Homily For Friday Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 1st September, 2023. HAPPY NEW MONTH

Readings: 1Thess.4:1-8; Ps.97; Matt.25:1-13

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

ARE YOU WELL PREPARED FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD?

 

Reflecting on how footballers, boxers, athletes, also engineers, doctors and farmers, business men and women devote time and energy in rigorous preparation towards achieving their goals, then I realized that adequate preparation is the secret and foundation of every successful event.

 

But if we can go to this length of rigorous periods of preparation just for things of this passing world, it will be even more demanding when it has to do with preparing for eternal life. That is why in the parable of the ten maidens in our Gospel passage today, Jesus emphasises on the need to be well prepared.

 

For if we can devote such time and energy towards our spiritual life which we often neglect, we will be more awake and prepared more than the ten maidens, who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. When the bridegroom delayed in coming their lamps burned out and as they went out to get more oil, they missed out since the door was shut after the bridegroom had passed.

 

In this parable of the ten maidens, Jesus emphasized the need to be well prepared for the coming of God’s kingdom, warning us not to be like the foolish five maidens who were not well prepared and missed out when the bridegroom came. Thus, Jesus commanded us to stay awake, because we do not know either the day or the hour when the Lord will come.

 

Similarly, St. Paul in our first reading urged and appealed to us in the Lord Jesus to make more and more progress in the kind of life that you are meant to live: He warns us to keep away from fornication for we have been called by God to be holy, not to be immoral. 

 

Thus, we need to change our disposition, especially as regards our attitude towards the things of this passing world to embrace more of the things of our heavenly kingdom. So what are we doing in this world with the gift of life God has given us and how are we preparing for the coming of our Lord knowing that we are all travelers in this world?

 

Dear friends, are you well prepared for the coming of the Lord? Because our life as Christians demands that we should be alert, we should be prepared at all times and be ready to make sacrifices of carrying our extra oil of grace like the five wise maidens. We should be watchful for we know neither the day nor the hour when the Lord will call us. Hence, we are reminded today that this world is passing away, so we need to stay awake and be ready.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we often fail to listen to your warnings concerning the things of this passing world and the need for us to stay awake and be ready for your coming. Give us the grace and wisdom to be well prepared to stand before you whenever you call us, may we never be among those You will be told: I do not know you. Have a fruitful New Month.

Homily For Thursday Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 31st August, 2023

Readings: 1Thess. 3:7-13; Ps.90; Matt.24:42-51

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

WHY WE MUST BE READY FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD?

 

As a human person, there are two most important events in our life. One is well known, prepared and is constantly celebrated, that is our birthday. The other, which is the ultimate, is not known and less attention and preparation is being made for it, that is the day of our death.

 

So, Jesus knowing how important this day is, instructed his disciples in our Gospel passage saying: “stay awake, because you do not know the day when the Lord is coming. You may be quite sure of this that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. Therefore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

 

In this passage, we have two commands at the beginning and at the end which are not quite the same. The first command is based on God’s coming at a “day” when we do not know and the second is in an “hour” you do not expect, that is to say, that it will be uncertain, unexpected and surprising. Just like the householder’s ignorance of the time when the thief would come is the reason why he does not watch. He cannot keep awake all night, and every night, to be ready for him; so he has to go to sleep, and then he is robbed.

 

Thus our ignorance of the day and time is the reason for our watchfulness, because we can keep awake all night of our life just like the householder watches to prevent being robbed. So the image of the thief is chosen to illustrate the unexpected approach of the second coming of Christ which will be a great surprise to those who are asleep as they will be robbed of Heaven and also deprived of their earthly treasures.

 

 But the Lord's coming will be a happy day for those who shall be found awake and ready, while it will be very dreadful for those who are not prepared. Thus, St. Paul in our first reading today prayed that we may so confirm our hearts in holiness that we may be blameless in the sight of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints.

 

Dear friends, you see why we must be ready for the coming of the Lord. For today we are called to be ready, we are called to repentance, we are called to embrace the new life the Lord is offering us. We are called to a life of constant struggle towards perfection in order to embrace the Lord whenever he comes.

 

Therefore, preparation is the key word. Let us not be deceived when the world suggest to us that the day of death is not coming soon, and so forget who we are, and then, the day and time will take us by surprise. Rather, let us be like that wise servant who is prepared at all times for the coming of the master.

 

LET US PRAY, Lord God, You ask us to be ready for your coming, increase in us the desire to be prepared and ready for that inevitable event of death, so that whenever it comes, it will not be a shock to us, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. It's a lovely day, may God bless your efforts and grant success to the works of your hands.

Homily For Wednesday Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 30th August, 2023

Readings: 1 Thess.2:9-13, Ps.139, Matt.23:27-32

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

STOP LIVING LIKE A WHITEWASHED TOMB

 

In our society today, the word “packaging” is one of the popular terminologies used by people to describe how they make things that are not too good to look extremely good, and this has s serious negative effect in our society today, as we have lost focus of how we ought to do things right. Thus, most people and things that appear to be good to us are not really what we think they are.

 

For most people and the things we see are like whitewashed tombs that outwardly appear beautiful and draw the admiration of people, but within them are full of dead man's bones and all sorts of corruption just the way Jesus described the attitude and lifestyle of Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospel passage, when he addressed their attitude which is not far from what we have today in our societies.

 

This is because the scribes and the Pharisees are interested mostly in the external beauty of things around them while neglecting the essence. They are self-satisfied, and think that they are above the law. They look good from the outside but ugly and dirty within. They neglected the deeper things around them. They are interested only in worldly goods and not the things of the heart like justice, mercy, love and compassion.

 

So Jesus challenged them as he challenges us to change our ugly ways of life, to change from within us. Though it is very difficult to change, nevertheless, we need to change in so many ways, especially as regards our attitude towards the things of this passing world.

 

Dear friends, we, must stop living like a whitewashed tomb. Though, we might not feel very comfortable with the idea of Jesus rebuking and uttering terrible words of admonition to the Scribes and Pharisees. But the questions we need to ask ourselves are: Have we really embraced the Word of God we hear every day? Is the Word bearing fruits in our lives?

 

Also, can we recognize in this fragile condition in our society, the great deeds that Jesus is doing to save humanity and the need to turn back to God by changing our ugly life of whitewashed tomb? Hence, Jesus is saying woe to us for failing to embrace and live out the Gospel teachings, because he seems to expect some sort of changes in us when we hear his Words or when we encounter him in prayers.

 

Therefore, God is calling us to repentance, He wants to come into our souls and dwell. But he cannot dwell in a heart that is like a whitewashed tomb. Thus, Jesus is rebuking all humanity, he wants us to stop living a life of packaging, deception and corruption.  This is what St. Paul is telling us in our first reading today when he said, You can remember how we taught you what was right, encouraging you and appealing to you to live a life worthy of God, who is calling you to share the glory of his kingdom.

 

Hence, if we believe in God, and put our trust in Him, we will have the assurance and guarantee of restoration, for God does not want us to suffer the consequences of our sins, that is why He keeps reminding us about the upcoming danger. But, if humanity constantly refuses to change, we will end up in self-destruction.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are living in a world of whitewashed tombs, help us to be wise enough to discern and not be carried away or be distracted by the beauty of the whitewashed tombs we see in most people and things around the world today. And as we struggle with the events of life, may God guide and direct our paths. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Tuesday Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 29th August, 2023. The Memorial of The Beheading of St. John the Baptist

Readings: 1Thes 2:1-8; Ps.139; Mark 6:17-29

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

WHY DO WE PREFER LIES AND DECEPTION OVER TRUTH?

 

In our society today people hates to hear the sound of the word truth. I wonder why people often tremble when they hear the word ‘truth’? This is because it makes the world to tremble since most things in the world are built on falsehood and deceit and people are becoming comfortable with falsehood as a way of life. In fact, since the history of the world, mankind have been seeking to know the truth, but when confronted by the truth they reject it out rightly.

 

Almost two thousand years ago, Truth was put on trial and was judged and condemned by people who were devoted to lies. But in each generation truth always manifests itself to the world through people who have paid the price of truth with their life. This is obvious in our world today, especially with the ugly situation in our societies, where humanity is placed in the perpetual darkness of corruption, greed and confusion, as the voices that speak the truth are silenced by all means.

 

Today people don’t want to be transparent and honest in their dealings with others and even with themselves. They don't want anybody to remind them of the hard truth about the realities of life and they can do anything just to silence the truth. Thus, the cost of speaking the truth has become so expensive that sometimes it costs the life of an individual or even a whole community. It is even more demanding when the truth to be told has to do with someone in authority.

 

This is the case with John the Baptist whom we celebrate the memorial of his Martyrdom. For in our Gospel passage today, we heard how his head was the prize for the truth he told to Herod and Herodias. Before now, Herod had arrested John and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. John had told him that it was against the Law for him to have his brother’s wife. Herod had wanted to kill John but was afraid of the people, who regarded him 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 with an oath to give her anything she asked. She conspired with the mother and demanded 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.

 

Here, 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 was a slave to other people’s opinions, for he feared the people who revered John; he also feared the reaction of his guests if he should retract his oath.

 

These ugly attitudes towards John the Baptist prefigured what they did to Jesus in his Passion, demonstrating how good people, especially when they struggle for truth and justice, are often condemned to suffer at the hands of greed and powerful people. This same terrible crime is what people are facing every day in our families, communities, country and the world at large. For this same reason, a lot of people have died and some will still die and some will continue to suffer because of the truth they have spoken to the enemies of truth. 

 

 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, and it settles quarrels and disputes. Truth is the freedom that 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.

 

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading today says: it was our God who gave us the courage to proclaim his Good News to you in the face of great opposition. We have not taken to preaching because we are deluded, immoral, or trying to deceive anyone; it was God who decided that we were fit to be entrusted with the Good News, and when we are speaking, we are not trying to please men but God, who can read our inmost thoughts

 

Dear friends, why do we prefer lies and deception over truth? How far can we stand the cost of speaking the truth amid influential and ‘powerful' people? Like Herod, how often do we make bad decisions out of pride and fail to reverse them? When we make such bad decisions, how quickly are we able to change our minds, to admit that we are wrong? Also, are we like Herodias who is waiting for an opportunity to silence the innocents who confront us with the truth?

 

If today we happen to be one of the guests of Herod, what would be 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 speak up, even at the cost of losing, our job, our position, our vocation, friends and even our lives? Today, we are called to speak the truth, for the world needs to hear the truth no matter the cost.

 

LET US PRAY:  Lord God, it is difficult to speak and stand for truth in our world today.  But St. John the Baptist died for the truth he spoke to Herod, through his intercession, grant us the grace and courage to become the instrument of your word in truth and deeds and so speak the truth always to humanity no matter the cost. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful day.

Homily For Monday Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 28th August, 2023. The Memorial of St. Augustine

Readings: 1Thess.1:1-5.8-10, Ps. 149, Matt.23:13-22

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

ARE YOU A GOOD LEADER OR A HYPOCRITIC THAT SWEARS FALSELY?  

 

Leadership is one of the characteristics of a human person, it is that which makes us unique from every other thing. It is a gift from God by which we serve Him and our neighbour responsibly. However, the Scribes and the Pharisees in the Gospel today who had the responsibility to lead people to the Kingdom of Heaven, have become an obstacle for they neither enter nor allow those who want to enter to go in.

 

Thus, Jesus called them hypocrites, and blind guides because they misuse the gift of leadership entrusted to them. For they say, “If a man swears by the Temple, it has no force; but if a man swears by the gold of the Temple, he is bound.” But Jesus said to them you fools and blind! Which is of greater worth, the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? Therefore, when a man swears by the altar he is swearing by that and by everything on it. And when a man swears by the Temple he is swearing by the One who dwells in it. And when a man swears by heaven he is swearing by the throne of God and by the One who is seated there.’

 

Here, Jesus is referring to the ceremonious way in which the Pharisees took oaths. It was one of the things in the culture of their time. That is, people swearing oaths with impressive sounding words before the congregations without fulfilling them like our politicians today. But what were the words of these oaths anyway?

 

They were forms of words designed to impress people. There were no indications that the person swearing the oath had any power over the things that the oath mentioned. It was just using words to impress and so produce acceptance of things about the oath, when in fact this is completely fraudulent because the persons taking the oath, do not intend to keep the promises or commitments that they were confirming by taking that oath. They were just fooling the people. And Jesus is saying in essence, that we should not let this foolery ever be part of us because it is hypocrisy and Jesus is against hypocrisy in all its forms, especially when it has to do with taking the name of God in vain.

 

To take the name of God in vain means to invoke His name unnecessarily or profanely, to use it without humbly acknowledging the holy character of the One whose name we are invoking. To invoke the name of God in an oath or vow when our statement is false, inconsequential or when we do not intend to honour our words is a direct violation of the third commandment of God. Therefore, the issue Jesus is addressing here goes to the very core of our character as Christians, to the heart of what it means to live as a child of God, especially in a society like ours, where deception and falsehood are the order of the day.

 

Dear friends, Jesus calls us today to be sincere in everything we do or say. That is why he commanded us not to swear an oath, rather we should say yes when you mean yes, and no when you mean no, so as not to become hypocrites and liars. So, today we are called not to be hypocrites or blind guides but good leaders who are committed and responsible with whatever we are entrusted with.

 

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading tells us to observe the sort of life that they lived when they were with us, which was for our instruction, since it was from them that the word of the Lord started to spread. Also, like St Augustine whose memorial we celebrate today, who lived a very ugly life. But later embraced God and became a great instrument in preparing humanity towards the kingdom of God.

 

He devoted all his life to writing about God, telling us that true happiness is found in interior living and not in material things we possess, Therefore, we are reminded that we are going to give an account before God and the real tragedy of life is not in occupying leadership positions but in failure to use those positions properly.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes we have been hypocrites, blind guides of the things you entrusted to us. May we never take your name in vain or tired of doing what is good. As we struggle it out the remaining days of August and the rest of the year, may the sole fount of true wisdom and knowledge guide us in all our decisions in life. Amen. Have a fruitful week ahead.

Homily For Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 27th August, 2023

Readings: Is. 22:19-23, Ps. 138, Rom. 11:33-36, Matt. 16:13-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

DO YOU REALLY KNOW JESUS? WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT HIM?

 

As social beings, we often make friends who we can confide and entrust with our inner most thoughts and plans. But this friendship does not come automatically. There is always a moment when one will want to know if his or her friends can really be trusted, if they truly know and understand who we are and what we represent?

 

This is the situation between Jesus and his disciples in our Gospel passage this Sunday, when Jesus asked them saying: Who do people say the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’

 

Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld shall not prevail against it.

 

Here, we see how Peter expressed his personal conviction about who Jesus is. He did not have to quote any authority, because his response was a clear and sincere knowledge of who he professed Jesus to be. Hence, Jesus stressed that Peter's faith is a gift from the Father when he said: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven.

 

This is because Peter’s gift of faith comes from his  personal response to Jesus. Thus, our faith requires that we give a personal answer to the question: who is Jesus to me personally? For it is not enough to quote the teachings and Catechism of the Church about our faith or the teachings of other theologians and preachers or to respond only from the head, but from the heart that is convinced of what it believes on.

 

Today most people are following Jesus without knowing who Jesus truly represents. Some people find it very difficult to embrace the teaching of Jesus because they lack the faith and conviction about his personality, even when Jesus has revealed himself to us through his great miracles and teachings. The fact is that, Jesus wants us to develop a divine way of looking at things, he wants us to know him deep down our soul, so that we can profess our faith with deeper meaning and conviction.

 

This is why he told Simon, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." So, the faith given to Peter by God is the rock on which Jesus built his Church. And this royal authority is what Jesus entrusted to His Church through St. Peter and his successors of which our current Pope, Pope Francis is the 265th successor of St. Peter.

 

More so, we can see a clear similarity between Simeon Peter and Eliakim in our first reading. Eliakim standing as a prefigure of St. Peter, was the royal steward and the precursor who was appointed as a great Royal Steward of King Hezekiah. For just as Hezekiah was the king of Judah and the master of Eliakim, so have the Lord God appointed St. Peter as the new steward to oversee His Church and His flocks .

 

Little wonder St. Paul in our second reading today, tell us how great and immensity the wisdom and the knowledge of God are, for all that exists comes from him. Thus, referring to the fullness of truth and the wisdom of God, which he has revealed to His Church through the Holy Spirit. And the Apostles, having received the Holy Spirit are to preserve this wisdom and pass it on to their successors from one generation to another.

 

Dear friends, having heard the teachings and works of Jesus in the scriptures and traditions of the Church, the question remains: Do you really know Jesus? What can you say about him? Who is Jesus to you? What is your personal experience of Jesus? How has your knowledge of Jesus help other people to come to faith in Jesus. Today we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are with regards to our faith as Christians.

 

We are called today to develop a divine way of understanding the mysteries of God, but not rejecting them because we do not understand them. We are also called to be convinced of who we are and the need to truly unite together in God and His Church entrusted to St. Peter of which the get of underworld shall not prevail against it. Therefore, let us turn towards God once again with all our hearts and devote our whole lives in seeking to know Him more and more.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, you revealed to St. Peter the true identity of Jesus your son, help us to profess our faith with deeper meaning and conviction. And as we experience the power of your presence, may we embrace more deeply your sacred mysteries. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday and remain blessed.

Homily For Saturday Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 26th August, 2023

Readings: Ruth 2:1-3.8-11.4:13-17; Ps. 128; Matt. 23:1-12

Rev. Fr.  Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

PREACHING IS NOT ENOUGH WE MUST LEARN TO PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH

 

The difference between early Christian community and the present day Christianity is the mode of witnessing. The early Christian community practically preached the word of God by witnessing with their life, while present day Christianity are witnessing by preaching the word of God aloud with megaphones and all media channels and platforms, without sufficient practicing of what we preach.

 

This unhealthy attitude towards our mission is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, when he said to the people: “the scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore do what they tell you and listen to what they say; but do not be guided by what they do: since they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but will not lift a finger to move them”.

 

Here, Jesus made it clear that we should listen to what the authorities are saying to us. However, we should not be such people who do not put into practice what we teach. So, as Christians we need to start practicing what we preach, we need to do more of witnessing then preaching. It is not enough to recall principles, state intentions, point to blatant injustice and utter prophetic denunciation; these kind of words lack the real meaning of our faith unless they are accompanied by effective action manifested in our way of life.

 

This is what we see in the person of Boaz in our first reading today, who said to Ruth, ‘Listen, my daughter, and understand this. You are not to glean in any other field, do not leave here but stay with my servants. Keep your eyes on whatever part of the field they are reaping and follow behind. I have ordered my servants not to molest you.

 

Also, from our Gospel we need to acknowledge that our authority as Christians come from God, for we are not to pride ourselves as rabbis, teacher, priests, pastors and prophet in our own name. Rather our actions should reflect the paternity of God in the way we live and serve others. Therefore let us imitate our Lord Jesus by loving God and neighbours in simplicity of heart.

 

Dear friends, preaching the Word of God is not enough, we must learn to practice what we preach. We must strive to follow the examples of our Lord Jesus in his dedication and total commitment to God the Father, for he put into practice all of the words he spoke to us. Teaching us that, it is not sufficient to speak, we must put into practice what we spoke about.

 

So, we are called not merely to hear God’s word but to daily put it into action. Let our actions reflect what we preach. Though, hearing or reading the Word is important, but that is not the enough. We must let the Word of God touch and shape our lives. For it is empty and useless if our lives do not reflect the Gospel, if we hear the words of Jesus and do not act on them.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as Jesus admonished us today, grant us the grace to strive to imitate his virtues, as we resolve to practice what your word teaches us and so merit to share in your heavenly banquet. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a peaceful weekend.