Homily For Thursday in Octave of Easter, 4th April, 2024

Readings: Acts.3:11-23; Ps.8; Luke24:35-48

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

AN ENCOUNTER THAT LEADS TO AUTHENTIC WITNESSING

 

A  witness must be someone who has seen and experienced something and could testify to the facts of what he or she has seen. Today in a special way Jesus appeared to his disciples wishing them peace and commissioning them to bear witness to his resurrection. He commissioned his disciples with these words “You are witnesses to this”.

 

The disciples had witnessed Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection and here comes the mission to witness this to the whole world and to proclaim reconciliation with God through Jesus. We too receive this commission of being his witnesses, through our baptism we are incorporated into the Church to authentically bear witness to the faith we profess.

 

Dear friends, it is our task to carry on this mission of Christ throughout the whole world. If we do not, then, the world will not hear Christ’s message of reconciliation, forgiveness and victory over sin and death, thereby, making the world remain ignorant of what God has done for us and the consequences of this ignorance is the root of the problems in our world today.

 

However, we can not bear effective witness unless we have a personal experience of the risen Lord. It is this personal experience that enables Peter to bear effective witness of Christ before the people as we read in our first reading today (Acts 3:11-26), we too can do the same when we experience the risen Lord personally in our lives.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, let us once again experience you personally in our lives and give us the grace to bear authentic witness of your presence in the world, especially at this moment when the world is in a state of confusion not knowing what to do. Manifest your victorious power afresh in our lives, families, societies and the world at large. You who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

Homily For Wednesday in Octave of Easter, 3rd April, 2024

Readings: Acts.3:1-10; Ps. 104; Luke24:13-35

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

AND OUR HEARTS WERE BURNING AS HE SPOKE TO US

 

Oftentimes, we hardly understand fully the meaning of the faith we profess in Christ. Though we still journey with Christ and his Church without a full understanding of the mystery we celebrate. Sometimes we are confused, sometimes we doubt, and sometimes we feel like going back to our ugly and sinful ways of life. This type of disposition is the condition of the two disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today, where we heard the story about the two disciples who were on their way to Emmaus.

 

The story of these two disciples on the road to Emmaus is one of the most interesting stories in the Gospel that explains the structure of our liturgical celebration in a more practical way.  In this story, they were on a journey when the risen Lord joined them on the way and explained the scriptures to them. These two disciples had no idea who Jesus was when he approached them. They are aware, however, of the recent events in Jerusalem but cannot comprehend them. But the Lord after explaining the scriptures, revealed his identity to them at the breaking of bread, when he took a loaf of bread and gave thanks, he broke it and gave it to them just like he did at the Last Supper.

 

Dear friends, in this same way, the risen Lord journeys with us in our liturgical worship, beginning with the penitential rite where we reflect on the situation in our life and recall how sinful and unworthy we are before God. Then we recalled the events of our faith as the Lord Jesus takes us through the Scriptures and the celebration of the Eucharist. Here the faith of the faithful is sustained. It is the place where Jesus continues to reveal himself. Where the Christian faith is born and nurtured, where what Jesus did for us through his suffering, death and resurrection is remembered in thanksgiving. This is the faith Peter and John expressed in our first reading today when they restored the crippled in the name of Jesus.

 

But the question we need to ask ourselves is, is our hearts burning as we listen to the Lord speaking to us in the Liturgy? What is our disposition towards the faith we have found in Christ? Have we personally encountered or recognized the presence of God in our lives, especially at Eucharistic celebrations? Today the Lord Jesus wishes to journey with us in our struggles. He wishes to instruct us more about the faith we found in him. He wishes to reveal himself once again for to us if we are going to be disposed enough to listen to him as he speaks to us especially through the scriptures and in the Eucharist.

 

LET US PRAY: Loving Jesus, as we journey together on the road of faith with you, especially in the midst of the ugly situation in our lives, family and the world, help us to always recognize you personally in different events we encounter on the way, especially at the breaking of the Eucharistic bread. You who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Peace be with you.

The Homily For Octave of Easter Tuesday, 2nd April, 2024

Readings: Acts.2:36-41; Ps. 32; John 20: 11-18

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

SEARCH FOR THE LORD, WAIT FOR HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND YOU WILL EXPERIENCE HIM PERSONALLY LIKE MARY

 

One of the most precious gifts God can offer to anyone is the privilege of having a personal experience and encounter with him, especially in this season which is a moment of encounter. Little wonder our reading this season gives us an account of how different people encountered the Lord Jesus. Today, our Gospel passage presents to us the story of a woman who seeks the Lord with all affection and tears. Mary Magdalene came back and remained by the tomb where Jesus was laid and was weeping. Her heart was in earnest to find Jesus. The angels asked her: why are you weeping? she was just busy trying to find the corpse of Jesus. But when she turned around and saw Jesus, her heart was filled with joy and peace.

 

This passage can be like to our relationship with Christ in the blessed sacrament. After the celebration of the holy Mass with a great crowd of people. Only a few will stay back to adore the Lord at the Blessed Sacrament. Among those few only one or two comes regularly to adore the Lord just like Mary Magdalene went to the tomb to send time with the body of Christ. imagine you are that one person who comes regularly to adore the Lord and one of the week you came first and second days and the Blessed Sacrament is there as usual but on the third day you came and the Monstrance was there in its usual way with the candles but the Eucharist is not in the Monstrance. What will you do?  What will be your reaction? This is the situation Mary Magdalene found herself that gave room for her personal encounter of the risen Lord.

 

So, we are likely to seek and find the Lord, when we seek him with all affection and tears. But often the clouds and darkness of our sins blind us from recognizing the Lord who is always very close to us. The truth is that our disposition this season matters a lot. If we have that true disposition and desire to encounter Jesus we will surely experience him in our lives. It’s just a few days after Easter, how close have we personally embraced the Lord? What difference has his presence made in our lives?

 

 Dear friends, search for the Lord, wait for him with all your heart and you will experience him like Mary. For the Lord Jesus is at the door knocking and waiting for us to open the door of our hearts so that we will experience him personally. For he, the good shepherd knows his sheep and he said his sheep would know him when he calls their names. Just like Mary Magdalene recognized Jesus when he called her name. But are we disposed enough to hear him when he speaks to us? In different ways and forms, Jesus speaks to us. The common way of making himself known to his people is by his words; his words appeal to our souls, speaking to us in a particular way that is unique to us. Therefore let us be well disposed to hear the Lord Jesus speaking to us in our heart and there we experience and encounter him personally.

 

 LET US PRAY: Lord God, our souls desire to encounter your Son our Lord Jesus personally once again, give us the grace and strength to always be ready to turn around, to look again, that we may see, experience, feel and recognize your presence in our lives personally and collectively. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Monday The Octave of Easter, 1st April, 2024 (Happy New Month)

Readings: Acts.2:14.22-33; Ps. 16; Matt. 28:8-15
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia 
GALILEE A PLACE OF ENCOUNTER WITH THE RISEN LORD 

Yesterday we heard of the good news of his resurrection, but we have yet to encounter him. So today being a special day, is no doubt a day of encounter, a day we are called to leave the empty tomb of sorrow and go to Galilee, a place of personal encounter with the risen Lord. For we heard in our Gospel passage today how the women who came to the tomb early in the morning ran with fear and great joy. 

They had just encountered the Lord who invited them to go and tell their brothers that they must leave for Galilee, there, they would see him. This invitation is very symbolic for all Christians because it is an invitation to a place of encounter with our risen Lord. It is the first instruction of the Lord to his disciples. All who believe in the Lord are invited to be part of this invitation to Galilee, for it is a moment when all doubt is cleared, all fear is gone and all hope is fulfilled. 

Dear friends, this same invitation is given to us today. But where is Galilee? Galilee is a fertile, mountainous region in northern Israel. It is most notable for being the home of our Lord Jesus Christ. More specifically, the Lower part of the mountain of Galilee is where Jesus grew up and spent the better part of his earthly life and ministry. 

But Galilee is much more than these. It is any place of encounter, especially deep within our hearts, where we can find the Lord Jesus so often, because the risen Lord is no longer bound by time or space. Galilee can also be our neighbourhood, our family, any place of prayer, any place we find the poor and the needy, the sick or anywhere we find ourselves aware of the presence of Jesus. 

Therefore, let us like the disciples leave behind the empty tomb of sorrow, pain, fear and uncertainty of the things of this passing world and journey towards Galilee to encounter the risen Lord with joy and praises of alleluia in our hearts. For we heard in our first reading how Peter and the other disciples after their encounter with the risen Lord expressed their experience with him to the people. We also are called to do the same after our encounter with him today at the Galilee. 

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, as we journey towards Galilee in expectation to encounter you personally, amidst the pains and sorrows of this life, may the joy of your presence known no bounds in our lives, you who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Do remain blessed. 

Homily For The Solemnity of Easter Sunday, 31st March, 2024

Readings: Acts.10:34.37-43; Ps. 118; 2Cor 3:1-4; John 20:1-9

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

THE JOY OF THE RISEN LORD AND THE NEW LIFE OF GRACE

 

For over forty days we have journeyed with our Lord Jesus, we listened to him speaking of his mission to redeem humanity. Like his first disciples we experienced his love, healing and compassion, we believed in him even when we lack the full knowledge of his mission.

 

On Ash Wednesday as customary, we put on ashes in penitent for our sins. We fasted and abstained from food and other things and we did great charitable works all this forty days. On Palm Sunday, we shouted Hosanna!! Hosanna!! Filio David, on Holy Thursday we dine with the Lord, though with divided minds as he told us about the betrayal and his passion. On Good Friday, Jesus was taken away from us, in our presence, he was judged, and condemned and we cried out crucify him!! Crucify him!!, he was indeed crucified on account of our sins.

 

In sorrows and agonies we were scattered and hopelessly went back to Emmaus by our ugly ways of life. But for some like Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, we wondered in great silence on Holy Saturday, what must have happened to the mission of Christ, in fear and hope we waited patiently in all night vigil meditating on the words of God in search of an answer to the mystery of the salvation of humanity promised to us by Jesus.

 

Behold at this point, the voice of an angel singing: Exult!!, let them Exult!!, the host of heaven, Exult!!, let Angel ministers of God Exult, let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud our might King’s triumph!  Be glad let earth be glad for the stone has been taken away from the tomb, our Lord has risen, Jesus is risen, light has triumph over darkness. What a glorious day, a day of victory, a day when the salvation of humanity is won, a day of personal encounter of the risen Lord.

 

Let us then celebrate the Lord’s victory. let us like Mary Magdalene, Peter and John run towards the empty tomb with open heart to encounter Christ, who had died and is risen in order to renew us and remove from our hearts the guilty of sin and death, so that we can embrace his divine and eternal life.

 

Dear friends, this is the fundamental core of our Christian faith; this is the victory that transforms us and unites us with our Lord. Hence, if Jesus is risen, and is alive, who will ever be able to separate us from him? Who will ever be able to deprive us the love of him, who has conquered hatred and overcomes death?

 

Therefore, I don't know what has been your experience in this world, I don't know how you woke up today, I don't know what troubles you mind. I don’t know what is your expectations today. But all I know is that today is another gift of God to humanity, a day of joy, a day of victory and a new life of grace. I am excited, hopeful and am going to live it with all joy, not trying to change things that I could not change or try to fix things that do not want to be fixed. I will not let the ugly situation in my life, my family in our world today or any ugly event of the past distract me today or steal my joy. I will focus on the blessings that comes with the joy of the risen Lord. I will embrace the new life of grace he is offering us today.

 

Friends, Christ has come to give us new life, a new life of grace, a new life of peace, a new life of hope, a new life of courage, a new life of joy and purity of heart. This is the fundamental principles of our Christian faith; this is the victory that transforms us and unites us with our Lord. Hence, if Jesus is risen, and is alive, who will ever be able to separate us from him? Who will ever be able to deprive us of the love of him who has conquered hatred and overcome death by showing us the path of sacrificial love.

 

Yes, Jesus loves us with a deep and everlasting love. For today he has paid all our debts to God; he supplies all our daily spiritual needs; he sympathizes with us in all our troubles; he bears with all our infirmities, and will not reject us because of our weaknesses. He regards us as part of himself:  We share in the glory that he has received from his Father. These are the privileges of all true Christians who are called to the heavenly kingdom. So today, Jesus is teaching us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not just about the ritual or ceremonious fasting or feasting. But is about building a personal relationship with God who loves us personally and unconditionally. God who has offered us a new life of grace.

 

So, let us join the angels to sing a new song to God for his sacrificial love forus. Let us thank God for the grace of new life he is offering us today. Let us sing and say:

You are the source of our new life;

In your light we see light,

You show to us your goodness;

You bid us taste and see

We come to you; we bless you Lord;

We glorify your name!

We praise you Lord; we worship you

We thank you for your gift of New Life.

(New Life! New Life, You came to bring us new life,

New life, New life, we find such Joy in your abundant Life.

 

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, today the victory of our salvation is won, as we experience the Lord May the joy of the risen Lord fill our hearts today and always. Happy Easter to you and your house hold.

Homily For Holy Saturday of Easter Vigil, 31st, 2024

 

Readings: Gen 1:1-22; 22:1-18; Ex.14:15-15:1; Is 54:5-14; 55:1:11; Bar 3:9:9-15.33-4:4; Ez36:16-17.18-28;Ps. 51; Rom. 6:3-11; Ps. 118; Mk. 16:1-7

 

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

 CELEBRATING THE LORD'S VICTORY OVER SIN AND DEATH

 

Today we celebrate Easter Vigil, which is the peak of the entire liturgy which began on Holy Thursday. It is a night which is regarded as the mother of all Holy vigils, since it is the night when the Church awaits in prayer the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, who has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. He descended into the dead to visit those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, in order to free from sorrow the captives who are captured by the sin and death of our forefathers Adam and Eve. And to restore them not to their first earthly paradise. but to enthrone them into his heavenly kingdom where they are not forbidden to eat from the tree that was only a symbol of life, but rather, to behold him, who is life itself.

 

Thus, the liturgy of this night takes us through the journey along the paths of sacred Scriptures beginning with the account of creation to resurrection. Telling us that the creation story is itself a prophecy that is fulfilled in the person of Christ. It is not just information about an account of the process of the origins of things, but rather a pointer towards the true beginning of our being and the fulfilment of God’s plan for humanity.

 

Now the liturgy is divided into four parts, beginning with the blessings of the fire and the preparation of the Paschal Candle as we wait on the Lord, the liturgy of the word after the Easter exsultet, followed by baptismal renewal and celebration, then the Eucharistic celebration where we encounter the risen Lord at breaking of bread. The central message of this liturgical event is God’s victory over sin and death. An event that transforms our Sorrowful hearts into glorious joy as Jesus fulfils God’s plan for humanity.

 

Dear friends, our disposition today should be that of great joy and hope in the resurrection of Christ who has conquered our sins and death. Therefore, let us celebrate this victory with joy despite the hardships, the sufferings and the problems we encounter especially with the ugly situation in our world today. Let this great joy and hope that is rooted in the resurrection of the Lord help us to conquer all fears and worries, for we are victorious by the power of Christ’s victory.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, as we greatly anticipate your resurrection with joy and hope, may you fill our hearts now and always with the joy of your presence, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

Easter Sunday to you all.

Homily For Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion, 29th March, 2024

Readings: Is. 52:13-53:12; Ps. 31; Heb. 4:14-16.5:7-9; John:18:1-19:42

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

 IT IS FINISHED, THE SACRIFICIAL LOVE OF CHRIST FOR SINFUL HUMANITY IS ACCOMPLISHED

 

Today, we celebrate the passion of Christ which constitutes the climax of the revelation of God’s love for humanity. In this celebration we recall how the Lord was condemned to carry the sins of humanity on his Cross, enduring all the insults, torture, pains and struggles on the way to Calvary.

 

The anguish of the Lord’s Passion cannot fail to move even the most hardened hearts to pity and remorse, yet we call this most sorrowful day, Good Friday despite all the terrible events and circumstances Jesus had to pass through. But we will appreciate the “Good” about the Friday when we do not just focus our attention on what happened, but on what was accomplished for humanity, that is, the price paid for the salvation of humanity. For this Friday the Lord Jesus says I thirst…, it is finished. Today, all his pains and agonies were now finished, it had indeed ended on the Cross. No one to drag, betray or accuse him of anything anymore.

 

But, what is good about this Friday is that all our shame, disgrace, pains and agonies are now ended on the Cross of Christ. What is good about this Friday is that humanity has died to sin in order the rise to righteousness. What is good about this Friday, is that human hope which was lost to sin is restored. What is good about this Friday is that humanity has received mercy and forgiveness. What is good about this Friday is that the human body is constrained while the soul is elevated. What is good about this Friday is that the enemy the devil is conquered on the Cross.

 

This Friday is good because human pride is conquered by the humility of Christ. This Friday is good because human wickedness, greed, hatred, selfishness corruption and betrayal are conquered by love, sacrificial love and charity that flows from the heart of Jesus.  Thus, what is good about this Friday is that God has accomplished his plan for our salvation. This makes the event of Good Friday a very important aspect of the Easter Triduum, beginning from yesterday’s Holy Thursday celebration of the Last Supper and continuing with the Saturday Vigil and the Resurrection of the Lord at Easter, making the whole events one great celebration of the Holy Mass.

 

The event of Good Friday liturgy of Christ’s Passion is not simply a commemoration of an important event that happened in the past, but a prayerful experience that makes Christ’s sacrifice present and operative in the lives of his children. An event where Christ fought for humanity and won our salvation on the cross, calling us to embrace his love for us. On the cross, he says: I thirst…, it is finished. This means that all pains and agonies were now finished, the goal has now been accomplished, not of a futile end, but of a fulfilled mission.

 

Dear friends, today, this Friday, Jesus dies on the cross and lies in the tomb, an event that is so permeated by human sadness that leads to silence meditation and prayer. Therefore, let us pause awhile to contemplate his anguish, his disfigured face: the face of a Man of sorrows, who took upon himself the burden of all our mortal anguish. By so doing, we too, like the women of Jerusalem, like Simon of Cyrene, like the good thief, like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus who were present at the crucifixion of Jesus.

 

Let us beat our breasts, recalling what happened, and so see how his face is reflecting in that of every person who is humiliated and offended, sick and suffering, abandoned and despised, especially during this period that the world is passing through a turbulent moment as a result of the inflation caused by war, human greediness, selfishness, wickedness, terrorism and other sinful actions, which have brought a lot of troubles and fear in the hearts of people.

 

Let us know that we are not alone in our daily struggles against sin and other ugly actions which stand as the crosses we have to bear in this life. For Jesus is in fact, carrying his Cross together with us. He is suffering also with us for he has made all our sufferings, pains and struggles his own. He has carried away our burden of sins. Therefore, let us spend some time today to reflect on our Lord’s Passion and suffering, his great love for us and how important we need to change our ugly ways of life and resolve by God’s grace not to go on with our sinful ways, knowing that they separate us from the love of God.

 

Today, Jesus sacrificed everything for our sake. What are we sacrificing for him? What are we sacrificing for his Church, what are we sacrificing for humanity? What are we sacrificing for our families? What are you sacrificing for your wife, your husband, your children, your father and your mother, your boss in the office and those working for you? What are we sacrificing for the sake of peace in our homes, our offices, our colleagues in the office and marketplaces?  Brethren, the “good” about this Friday is the sacrificial love of Christ for humanity, which we are called to reciprocate in our neighbours. Therefore, let us go out there and offer this sacrificial love to all those we encounter today and always.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, for the sake of your sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and the whole world. Help us to reciprocate this mercy to all those we encounter in our journey of life. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace-filled celebration of the Lord’s passion.