Homily For Monday Fourth Week of Easter Year B, 22nd April, 2024

Readings: Acts. 11:1-18; Ps.41; John 10:1-10

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

GOOD LEADERSHIP IS A SACRIFICIAL ATTITUDE

 

Leadership is one of the characteristics of the human person, it is that which makes us unique from every other creature. It is a gift from God by which we serve Him and our neighbour responsibly. However, after a critical look at what is happening in our world today, it is obvious that humanity is losing the true meaning and essence of leadership. We have failed to understand the true meaning and source of leadership and this can be seen in the kind of fruit we bear as leaders. The fruit of leadership in this generation is so complicated: leadership has become a tool for power tussling, selfishness, deception, greed, corruption and intimidation of people. This is because we have abandoned God who is the source and giver of true leadership skills and knowledge.

 

Hence, in our Gospel passage, while addressing the people on good leadership qualities and attitudes, Jesus said ‘I tell you most solemnly, I am the gate of the sheepfold. anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, and the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out. When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They never follow a stranger but run away from him, for they do not recognise the voice of strangers.’

 

Here, Jesus tells us that the attitude of a good leader is a life of sacrifice, love, care, discipline, mercy and knowledge of the sheep or people entrusted to the leader. And this is what Jesus demonstrated with his life. Showing us that love is the fundamental root of leadership. Without true love for the people, there will never be a leader to be called a good shepherd.

 

Therefore, today we are called to come back to the source of love, God himself, who teaches us that love is the attitude of a true leader who seeks the good of others despite how we feel about them. He teaches us to be merciful, just as he is merciful. Love in leadership is a sacrificial attitude, an attitude that forgives, an attitude that accommodates, preserves, heals and builds up others when every other thing fails. This is the kind of attitude in leadership that the world needs now, the attitude that comes from the pure love of God and neighbours.

 

Dear friends, how can humanity recover this leadership skill rooted in the power of love? How can we harness it to bear more fruit in our societies where it seems as if true leadership exist no more? This is possible when we realize that we are all products of love and are called to live out our essence, which is to love. We are called to be good examples to one another, imitating Jesus the Good Shepherd, who has been so loving and caring towards us. And these we are called to reciprocate to others, and by so doing we will finally reach that grazing ground where all who followed Jesus the good shepherd in simplicity of heart will feed on the green pastures of eternity in heaven.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we listen to your words today, may we embrace the attitudes and qualities of good leadership, knowing that in you resides that leadership of love that is lacking in our society today. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful week.

Homily For Fourth Sunday of Easter Year B, The Good Shepherd /Vocation Sunday, 21st April, 2024

Readings: Acts.4: 8-12; Ps.117; 1 John 3:1-2;  John 10-11-18

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

ARE YOU A GOOD SHEPHERD OR A HIRELING?

 

Today we celebrate the good shepherd/ vocational Sunday, so it is necessary for us to reflect on the imagery of shepherd and sheep which occurred frequently in the Scriptures. A figurative term which represents the leaders and those entrusted to them. Hence, today in our Gospel passage, we heard Jesus talking about the attitudes of shepherds. He said: ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep. The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep and runs away as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep; this is because he is only a hired man and has no concern for the sheep. ‘I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me.

 

Traditionally in the scriptures, shepherds represent the image of God and the rulers of God’s people. So, in this Gospel passage after disputing with the Pharisees who were the leaders of the people, Jesus used this parable to illustrate the difference between true leaders of the people and the false ones. Telling us that the people need to be organized into a fold, protected and guided by the one true Shepherd. And this image of a Shepherd has become a model for Christian ministers as they imitate Jesus the true Shepherd whose voice the sheep know and follow.

 

Little wonder, every fourth Sunday of Easter the Church celebrates the Good Shepherd Sunday also known as Vocation Sunday, a day dedicated to reflecting on Jesus the Good Shepherd, who guides all the flocks of God into the path that he has prepared for us. It is also an occasion to celebrate Vacation because God has also called some of us to follow him to be shepherds in the image of Jesus the Good Shepherd. The shepherds are the bishops, the priests and all leaders of different capacities who are called to serve the Lord and his people as guidance, helpers, coordinators, parents and teachers of his flock. We are called to follow the examples of the Good Shepherd himself in serving the people.

 

However, as many Shepherd leaders are working so hard to follow the good example of Jesus the Good Shepherd, there is no doubt that in our societies, there are some false and bad leaders who are not walking in the path of the Good Shepherd, but instead, allowed themselves to be overwhelmed by the sins of greed, selfishness and corruption in the world. Apparently, in our societies, we see that some shepherds who ought to guide and feed the sheep are now feeding on the sheep, scattering them in order to select their choice and feed on their milk, wear their wool, eat their flesh, enriching and fatling themselves from their products. While treating the sheep harshly and brutally, abandoning the sick, the weak and the strayed.

 

Most leaders in our society have betrayed their mission: instead of promoting a just society in accordance with the plan of God, they are using their authority to enrich themselves while oppressing the people entrusted to them. Today, the duties neglected by such ugly leaders are now hunting everyone. The consequences of our bad leadership are what is affecting the whole world today. Therefore, it is time for us to return to God the true Shepherd of our souls, it is time to listen to the voice of Jesus and follow him to the true gate of the sheepfold. It is time to change our ugly, greedy, selfish and corrupt ways of doing things. 

 

Dear friends, we have gone astray like lost sheep but now, let us come back to Jesus Christ the shepherd and guardian of our souls. Let us return to him who suffered for us and left an example for us to follow his ways. For he is the stone rejected by the builders, but now has proved to be the cornerstone of our lives. As we heard in our first reading today, above all the names in the world given to men, his name is the only one by which we can be saved.

 

Hence, we are called to think of the love that God has lavished on us, by letting us be called his children, as we heard it in our second reading. Therefore, let us entrust ourselves and all the leaders of the world to Jesus, who is the Good Shepherd. For He assures us that even though we are the least, the nobody and most neglected in the eyes of the world, he will not forget us but will continue to provide for our daily needs through his good and faithful leaders.

 

LET US PRAY, Lord God, as we celebrate Good Shepherd/ vocation Sunday, we pray for all the leaders of the world both religious, secular and in the family, that you will make us true Shepherd of your flock so that we may truly be able to find meaning to our respective vocations in life and for those who are still discerning the path to their vocations, especially all who are discerning their call: the seminarians, religious sisters and brothers, and those looking for life partner, may you help and guide all of us to our true vocation in life. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and grace-filled Sunday.

Homily For Saturday Third Week of Easter Year B, 20th April, 2024

 
Readings: Acts. 9:31-42; Ps.116; John 6:60-69

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

WILL YOU ALSO WAKE AWAY WHEN THE ARTICLES OF OUR FAITH SEEM DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND?

Every day of our lives we make choices that we think are good for us. But sometimes some choices are very difficult to make. However, the root of any choice we make in life comes from the fundamental option we have made as human person. Our fundamental option is the option we make for or against God, to love or to be selfish, to be good or evil, to be holy or sinful. This option has a way of influencing any other choices we make in life. 

Today, in our Gospel passage, we heard how people reacted when faced with hard choices on account of the teachings of Jesus. For as he ends the discourse on the Bread of Life he said to them: whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life… For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. So, hearing this hard teaching, many of his disciples decided to walk away. Then Jesus asked the twelve: will you also go away? Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God. 

Following these responses, we can see how important it is for us to make the fundamental option for God if we really want to follow him. As we heard that most of the followers of Jesus left him behind after he spoke of himself as the Bread of Life. Thus, many of them refused to believe in such hard truth and teaching. This may be a result of their ignorance, impatience and inability to accommodate difficult moments and realities that are beyond them.

Dear friends, every day we are called to make this fundamental option between God the Creator and the creatures who have made themselves gods. For this is the reality of our faith in Christ, so, the Christian faith which we have is not something we should take for granted, as we may often find it difficult to remain faithful especially when we are confronted with arguments and realities that are opposite and in contrast to our faith. Yet, at the same time, we are called to continue to be faithful and dedicate ourselves completely in obedience to the teachings of Christ.

Thus, when the articles of our faith or our life situations seem difficult, we are called to come to Jesus. We are called to believe in him who came from above and bears testimony of heavenly things. We are called like the apostles to say Lord to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life. We are to bear witness to these things through the power of the Holy Spirit, knowing that our choice for God is a choice for love, and a life of love is a sacrificial life neither easy nor comfortable. 

Therefore, inspired by the faith and courage of St Peter, who in our first reading today did great miraculous works in the name of Jesus, let us bear witness to the faith we have found in Jesus, by identifying ourselves with him who is the bread of life, full of love and goodness, as we live a life of holiness and building a good relationship with others like Dorcas in our first reading who was never tired of doing good.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, our hope is all in you when in difficult moments of decision-making regarding our faith in you, give us the grace and courage like St. Peter to bear authentic witness to the faith we have found in Christ Jesus, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday Third Week of Easter Year B, 19th April 2024

Readings: Acts. 9:1-20; Ps.117; John 6:52-59

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

LORD GIVE US THE GRACE OF ENCOUNTER THAT LEADS TO TRUE CONVERSION

 

Every day is an opportunity to encounter God through different events that occur in our lives. 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 the kind of experience that Saul had with Jesus in our first reading today, 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 experience 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 encounter with Jesus. 

 

This goes on to affirm the hard teaching of Jesus in our Gospel passage today, where he was talking about having life in him. For himself draws life from the Father, and he said, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. So whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood will draw life from him. This new life is what Saul experienced when he encountered him and was converted and entrusted with the mission of converting the pagans.

 

Dear friends, as we heard about 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?  Remember that under our baptism, we are called to share in the same mission and call that St. Paul himself had received from the Lord. So, in case we have not personally experienced the Lord, all we need to do is to sincerely seek God in those common events in our lives and we will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to us.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, 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 day.

Homily For Thursday Third Week of Easter Year B, 18th April, 2024

Readings: Acts. 8:26-40; Ps.66; John 6:44-51

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

LORD GIVE US THE GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING 

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is understanding. It is the second gift of the Holy Spirit, behind wisdom. Through understanding, we gain a certitude about our beliefs that moves beyond faith. It enables one to see more deeply into the mysteries of the faith and judge with certainty all created things. The essential quality of this gift is penetrating intuition. For this gift does not only assist in penetrating revealed truths but also natural realities that are related to the supernatural end. 

Thus, understanding is not so much the fruit of studies, but the loving desire and penetrating intuition towards understanding all the Father has revealed. This is exactly what happened to Philip while explaining the scriptures to the Ethiopian Eunuch in our first reading today. For when he heard him reading the book of the prophet Isaiah, he asked him, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ the Eunuch replied: ‘How can I understand unless I have someone to guide me?’ 

Here, the Eunuch seeks the gift of understanding which Philip has already received at Pentecost and with the help of this gift he was able to explain the scriptures to him. This is because, the mysteries of God’s revelation have been made known to him and with the Spirit’s prompting, these mysteries can be penetrated and understood by humanity.

 The fact remains, that God created us for friendship and this gift enables us to know of his love, mercy, glory, and power which moves our hearts to love and live as adopted sons and daughters of God. Little wonder, Jesus in our Gospel passage today said: No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me, for it is written in the prophets: They will all be taught by God and will hear the teaching of the Father, and learn from it.

Dear friends, we must desire to have the gift of Understanding, we need to ask God for this gift of understanding, for it helps us to penetrate the truths of faith, and operates in several ways: disclosing the hidden meaning of Sacred Scripture; revealing the significance of symbols and figures. It gives us deeper insight into the meaning of our faith and the moral teachings which serve as standards for human actions. This gift imparts a sense of confidence and certainty in our belief. It helps us grasp the reality of heaven our beatific vision.

It is a gift that is really lacking in our lives not just as Christians but as individuals living in societies full of confusion and lack of sense of direction. But, how can we acquire the gift of understanding? How can the gift of understanding help us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our faith in relation to our struggles with the ugly situations in our world today? The answer is simple, we must learn, just like the Ethiopian Eunuch to cultivate the habit of listening to the Holy Spirit who never ceases to speak to us deep down in our conscience.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. As we listen to your words today, give us the gift of understanding so that we can grasp the meaning of the truths of our faith in relation to our struggles with the ugly situations in our world today. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.

Homily For Wednesday Third Week of Easter Year B, 17th April, 2024

  Readings: Acts. 8:1-8; Ps.66; John 6:35-40

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE WISHES TO SATISFY OUR THIRSTY AND STAVING SOULS

What can ever satisfy the human hunger and thirst for peace, wholeness righteousness, love and joy? These are the things we search for every day of our lives. But we seem to have little or no answer. This is because we have often failed to listen to God’s words calling us and directing us towards the path of truth which he has revealed through his son our Lord Jesus Christ, who has been speaking to us in our Gospel since his resurrection. 

Thus, today Jesus continues with his teaching on the bread of life, he seeks to draw those who listened to him into a profound relationship with himself. He asks them to believe in his wonderful promises of eternal life. In the same way, he invites us to partake in an indestructible life, to share in the very life of God. Jesus wants us to know that he is the food of our souls. Our souls are really starving due to sins, and indeed thirsty for holiness, love, peace and purity. In Jesus alone can staving and empty souls find their strength and satisfaction. For in him, there is fullness of life. 

The fact remains that Jesus is the bread of life which came down from heaven. And he wants us to commit our souls into his hands. Thus, whenever we experience anything of spiritual hunger and thirst, we must come to Jesus and be satisfied. This is what was lacking in the life of Saul, who in our first reading today worked for the destruction of the Church after he had witnessed and endured the stoning and death of Stephen. So, he went from house to house arresting both men and women and sending them to prison.  But those who had escaped from him went from place to place preaching the Good News of peace, love holiness and salvation.

Dear friends, like Saul, are we weighed down by sorrows in conscience or staving in affections and love, especially in this difficult moment in human history and thereby acting in ignorance? Or are we like the disciples who even in the midst of persecution remained faithful in witnessing the love they have found in Jesus? Whatever the situation may be for us now, we must know that Jesus is always ready to relieve and restore us whenever we come to him in faith, for in him alone shall we find lasting satisfaction, peace and love both now and for eternity.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes we are thirsty and hungry down within our souls, through the intercession of St Anselm, may we find in the Words of Jesus that satisfactions which our souls so desired and by so doing find eternal life. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you the best of God’s favour and blessings.

Homily For Tuesday Third Week of Easter Year B, i6th April 2024

 

Readings: Acts. 7:51-8:1; Ps.31; John 6:30-35

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

COME TO JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE AND YOU WILL NEVER BE HUNGRY

The ugly situation in our societies, country and the world at large can make someone completely lose hope in humanity and even in God. Today people are confused, they don’t even know what to believe or who to trust anymore. The questions that come to mind are: To whom shall we run to? What shall we do? Any hope for a better tomorrow? What signs are there for us to see in order to be assured of a better and brighter future for humanity? This present disposition can be likened to the disposition of the people in our Gospel passage today.

Here, the Jews who had witnessed the great miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes, when confronted with the hard teaching about the person of Jesus, asked Jesus for a sign to prove that he is the Messiah, a sign like the manna which their forefathers ate in the desert. They said to Jesus that God gave them bread from the heavens to eat. For the Jews, the manna was God’s gift from heaven. So they wanted such a miraculous sign again.

However, Jesus made it clear to the crowd that it was God rather than Moses who provided the manna for the Israelites. Also, he identified himself as the true bread of life that comes from God. That he himself is God’s divine intervention in our world. He is the gift of God to the world. So he told them solemnly: “I AM the bread of life.”  Using the word “I AM”, he strongly identifies himself with God, a statement that recalls the name God revealed to Moses in the burning bush (Exod 3:14). Jesus goes on to say: “Whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” 

Thus, the true manna, the true bread from heaven is the Word of God, which is Jesus and this Word is what he teaches us to believe in. Today this Word is now addressed to us and we shall do well to pay attention to it because with the events going on in the world today, we too can find ourselves in an ugly situation. A situation where we may no longer have faith in God and start doubting his existence as we are now scared of losing our lives, our health, our wealth or even our loved ones as a result of war, kidnapping, terrorism and inflation. The worst of it is not knowing what to believe anymore, especially in the way our society has been structured, people no longer know their left from their right. 

Dear friends, I don’t know what you are passing through now. Does it seem as if all hope is lost and there is no opportunity again for you? Are you confused about your faith? Jesus says: I AM the bread of life, blessed is the one who does not lose faith in him. For he is waiting for us at the Eucharist, where he feeds us spiritually. Therefore, be courageous, do not be afraid. Be patient, do not lose heart for the Lord will surely come to save us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, whenever we come to Jesus and bond ourselves closely to him, we are actually identifying ourselves with You, may we constantly embrace Your love for us in the Eucharist as You feed us daily with the bread of life through Your Word. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.