Homily For Monday Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 12 February, 2024

Readings: James 1:1-11; Ps. 119; Mark: 8:11-13

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHY LOOKING FOR SIGH?

 

Oftentimes people want to see signs before they can accept or believe whatever we have to present to them. And sometimes people ask for signs just to discredit someone’s efforts. This is the case with the Pharisees in our Gospel passage today, who asked Jesus for a sign in order to test him. But Jesus with a sigh that came straight from the heart said, ‘Why does this generation demand a sign? I tell you solemnly, no sign shall be given to this generation.’

 

This response was as a result of pride which has blindfolded the Pharisees who refused to accept Jesus as the Messiah that very sign that they seek.  Jesus presents to us the final recommendations of the end time, pointing out that he is the greatest sign of all time. But this is what the Pharisees want to discredit out of pride and ego. This kind of character is what is destroying humanity today causing problems and troubles.

 

Little wonder, St. James in our first reading today teaches us to be hopeful and joyful in times of trouble. He advises us to take care in times of trial, and let patience guide all that we do.  That we should not pray so much for the removal of affliction, rather we should as for wisdom to make the right use of it. We need faith to understand how this works.

 

This is what the Pharisees lack in our Gospel reading today when some of them demanded that Jesus should display some mighty work of God as a sign that God's reign has arrived. They refused to accept the miracles that Jesus had accomplished, missing the significance of these works as a manifestation of God's presence. Hence, Jesus left this faithless people, without satisfying their desire for any sign from heaven. Because of their lack of faith, they did not recognize Jesus as that “heavenly sign.”.

 

Dear friends, pride can make us blind in such a manner that we will continue to seek signs even when things are clear in our lives. And Jesus is saying that amid proud people, no sign will be given. But, what signs are we seeing around us today? How can we interpret the signs of this time, the signs that tell us that this world is passing away? Do these signs make us dread the second coming of the Lord or do we joyfully embrace it in anticipation?

 

Hence, Jesus warns us not to waste our time seeking for signs, rather we should be prepared, and we should remain firm in the faith. He reminds us that he is the only sign that can be given to humanity. Therefore, we are not to be like the Pharisees who are looking for signs, especially in times of trials, rather we should seek wisdom to make things right.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, you are the sign that we seek,  as we embrace your word today give us the grace to be humble in order to follow you our Lord and Saviour. And as we carry out our task this week, may your favour be with us now and always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week ahead.

Homily For Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 11th February, 2024

Readings: Lev.13:1-2.44-46, Ps 32, 1Cor.10:31-11:1, Mark 1:40:45

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

LORD HEAL US FROM PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL LEPROSY OF SIN

 

The ugly situation around us today is a great sign that humanity is very sick, we are very sick, sick from different ugly situations and in need of serious help. Though it may seem as if God has abandoned us. This may not be true because the compassionate love of Jesus in relation to human suffering is evident in the scriptures and even in our daily lives.  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 our troubles.

 

This is evident in the occasion of our Gospel passage today, where a leper, came up and bowed low in front of Jesus and said to him, if you will, you can make me clean. Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I will! Be clean!’ And immediately his leprosy was cured at once and he asked him to go and show himself to the priest.

 

For this was a man who was despised, feared, shunned and rejected in the society as a result of the regulations about leprosy as we have it in our first reading today, where the Lord said to Moses and Aaron concerning leprosy, that the priest must declare a man infected with leprosy as unclean. He must wear his clothing torn and his hair disordered; he must shield his upper lip and cry, “Unclean, unclean.” As long as the disease lasts he must be unclean, and he must live apart from the people.

 

The cause of leprosy in those days was not known, but today is known to be caused by bacterial infections that can be contagious through direct contact, either with the other person or with the items that the infected person had used. Now we can understand why Jesus asked the man to go and show himself to the priest and make the offering for his healing as prescribed by Moses as evidence for his healing and recovery.

 

Here, the healing touching of Jesus is very significant since no ordinary person would dare to touch a leper. Thus, we can think of the inner healing that must have occurred as a result of the touch of Jesus, that moment of physical contact that the leper had not experienced for a long time due to rejection. Touch is something we all need, but is so often lacking in our relationship with God and one another, and it is even becoming worse with the ugly situation in our today.

 

But this cannot stop Jesus from reaching out to his children who approached and called on him for healing and restoration. For when this man approached Jesus in humility, he became the object of divine attention. We too just like this leper, need healing, including the healing that comes from the touch of Jesus down to our souls darkened by sins, all we need is to approach Jesus in humility and we will become a person of divine attention.

 

The truth is that this leprosy is a deadly and contagious disease and in this context, it can be referred not only to physical leprosy, but another ‘leprosy’ which is far more dangerous than physical leprosy. That is the leprosy of the soul, which is caused by sin, especially deadly sins. Of course, sin is like that of leprosy, a deadly disease that affects both the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the human person and separates us from God and his people.

 

But what is sin? According to CCC no.1849, Sin is an offence against reason, truth, and right conscience; it is a failure in genuine love for God and neighbour caused by a perverse attachment to certain goods. It wounds the nature of man and injures human solidarity. It has been defined as "an utterance, a deed, or a desire contrary to the eternal law.  Sin is grouped into two deadly and venial Sins. pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and laziness are examples of deadly sins. While gossip, impatience, or a failure to pray, lying, overeating, pride, and indulging in sensual pleasures

 

These deadly sins have virtues that are supposed to defeat or at least neutralize: 1) pride/humility, 2) greed/generosity, 3) lust/chastity, 4) anger/patience, 5) gluttony /self-control, 6) envy/charity or love and 7) laziness/diligence or commitment.

 

These deadly sins make our soul sick with leprosy and it is only God who can heal us of this sin through forgiveness which he had demonstrated in the case of this leper. Therefore the story of this leper is a good example of how we sinners can and should appeal to Jesus for cleansing, especially from our sins of pride, greediness, unforgiveness, hatred and all forms of immoral acts that corrupt the human souls. 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 our hearts and with all our strength, just like the leper who came to Jesus with faith, knowing that he could heal him and make him better. Thus, whatever we do at all in our relationship with God and with one another, St. Paul tells us in our second reading, to do it for the glory of God and never do anything offensive to anyone. Rather we should try to be helpful to everyone at all times, taking Christ as our model.

 

Dear friends, I don’t know what type of leprocious problems you are passing through. Are you weighed down by sin or sickness? Are you feeling helpless and rejected? Or do we know people who are helpless and need some help? Do we feel the need for Jesus’s help in some part of our life? Let us pause for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at us. How does he see us? What are you saying to him and what is he saying to you?

 

Brethren, Jesus understands what we are passing through and he wishes to set us free from sickness, troubles, challenges and manipulations from the evil ones. He desires to be with us as we struggle every day to overcome the challenges in our lives, in our families, society and the world at large. Therefore, we should not be afraid to approach Jesus for healing, forgiveness and restoration, all we need is an active faith to receive the healing touch of Jesus like the leper in our Gospel passage today.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, humanity is in deep darkness caused by different forms of leprosies and only your healing touch can restore us. For you know our innermost being and the challenges we are facing today, come to our aid we pray and cleanse us from all our physical, emotional, economic and spiritual leprosies affecting our soul, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Saturday Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 10th February, 2024. The Memorial of St. Scholastica

Readings: 1Kings 12:26-32.13:33-34; Ps.106; Mark 8:1-10

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

EXPERIENCING THE COMPASSIONATE CARE OF JESUS TOWARDS HUMAN SUFFERING

 

When God created humanity, he entrusted all his creation to us and gave us regulations to follow in order to ensure the successful fulfilment of this responsibility. But out of pride and selfishness, we disobeyed God’s instructions and regulations. Hence, we separated ourselves from God, where we should have remained and enjoyed the bliss of God’s presence, just as we heard in our first reading today.

 

For we heard how Jeroboam out of greed and selfishness separated himself and the people entrusted to him from God by creating for himself a golden image in replacement of the living God.  Such conduct made the House of Jeroboam a sinful House and caused its ruin and extinction from the face of the earth.

 

This is how we often behave and separate ourselves from God and are heading towards destruction and suffering. Nonetheless, God has not abandoned us in our downfall. He is still compassionate, and caring and loves us even in our imperfections and our disobedience, for his compassion for the sufferings of humanity is so great. This is evident in our Gospel reading today, where Jesus reveals his compassion towards humanity. This compassionate love of Jesus in its historical and physical solidarity with human suffering, springs from the love of God the Father for his creatures.

 

Here, Jesus had compassion for the people who had been with him for days listening to his words. He then says to his disciples that there is a need for him to give them something to eat before sending them away lest they faint on the way since some of them have come a long distance. This compassion of Jesus is meant for us to spread it throughout the world in a practical way by our ways of life.

 

Dear friends, God has not abandoned us even in our imperfections, he still cares about us. All he wants from us is to be faithful to him and be compassionate to one another. But how strong is our compassion towards others? Do we know people who are helpless and need some help? Let us look at them for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at them.

 

Today, like Jesus, each one of us is called to reach out to people around us who are really in need of our assistance. This includes our family members, our neighbours, our colleagues and others who we encounter in life. The truth is that you may be the only person who can bring the healing and compassion of Jesus into their lives, just like St. Scholastica whose memorial we celebrate today. For she was deeply prayerful, caring and faithful to God. She was the twin sister of St. Benedict.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, our fragile and contingent nature propelled by pride and sins have always brought about our downfall, but you have never abandoned us. As we embrace your compassion, through the intercession of St. Scholastica give us the grace to look at people around us with the compassionate eyes of Jesus and be of help to them the best we could. Amen. Do have a peaceful weekend.

Homily For Friday Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 9th February, 2024

Readings: 1Kings 11:29-33.12:19; Ps.81; Mark 7:31-37

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

LORD, OPEN THE EARS AND TONGUES OF HUMANITY ONCE AGAIN

 

Reflecting on the ugly events in this world, especially how people pay attention to the things of this world at the expense of the things of God. How the world has engaged our attention to herself that we have now become deaf and dump to things that concern our spiritual life. Yes, we go to Church as often as possible, we engage in one spiritual activity or another.

 

But the question is, do we really listen and hear God speaking to us through those activities? Do we still see the hands of God in what we do? Are we convinced of what we do in the house of God? Are we confused about our faith as a result of ugly events and scandals? The world really wants us to be deaf to the word of God and mute to speak the great things God is doing for us.

 

This is evident in our first reading today, where we heard the consequences of paying deaf ears to God’s instructions. For Solomon in his old age lets his heart be separated from God because of the loss of the ugly thing of this passing world. So today we heard how his kingdom was divided and separated from him because of his sin. Similarly, humanity is constantly paying deaf ears to the instructions of God by allowing herself to be deceived by the serpents of this passing world and as a result of this ugly attitude, we are separating ourselves from the presence of God out of pride and selfish desires.

 

Thus, today in our Gospel passage, we heard how Jesus dramatically and figuratively heals us of our deafness and dumbass caused by our constant embracing of the sinful things of this passing world. For when the deaf and dumb man was brought to Jesus for healing. He took the man aside, put his fingers in his ears, touched his tongue with spittle, looked up to heaven and prayed, " Ephphatha! Be opened". Immediately the man’s ears were opened, his tongue loosed and he could speak plainly. These same words are used during baptism while touching the ears and lips of the baptized, a gesture that signifies the spiritual openness of one’s heart to God’s words.

 

Dear friends, out of pride and greediness we have often separated ourselves from the presence of God and as a result, have become deaf and dumb to his teachings and instructions. Hence, we all need to have our ears opened so that we can hear and understand fully the message of Jesus and share it with the world. I don’t know how far we have separated ourselves from God as a result of sin, I don’t know how deep our deafness and dumbness are, all I know is that today God is saying to us, fear not, have the courage for the eyes of the blind shall be opened, ears of the deaf unstopped and the tongue of the mute shall sing for joy. All we need is to trust God no matter the affliction we are passing through in this world, for he can save us from them all.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, our strong desire for the things of this passing world has made us so deaf and dumb towards your words. Let us hear your voice once more saying to us “Ephphatha, be opened” so that we can hear your words deep down our hearts and joyfully proclaim it to all humanity. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. It's Friday, as you go about your activities, may the joy of the Lord be your strength.

Homily For Thursday Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 8th February, 2024. The Optional Memorial of Saints Josephine Bakhita. The International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking

Readings: 1Kings 11:4-13; Ps.106; Mark 7:24-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

LEARN TO ACCEPT WHO YOU ARE, THEN WORK HARD TO ACHIEVE WHO YOU DESIRE TO BE

In our society today, most people hardly accept who they are. These days people spend all their resources and energy trying to convince others of what they are not by seeking their approval. What happens is that, in the end, they will lose their nerves and other people will convince them that what they are doing doesn't have any value and because of that they give up their dreams. This is not the same with the Syrophoenician woman in our Gospel passage today, who when approached Jesus pleading for the restoration of her daughter did not give up even when her request was not granted immediately.

 

For we are told that Jesus entered a house in Tyre and Sidon and did not want to be recognized. It is then that this Gentile Syrophoenician woman came to him and prostrated herself before Jesus and begged him to exorcise the evil spirit in her daughter. But Jesus’ answer seems somewhat strange when he said:  “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.”  However, the woman responded, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps. Her humble and powerful faith was immediately rewarded and her daughter was healed.

 

This story portrays the anticipation of the future faith of the Gentiles who will later become Christians. However, the irony of this passage is that, in Israel, Jesus was trying to convince people that he was the Messiah, as he was being challenged to prove it with a sign. But here in Gentile territory, he met a woman who was convinced he was the Messiah and he could not discourage her efforts. Nonetheless, his apparent attempt to put her off was just a test, of which her great faith was proven by accepting her humble background and persistence in her request.

 

She accepted the place of a “dog” as a Gentile in relation to Israelites being the chosen children of God to whom the message and grace of the Messiah came first. Though she accepted that she may not be able to sit down at the Messiah’s table and eat with the “children,” she should be allowed to pick up some of the crumbs of unmerited mercy and grace of God for the sake of her daughter.

 

Dear friends,  we must learn how to humbly accept who are and be more persistent in our quest and desire for something. We must stop wasting valuable time trying to prove who we are not, let us first accept who we are in faith, then, work hard to improve who we want to be in relation to our faith in God. Let our faith in God help us to accept who we are. Whatever we want to do, let us have faith in God and ourselves, and be determined because, faith, determination and sacrifice are the secrets of any success in life.

 

Therefore, tell yourself today that you can get that which you desire, when you plan for it, and work every day for it, then you will begin to see a different face in the things you do. The truth is that people are rewarded in public for things they have done for years in private. So, let us learn from this Syrophoenician woman who accepted who she was and was determined with faith to achieve her dream through humility and persistence. Let us not be like King Solomon in our first reading who failed to remain faithful to God in his old age.

 

In the light, the Church today calls our attention to some ugly activities of human trafficking. This is important as we celebrate the memorial of St. Josephine Bakhita. She was a former slave from Sudan who was a victim of human trafficking. As a child, she had already suffered much, being captured by slavers and treated horribly as a slave passing on from master to master.

 

Bakhita had the fortunate chance to escape slavery through her former master, who was touched and converted by her virtuous life. So she eventually found her way to freedom and later joined the religious community in which she spent the rest of her life. So today, we are called to pray for victims of human trafficking and we should never engage ourselves in such ugly activities.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the Syrophoenician woman accepted her humble background with great faith in your Son Jesus, as we humbly make a leap of faith today, with determination and sacrifice towards our dreams in life, may you grant our hearts desires through the intercession of St. Bakhita. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Wednesday Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 7th February, 2024

Readings: 1kings 10:1-10; Ps.37; Mark 7:14:23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

OUR PHYSICAL AND INTERIOR LIFE  IS KNOWN BY THE FRUITS OF OUR HEARTS

 

From the scriptures, we heard how God has entrusted to humanity his wonderful creation with the following instructions: ‘You may eat indeed of all the trees in the garden. Nevertheless of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you are not to eat, for on the day you eat of it you shall most surely die (Gen. 3:3). But we have often failed to keep this instruction out of pride and greediness which have corrupted our hearts and as a result most of our ugly attitudes are the fruit of this corrupt heart and these often separate us from God.

 

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, Jesus makes it clear that we are not defiled or separated from God, by external things, such as the kinds of food we eat, but by the sins of the heart, evil intentions and sinful actions which we entertain in our hearts. Telling us that the physical activity of the human person does not defile a person because the physical is being controlled by the inner interior being of the person. When the interior life of a person is corrupted by sin, then the fruit of this corruption is manifested in the physical activity of the person.

 

For just as a corrupt fountain sends forth corrupt streams, so will a corrupt heart bring forth corrupt fruits, corrupt appetites, passions covetousness and immoderate desires for the passing things of this passing world from which comes wickedness; malice, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, indecency, envy, slander, pride, folly, hatred, deceit; Lasciviousness and a delight in mischievous actions those filthiness and foolish talk which darkened the soul.

 

Hence, Jesus teaches us also, that from a corrupt heart comes the desire for fornication and adultery. And all these come from within our hearts, especially it’s the corrupt nature that brings about the carnal mind, the evil treasure in the heart which defiles the human person and renders one unfit for communion with God. Because they stain the conscience; and, if not mortified and rooted out, will send us out of our heavenly kingdom.

 

Thus,  the defilement we ought to avoid is not from what entered our mouths as food, but from what comes out of our mouths, which shows the goodness or wickedness deep down in our hearts. The human heart is the source of every good and evil deed. Hence, the pollution of the human heart is very dangerous, for in it comes all the powers and faculties of the soul. So there is a need for us to know that lustful and sinful thoughts of the heart defile the human person and make one abominable in the sight of God.

 

Dear friends, our physical and interior life is known by the fruits of our hearts. So we must ensure that our hearts are constantly purged of all these corruptions in other to bear good fruits of love, forgiveness, compassion and holiness. This is what the Queen of Sheba in the life of Solomon in our first reading said: How happy are these servants of yours who wait on you always and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God who has granted you his favour, setting you on the throne of Israel!

 

This tells us that it is only when we have the right disposition towards God that we can begin to talk about new hearts and the right spirit to be formed and created within us for having repented and received the pardoning grace of God. Because nothing will last in the soul more than the regenerating graces of the Holy Spirit which gives sight to the heart darkened by sin in order to effectively lead others to the truth that illuminates their hearts from the darkness of sin and death.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the human hearts have been corrupted and darkened by sins. As we struggle to constantly purge our hearts from sin and corruption, may you, create a pure heart within us so that we can bear good fruits of love and holiness. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Tuesday Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 6th February, 2024. The Memorial of St. Paul Miki And Companions

Readings: 1 King. 8: 22-23.27-30; Ps.84, Mark 7:1-13

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

UNDERSTANDING GOD'S COMMANDMENTS IN RELATION TO HUMAN TRADITIONS AND REGULATIONS

 

Oftentimes, we find it difficult to separate the commandments of God from human traditions. This no doubt plays out in our making and interpreting of laws and it has great consequences in our relationship with God and our neighbours just as we have it in our Gospel reading today, where we heard how the Pharisees multiplied religious laws and rituals to such an extent that it was impossible to know them all, talk more of observing them. So Jesus accuses them of neglecting the true commandment of God over their petty regulations.

 

These petty laws and traditions were highly detailed but unwritten human laws which the Scribes and Pharisees regarded as having the same binding force as the Law of Moses. However, Jesus was not totally against these laws and regulations. What he was against was the legalism by which the mere observance of some external actions was equated with being a devout lover of God. Hence he reminds them of the quotes from the prophet Isaiah saying: “This people honours me only with lip service, while their hearts are far from me. The worship they offer me is worthless; the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.” (Is 29:13).

 

Hence, Jesus goes ahead to illustrates the hypocrisy involved in these ugly attitudes by showing how some supposedly devout people neglected the basic responsibility of respect and care for parents by claiming that they had consecrated all that they owned to God and the temple, while in fact, they are keeping it for their personal use. They have forgotten that for one to declare something to be “Corban,” an offering devoted to God when his parents are in need, is in direct conflict with the commandment of God that says: honour your father and mother.

 

Dear friends in this Gospel, Jesus made it clear that the real commandment of God is the unconditional love of God and neighbour. Therefore, we should examine ourselves to see if there are elements of the Pharisee in us. These often happen whenever we focus our attention on laws while neglecting the spirit of the law. This is why we should learn from Solomon in our first reading who after building a house for the Lord expressed his reverence and love for God and his chosen people saying: hear the entreaty of your servant and Israel your people as they pray in this place, hear; and, as you hear, forgive.

 

This will help us understand and value the sacrifice of St. Paul Miki and Companions whose memorial we are celebrating today. They are the Holy Martyrs of Nagasaki in Japan. These twenty-six Martyrs of Japan were crucified on a hill, now known as the Holy Mountain, overlooking Nagasaki.

 

Among them were priests, brothers and laymen, Franciscans, Jesuits and members of the Secular Franciscan Order; there were catechists, doctors, simple artisans and servants, old men and innocent children, all united in common faith and love for Jesus their good Shepard. They remained faithful to the very end and faced martyrdom with courage and so received from Jesus the crown of true and everlasting glory.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, out of pride and greediness, we have often neglected the true meaning of your commandment of love but hold on to unnecessary human traditions which lead us into destructive criticism of others. Help us through the intercessions of  St. Paul Miki and Companions to change these ugly attitudes in order to embrace your teaching on love and humility. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.