Homily For Friday Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 17th November 2023. The Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Readings: Wis. 13:1-9; Ps.19; Luke:17:26-37

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

ONE WILL BE TAKEN, THE OTHER LEFT: BE PREPARED

 

Every day of our lives we are so busy preparing, acquiring and safeguarding the things of this passing world. Every day the streets are full of people struggling and bobbling, the markets are full of people buying, selling, cheating and chatting, the Churches are full of people praying, singing and celebrating. Noise everywhere, no one wants to be patient with the other, no one wants to give way to the other. We are so busy with everything except the very essence of our existence that is, the salvation of our souls.

 

Little wonder, Jesus speaking of the 'end times event' in our Gospel passage today, wants his listeners to notice how life was going on normally in the days of Noah and Lot when flood and fire consumed them. The people were engaged in their everyday activities when the disaster struck. No extraordinary warning, no premonition, no time to plan an escape. So too the Son of Man will come suddenly and unexpectedly. Our times certainly sound very much like Noah’s days, where everyone seems so busy and distracted, unable to concentrate on what is really important.

 

But Jesus is warning us today that the time for a decision can catch us unawares. He insists that with a real sense of urgency, we need to take our lives seriously especially those who do not pay attention to the Words of God. Thus in our first reading, we heard that naturally stupid are all men who have not known God and who, from the good things that are seen, have not been able to discover Him-who-is, or, by studying the works, have failed to recognize the Artificer.

 

Dear friends, If we have not yet trusted in Christ Jesus as our Saviour, we should do so now for tomorrow may be too late. If there are ugly behaviours and sins we are yet to give up, the time to do that is now. Jesus tells us that we will not have any warning signs of the coming day of judgment any more than the preaching of the Gospel. For there will be no time to repent when that day comes.

 

Therefore, if we believe and obey, if we acknowledge our sins and trust in the mercy of God, we have to do it right now for the day of judgment draws very near. Let us not be unaware or apathetic about its coming. Let us not be too busy with the things of this passing world. Know that the only way to be prepared is to live a good and holy life, a life that is based on love.

 

This is what we see in the life of St. Elizabeth Hungary whose memorial we celebrate today for she was known for her constant visit to the sick and those who were particularly repulsive; to some, she gave food, to others clothing; some she carried on her shoulders, and performed many other kindly services. For when we live this way, then the coming of the Son of Man will not be a disaster but a day of our final salvation.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we have become so busy with the things of this passing world while neglecting to prepare our souls for your coming. As we listened to your words today, may we through the intercessions of St Elizabeth of Hungary realise the need to prepare our souls for your coming more than any other thing in the world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Thursday Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 16th November, 2023

Readings: Wis. 7:22-8:1; Ps.119; Luke:17:20-25

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

KNOW THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AMONG YOU

 

Oftentimes whenever we hear about the kingdom of God, two questions come to mind, the first question is when is it coming? And the second question is what will it look like? This disposition is not different from the disposition of the Pharisees in our Gospel passage today who after hearing Jesus talking about the kingdom of God, asked him when the kingdom would come. This is because they presume that the kingdom of God is yet to come, and will be visible like an earthly kingdom.

 

But, Jesus replied that the kingdom is already present though invisible, for the kingdom of God is within us. The kingdom is essentially God's reign in the soul of humanity through his Son Jesus. For with the presence of Jesus, the kingdom of God is already here among us. And within our hearts, God’s reign has already begun. So through our union with Jesus, we already have a foretaste of eternal life.

However, Jesus said to his disciples, a time will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man and will not see it. They will say to you, “Look there!” or, “Look here!” Make no move; do not set off in pursuit; for as the lightning flashing from one part of heaven lights up the other, so will be the Son of Man when his day comes.

 

Dear friends, today Jesus encourages his disciples not to get worked up, or even overly curious, about the end times and the second coming of the Son of Man. Instead let us concentrate on the here and now, especially on our relationship with him as we ponder constantly on his teaching. Jesus also warns us not to be distracted by fake prophets and preachers who claim private revelations about the end of the world. Rather, wisdom demands that we should focus on how to shape our life to attain the demands of God’s kingdom.

 

Little wonder in our first reading we are called to choose wisdom for she is a breath of the power of God, pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty; nothing impure can find a way into her. She is a reflection of the eternal light, an untarnished mirror of God’s active power, an image of his goodness. For in each generation she passes into holy souls, she makes them friends of God and prophets; for God loves only the man who lives with Wisdom.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we await your Kingdom, help us to be well prepared for it whenever it comes. And give us the grace to be faithful and dedicated servants, we ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen. Do have a faithful day.

Homily For Wednesday Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A 14th November, 2023

Readings: Wis. 6:1-11; Ps.82; Luke:17:11-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

LEARN TO SHOW GRATITUDE TO GOD

 

In the scriptures and even in our daily lives the compassionate love of Jesus in solidarity with human suffering is so evident. Little wonder, we have great events in the scriptures that illustrate the compassionate concern of Jesus in the struggles of humanity and how he wishes to set us free from the shackles of all our troubles. But how often do we show gratitude for such great love?

 

 This is evident in the occasion of our Gospel passage today, where we come to the story of Jesus’ encounter with the ten lepers. Ten of them were cured, but only one who was a foreigner among them came back to thank Jesus. From this man’s gratitude, Jesus made a comment on human ingratitude when he asked “Was there no one to return and give thanks to God except this foreigner?”

 

The problem is that we don’t always remember that the ultimate source of our graces and gifts is God. That is what makes the Samaritan leper special, and distinguishes him from the other nine because he realized that God is the source of his healing. Unfortunately, God’s greatest gifts, which are our life and health, and our ability to think and achieve great things are often taken for granted by most of us. More so, the story of these lepers is a good example of how we sinners can and should appeal to Jesus for cleansing, especially from our sins. We should come in faith knowing that God is always willing to cleanse every sinner who comes to Him.

 

So, let us sincerely turn to God once again with all of our hearts and with all of our strength, just like the lepers who came to Jesus with faith, knowing that he could heal them and make them better. This is what all of us must have as well, a strong and genuine faith. Today may be our great opportunity to be restored and what is needed is to put our faith into action and say, Jesus! Master! Have mercy on us.

 

Dear friends, I don’t know what type of leprocious problems you are passing through? Are you weigh down by sin or sickness? Are you feeling helpless and rejected?  Or do I know people who are helpless and need some help? Do I feel the need of Jesus’s help in some part of my life? Let us pause for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at us. How does he sees us? What are you saying to him and what is he saying to you? Jesus wishes to set us free from sickness, troubles challenges and manipulations of the evil ones. He desires to be with us as we struggle every day to overcome the challenges in our families, society and the world at large. Therefore, we should not be afraid to approach Jesus for healing and restoration, all we need is an active faith and a heart of gratitude like the leper in our Gospel passage today.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you know our innermost being and the challenges we are struggling with, come to our aid we pray and cleanse us from all our physical, emotional and spiritual leprosy as we thank you for all you have done for us, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Tuesday Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 14th November, 2023

Readings: Wis. 2:23-3:9; Ps.34; Luke:17:7-10

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

ARE YOU THAT HUMBLE AND FAITHFUL SERVANT OF GOD?

 

In our society today, the rate people seek rewards for what they have done and some even for what they have not done is quite disturbing. Today it is difficult for people to do things without looking for what they will gain from it. In fact, it takes courage to trust people even when they extend their hands of generosity to others because we often think that they have some interior motives behind the generosity. But this should not be our attitude as disciples of Christ.

 

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, Jesus in the parable of a dutiful servant corrects some of the wrong thinking and notions about being a disciple and teaches us what our true place and disposition should be. In the parable, Jesus compared our relationship with God to that of a master and his servant. Where the servant had a duty to serve his master well and to do what he had been told to do without seeking any compliments. Because the master has no obligation to congratulate or please the servant.

 

Therefore, this tells us that we are “unworthy servants” before our Worthy and righteous God who loves us even in our unworthiness. So disciples should not seek reward for their good deeds. For our obedience to God is required by the very nature of who God is and not something to boast about or seek a reward for, since our obedience to him is that of a son or daughter to a loving Father. Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading made us know that God made man imperishable, he made him in the image of his nature; it was the devil’s envy that brought death into the world, as those who are his partners will discover. But the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, no torment shall ever touch them.

 

Dear friends, today we are reminded that following Jesus requires being a humble and faithful servant of God. Hence, we should do all our good works in humility without any strange attachment. We should do what we can to help others we meet on our way for no reason other than to help for the seek of helping. Therefore, as a faithful servants, all that is required is for us to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly before God without seeking any reward for that is what we are called to do. Remember that everything that happens to us, whether prosperous or adverse, comes from God so that you neither become puffed up in prosperity nor discouraged in adversity. Thus, in anything you do avoid evil, do good, and seek peace.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, teach us how to be a humble and faithful servant, even when it is difficult. Grant us the grace to be faithful and humble servants at any level we find ourselves without seeking rewards. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen  Do have a faithful day.

Homily For Monday Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 13th November, 2023

Readings: Wis. 1:1-7; Ps.139; Luke 17:1-6

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

FORGIVE AS FRATERNAL CORRECTION

 

The fragile 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 a 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.

 

This is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, for he 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,  be on your guard for when your brother does something wrong, reprove him and, if he is sorry, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times a day and seven times comes back to you and says, “I am sorry,” you must forgive him.’

 

Here, Jesus made us know that in fraternal correction we need to forgive in any relationship we find ourselves in, for we are responsible for one another’s welfare and these steps and stages give room for reconciliation and accommodation. So, 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 offence is one of the most difficult things to do.

 

However, forgiving a grievous offence is like recovering a lost treasure that contains: joy, peace, freedom, a 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 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 in all our proceedings we should seek direction in prayer, knowing that God manifests his mercy when he transforms people and leads them to conversion.

This helps us to perceive forgiveness as a fraternal correction as Jesus teaches us and turns us from selfish and rebellious individuals into truly loving persons. For we are meant to watch over our neighbours.

 

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 corrected and guided whenever they go astray. For every one of us has the responsibility to strengthen our relationship and be a good example for one another as we work the path towards our salvation. 

Therefore, mutual love and fraternal charity are the only ways and processes of fulfilling this obligation. Little wonder today we are told in our first reading to love virtue, you who are judges on earth, let honesty prompt your thinking about the Lord, let us seek him in the simplicity of heart.  For wisdom will never make its way into a crafty soul nor stay in a body that is in debt to sin; since the  Holy Spirit of instruction shuns deceit.

 

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 week.

Homily For Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 12th November, 2023

Readings: Wis 6:12-16, Ps.63, 1Thess 4:13-18, Matt. 25:1-13

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE FOOLISH AND THE WISE WHERE DO BELONG IN PREPARATION FOR GOD'S KINGDOM

 

Oftentimes, we say that preparation is the secret and foundation of every successful event. This is obvious when we observe how footballers, boxers, athletes, engineers, doctors farmers, businessmen and women devote time and energy in rigorous preparation towards achieving their goals. Then we will realise that adequate preparation is truly the heart of any 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.

 

Thus, if we can devote such time and energy towards our spiritual life which we often neglect, we will be more awake and prepared than the ten maidens in our Gospel passage today, 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, Jesus emphasized the need for us 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 because they ran short of oil. The oil here is so symbolic, as we know in the scriptures, oil is made from the seed of the olive tree, which symbolizes goodness, fruitfulness, purity and righteousness, these great viruses like oil sustain and fuel the light of our souls which shines in the world to enlighten the darkness around us.

 

Hence, these great virtues are what the wise maidens took as extra oil. While the foolish ones abandoned them. So as the coming was delayed, they all drowsed off, and when the time actually came, the foolish ones realized that they were not good enough. Their oil of goodness, purity, and righteousness had burned out, and their light had stopped burning, so they had nothing with which to replenish it. Thus, their contribution to the light of the world was no more, for they were fruitless.  They have become lazy and begin to do things that they are not supposed to be doing. So now that the time is ripped, they had nothing to keep their lamp burning for the bridegroom that was coming.

 

Dear friends, where do you belong in preparation for the Kingdom of God? If the Lord should come right now, will you belong to the foolish or the wise? The answer to these questions is important it helps us to know that our life as Christians demands that we should be alert, we should be prepared at all times and be ready to make sacrifices like the five wise maidens. Because so many people will be caught unprepared when they realize that the day of the Lord has finally come, and they have nothing to show to God for all the gifts he has given us. Little wonder we are told in our first reading to be wise for wisdom is found by those who seek her. And St. Paul in our second reading tells us about the need to be vigilant and prepared, we should not claim to be ignorant.

 

Therefore, we should be watchful for we know neither the day nor the hour when the Lord will call us. We are reminded today that this world is passing away, so we need to stay awake and be ready. We are called to abstain from things that will separate us from our God, as we look into our inner being, and our interior life in order to embrace the life of holiness, goodness, purity and self-control for they are the extra oil that will help us to be more prepared.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, 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 and ready to stand before you whenever you call us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.  Peace be with you and Happy Sunday.

Homily For Saturday Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 11th November, 2023. The Memorial of St. Martin of Tours

Readings: Romans: 16:3-9.16.22-27; Ps.145; Luke 16: 9-15

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHO CAN BE TRUSTED WITH THE THINGS OF THIS PASSING WORLD?

 

One of the difficult challenges people face as regards beginning and sustaining any meaningful in our society today is getting people who can be trusted or those who can trust us. Today, when we walk through the streets we observe how people are struggling with the things of this life because of a lack of trust, we can feel their passion, determination and willingness to achieve great things even in the midst of corruption and challenges of life. How I wish we could put such energy into working towards the things that edifice our soul. But the questions we need to ask ourselves are: can I be trusted with the smallest things in this passing world? How am I using the things of this world?

 

This is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today when he said; use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity. For the man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?

 

Here, we have the continuation of yesterday’s parable of the dishonest steward, which today Jesus explained its meaning and how it can be related to the lives of the people, telling us that we should be careful not to fall into the temptations of money and other worldly pleasures which are trying to lead us away from God and the salvation he has given us. Little wonder we heard St. Paul in our first reading saying: Glory to him who can give us the strength to live according to the Good News he preached in which he proclaimed Jesus Christ as the revelation of a mystery kept secret for endless ages, but now so clear that it must be broadcast to pagans everywhere to bring them to the obedience of faith.

Dear friends, today we are called to live a life of integrity. Every one of us is called to be good managers and custodians of whatever blessings and resources God has given us, for we are all reminded that we have been called to follow the Lord and to devote ourselves to Him wholeheartedly. Therefore, we must learn to be trusted and ensure that we manage whatever is entrusted to us, just like St. Martin of Tours whose memorial we celebrate today.

 

He was one of the early bishops of Tours in what is now southern France. He was truly dedicated in his service as the shepherd of his flock, dedicating his time and efforts to take care of the needs of his flock, in particular their spiritual needs. He was a champion of true faith amidst several heresies that were rampant at that time, protecting his flock from false teachings and helping to guide them down the right path, leading by example through his own virtuous life. We too can do the same.

 

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we listened to your words today, may we not be carried away by the things of this passing world. Rather give us the grace to live a life of integrity and trust in order to develop our societies positively, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace-filled weekend.