Homily For Friday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 3rd November, 2023

Readings: Romans 9:1-5; Ps  147; Luke 14:1-6

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

THE LORD CARES ABOUT OUR WELL-BEING

 

Most times when we reflect on the relationship between Jesus and his audience, we wonder how he was able to manage all the situations placed before him even when it seemed as if he had no escape root. Such is the situation in our Gospel passage today when on a Sabbath day Jesus went for a meal at the house of one of the leading Pharisees who had invited him; of which they watched him closely. Because in front of him was a man with dropsy, and Jesus addressed the lawyers and Pharisees saying: ‘Is it against the law to cure a man on the Sabbath, or not?’ But they remained silent, so he took the man cured him and sent him away.

 

Here, we see Jesus who always honours all his invitations whether from the poor or the rich, friends or ‘enemies’ including Pharisees and Sadducees whose invitation was a trap to set him up. But Jesus cannot be trapped, rather he used the opportunity to teach us that no Sabbath law, no religious restriction, can ever forbid us from being compassionate and caring for the poor and the sick. And St. Paul in our first reading made us to know that as God’s chosen people, we have been adopted as sons, we have been given the glory and the covenants; the Law and the ritual were drawn up for us, and the promises of God were made to us in order to completely embrace the will of God

 

Dear friends, we can see that nothing can stop the Lord from taking care of us. So, today we are called to learn how to be compassionate no matter the situation we may find ourselves, in because Jesus has always been compassionate to us. For this kind of attitude will help us to become pure and blameless, and prepare us for the Day of Christ when we all will reach the perfect goodness which the Lord Jesus planted in us for the glory and praise of God.  But, are we willing and ready to show love, compassion and care to those who need our love and care especially when it seems very difficult?

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often wish to be compassionate and caring like you. But we often fail because of fear and lack of proper disposition. As we listened to your words today, may we find the courage to be compassionate and caring, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with.

Homily For Thursday Thirty- First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 2nd November 2023. The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls Day.)

Readings: Wis. 3:1-9; Ps.23; Rom 5:5-11; Matt. 5:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE DEPARTED SOULS: WERE THEY LIKE US? ARE WE GOING TO BE LIKE THEM?

 

Yesterday we celebrated the solemnity of All Saints, today being the 2^nd day of November the Holy Mother Church in her wisdom asked us to commemorate and pray for all the faithful departed (All Souls), especially the suffering Church. That is, as a militant Church, we are expected to pray for those souls that belong to the body of Christ but are still in need of purification. Thus, we are called to remember our loved ones who have gone before us into eternal life by visiting their tombs and praying for them. But why must we pray for the departed souls?  Today’s celebration will help us to understand why we must learn to constantly pray for the departed souls.

 

This is important because immediately after death we belong either to the suffering Church or the triumphant Church. The suffering Church is the souls that belong to the body of Christ but are still in need of purification. In this state they are helpless, they can not help anyone neither can they help themselves. They only rely on the intercessions of the triumphant Church and the militant Church. So as a militant Church, it is necessary and mandatory for us to be charitable to the suffering Church through our prayers and intercessions. That is why we need to pray and intercede for them. Little wonder the Church set apart a day like this for us to pray for the departed and also visit the cemetery and graves of our loved ones.

 

So as regards this visitation, I can recall my experience of visiting the cemetery as a seminarian. As customary, in the seminary, every 2nd November we often choose people to visit the cemetery to pray for the souls of the Faithful Departed Oftentimes my name will always be among those going to visit the cemetery but not often when it comes to going for other glorious and social occasions and events. Though at a point I felt I should complain I accepted it even though I had no option. Then, as usual, in 2017, I was privileged again to be among those to visit a cemetery at Oke-Are in Ibadan. Being more disposed than in previous years I was more observant. So, 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, beggars, sick people and poor alike, among the people were the rich, the educated, their leaders both traditional and political.

 

But getting to the cemetery I saw on 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 will all of us in this beautiful community be in the next hundred years? Where are all these people whose names are listed on this wall? Were they like us before? Yes. Are we going to be like them later? Of course Yes. With this in mind, I realized that there is time for everything in this world, a time to be born, a time to die, a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to break down and a time to build up (Eccl: 3:1-11). Then I realized the reality of this life and the need to reflect and pray for the souls that have passed away from this passing world.

 

This we should do not in grief but in the spirit of faith and hope, knowing that they are living in communion with us as they share in the resurrection of Christ. Just as we heard in our first reading that the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God for those who are faithful will live with him in love; since grace and mercy await those he has chosen. And St. Paul in our second reading tell us to rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation in order to live a beatific life which Jesus gave us its guiding principles in our Gospel passage today.

 

Dear friends, do you know that you can offer some little help to souls struggling to attain heaven our beatific vision? Do we know that there are helpless souls who only rely on our help to attain the beatific vision? What am I willing to do for these helpless souls? Before now, have I even thought of it that my departed brethren need my assistance in other to reach their destination? Am I sure that I can avoid this state of suffering and purification? Do we ever remember that our loved ones may be there now?

 

Perhaps while they were in this life, they were of great help to us. Do we realize that our prayers and sacrifices represent the key to releasing them and we can use them if we want to? Do we care about using it? Therefore, as we remember the souls who are passing through this rigour of purification, it would be good for us to offer some prayers of intercession, especially for our loved ones as plenary indigence awaits us when we do this devoutly today or any day in November at the Holy Mass or at the cemetery.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we commemorate and pray for all souls today, may the light of your mercy shine upon them, especially those who are in need of your mercy. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful day.

Homily For Wednesday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 1st November, 2023. Solemnity of All Saints. (HAPPY NEW MONTH)

Readings: Rev. 7:2-4.9-14, Ps.24, 1John 3:1-3, Matt. 5:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART, FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD

 

Every first November, the Holy Mother Church presents to us the Solemnity of All Saints. But, who are the saints and why are we celebrating them. The Church as we know is not just the physical structure we have all over the places, no, the Church is much more than that. The Church is the body of Christ which every one of us are member by virtue of our baptism.

 

This Church is divided into three groups, that is the militant Church, the suffering Church and the triumphant Church. The militant Church are all of us especially the baptized who are still inhabiting and struggling with the human flesh. But immediately after death, we belong either to the suffering Church or the triumphant Church. The suffering Church is the souls that belong to the body of Christ but are still in need of purification. While the triumphant Church are the souls of the saints which we are celebrating today. They are those who are pure in heart, they are the ones who shall see God because they have been washed clean from the stain of sin by the blood of Christ and sustained by their holiness of life.

 

So, today we celebrate the triumphant Church that is, all the saints known or unknown to us who have triumphed victorious to heavenly glory. By celebrating them we are reminded that we are called to grow in holiness and to become saints like them, for that is our primary goal in life.

 

This solemnity dates back to the 7th century, and the occasion of its introduction was the conversion of the ancient Roman Pantheon into a Christian Church. As emperor, Phocas gave the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV, who converted it into a Church and dedicated it to the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints in the year 608. But later in the year 731, Pope Gregory III consecrated a chapel in St. Peter’s Church in honour of all the saints and since then the solemnity of All Saints has been celebrated all over the world.

 

Therefore, in this great event, we are called to imitate the heroic virtues of the saints by living a life of beatitudes as peacemakers, pure of heart, meek, humble and merciful as Jesus teaches us in our Gospel passage today. And in our first reading St. John in the book of Revelation tells that these saints are the people who have been through great persecution, and they have washed their robes white again in the blood of the Lamb, which in our second reading he made us to know that we are already the children of God but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed; but when it is revealed we shall be like him because we shall see him as he really is. And everyone who entertains this hope must purify himself and try to be as pure as Christ.

 

Dear friends, are you pure in heart? Are you merciful? Are you a peacemaker? Are you persecuted for righteousness' sake? Then you are a living saint. So, today’s  Solemnity reminds us of our universal vocation to holiness, it strengthens us in our struggles towards our goal which is to attain eternal life. It helps us to recall our communion with saints. It reminds us that we are pilgrims on this earth and also it strengthens our faith in the teachings of the Church. No doubt all of us want to become saints and oftentimes we really want to live a holy life but there are always obstacles on our way to holiness, these obstacles make us become aware of our sins, our weaknesses and our failures.

 

Yes, we are sinners, but so are the saints. They only relied on God’s mercy and grace and so we too. We cannot become holy through our efforts alone we need to cooperate with the grace of God. Remember, anything worth having is worth making sacrifices for, and the more it’s worth, the more significant sacrifices we should be willing to make for it. If holiness is necessary for one to attain heaven. Then it is worth all the sacrifices Jesus mentioned in the beatitudes. So, let us embrace these great virtues and so become the saints of God that we are called to be.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as a militant Church on earth, there are a lot of troubles and challenges we are struggling with, help us through the intercession of all the saints, to overcome them and so make it triumphantly to your heavenly kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy new month and a blessed All Saints celebration.

Homily For Tuesday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 31st October, 2023

Readings: Romans 8:18-25; Ps 126; Luke 13:18-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

WHAT SHALL WE COMPARE THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITH?

 

Oftentimes when addressing the people regarding very important things, it has always been one of the characteristics of Jesus to use a simple story to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. So, 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 Yeast, using them to describe the nature of God’s kingdom which he came to establish in the hearts of humanity.

 

In these parables, Jesus compared 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 mighty tree that gives shelter and salvation to all. Here also, Jesus is not just 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 mighty tree, so will the faith of the people grow into great vessels 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 to bear fruits of the kingdom or to reject it and perish.

 

More so, this analogy of the mustard seed symbolizes the humble beginnings of the Christian faith which is well watered by the Holy Spirit to grow and give life and hospitality to all the people of the world. However, we need to 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.

 

Those who embrace these good-for-nothing seeds follow the dictates of their hardened hearts and will soon be thrown away as good-for-nothing because they have not listened to God’s words. And St. Paul in our first reading tells us that what we suffer in this life can never be compared to the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us. So we are encouraged us to embrace the good seeds of God’s words in our life struggles.

 

Dear friends, in the world today, we have different kinds 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 to water those valuable mustard seeds of faith, love, holiness, hospitality, obedience, and charity and make them our values of life. For when we feed and water such values, we 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 in our hearts, give us the grace to water and grow it into the mustard tree of faith, holiness and hospitality that will usher us into your kingdom, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Monday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 30th October, 2023

Readings:  Roman 8:12-17; Ps 68;  Luke 13:10-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

THE WELFARE OF THE HUMAN PERSON OVER HUMAN LAWS

 

From the scriptures, it seems like every encounter that the Pharisees had with Jesus was always aimed at finding faults with what Jesus was doing. But to their great surprise, Jesus will always escape and used that opportunity to communicate an important message to the people. Such was the occasion of our Gospel passage today. When on a Sabbath day Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a woman was there who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that left her enfeebled; she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright.

 

When Jesus saw her he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are rid of your infirmity’ and he laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God. But the synagogue official was indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, and they addressed the people present saying: There are six days when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the Sabbath. Then Jesus said, this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years was it not right to untie her bonds on the Sabbath day?

 

Here the synagogue official affirms that the Sabbath is not an appropriate time for God to manifest his compassion and mercy.  But Jesus on the other hand made us know that God’s actions cannot be dictated or restricted by humans. Because God’s mercy and healing know no limits of time or place if we sincerely turn to him.  Hence, 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 become faithful and holy. His mercy is so deep that he proposes it as the guiding principle for the perfect fulfilment of the laws of life.

 

This, Jesus in this passage has 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 of the 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 oppressed 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 like our Lord Jesus Christ for that is what we are called to do.

 

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading, tells us that everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit we received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into our lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God.

 

Dear friends, no law or regulation should stop us from ensuring and caring for the well-being of people around us. So today, we are called to constantly do good to everyone. We are called not to be fault-finders who are blindfolded by pride. We must also renounce all sorts of immoral 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.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often fail 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 as we resolve to live a life of purity and humility. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week ahead.

Homily For Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 29th October, 2023

Readings: Ex. 22:21-27, Ps.18, 1Thess. 1:5-10, Matt. 22:34-40

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT IS THE GREATEST PRIORITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON?

 

Reflecting on the fragile and contingent nature of the human person, one may agree with me that there are so many principles we need to embrace in order to ensure peaceful coexistence with one another and with our environment. These principles have a way of assuring us peace and success in whatever we do, but neglecting these principles will bring about grave consequences. Hence, when we are faced with the realities of life, we want to know the principle that should be our first priority and the foundation of every other principle.  In fact, we always desire to know what is required of us in this life.

 

This is partially the deposition of the Pharisees in our Gospel passage today, who after they have exhausted all their energy trying to see how they can discredit the teachings of Jesus who had just silenced the Sadducees, they came together and one of them asked Jesus question concerning which commandment is the greatest. In response Jesus reminded them of the 'Shema Israel', the prayer that they knew and recite from their earliest years from which they learnt that the most important thing in life is to love God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind; that is, with all their powers and the noble faculties of the soul, the mind, the understanding, judgment, and will. Jesus then added that, to love one’s neigbhour is the second priority.

 

Here, Jesus gave us the fundamental principle that should guide human existence. He made it clear that loving God and our neighbours are the greatest priority of the human person. In other words, loving God with all our heart, with all our understanding and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves are what is required of us and it is the foundation of all the things we have to do. To portray this, Jesus set as a standard for all to see, not just by the love he was able to show to people, but  by the depth of love which he showed by dying and rising for our salvation.

 

This principle of love especially that of loving our neighbours is what we have in our first reading where we were told not to molest the stranger for we all are strangers in the world. We must not be harsh with the widow, the orphan, the poor, the less privileged, if we do, they will surely cry out to God, and be sure he shall hear their cry; his anger will flare and he will surely visit the oppressors with the same sword of which they used against the poor.

 

Therefore we are called to show love to our neighbours especially the poor, the widow and the orphans. We are called not to embezzle public resources meant for the good and well-being of the poor. Rather we are called to learn from the early Christian community who embraced this principle of love in a very practical way as we have it in our second reading today where we heard St. Paul saying: you observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your instruction, and you were led to become imitators of us, and of the Lord; and it was with the joy of the Holy Spirit that you took to the Gospel, despite the great opposition round you.

 

Dear friends, the greatest priority of the human person is the love of God and the love of neighbours. For love is the centre of all the teachings of Jesus. It is a gift from God to humanity. It is like the stream water, so innocent and pure. A true love is not hidden, it radiates from the innermost being of a person who experience it. If we love God, then, we will see him in others and treat them justly and honourably. We will not hurt our neighbours but do our utmost best to live in peace with them. The truth is that, the absence of love is the cause of all the problems in our world today as most families exist by grace and not by love. 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 and now they are on the run.

 

So there is no doubt, we need a radical transformation. A transformation that will brings about a new out fit 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.  For this country will be transformed only when the power of love and goodwill supersedes the love of power and then, justice and faithfulness become the habit of every one of us in our families, society and country. How I wish we can invest our time and resources in ensuring love and unity in our dealings with one another. Believe me we will not only be fulfilling the first and greatest commandments of God, but we will be building a happy country, a happy society and a happy family.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, in you we have the fullness of love, grant that we may truly love you and our neighbours and so conquer the world full of hatred, self-centeredness, greed and corruption, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 28th October, 2023. The Feast of SS. Simon and Jude, Apostles

Readings: Eph.2:19-22, Ps  19, Luke 6:12-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

ARE YOU FELLOW CITIZENS OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD LIKE SS. SIMON AND JUDE?

 

Will you leave? Will you care? Will you risk? Will you let the Lord lead you? These are questions of great demands which every true disciple must constantly reflect through in life, in order to be aware of the seriousness of the commitment required of every one of us as a disciple of Jesus. This great demand is presented to us in our liturgy today as we celebrate the feast day of too great apostles St. Simon and St. Jude and our readings propel us to reflect on our call to discipleship.

 

In the Gospel, we heard how Jesus after deep prayers called from among his disciples twelve apostles of which Simon and Jude were part of the twelve. Simon also known as the Zealot, was a member of the Zealots, the extremists who fought for the freedom of the Israelites against the Romans at the time of Jesus. While, St. Jude often referred to as St. Jude Thaddeus, was a member of the extended family of Jesus.

 

These two apostles along with others followed the Lord faithfully throughout his ministry. Simon though a member of the Zealot, abandoned his previous life as a freedom fighter to a great missionary along with St. Jude Thaddeus who was the probable author of the Epistle of St. Jude. These two apostles together served the Lord and reached out to many peoples and evangelized many nations. That is why both of them are celebrated together today, because of their missionary zeal and commitment to God even to the very end of their lives.

 

Tradition has it that Simon spread the Gospel to places like Persia and Armenia, Egypt and Ethiopia and along with Jude, they evangelized throughout Judea, Samaria, Persia, Armenia and other places. Sadly, after many decades of missionary activities, these two great apostles were martyred in Lebanon. They committed themselves wholeheartedly to the mission of Christ and his Church, they converted many and established firm foundations of the Christian faith in many places. Little wonder St Paul in our first reading tells us that we are fellow citizens of God’s household that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself as its main cornerstone.

 

Dear friends, are we fellow citizens of God's household like SS. Simon and Jude whose lives show us that evangelization is the very nature and essence of the Church. For 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, at this moment when the world is confused because we have removed God from our daily lives, 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, 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. We are reminded once again about our very mission, 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 that we have caused for ourselves.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are lost in this world, we are confused because we have cut ourselves off from You our cornerstone, as we come back to You once again, please give us the grace to preach the Gospel following the examples of saints Simon and Jude, may we learn from their teaching and walk faithfully in the footsteps of Christ and by so doing draw humanity back to You once again.  We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.