Homily For Friday Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 6th October, 2023

Readings:  Bar 1:15-22; Ps. 79; Luke 10:13-16

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WOE TO HUMANITY FOR FAILING TO EMBRACE THE WORD OF GOD

 

Reflecting on the ugly and fragile nature of our societies and the world as a whole, especially how the streets are full of people struggling and suffering, the markets are full of people buying, selling, cheating and manipulating others. Our leaders are so busy with acquiring, manipulating and embezzledling the common resources, not minding the struggles, the tears, the disappointments that people are passing through everyday, as some people have lost hope. Though, we are  blessed with every good thing you can talk about but we have misused them and use them to abuse one another. We are just so busy with everything except the very essence of our existence, that is, the salvation of our souls.

 

This ugly and fragile kind of condition is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today as he continues with his reproaches, this time to cities where he had done great miracles, yet the people failed to embrace the life of the Gospel he preached. Hence he reproached them saying: woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. And still, I tell you that it will not go as hard on Judgement day with Tyre and Sidon as with you’.

 

No doubt, Jesus has taught us about the kingdom of God and proclaimed a message of healing and conversion, but his teaching and powerful deeds have not yet been embraced by humanity. Hence, Jesus in this Gospel is not just rebuking the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, but all humanity for not being open to the fruits of his Gospel, calling us to reflect on how we are losing out on what God is offering us. Because God will always have plans to correct us if we are do wrong.

 

 For in our first reading we heard how from the day when the Lord brought our ancestors out of the land of Egypt until today we have been disobedient to the Lord our God, we have been disloyal, refusing to listen to his voice.

 

Dear friends, we must not let Jesus say woe to us for failing to embrace the Word of God. Though, we might not feel very comfortable with the idea of Jesus rebuking and uttering terrible words of threats on these big and powerful cities that represents all of us and humanity at large. But the questions we need to ask ourselves are: have we really embraced the Word of God we heevery dayday? Is the Word bearing fruits in our lives?

 

Can we recognize in this fragile condition the great work that Jesus is doing to save humanity and the need to turn back to God? Do we think that repentance is for others and not for us? Jesus is saying woe to us for failing to embrace and live out the Gospel teachings, because he seem 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 dwells. Today He is rebuking all humanity, He wants us to come to Him for He comes to us more than we go to Him. 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 kept reminding us about the up coming danger. But, if humanity constantly refuse to believe in God, we may end up in self destruction.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we embrace your words today, may we experience your love, joy and healing both physically, materially and more importantly spiritually, as we wait patiently for the restoration of all humanity from the ugly and fragile condition of this passing world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Thursday Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 5th October, 2023

Readings: Neh. 8:1-12; Ps.18  Luke 10:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

I AM SENDING YOU OUT LIKE SHEEP AMONG WOLVES

 

Oftentimes, we find it difficult to actively participate in the mission of Christ, This is because the rebellious nature of humanity has always kept us away from responding to God's invitation to serve, for we have always failed to understand God’s ways of doing things. However, God has not stopped caring and stretching his hands of love towards us. In every generation, God always sends messengers to remind us of his love and plan for humanity.

 

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, we heard how the Lord appointed seventy-two persons and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he was to visit. He said to them, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house!

 

Here, Jesus gave us the nature and requirements for carrying out his missionary mandate successfully. So, to continue this great mission he invites his disciples and sends them out, commanding them to see themselves as someone who gives freely of the good they have received from God. Hence, we should offer to others what they have received from God, knowing that it has cost them nothing.

 

We must live a life of detachment that is, in this mission, we are to depend totally on God's providence. Unfortunately, many of the disciples have to face rejection and persecution from people, who through their rebellious attitude have refused to believe in God and are hostile to his message and mission. God has always been so patient, loving, caring and forgiving us. For people of this dispersion, we are like sheep among wolves.

 

This rebellious attitude of the human person is what brought about the capture and exile of the people of Israel, having gained their freedom, they decided to hear and meditate on the word and laws of God, which when the word was read and interpreted they mourned, but Ezra said to all the people, ‘This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not be mournful, do not weep.’ For the people were all in tears as they listened to the words of the Law.

 

Dear friends, the Lord is sending us as sheep among the wolves of this world. How are we responding to this mission? What is our attitude towards the missionary mandate of Christ? How has the Word of God shaped our lives? Have you ever shed tears after listening to the word of God? As disciples of Christ, we have received a lot from God without payment; we should learn to give without expecting a reward.

 

Today, God is calling us to acknowledge with gratitude all that we have received from God and give freely to others that which we have received. For this act of charity will purify us from pride and self-righteousness, because we are all recipients of God's love, mercy, forgiveness, favour, protection, healing and deliverance. So, we must offer to others these same gifts which we have received.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today you gave us the requirements and nature of our missionary mandate. Help us to effectively follow these requirements, we ask this through Christ our Lord Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Wednesday Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 4th October, 2023. The Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi

Readings:  Neh.2:1-8; Ps. 137, Luke 9:57-62

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

RESPONDING TO OUR VOCATION WITHOUT MAKING EXCUSES

 

The path to success is so rigorous, strenuous and competitive. The strong pass through it and are celebrated, while the weak will always quit or give up. Hence, a lot of people have not been able to achieve their goal in life because, always they have excuses to give. Oftentimes we hear such people saying I want to do this but.., I could have done it but..., I thought of it but… I was almost there but...

 

This kind of attitude is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, when he said to someone, ‘Follow me’, the man replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’ Than another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.

 

Here, Jesus is emphasizing that following him requires a life of total self-denial and the man who requested to follow Jesus had not reflect thoroughly what following Jesus would entail. So Jesus made it clear that following him would mean giving up many of the personal comforts that he enjoyed and perhaps took for granted.

 

However, it may seems that the Lord Jesus was very harsh when he said that those who have chosen to follow him and looked back were not fit for the kingdom of God or that those who died ought to be left on their own to be buried. This is not the case here, rather Jesus is emphasizing that to be his follower requires serious commitment and sacrifices at  all times.

 

And this is what we see in the life St. Francis of Assisi, whose memorial we celebrate today. He was known for his deep spirituality towards listening to the Word of God and his humble act of charity to the poor and needy. He once said we must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh. Rather we must be simple, humble, pure and never desire to be over others.

 

Dear friends, what excuses are you giving for refusing to follow the call of the Lord? Do you not know that for us to succeed in life and also make it to heaven, we need to pass through some rigorous steps and stop making excuses? Sometimes the rigorousness of the paths may seem difficult and impossible but at the end they form the experience that will propel us to success and sustain us as well.  So as we journey through the rigorous path of success in our mission and vocations, let us be encouraged by the life of St. Francis of Assisi, knowing that none of our sacrifices and contribution in the mission of Christ and his Church will be in vain.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, teach us how to faithfully embrace our vocation and mission in life without making excuses. May we be ever more nourished by your word and find in it the fount of grace to journey the path of life, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Tuesday Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 3rd October, 2023. The Memorial of St. Therese of the Child Jesus

Readings: Zec.8:20-23; Ps.87; Luke 9:51-56

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

HOW TO DEAL WITH STRONG OPPOSITIONS OF LIFE

 

Oftentimes when we find ourselves in difficult situations caused by our opponent, the first instinct that comes to our minds is to do away with the opponent and ensure that he or she does not exist anymore. Sometimes we feel like crushing anything that stands on the way towards our goal, especially when we think that we have the power and authority do so.

 

This is the disposition of James and John in our Gospel passage today when they said to Jesus: ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to burn them up?’ This is because the people of Samaritan village will not let Jesus and his disciples past through their town to Jerusalem. For opposing them the two disciples felt that they should be consumed by fire. But Jesus turned and rebuked his disciples, and then went off to another village.

 

Here, Jesus is showing us how to deal with opposition of life. For in life we must surely encounter oppositions, but what makes a difference is how we deal with it. In the Gospel the two disciples of Jesus feels that the best way to deal with such opposition is by calling down fire on the opponent, just like most of us will have done if we have the power and authority to do so.

 

However, this is not the same with Jesus, who though had the absolute power and authority to command fire to consume anything he wishes, but in this case, he chooses to flee from the problem not because he was a coward, no, but rather because he hoped to experience peace and teach us that sometimes the best way to deal with opposition in life is to walk away.

 

This does not mean that he was weak, rather he wants us to understand that a change of location does not make us weak or remove our enemies, it only changes where the battle takes place. And for Jesus, the battlefield is not the Samaritan territory, but the heart of the human person who occupied the territory. Perhaps, Jesus did not come to destroy the people, if he had come for that purpose, he would have destroyed these Samaritans; but he came to save.

 

And so he bears patiently the ignorance of the opposition and we too must learn to do the same, just as we heard prophet Zechariah in our first reading saying: there will be other peoples yet, and citizens of great cities. And the inhabitants of one city will go to the next and say, “Come, let us go and entreat the favour of the Lord, and seek the Lord of Hosts. This is what we see in the life of St. Therese of the Child Jesus whose memorial we celebrate today.

 

Dear friends, we must learn from Jesus how to walk away from opposition for the sake of peace. We should not be like James and John wanting to destroy those who opposed us. Rather we must learn to acquire the spirit of the Lord Jesus; temper our zeal like his; and seek to bear patiently with those who stand in our way. Let us seek peace, let us be patient and forgiving. Let us not allow the feeling of revenge to consume us into hurting those with whom we feel we cannot resolve our differences. Let us learn to identify what makes the real battle life and then change the battleground for victory.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, every day we encounter oppositions that we feel like crushing and eliminating. Through the intercession St. Therese, helps us to learn from Jesus how to deal with opposition patiently for the sake of peace and harmony in our societies. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Monday Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 2nd October, 2023. The Memorial of The Holy Guardian Angeles

Readings: Zec.8:1-8; Ps.102; Matt.18:1-5.10

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

CELEBRATING THE HOLY GUARDIAN ANGELES

 

As humans, we often experience some level of favour, providence and protection which we do not expect. Sometimes we wonder how we managed to escape some dangerous actions on our way or what has inspired and sustained us in doing great works. The answer to this question is found in the memorial we are celebrating today, that is, our Holy Guardian Angels whom God had set before us, to be our guide and protector in our constant struggle against war that rages in our souls. In these angels, we celebrate God’s loving care for every one of us, for God sends them to guide and protect us. They are higher beings than us but God put them at our service.

 

The angels have one goal in mind which is the glorification of God, which for our sake consists in our salvation and sanctification. They are prepared to do anything in order to procure our salvation and increase our sanctification. So, angels do protect us physically but more than that, they protect us more spiritually, especially by guiding and protecting our souls from the danger of sin and condemnation.

 

They do this by putting in us a holy fear, or contempt for those evil we know we should avoid. They enlighten our minds in order to help us to know the good we ought to do and the evil we are to avoid, this they do by acting upon the sensible part of our souls, our emotions and sentiments and so inspire us with joy, peace and favour of God. For God communicates his message to us through their mediation.

 

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus tells us to be humble like little children in following the directives of our Guardian Angels. He also warned us from misleading the little children in their faith or harming them, for their Angels in heaven are constantly interceding for them. Little wonder, in our first reading we heard the Lord saying:  I am going to save my people from the countries of the East and the countries of the West. I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem. They shall be my people and I will be their God in faithfulness and integrity.’

 

Dear friends, God has always provided for us and protected us. He often sends his Angels before us. All we have to do is trust in the Lord and follow the directives that our Guardian Angels had proposed for us. Because they are always before God interceding and praying constantly for us. They often speak to us and communicate the message of God to us, but we are often too busy and distracted by the noisy things of this passing world, which the devil has been using to lead us astray. We can not give in to his schemes if we remain faithful and attentive to our Holy Guardian Angels.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of our Guardian Angels, today we ask that through their intercession may we always find favour in your sight and before men, and always be defended by their protection and rejoice eternally in their company as we say: Angel of God, our guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits us here. Ever this day be at our side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. Do have a fruitful week.

Homily For Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 1st October, 2023. The Solemnity of Our Lady Queen & Patroness of Nigeria

Readings: Is.11:1-10, Ps.72, Eph. 2:13-22, Matt.2:13-14.19-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

BECOMING THAT GOOD LEADER MY COUNTRY NIGERIA NEEDS

 

Pondering, on the struggles, fears, tears, disappointments and betrayals that people are passing through every day just to survive in this world, especially in our country Nigeria. How some people have lost hope in themselves and even in everything they do as a result of a few individuals who out of greediness for power and wealth have frustrated the progress of our country. For there is no doubt that the root of all the problems in our world today is the love of power. For people are ready to do anything to be in power and to retain that power.

 

 This is what we see in the life of Herod in our Gospel passage today, where the Holy family of Jesus had to flee to Egypt because Herod planned to kill an innocent child for the sake of retaining his power. This ugly attitude is not far from us today, especially in our country Nigeria which is in a state of distress because of love of power and greediness among the people in power and even the common citizens.

 

The fact remains that the elements of good and bad seem inherent in the human person, little wonder the world involves both good and bad mixed. This will help us to understand the reason for the corruption, greediness, immoral and social decadence in our country today. So as we are celebrating our country Nigeria at 63 since our independence, we thank God who has made it possible for us to witness the day.

 

But today’s celebration should plunge us into deep reflection about the ugly condition of this country. We need to ask ourselves, what have we done right? What have we done wrong? How can we do better and what will the future of this country be like? This is because our country Nigeria needs a radical transformation from greed and selfishness to love and goodwill in a sacrificial way.

 

This is because the rate of corruption and greediness in this country is so appalling. People are never tired of acquiring and embezzling public funds for their own selfish gain. This shows that we have failed in our responsibility at different levels where we find ourselves. For we have failed to give that taste of love, joy, goodwill,  integrity, honesty, holiness, and compassion to our tasteless and corrupt families, societies and our country Nigeria. As a result of this life has become short, brutal and hopeless, with no money in circulation, no fuel,  no light, no food, no water, no good roads and the cost of living so high.

 

Dear Friends, why have we failed to be the salt and light of this nation?  Why have we chosen to mingle with darkness? Why have we chosen to remain silent and lose the sweet taste of love and goodwill God has given us? Is it the case that Christians are not involved in making policies in our societies and the implementations of those policies? I don’t think so,  for I know we are involved, but we have forgotten who we are, so we have been thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men of darkness and lawlessness.

 

The truth is that we need a radical transformation. A transformation that will bring about a new outfit that makes one a new person, with a new life, a new mind and a new way of doing things. And this is possible only when we understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of greediness, then we will be able to do things the right way and then our country Nigeria will be great again.

 

This country will be transformed only when the power of love and goodwill supersedes the love of power and when everyone understands that leadership is sacrificial and crucial to every human development. A situation where justice and faithfulness become the habit of every one of us in this country. Hence, all we need is good leaders who are not hypocrites. Leaders who will be truly servants of the people at all levels of leadership beginning from the self to the family, to societies and our country.

 

So, can I be such a leader in my family, in my society and my country? If my answer is yes. Then, we can begin to experience that peaceful coexistence and blessings that prophet Isaiah mentioned in our first reading and so bring the hostility going on in our country to the end just like St. Paul said in our second reading that we shall no longer be strangers in our own country but true citizens with the saints not just here in our country Nigeria but also in the kingdom of God.

 

LET US PRAY:  Lord God, out of selfishness and greediness we have committed a lot of crimes and injustice against one another, grant that through the intercession of Our Lady Queen and Patroness of Nigeria, we may resolve to have genuine love and goodwill in carrying out our activities in our country as you guide and direct us to learn how to do the right thing always by letting the power of love to transform the ugly situation in our country. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy New Month, I wish you a blessed Independence Day celebration.

Homily For Saturday Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 30th September, 2023. The Memorial of St. Jerome

Readings: Zech. 2:1-5.10-11; Ps. 31; Luke 9:43-45

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHY WE SHOULD OFTEN THINK  ABOUT THE REALITY OF DEATH

 

As customary in our seminary, every 2nd November some persons are selected to visit the cemetery. On one occasion, I was privileged to be among the people to visit a cemetery at Oke Are in Ibadan. On our way to the cemetery which is located on a hill in the heart of Ibadan, passing through the market and streets all I could see were people struggling, buying and selling, fighting and cursing each other. I saw a lot of beggars, sick and poor people, among these people were the rich, the educated, as well as their leaders both traditional and political. It was indeed an interesting community.

 

But getting to the cemetery I saw in a wall the names and dates of so many men and women who had passed on from this interesting community. Then I asked myself in my deep reflection, where are all these people whose names are listed on this wall? Were they like us before? Are we going to be like them later? Where will all of us in this beautiful community be in the next hundred years? The answers to these questions are difficult to understand because we don’t think about the inevitable event of death

 

This is not different from what Jesus is reminding his disciples in our Gospel passage today, where after his great miracles, when everyone was full of admiration for all he did, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘For your part, you must have these words constantly in your mind: that the Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men.’ But they did not understand him. Just like prophet Zechariah in our first reading today who said: “Raising my eyes, I saw a vision. It was this: there was a man with a measuring line in his hand. I asked him, ‘Where are you going?’ He said, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to find out her breadth and her length”

 

Dear friends, today we are reminded about the true reality of life, that we all are going to die one day and the dust of our flesh and bones will return to the earth while our Spirit retires to God knowing that we will account for how we lived this life. We are going to give back to God the gift of life he has given us because our life is a temporal assignment.

 

So, why not start living this life according to the present reality since we do not know how and when we are going to account for it? Why not accept joyfully who we are now as we work hard to be better tomorrow? Remember, everything is in the hands of God, we brought nothing into this world and we are taking nothing out of it. So why not pay attention to the Word of God reminding us of this reality?

 

Little wonder St. Jerome whose memorial we celebrate today says: that ignorance of the scripture is ignorant of Christ. Hence today, we can recall his great contributions to the Church and the Christian faithful, especially for his compilation of the Latin translation of the Greek Bible. Jerome experienced all sorts of worldly pleasures as a young student of philosophy. But later his conscience led him to conversion into the Christian faith as he renounced all of his past sinful ways of life and devoted himself deeply into the study of the Scriptures, from which comes all his great works we still study today.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, our life is meaningless without you. Through the interception of St. Jerome, grant that we may realize the shortness of this life and so prepare to give account on how we have lived our lives in this world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Do have a blessed weekend