Homily For Thursday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 25th January, 2024. The Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul

Readings: Act: 22:3-16, Ps. 117, Mark 16:15-18

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

EXPERIENCING TRUE CONVERSION IN OUR DAILY EVENTS OF LIFE

 

I don't know if you have ever had an experience that made you realize the emptiness of this life, a kind of experience that turns pride into humility, sinfulness into righteousness, an experience that changes your perspective about things or people. This is because there is something deep and unique about every person, sometimes it takes personal experience to discover this uniqueness.

 

This is evident in our first reading today as we celebrate the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, an event that prompted me to reflect on my personal experience of God. I am confident enough to tell you that every day is an opportunity to encounter God through different events that occur in our lives.

 

This is the kind of experience that Saul had with Jesus that made him realize the emptiness of his life and how wrong he was, fighting against God’s people. For Saul was a young and zealous Pharisee who was deeply involved in the persecutions of early Christians. He was present at the moment when St. Stephen was martyred and stoned to death. Saul was also a leading figure among the Sanhedrin in their attempt to destroy the Church and the followers of Christ, for he went from place to place and carried out violent attacks against the followers of Christ until he encountered the Lord on his way to Damascus.

 

This very encounter brought true conversion in his life and changed his perspective about Christians. This encounter gave him a new identity, changing his name from Saul to Paul. A name indicating his new mission. A mission he so carried out with all his zeal and passion that he is regarded as one of the apostles and today his works still speak about the effect of his personal encounter with Jesus.

 

So,  in the life of St. Paul we see a fulfilment of the command of Jesus in our Gospel passage today when he said to his disciples, ‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned.

 

Dear friends, as we celebrate the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, we are called to reflect on our conversion. Today like St. Paul, we are called to reflect on our personal experience with God. How have we personally experienced God? When was your spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that is not based on what people told us of him?  We need to pray to have an encounter with the Lord that will help us experience true conversion in our daily events of life.

 

Remember that by virtue of our baptism, we are called to share in the same ministry and calling that St. Paul himself had received from the Lord. So, in case you have not personally experienced the Lord, all you need to do is to sincerely seek God in those common events in your life and you will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to you.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we really need to have a personal encounter with your presence in our lives. As we reflect on the encounter and conversion of St. Paul, may we experience your presence in a unique way and through this experience discover our purpose and mission in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Do have a blessed and favourable week.

Homily For Wednesday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 24th January, 2024 The Memorial of St. Francis De Sales

Readings: 2 Samuel 7:4-17; Ps. 89; Mark 4:1-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE FRUIT OF A FERTILE SOUL IS SEEN IN THE INTERIOR LIFE OF THE PERSON.

 

Having a good disposition and positive response towards whatever we do in life has a way of building up our confidence and interior life, and this, of course, leads us to great success. Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, Jesus uses the parable of the sower to describe different kinds of response to God's Word. He explained the parable by pointing out our different dispositions towards the Word of God in relation to our interior life. This will help us to know whether our soul is like dry rocky ground or do we regularly seek to nourish our soul and prepare it to receive the holy Word of God. So we are called to create a fertile disposition within our heart in order to do the will of God.

 

In the scriptures, there are many who hear the words of Jesus and do not understand them because of poor disposition, for instance, the religious leaders who are against his teachings, the crowds that responded positively to Jesus, especially to his miracles of healing, yet turned against him at the end and demanded his crucifixion. Some disciples such as Judas might also be included among those who fall away when trouble or persecution came on account of the Word. While the rich young man who was unable to part with his possessions, provides a clear example of one who hears the word, the love for the passing things of this world and the lure of wealth choked the word, and it yielded nothing.

 

But what about the good soil? These are those who hear the Word, understand it and internalize it. They indeed bear fruit and yield an abundant harvest. Our mother Mary and the disciples excluding Judas are good examples of such people. Therefore, the different kinds of ground on which the seed falls represent different ways by which we receive the Word of God.

 

Dear friends, our hearts are the fields in which the Word of God is scattered. But, to which do our hearts belong? the pathway, the rocky ground, the thorns or the good soil? Whichever one, we are called to have the right disposition and positive response to the Word of God. We are to pay attention and take some time to appreciate God’s Word in our lives by allowing it to bear solid root in us so that we can bear great fruits that will manifest in our interior life, knowing that the fruit of a fertile soul is seen in the interior life of the person.

 

So, let us be inspired by the faith and the good examples of St. Francis de Sales whose memorial we celebrate today. St. Francis was born a noble, but his encounters with the Lord and some questions about the faith eventually led him to seek the Lord more closely through discernment. St. Francis de Sales later gave up his rights and inheritance and became a priest and later a bishop. He dedicated himself a lot to the people. He tirelessly involved himself in reaching out to many Christians, including those who have separated themselves from the Church and this is a sign of his interior life the fruit of his fertile soul.

 

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes our disposition and response towards your Words is so poor. As we listen to your Words today, give us grace to remain open to receiving your Words, so as to bear fruit abundantly. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Do have a favourable day.

Homily For Tuesday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 23rd January, 2024.

Readings: 2 Samuel 6:12-15.17-19; Ps.24; Mark 3:31-35

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

DOING THE WILL OF GOD IS THE ULTIMATE WAY TO BELONG TO GOD'S FAMILY

 

Reflecting on my relationship with God, family and neighbours, I asked myself which one comes first, because all are so important. As we know having a sense of belonging is fundamental to human happiness and well-being, for it gives value to our life and helps us in coping with some painful emotions. Hence, we often want to belong with one another, to our friends and families, to our culture or from one association to another. However, one of the common and safest places to belong is our families, especially when it is rooted in the love of God and neighbour.

 

So, today in our Gospel passage, Jesus speaks about belonging to his family and his relationship with members of his family when he said: ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.’ In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of two ways the people around him could be identified as members of his family. Firstly he talks about those who belong to the family of his birth that is, his mother, father and relations. Then his other family is made up of those who do the will of God.

 

 This family he says, is his true family where doing the will of God is the only way of belonging to this family. This is not to say that Jesus is rejecting his family; to do so would contradict his teaching about loving one's parents and loving one's neighbours. However, Jesus is using this opportunity to emphasize that relationship with God is more important and this should depend on our total commitment to doing the will of God through him.

 

Surprisingly, Mary the mother of Jesus belongs to both sides of the family, for she gave birth to Jesus and was also the first to do the will of God when she said, “Let it be done unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). For this reason she is the first disciple of Jesus and a model for all Christians.

 

Thus, to be a Christian or a disciple is to enter into the family of Jesus and embrace a new relationship with God and with one another for this is the most important place to belong. All other bonds, including those of blood, should be considered secondary. Because, belonging to God is fundamental to our basic relationships, before all human relations. We belong first to God before belonging to our families, after which we all go back to God where we ultimately belong, which is determined by how we have been doing God’s will here on earth.

 

Dear friends, where do we ultimately and truly belong? As Christians, we claim to belong to God, do our attitudes and decisions show that we truly belong to God? Do we not often commit ourselves to things contrary to the faith we professed in God? Can we say that we are truly doing the will of God? What have we been doing with the word of God we hear every day? What kind of fruit are we bearing in our family and society? How has the word of God changed our life and disposition towards our family? How has the word of God challenged and propelled us to love God and our neighbours? The answers to these questions are blowing in the wind.

 

Today we are called to be more practical and attentive towards obeying the commandment of God. We are called to put into action the words we hear every day. Let us learn from David in our first reading today who knowing the importance of doing the will of God went and brought the ark of God up from Obed-edom’s house to the Citadel of David with great rejoicing with a sacrifice of praise.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are called to do your will always in order to truly belong to that true family of Jesus where the love of you and our neighbour unites us together. Grant that we may learn to do your will and be good collaborators with others in the mission and vocation entrusted to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Monday Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 22nd January, 2024

Readings: 2 Samuel 5:1-7.10; Ps.89; Mark 3:22-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DO NOT SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT OUT OF IGNORANCE OR JEALOUSY

 

One of the gifts of God to us is the gift of discernment, which enables us to know and distinguish between good and evil spirits. This gift is very important to the office of every leader. But it is sad and unacceptable when a leader decides to misuse this gift out of envy,  jealousy and ignorance. This is the attitude of the scribes in our Gospel passage today.

 

For we heard how Jesus had delivered a man possessed by an evil spirit. The spirit had bound his tongue and made him mute. But when Jesus had cast out the demon from the man and the man spoke, some scribes who watched this great miracle as it happened said that it was through the power of Beelzebul the prince of demons that he was able to cast the devil out.

 

This is because they were adamant in their opposition against Jesus which was propelled by envy and jealousy. That is why they were unable to look beyond their narrow-mindedness and stubbornness in insisting that their way was the true way while others like our Lord Jesus were wrong. But Jesus as usual used the opportunity to correct them by pointing out the mistakes in their argument. Thus, telling us that it does not make sense for the demons to be fighting one another and so be divided among themselves. Because any house that divides within itself can not stand, and as we know the evil ones are always united in their plans to bring about destruction in human activities.

 

So, it is obvious that the scribes knew the truth but were not ready to accept it rather they chose to deny the work of God, that’s why Jesus concluded the gospel by saying that: everyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

 

From this frightening passage, Jesus reveals to us that sins no matter how grievous can be forgiven, but there is a particular sin that will not be forgiven. That is the sin against the Holy Spirit. But what is this sin against the Holy Spirit? And why would it not be forgiven? The sin against the Holy Spirit is rooted in one's outright rejection of God’s grace of salvation offered to us through the Holy Spirit‘s incessant invitations and warnings. This happens when the will of a person is hardened against God’s mercy and goodness. This is so because it is the sinner himself who rejected God’s forgiveness. And since God respects the freedom which He has given us, for he respects a sinner’s decision to firmly refuse to be forgiven.

 

Dear friends, we are called today not to be like the scribes who out of pride and ignorance denied the power of God over spiritual realities and so sin against the Holy Spirit. Rather we should make proper use of the gift of discernment which the Lord has given us. We must not let envy, jealousy and over-ambition make us deny the truth about the spiritual realities we experience from the Lord. We must not let the devil succeed in sowing the spirit of division among us. We should also ask God to endow us with the spirit of discernment and truth especially this period that we are often faced with the ugly and sad attitude of human deception all over the world.

 

Let us like David in our first reading today, discern the will and the message God is communicating to us as we struggle with our daily challenges. Let us be inspired by his faith and the good examples of David who grew greater and greater, and the Lord, the God of Hosts, was with him.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we struggle every day with the manipulation of the evil ones, give us the grace to overcome them, may we never be misled by the devil and all of his forces, as they often attempt to sow divisions and dissensions among us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 21st January 2024

The Sunday of the Enthronement of the Word of God.

Readings: Jonah: 3:1-5.10, Ps. 25, 1Cor.7:29- 31, Mark 1:14-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

MAKING THE WORD OF GOD AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR LIVES

 

In his Apostolic Letter Aperuit Illis, our Holy Father Pope Francis on 30th September 2019, declared and instituted “A Sunday for the Word of God”, which is to be celebrated every third Sunday in the Ordinary Time of the Church’s Liturgical Year. This is what we are celebrating in a special way today.

 

The purpose of this declaration is to remind all Christ faithful that the Word of God as contained in the Scriptures is very vital and integral in the development of our faith in God. The Word of God in this case does not just refer to the Scriptures as we know it, but it also refers to Christ himself as our Lord and Saviour, the Divine Word made Incarnate.

 

Hence our readings today, emphasized the importance and significance of the Word of God in the lives of his people. In the first reading, we heard how Jonah was compelled by God to preach his Word to the people of Nineveh. For the scriptures says: that the word of the Lord was addressed to Jonah: ‘Up!’ he said, ‘Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to them as I told you to.’

 

Jonah set out and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of the Lord. He went on into the city, making a day’s journey as he preached saying, ‘Only forty days more and Nineveh is going to be destroyed.’ The people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least and repented from their sins.

 

Similarly, in our Gospel passage, we heard how our Lord Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News of God saying: ‘The time has come, and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News. Then, he called the first four of his apostles who were fishermen and they left everything and followed him, and he made them fishers of men as they committed themselves to living and preaching the Word of God.

 

Here, we see how God has chosen Galilee of the Gentiles, to be the place where his Word will be proclaimed so that they will repent and believe in the Good News and by so doing conquer the darkness of sin around them. For the Word of God conquers evil and sin. It brings order over chaos, security over danger, joy over sorrow, truth over falsehood, life over death and salvation over condemnation. Yes, Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee, his mission will be extended to the whole world. Hence, he called his disciples who will be instruments to extend his mission to the whole world.

 

Thus, Jesus calling these fishermen to follow him offers them the opportunity to observe him closely on a daily basis. By doing so, they will learn more from him in order to become familiar with his ways of doing things. They will unconsciously copy his manner of speaking, his gestures, his dealings with people. They will see how he solves problems and counters opposition. So that gradually, they will become like Jesus in thoughts, words and deeds.

 

This tells us about the sacrificial nature of discipleship which the people of Corinth failed to understand as we read in our second reading. Thus, we heard St. Paul telling them that our time in this passing world is growing short. That those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn should live as though they had nothing to mourn for; those who are enjoying life should live as though there were nothing to laugh about; those whose life is buying things should live as though they have nothing of their own; and those who have to deal with the world should not become engrossed in it. Because the world as we know it is passing away.

 

Dear friends, the questions we need to ask ourselves are: what is our response towards the Word of God we hear every day? How much of this Word dwells in us? What is my relationship with Jesus the Living Word of God made flesh and dwells among us? So, the emphasis on the Word of God today is very important to all of us the faithful people of God who have been called to follow the Lord.

 

Therefore, if we are to follow Christ faithfully, we must make the Word of God an integral part of our lives. We must cultivate the habit of studying the scriptures because the Word of God is our daily sustenance and the source of our strength and faith. Hence, we are called to make the Word of God the guiding principle in our lives. For in the scriptures, we find the strength and courage to promote good over evil, order over chaos, security over danger, joy over sorrow, truth over falsehood, life over death and salvation over condemnation.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we enthrone your Word in our lives, our families and in your Church today, grant we pray, that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we may come to discover the power and the efficacy of the scriptures in our lives as individuals, families and community of God’s people. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and lovely Sunday.

Homily For Saturday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 20th January 2024

The Feast of Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi

Readings: Phil 2:1-11, Ps. Is.12:2-6, Matt.13:44-46

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

GOD'S KINGDOM IS OUR ULTIMATE TREASURE

 

There is no doubt in my mind that every human being desires to make it into the kingdom of God. But what will lead us to that kingdom is where people have challenges that will often make it seem as if they are not interested. Therefore,  what are the things that will help us to understand the importance of embracing those things that will lead us to God's Kingdom? This is what we have in our Gospel passage today, where Jesus used two parables to describe to the people that the kingdom of God is the greatest and ultimate treasure anyone can and should acquire.

 

Here, he describes the kingdom of God as the ultimate treasure that cannot be compared to anything whatsoever we have in this world. However, the kingdom is open for all, but not all can be suitable to dwell in it, only those who on the judgement day are found suitable can be admitted into the kingdom. Using these parables Jesus explains what the kingdom of heaven is like and what we need to do in order to acquire it.

 

Thus, in the life of Blessed Michael Iwene Tansi whose Feast we celebrate today, we see a man who understood these parables, one who discovered the great treasure of heaven, sold everything and acquired it. In Tansi we see how the light of faith sowed in him like the mustard seed grows to give hope to many people.

 

 Tansi was born in Aguleri, Anambra State on September 1903, but died in Leicester, England on 20th January 1964. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest for the Archdiocese of Onitsha. He was known for love of neighbour, healing and reconciliation of the people with God, with oneself, with one another and with the created reality.

 

Tansi dedicated himself not only to daily contemplative prayer but also to active ministry. He evangelized the youth, prepared couples for marriage, visited the sick, was a very good confessor, promoted vocations to the priesthood and religious life, and provided for the needs of the poor. Hence, in Tanis, We see a man who understood that the kingdom of heaven is so precious and great, that it is worth more than our entire life and our worldly possessions and treasures. 

 

Dear friends, obtaining the ultimate treasure of heaven requires the sacrifice of all our worldly possessions. Though in the world we have different kinds of treasures. But the question is: what is your ultimate treasure? How are we searching for it? Are we really ready to sacrifice all for this treasure? So, let us learn from Tansi, whose life shows us how the humble beginning of the Christian faith sown in him was well watered by the Holy Spirit to grow and give life and hospitality to people of the world.

 

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading says: that though Jesus was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God as a thing to be grapes. For he rather emptied himself in humble obedience to God his Father. Therefore, today we are called to empty ourselves of the passing things of this world in order to humbly acquire the heavenly treasure just like Tansi who humbly sacrificed the treasures of this passing world in order to embrace the treasures of heaven.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the world is full of distractions from false treasures, through the intercession of Blessed Tansi, give us grace to discover the treasures of your kingdom and nurture these treasures in faith, holiness and hospitality which we received during our baptism in order to give up all our attachment to worldly possessions in pursue of the heavenly and ultimate treasure of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Friday Second Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 19th January 2024

Readings: 1Sam.24:2-21; Ps.57; Mark 3:13-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HOW ARE WE RESPONDING TO GOD'S CALL AND MISSION?

 

As Jesus continued his work of evangelization and mission towards the salvation of humanity, he needed to have people who would be entrusted with this mission. Thus, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus chose twelve apostles out of his disciples. He called and separated them from the crowd so that they would be with him. And he gave them power to preach the gospel, to heal the sick, and to cast out devils.

 

Here Jesus clarifies the extreme nature of his mission which he will entrust to his apostles, so that those who would follow him must first count the cost because they will definitely share in his sufferings in order to share in his glory. Thus, Jesus who has earlier given the disciples explicit instructions about his mission makes known to the apostles their specific mission.

 

Consequently, 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. Absolute commitment is a necessary quality for this mission. Because Jesus did not choose people because of what they were. Rather, he chose them for what they could become under his direction and power.

 

This is what we see in the life of David in our first reading today, where we see the magnanimity of David’s heart, for he refused to kill Saul when he had a perfect opportunity to strike Saul and claim the Kingship of Israel for himself. Although he has been chosen as the new King of Israel, that should not have justified him to murder a person in the time of his weakness, and less still to do so for the pursuit of power and personal glory as most people do today. This is because David was truly filled with love for God and respect for Saul. He did everything to serve the Lord according to his will and mission for him.

 

Dear friends, how are we responding to God's call and mission? How best are we carrying out this mission of preaching the Gospel, healing the sick and casting out the devil? How are we relating with those we judge to be sinners and those we see as our enemies? What efforts are we making to convert them? Remember, as followers of Christ we are called to journey with Jesus in love and compassion towards other people even in the midst of suffering, rejection and persecution.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you called and chose us to be with you in order to bear witness of our salvation to humanity, help us to have the missionary zeal that will enable us to live with integrity, purity and detachment from the thing of this passing world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.