Homily For Friday Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 15th September, 2023. The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

Readings: Tim. 1:1-2.12-14;  Ps. 16; John 19:25-27

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

LEARN TO BEAR YOUR SORROWS OF LIFE PATIENTLY LIKE OUR MOTHER MARY

 

In life, we encounter ugly events and challenges that cause us sorrows and tears. And often we don't know how to manage those moments. For just yesterday we celebrated the exaltation and triumph of the Holy Cross, today we are celebrating the sorrows of our Blessed Mother, who experienced a feeling of great sorrow at the suffering and death of her Son who suffered grievously for the sins and faults of others and the sake of the redemption of all humanity.

 

So as we commemorate our Lady's greatest sorrows: beginning with the prophecy of Simeon in the temple, her flight into Egypt with the infant Jesus, the loss of Jesus at the age of 12 in Jerusalem, Mary's encounter with her son Jesus on his way to Calvary, his crucifixion, death and burial. In fact, our Gospel passage today tells us that Jesus seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son. Then to the disciple, he said, ‘This is your mother.’

 

Thus from that moment, the disciple made a place for her in his home. This very action may seem so easy for those who have not experienced the painful torture that comes from witnessing the suffering of your loved ones. But for those who have experienced such torture, especially our good mothers, we will understand better that it is harder to watch the pains and suffering of your loved ones than to bear our own pains. Hence, we can now understand the situation and condition our Lady was passing through for the sake of obedience to God’s will as she watched Jesus suffer for our redemption. 

 

Dear friends, I don’t know what kind of sorrow you are carrying in your heart. Is it the sorrows caused by the ugly situation in your life, your family, your place of work, or your inability to achieve your goals and dreams in life? Or is it sorrows caused by other people or caused by mistakes of your past ugly ways of life? Whatever and however deep the sorrows are, today we are called to learn how to bear our sorrows of life patiently like our Mother Mary by linking them to the will of God.

 

Let us learn how to present our sorrows and problems to God in prayer by raising up our minds and hearts to him and since he promised that he will teach us the way we should go; instruct us and advise us. This is what St. Paul experienced in our first reading today when he said: I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, and who judged me faithful enough to call me into his service even though I used to be a blasphemer and did all I could to injure and discredit the faith. Because until I became a believer I had been acting in ignorance; but the grace of our Lord filled me with faith and with the love that is in Christ Jesus.

 

Therefore,  let us listen to what God is calling us to do and ensure we do them just like our Mother Mary because the Lord Jesus speaks to us from the depths of our hearts and he desires that we listen to him whenever we pray and associate our sorrows with his own just like Mary our mother.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, there are so many sorrows in our lives and people are doing all they can to overcome them. Through the intercession of Our Lady of Sorrows, may we experience your love and help us to know the best ways to bear our sorrows patiently. We asked this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Our Lady of Sorrows, Pray For Us.

Homily For Thursday Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 14th September, 2023. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Readings: Num. 21:4-9, Ps.78, Phil.2:6-11, John 3:13-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CROSS OF CHRIST?

 

Today we celebrate the Feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross, this feast is so important to our Christian faith, because the Holy Cross is a symbol of sacrificial victory of our faith. This Feast began when St. Helena discovered the relic of the true Cross on which Jesus was crucified, which was preserved in Jerusalem. A sacred relic that represents the mystery of the unending love of God for humanity.

 

Though, the cross in the eyes of early Christians had no beauty, it was a sign of sorrow, a symbol of courage, an expression of faith which stood outside the city walls, decorated only with decaying corpses of Christ faithful who died for their faith in Christ. They are left on the cross as a threat to anyone who beliefs in Jesus.

 

But today, the cross has become the universal image of Christian belief, an instrument of salvation which often appear in Christian art works and countless generations of artists have turned it into a thing of beauty to be carried in procession or worn as jewelry and other religions activities. Here we can see how this ugly event has turned into a glorious act, which shows the power of God over evil. For God is the source of victory, he has the power to turn ugly situation into a glorious one through the power of love.

 

Little wonder our Gospel passage today, talks about the relationship between God and the world. Telling us that God loves the world and the humanity living in it. He loves it so much that he gave his only Son, who died a shameful and terrible death on a cross for the seek of his love. God loves the whole world and his love is total and unconditional for every one of his creatures. For God reveals his love, his greatest glory when his Son was lifted up on the cross for there the victory of our salvation was achieved and at the cross, Jesus tells us everything and solves all our difficult problems.

 

Just like the Israelites in our first reading who having sinned against God and were punished on account of their sins,  as they asked Moses to intercede for them and God said to Moses, make a fiery serpent and put it on a standard. If anyone is bitten and looks at it, he shall live. This very symbol is a prefiguration of the Cross of Christ.

 

And St. Paul tells us in our second reading that though Jesus was in the form of God, but he humbled himself by accepting death on a Cross and God exalted him and gave him the name which is above all other names, so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld, should bend the knee at the name of Jesus to the glory of God the Father.

 

Dear friends, as we reflect and celebrate the exaltation of the Holy Cross and it's saving power in our Christian life, let us deeply look at the Cross of Christ, what do we see? How do we feel about the Cross? What does the Cross of Christ represents in our lives? Do we feel the love of Jesus expressed for us on the Cross? Can we perceive the expensive price of our salvation?

 

So, we must know that the Cross of Christ is a symbol of God's love for sinful humanity. The cross represents the mystery of the unending love of God for humanity. We are called today to tell the world how deep God has loved us. We are to demonstrate this love to the world and let this love be felt by those who have lost hope in God especially at this time when humanity is struggling with the ugly situation of global political crisis.

 

Therefore, let us extend this love in any form, gestures or manner possible to everywhere that it is lacking. A kind word, a single phone call, a text message, an act of forgiveness, a single prayer, a little sacrifice, an act of patience and any form of generous act shown to anyone around you or as many people you can reach out today, can reflect this love of God for humanity through us, for we are the face of God’s love now, we are the channels of his Mercy and compassion.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we celebrate the feast of the exaltation of the Holy Cross, may we experience once again the power of your love for humanity, and give us the grace to reciprocate this love in the world by our way of life, using the gifts, the talents and resources you have given us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy  Feast day to all the Priest and lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Lagos.

Homily For Wednesday Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 13th September, 2023. The Memorial of St. John Chrysostom

Readings: Col. 3:1-11 Ps.145, Luke 6:20-26

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

WOE TO THE RICH AND BLESSINGS FOR THE POOR, BUT WHO ARE THE POOR AND THE RICH?

 

Oftentimes when we reflect on the ups and downs of life, the struggles, the tears and the disappointments that people are passing through every day. We wonder and feel that Life is not fair to some people. But is there anybody who has it all in this world? The truth is that we all struggle every day to make a significant impact in our society. And this significant impact often brings division and separation based on class, social and political affiliation. Hence we talk about the poor and the rich in relation to what people have accomplished.

 

But this is not the same with Jesus, for today in our Gospel passage Jesus talks about the blessings of the poor and the lots of the rich in relation to the virtue of humility and pride towards the things of this passing world and the things of heaven. For he said, Blessed are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now: you shall laugh. But woe to you who are rich: you are having your consolation now. Woe to you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep.

 

Here Jesus is referring to our disposition towards the things of this passing world and the things of heaven. He wants us to realize that we are not living simply to be happy in this life, but we should be conscious of our heavenly home by constantly examining ourselves on the deeper value of our ways of life in the light of what we can bring with us to eternal life. In this teaching commonly known as the Beatitudes, Jesus gave us the qualities that make for a happy and blessed life. To be blessed means to have inner joy and happiness because of God’s favour upon us. While to be called woe is to have sorrow and pain because we have turned away from God.

 

However, the poor, the hungry and those weeping in this Gospel passage are not just referring to the regular poor and hungry people around us rather, Jesus is referring to the fundamental character of the virtue of humility that is rooted in the poverty of the spirit, that consciousness of one’s own weakness and total dependent on God, which can be found in the lives of both regular poor or rich people and can also be lacking in neither depending on one’s disposition. Now we can understand why the woe to the rich and blessings for the poor

 

Dear friends, our world is in need of more virtuous people than rich people. However, blessed are those who are virtuous and rich, but woe to those that are rich and lack virtue for they shall soon mourn and weep. Little wonder  St. Paul in our first reading says: Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. That is why you must kill everything in you that belongs only to earthly life: fornication, impurity, guilty passion, evil desires and especially greed, which is the same thing as worshipping a false god; all this is the sort of behaviour that makes God angry.

 

Therefore,  let us learn from the life of John Chrysostom, whose memorial we celebrate today. For he is known for his deep love for God and heavenly things which he well demonstrated by his excellent preaching skills and was given the name Chrysostom which means “golden mouth” as he is usually called “John of the golden mouth,” because he utilized the gifts God gave him and used them for heavenly glories.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are always engrossed with the pride of life, an ugly attitude that often separates us from you. Grant us through the intercession of St John Chrysostom the grace of humility so that in our poverty, hungry, mourning and hatred in this world, our lives may aim toward our heavenly kingdom and make us a shining splendour in our family, society and in the world at large. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Tuesday Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 12th September, 2023

Readings: Col. 2:6-15; Ps. 145; Luke 6:12-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

LEARNING FROM THE PRAYER LIFE OF JESUS

 

In the scriptures, it is obvious that Jesus spent a lot of time in prayer especially in every important event in his mission. He does nothing without prayers. This is evident in our Gospel passage today where we heard how Jesus after deep prayers called from among his disciples twelve apostles, whom he called and chosen to continue his work of evangelization and mission towards the salvation of humanity, for he needed to have people who will be entrusted with this mission.

 

So, each one of us like the apostles are called by name into a deep personal and intimate relationship with Jesus in order to be sent to bear witness of him in the world. Prayers and absolute commitment are necessary quality for this mission. That is why Jesus did not choose people because of what they were. Rather, he chose them for what they could become under his direction through prayers.

 

But one of the greatest problem is that we don’t often surrender our plan and mission to God’s will through prayers. So the question that comes to mind are, Will I pray? Will I stop praying? Will I care? Will I risk? Will I let the Lord to lead me in prayer? These are questions of great demands which every true disciple must constantly reflect throughout his life, in order to be aware of the seriousness of the commitment required of everyone of us as disciples of Jesus. Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading today says that we must live our whole life according to that of Christ whom we have received, for we must be rooted in him.

 

Dear friends,  prayers is the key to evangelization and evangelization is the very nature and essence of the Church. And Jesus gives us the mandate and the commission to evangelize, that is, to announce the Good News to all the nations and to spread the Gospel to every creature. This commission is shared by all those who are baptized both priests and lay faithful. Everyone has a particular responsibility to share in the work of proclamation of the Gospel. Today, we should ask ourselves, how have we proclaimed the Gospel to the world? What efforts are we making to ensure that the mandate Christ entrusted to us is carried out effectively in our generation?

 

Therefore, prayer is very essential especially at this moment when the world is confused, because we have removed God out of our daily lives. Prayer is the key at this time when we have placed our hope in the activities of the human person who seems to have taken the place of God. Prayer is the key at this time when our governments, scientists, doctors, lawyers, professors and even pastors assumed the place of God, which of course have brought about the ugly situation we are facing in our societies today.

 

Hence, we are reminded once again about our very mission which is rooted in prayers, for it is time to take this mandate very seriously, because it is our responsibility to fulfil our promises to God and ensure that the Christian faith is preached and sustained in the world and by so doing save humanity once again from sin, death and destruction.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God,  without prayers in our lives we are lost in this world, for a lot of us are confused because we have cut ourselves off from You our cornerstone, as we come back to you once again in prayers, may we learn from the prayer life of Jesus and his teaching and by so doing draw humanity back to You once again. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.

Homily For Monday Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 11th September, 2023

Readings: Col. 1:24-2:3; Ps. 62; Luke 6:6-11

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

LET LOVE, JUSTICE AND CARE FOR HUMAN LIFE BE THE GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR APPLYING AND INTERPRETING OUR LAWS

 

From the scriptures, it seems like every encounter that the Pharisees had with Jesus were always aimed at finding faults with what Jesus is doing. But to their greatness surprise, Jesus will always escape and used that opportunity to communicate an important message to the people. Such was the occasion in our Gospel passage today.

 

When on a Sabbath day Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him to see if he would cure the man on the Sabbath, hoping to find something to use against him. But knowing their thoughts he said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up! Come out into the middle.’ Then Jesus said to them, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it? And said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was better. But they were furious, and began to discuss the best way of dealing with him.

 

Here we see how Jesus demonstrated his compassionate care for humanity, for the most important thing for God in this world is the human person. That's why he makes all efforts to save humanity from damnation. He desires to see us making effort to becoming faithful and holy. His mercy is so deep that he propose it as the guiding principle for the perfect fulfillment and interpretation of the laws of life. Thus, Jesus in this passage have to teach us that humanity’s welfare should not be neglected because of laws and regulations. That nothing should restrict us from doing good to people not even the laws Sabbath.

 

Therefore, in as much as we desire to honour God’s laws we must seek the good of people as well. This is what the Pharisees have failed to understand, for they are rather fault- finders and self- righteous people, who only wish to mislead the oppress and suppress the truth and the good works of others, just because of their selfish desires to sustain their ego, pride and their worldly ambition.

 

But we should not be like them, rather we should be compassionate and merciful for that is what we are called to do. And St. Paul in our first reading today says that it is all to bind us together in love and to stir our minds, so that our understanding may come to full development, until we really know God’s secret in which all the jewels of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.

 

Dear friends, today we are called to constantly do good to everyone. We are called not to be faults-finders who are blindfolded by pride. We must also renounce all sorts of sinful actions and wickedness that may destroy the purity of our souls. Therefore, let us be compassionate and merciful for that is what we are called to do in this life especially in this moment when our societies and families are really in chaotic situation.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often failed to listen to your teaching because of our selfish desires and pride, help us to always listen to you and be willing to do good always especially in applying and interpretation of laws and regulations. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week ahead.

Homily For Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 10th September, 2023

Readings:  Ezekiel 33:7-9, Ps.95, Rom. 13:8-10, Matt. 18:15-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE PRACTICAL STEPS TOWARDS FRATERNAL CORRECTION AND RECONCILIATION IN HUMAN RELATIONSHIP

 

The contingent nature of the human person has made it clear that we are not perfect, as we are likely to offend one another in any relationship we find ourselves. As a result of this, there is need for us to learn how to accommodate one another’s imperfections. But one of the major challenges we face in most relationships today is the ability to properly accommodate and correct one another especially when one is straying from the norms set up for the good of the relationship.

 

Thus, in our Gospel passage today Jesus gave us the practical steps we need to follow in order to correct and reconcile with one another so as to build a stronger relationship when he said, ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the Church as a community; and if he refuses to listen to the Church, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.

 

Here, Jesus calls for fraternal correction and reconciliation in any relationship we find ourselves, for we are responsible for one another’s welfare.  These steps no doubt give room for reconciliation and accommodation. However, fraternal correction must always be inspired by real charity which is one of the spiritual works of mercy. Though, this is never an easy task especially when one has to bear the sacrifice of forgiveness, because forgiving a very grievous offense is one of the most difficult things to do.

 

Nevertheless, forgiven a grievous offense is like recovery a lost treasure that contains: joy, peace, freedom, healthy mind and healing. But how often do we seek to recover this lost treasure in our lives caused by unforgivingness? Hence Jesus today calls us to persistently seek for reconciliation until we gain our brothers and sisters back whenever they have offended and separated from us.

 

But if they refused to be reconciled we should pray for their conversion for that is how Jesus taught us to treat the pagans, the task collectors and sinners. For in all our proceedings we should seek direction in prayer, knowing that God manifests his mercy when he transforms people and lead them to conversion, as he changes us and turns us from selfish and rebellious individuals into truly loving persons. For we are meant to watch over our neighbours.

 

Little wonder prophet Ezekiel in our first reading was set as an example of a watchman over his people when the Lord said to him: ‘Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman to the House of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, warn them in my name. If I say to a wicked man: Wicked wretch, you are to die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked man to renounce his ways, then he shall die for his sin, but I will hold you responsible for his death. If, however, you do warn a wicked man to renounce his ways and repent, and he does not repent, then he shall die for his sin, but you yourself will have saved your life.’ Therefore, we are responsible for one another’s welfare and are called to be watchman over our neighbours and friends.

 

The process of fulfilling this obligation is what St Paul gave us in our second reading as he called our attention to the commandments of God saying: All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not covet, and so on, are summed up in this single command: You must love your neighbour as yourself. Love he said is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbour; that is why it is the answer to every one of the commandments. Therefore, we should avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. For if you love your fellow men you have carried out your obligations.

 

Dear friends, it is our duty, obligation and responsibility to ensure in a fraternal charity that our fellow brothers and sisters, friends and neighbours, colleagues and collaborators are guided and corrected whenever they go astray. For each and every one of us have the responsibility to strengthen our relationship and be a good examples for one another as we work the path towards our salvation. We are called to be a watchman over the people we encounter in life, we must prudently tell them the truth, we must work together to ensure that we carry our neighbours along the way of our salvation. Therefore, mutual love and fraternal charity are the only way and process of fulfill this obligation.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are rebellious and proud people, we lack the courage and disposition to correct and accept corrections, give us the grace and courage to correct one another in fraternal charity as we also learn to accept corrections when corrected. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 9th September, 2023

Readings: Col. 1:21-23 Ps.54; Luke 6:1-5

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

LET LOVE, JUSTICE AND MERCY BE THE BASIS FOR THE MAKING AND INTERPRETATION OF EVERY LAW

 

Due to the weak and fragile nature of the human person, God made very good and practical laws which he wanted his people to obey, but as time went on, these laws were multiplied, turned upside down and misinterpreted in such a way that they were very complex and difficult to obey.

 

God's law is the law of love, justice, mercy and freedom for he describes himself as merciful and compassionate God. This freedom enables us to follow the spirit of the law and not the letter of the law. Therefore, Jesus comes to brings people back to the original intention of the law. He did not come to abolish the law, but to show what God’s original intention was concerning the law.

 

 This is what our Gospel passage is addressing today. Where on a Sabbath Jesus happened to be taking a walk through the cornfields, and his disciples were picking ears of corn, rubbing them in their hands and eating them. But some of the Pharisees said, ‘Why are you doing something that is forbidden on the Sabbath day?’ Jesus answered them, ‘So you have not read what David did when he and his followers were hungry? And he said to them, ‘The Son of Man is master of the Sabbath.’

 

Here, Jesus made it known to the Pharisees that they had made the Sabbath too stressful for the people, they are nothing but fault-finders and self-righteous people. For the Law was interpreted by the elders and the priests, which they passed down as strict sets of rules and regulations that restricted the activities of the people on the Sabbath.

 

This often makes many people to forget the very reason, purpose and essence of Sabbath itself. Because the Law was strictly enforced on the people, and those who do not obey, were often treated with dishonour just as the Pharisees did to Jesus and his disciples. This is because the Pharisees are known for  their judgmental and comparative attitude which makes them to feel superior over others.

 

And this ugly attitude is what St. Paul is addressing in our first reading when he said: you were foreigners and enemies, in the way that you used to think and the evil things that you did; but now the Lord has reconciled you, by Christ’s death. So that you can now be able to appear before him holy, pure and blameless, as long as you persevere and stand firm on the solid faith and keep to what is written.

 

 Dear friends, today Jesus teaches us the original intention of the Sabbath laws in relation to human needs. That we should not be legalistic with the law, rather we should identify the spirit of the law which is rooted in love, justice and mercy, and then follow it. For this is what Jesus and his disciples did when for the sake of their basic human need for survival, go against the ceremonial Sabbath day regulations of not plucking the grain or doing any work.

 

Also, we are called not to be judgmental, fault-finders and self-righteous people like the Pharisees who under the cover of the law planned to judge and condemned the action of Jesus and his disciples. Therefore, we should rather humble ourselves and focus our attention to what God really want from us which is to love him and to love our neighbours as well.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, oftentimes, we condemn and judge people based on what the law states without examining and applying the essence and spirit of the law, grant that in our relationship with others, we may begin to apply the true law which is rooted in love, justice and mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable and peaceful weekend.