to Jesus in his Passion, demonstrating how good people, especially when they struggle for truth and justice, are often condemned to suffer in the hands of greed and powerful people as we have it in our country today. But should we stop speaking the truth because of fear of losing our lives?

 

I don't think so, because truth saves life, it brings freedom, it releases tension, it brings peace, it settles quarrels and disputes. Truth is freedom which must be offered to everyone, whoever, whenever and however it will best bring conversion to its enemies, just like John the Baptist did to Herod and Herodias even at the expense of his life.

 

Herod made a bad decision, which out of pride finds it difficult to change his mind and admit that he was wrong. He did not plan to execute John that night. He was persuaded by Herodias to do so, because he was a weak man. He is a slave to the opinion of others, he feared the people who revered John; he also fears the reaction of his guests if he should retract his oath.

 

Dear friends, like Herod, how often do we make decisions out of pride? When we make bad decisions, how quick are we able to change our mind, to admit that we are wrong. Are we like Herodias who is waiting for an opportunity to silenced the innocents who confront us with the truth?  If today we happen to be one of the guests of Herod, what would been our reaction? Will I have protested or stayed silent?

 

Thus, what do we do when we see others suffering injustice? Do we have the courage to protest, even at the cost of losing our jobs and lives? Today we called to speak the truth no matter the cost, for the world needs to hear the truth at all cost. This is the evidence in our first reading today, where the Lord gave the people instructions on how to coordinate themselves in their promised land for he said let none of you wrong his neighbour, but fear your God.

 

LET US PRAY:  Lord God, it is difficult to speak and stand for truth in our world today, give us the grace and courage to become instrument of your word in truth and in deeds just like St. John the Baptist. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you God’s favour

Homily For Friday of Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 4th August, 2023. The Memorial of St. John Mary Vianney

Readings: Lev. 23:1.4-11.15-16.27.34-37; Ps. 81; Matt. 13:54-58

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

STOP LOOKING DOWN ON PEOPLE FOR YOU NEVER KNOW WHO WILL BE YOUR HELPER TOMORROW

 

In life people are quick to neglect and look down on others, who they believed cannot offer them anything good at the moment. They are quick to forget that everyone, no matter the present condition is a potential instrument for God's blessings. This is the ugly attitudes of the people of Nazareth in our Gospel passage today.

 

For when Jesus came to his home town and taught the people in the synagogue in such a way that they were astonished, but instead of embracing the message of Jesus, they treated him with contempt and in their pride they said: ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? This is the carpenter’s son, surely? Is not his mother the woman called Mary, and his brothers and sisters here with us? Where did he get all these?’ And they would not accept him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country and in his own house’, and he did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

 

Thus, out of pride and contempt the people rejected the blessings God has for them. Today this kind of ugly attitude is what stops people from doing good, because they don’t want to be treated with contempt and as a result, a lot of people have been deprived of their blessings out  of human pride and contempt.

 

This is what the Lord is addressing through Moses in our first reading today. For he said when you enter the land that I give you, and gather in the harvest there, you must bring the first sheaf of your harvest to the priest, and he is to present it to the Lord with the gesture of offering, so that you may be acceptable.

 

This is what we see in the life of John Mary Vianney, whose memorial we celebrate today, for he accepted who he was and was determined with faith to achieve his dreams through humility and persistence. For through his life of holiness, preaching, prayer and penance he was able to transformed the life of the people of his time without looking down on anyone.

 

Dear friends, do not treat anyone with contempt, for everyone is a potential instrument of God’s blessings and favour. And if you want to make a difference in life, be ready to ignore what people are saying about you now, forget you past failures and your humble beginning. People may not appreciate you now, they may even say all kinds of things about you, just to humiliate and discourage you.

 

Put all of them behind you, work hard for your dreams, give your time to it, sacrifice your sleep and comfort, sweat for it, plan for it, overcome all your terrors of opposition, enduring pains and obstacles, with the help of God you will succeed and become a source of God's blessings. Then you will sing joyfully to God your strength and all the people will gather about you in praise of your God. And they will say: Is not this the Carpenter's son or daughter? Where then did he get all this? Yes, that's who we are, for Jesus is the Carpenter of our success and salvation.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, oftentimes in our pride we treat people with contempt because of their humble background, give us the grace to realize that everyone is a potential instrument of your blessings and favour to humanity.  and as we struggle towards our goals, may you through the intercession of St. Vianney crown all our efforts and sacrifices with success. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.  Peace be with you.

Homily For Thursday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 3rd August, 2023

Readings: Ex. 40:16-21.34-38; Ps. 84; Matt 13:47-53

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

LET THE LORD MOULD YOU TO BECOME HIS HEAVENLY VESSEL

 

A story was told of a beautiful clay pot used to decorate a garden. The clay pot was the point of attraction to all including it’s fellow ordinary clay. So one day the ordinary clay approached the beautiful clay pot and said, we have no doubt that you are clay just like us. But how come you have become so beautiful and special that everyone admires you? The clay pot smiles and said: there was a time when I was nothing but a dumb lump of red clay. Then one day a Potter came with a digger and a hoe, dung me out of the dumb lump and painfully separated me from my fellow clay and brought me to his house I cried out but he ignored me.

 

He rolled and pounded me on a wooden table several times without mercy. I cried out, don’t do that! Leave me alone!’ But the Potter suddenly placed me on a spinning wheel and suddenly spun around and around and around until I lost all consciousness. Just when I thought it was over, he placed me carefully into an oven which is hotter than the hell fire.

 

Why me! I cried out in anguish! But the potter only smiled and gently said: because you are special! I struggled, I yelled, knocked and broke several times, but the Potter was patient and meticulous in ensuring that I adjusted to his will. Realizing that I cannot win, I surrender completely to the will of the Potter and he only nodded in understanding and quietly said: “is not over yet!

 

Then he pulled me out of the oven, when the heat became cooled he carefully picked me up, dust away some dirt and behold I was totally transformed, looking so beautiful and special. And the potter smiled and said:  this is what you are meant to be. For God has made you into a special vessel for special purpose.

 

This story reflect our relationship with God who is our Potter. For God has created humanity as beautiful clay in his hands to be molded into a beautiful and special vessel for heavenly kingdom. But humanity have sinned and rebelled against God and his plan for us, just like the people of Israel in our first reading today. For knowing how stiff-necked they were, God sent Moses to build a tabernacle of his presence from where he guild and mould his people along their journey according to his plan after they had repented and turned away from their sinful ways of life.

 

Hence we are called to repentance and cooperate with God's grace,  for there will be a day of judgement of which Jesus in our Gospel passage, used a parable to describe that the kingdom of heaven will be like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in fish of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. Here Jesus is telling us that the kingdom is open for all but not all can be suitable to dwell in it, only those who on the judgement day are found suitable can be admitted into the kingdom.

 

Dear friends, God is our potter, we are nothing but raw clay hoping to be moulded into heavenly vessels. So, all God required from us is for us to let him mould us to become his heavenly vessels. No doubt that sin has destroy our original nature, but just like when the pot a potter was shaping spoils in his hands and he forms it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. So will God re-mould us into a new vessel for his heavenly kingdom if we repent from our pride and sinful ways of life.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, sin and pride has separated humanity from your plans for us, today we come to you like a clay in a dump lump, be our Potter once again and re-mould us into that heavenly vessels which you planned for us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Wednesday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 2nd August, 2023.

Readings: Ex. 34:29-35; Ps. 99; Matt 13:44-46

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT ARE YOU SEARCHING FOR IN THIS PASSING WORLD?

 

From the day we were born still the day we die, our life can be liked to one who is searching for something so precious like a treasure. And at the point of death it appears as if one has found all he or she has been searching and looking for, and then sells all he or she has inform of abandoning all we have in this world in order to buy that which we have found. Thus, today we are called to reflect on what should be that precious and ultimate treasure.

 

So, in the Gospel passage today, Jesus used two parables to describe to the people that the kingdom of God is the greatest and ultimate treasure anyone can and should acquire. He said to them: the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field. Again he said, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.

 

Here, the parables describe the kingdom of God as the ultimate treasure that cannot be compared to anything whatsoever we have in this world. Though the kingdom is open for all but not all can be suitable to dwell in it, only those who on the judgement day are found suitable can be admitted into the kingdom. Using these parables Jesus explains what the kingdom of heaven is like and what we need to do in order to acquire it. The essence of these parables is to remind us that the kingdom of heaven is so precious and great, that it is worth more than our entire life and our worldly possessions and treasures.

 

Therefore, we must do all that it takes to ensure that we acquire it, losing it over the temporal worldly pleasure, fame, power and influence of the things of this passing world will be complete foolishness. For none of them last forever and what good is it for us to gain the whole world but loses our soul out of God’s kingdom. For it is the glory of this kingdom that made the skin on the face of Moses in our first reading to shone so much that the people of Israel would  not dear to near him.

 

Dear friends, what are you searching for in this passing world? What is your ultimate treasure in this life? How many of us are paying attention to this ultimate heavenly treasure? How many of us thinks and search for this ultimate treasure of our souls? For one thing brought us into this world and there is only one thing we can leave in this world and there is only one thing we can take away from this world as our ultimate treasure, that is Love. Yes, Love is our ultimate treasure and as we know God is Love.

 

So,  how many of us desires to personally discover God in our life? How I wish we will understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of losing our soul out of greediness for the things of this passing world. Then, we will sincerely desire to experience God personally, because in him lies the  greatest and ultimate treasure of life. And discovering God personally in our lives is the greatest treasure anyone can ever have. Remember, God is Love, have you discovered Love? Then you have discovered God and his Kingdom.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the world is full of distractions from false treasures, give us a wise and discerning hearts in order to give up all our attachment to worldly possessions in pursue of True Love the heavenly and ultimate treasure of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Tuesday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 1st August, 2023. The Memorial of St Alphonsus Liguori. Happy New Month

Readings: Ex. 33:7-11.34:5-9.28; Ps. 103, Matt 13:36-43

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

LEARN TO LISTEN CAREFULLY TO THE MESSAGE OF GOD'S KINGDOM

 

For many days now we have been listening to Jesus telling us about the kingdom of God and the need for us to prepare to embrace it. In most of the occasions Jesus used parables to communicate the important of this message. Having listened to him carefully, his disciples in our Gospel passage today asked him to explain the parable of the wheat and the darnel and he said:

 

 “The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them, the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that provoke offences and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Listen, anyone who has ears!”

 

What is most important in this message is for us to “Listen carefully”. This is because the world as we know is coming to an end, for the day of reckoning is very close at hand. This could be the first trumpet might as well be the last. For it is obvious from the signs we are seeing around us today. How can we interpret the signs of this times, the signs that tell us that this world is passing away.

 

Many are suffering and many more will have to suffer from greediness of others. Many have died and may more will have to die. Many are perishing in sin, many more will have to perish if we refuse to repent from sin and greediness. Little wonder we heard Moses in our first reading while praying for the people of Israel who have failed to listen to God said: ‘If I have indeed won your favour, Lord,’ I beg. True, they are a headstrong people, but forgive us our faults and our sins, and adopt us as your heritage.

 

This is what we see in the life of St. Alphonsus Liguori, whose memorial we celebrate today. He was the founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, also known as the Redemptorists. He was truly a holy man and a role model that we can emulate in our own lives. St. Alphonsus Liguori was remembered for his great piety and dedication to serve the people of God just like Moses. He was known for his simple and yet effective homilies, his courageous and loving outreach to those under his care and in touch with the plight and troubles of the people in his community.

 

Dear friends, we are called to learn how to listen to God and pay attention to the signs is giving us. But do these signs make us to be afraid of the second coming of the Lord or do we joyfully awaits its coming? Because the explanation of this parable gives us an account of what will happen on the day of reckoning. And today, we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are with regards to our vocation as Christians.

 

What will be our lot if the Lord calls us today? Will we be among the virtuous who will shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father? Or among those that will be thrown out of his kingdom and sent into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth?

 

The answer to this question is available in our consciences and if we listen carefully now we will hear, for things are not the way they used to be, we all have to face the reality now. Everyday is a golden opportunity, today may be the only opportunity for us to change our sinful ways of life and embrace God completely.

 

LET US PRAY:  Heavenly Father, as we listen carefully to your word, let the groans of your children come before you. And through the intercession of St. Alponsus, help us to embrace your word and be prepared to embrace your kingdom on the day of reckoning, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy New Month and God bless you.

Homily For Monday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 31st July, 2023 The Memorial of St. Ignatius Loyola

Readings: Ex.32:15-24.30-34; Ps. 106; Matt. 13:31-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

HOW ARE YOU NURTURING THE YEAST AND MUSTARD SEED OF FIATH PLANTED IN YOU HEARTS

 

Using a simple story to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson has always been one of the characteristics of Jesus when addressing the people regarding things that are very important. By couching his teaching in parables, Jesus made certain points much clearer to his audience. This is evident in our Gospel passage today where he told us two parables: the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the Leaven, using them to describe the nature of God’s kingdom which he came to establish in the hearts of humanity.

 

In the scriptures especially in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus used the mustard seed in two different analogies. First in today’s Gospel passage, where Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a mustard seed growing from the Word of God spoken to the hearts of his few disciples which will grow and spread to the hearts of all humanity. This analogy focuses on the size of the seed that grows to become a might tree that gives shelter and salvation to all.

 

The second analogy of the mustard seed is found in Matt. 17:20. In this analogy, Jesus is not speaking of the size of the mustard seed, but the faith of the people as that of a mustard seed. Telling us that just as the mustard seed responds to the word of God and grows into a might tree, so will the faith of the people grow into great vessel through hearing and doing the word of God. However, God has given humanity the freedom to choose whether to hear his word and embrace the faith so as to bear fruits of the kingdom or to reject it and perish.

 

Nevertheless, these two analogies of the mustard seed symbolize the humble beginnings of the Christian faith which is well nurtured and watered by the Holy Spirit to grow and give life and hospitality to all the people of the world. However, we know that there are good for nothing seeds present in this world to deceive people from listening to God’s word, seeds such as: fear, regrets, doubt, jealousy, hatred, disrespect, greediness, lying, gossip, impurity, wickedness and all sorts of sinful acts. For those who embrace these good for nothing seeds follow the dictates of their own hard hearts and will soon be thrown away as good for nothing, because they have not listened to God’s words.

 

Therefore, let us not embrace such good for nothing seeds, rather we should learn to embrace the mustard seed of faith entrusted to us and nurture it just like St. Ignatius of Loyala whose memorial we celebrate today, for he let the word of God to dwell in his heart and bear great fruit that became great instrument for God’s salvation for humanity. In a similar way we are also entrusted with different seeds of responsibilities that seems very little as mustard seed, but are we nurturing them to grow into great trees for God’s Kingdom?

 

Dear friends, in the world today, we have different kinds of responsibilities in form of seeds. But the question remains, what kind of seeds are we embracing and watering in our lives today? Are we watering valuable mustard seeds of faith and love or weeds of fear, regrets, doubt, jealousy, hatred, disrespect, greediness, lying, gossip, impurity, wickedness and all kinds of sinful deeds that will destroy us?

 

Today we are called to quit watering these weeds because that's what the enemies want and we must not fall into their traps. Rather we are called like St. Ignatius of Loyola to nurture and water those valuable mustard seeds of faith, love, holiness, hospitality, obedience, charity and make them our values of life. For when we feed and water such values, they will grow stronger like the mustard tree where people may find solace and so build up God’s kingdom.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as you sow the seeds of your word and faith in our hearts, through the intercession of St. Ignatius, give us the grace to grow it into the mustard tree of love, holiness and hospitality. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful week ahead.

Homily For Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 30th July, 2023

Readings: 1kings 3:5.7-12, Ps 119, Rom. 8:28-30, Matt. 13: 44-52

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE TREASURE OF LIFE?

 

Everyday under terrible scourges of the sun and noisy street, people struggle to acquire things that they value as treasures of life. The quarreling and fighting in our streets, the early morning rush, the traffic jam, the aggressive words we give and receive everyday, all just to acquire things of this life and make them our treasures of life. And people are never tired of acquiring properties for themselves and their generation yet to come, forgetting that all these things sooner or later passes away as we ourselves expire from this world. Thus, this Sunday we are called to reflect on what should be our ultimate treasure and how we can acquire it.

 

In our first reading and the Gospel, we heard of the need to focus our attention on the search for the ultimate treasure. And for king Solomon, his greatness treasure was the wisdom and discernment to govern the people entrusted to him. So when the Lord appeared to him in a dream not long after he had succeeded his father, king David, the Lord told him to ask whatever he wanted and it would be given to him. In a display of wisdom, Solomon asked for listening heart to understand how to discern between good and evil in order to be able to govern God's people.

 

Though he would have asked for more power, glory or wealth, but he asked for the wisdom to discern the good from the bad, and to be able to lead the people of God wisely in the ways of the Lord. The Lord was pleased with Solomon's request and promised to bless him and his people with wise and discerning mind like none before and after him. So, the wisdom that he obtained, was not so much of selfish desire or was it for personal gain, but for his office as a leader. And as we know, wisdom and discernment are part of the characteristics of heavenly treasures.

 

Little wonder, in the Gospel, Jesus used three parables to describe to the people that the kingdom of God is the greatest and ultimate treasure anyone can and should acquire. He said to them: the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.

 

Again he said, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it. And lastly he said, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in fish of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use.

 

Here, the first and second parables describe the kingdom of God as the ultimate treasure that cannot be compared to anything whatsoever we have in this world while the third parable tells us that the kingdom is open for all but not all can be suitable to dwell in it, only those who on the judgement day are found suitable can be admitted into the kingdom.

 

Using these parables Jesus explains what the kingdom of heaven is like and what we need to do in order to acquire it. The essence of these parables is to remind us that the kingdom of heaven is so precious and great, that it is worth more than our entire life and our worldly possessions and treasures.

 

 Therefore, we must do all that it takes to ensure that we acquire it, losing it over the temporal pleasure, joy, glory, fame, power and influence of the things of this passing world will be complete foolishness. For none of them last forever and what good is it for us to gain the whole world but loses our soul out of God’s kingdom. Thus, St. Paul in our second reading tells us that God co-operates with all those who love and desire his kingdom, those who are called according to his purpose. For those he called he justified, and with those he justified he share his glory.

 

Dear friends, in the midst of false and perishable treasures around us, what is your ultimate treasure of life? If the Lord should give us opportunity to make request of what our heart desires, what would you request for? Solomon sought an understanding mind to govern and care for God’s people. He wanted the ability to discern between good and evil. He recognized that selfish attitude could not sustain his kingdom, so he requested for heavenly treasure.

 

Today how many of us are paying attention to this ultimate heavenly treasure? What is our ultimate treasure in this life? How many thinks and search for this ultimate treasure of our souls? How many desires to personally discover God in their life? How I wish we will understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of losing our soul out of greediness for the things of this passing world. Then, we will sincerely desire to experience God personally, because in him lies the ultimate treasure of life. And discovering God personally is the greatest treasure one can ever have.

 

PRAYER: Almighty God, the world is full of distractions from false treasures, give us a wise and discerning hearts in order to give up all our attachments to worldly possessions in pursue of the heavenly and ultimate treasure of your kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.