Homily For Thursday Fourth Week of Easter Year B, 25th April, 2024. Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist

Readings: 1 Peter 5:5-14; Ps.89; Mark 16:15-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

OUR MISSIONARY MANDATE IS TO PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS TO ALL CREATION

 

Every 25^th of April, we Celebrate the Feast of Saint Mark the Evangelist. In this feast the Church calls our attention to the mission and mandate of Christ to his disciples. It is truly a feast which is meant for all of us who are followers of Christ to recount our commitment to Jesus which we made at our baptism.

 

This is the commitment to bear authentic witness to the faith we profess just as St. Mark recounts in his Gospel passage we read today, which tells us the stories of how Jesus called his disciples and commissioned them to go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. We are also called by Jesus, not only as disciples, but also as evangelists.

 

Therefore evangelization is the very nature and essence of the life of the Church. Jesus gives us the mandate and the commission to evangelize, that is, to announce the Good News to all the nations and to spread the Gospel to every creature. This commission is shared by all those who are baptized both priests and lay faithful. Everyone has a particular responsibility to share in the work of proclamation of the Gospel.

 

Today, we should ask ourselves, how have we proclaimed the Gospel to the world? What efforts are we making to ensure that the mandate Christ entrusted to us is carried out effectively in our generation. This Easter season, how have we proclaimed the Risen Lord to the world?

 

Are we shy, ashamed or humiliated because of the Gospel? St Peter in our second reading said: Be calm but vigilant, because your enemy the devil is prowling round like a roaring lion, looking for someone to eat. Stand up to him, strong in faith and in the knowledge that your brothers all over the world are suffering the same things

 

Dear friends, at this moment when the world is confused, because we have removed God out of our daily lives, at this time when we have placed our hope in the activities of the human person who seems to have taken the place of God, at this time when our governments, scientists, doctors, lawyers, professors and even pastors assumed the place of God which is the cause of the ugly situation we are passing through in our societies today. It's time to come back to God and follow his directions.

 

Thus, it’s time to recall what Jesus says in the Gospel of John (15:1-8), l am the true Vine you are the branches, anyone who remains with me will bear fruit in plenty, but cut off from me you can do nothing but to perish. We have cut ourselves off from the true Vine and now we can do little or nothing about the situations we find ourselves in our families, society and the world at large.

 

Therefore, let us come back to God our true Vine, for our help comes from Him alone. He has commanded us to go into the whole world and preach this Gospel. Like St. Mark whose memorial we celebrate today, let us learn to take this mandate very seriously for it is our responsibility to fulfil our promises to God and ensure that the Christian faith is preached and sustained in the world and by so doing save humanity once again from sin and death.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are lost in this world, we are confused because we have cut ourselves off from You our true Vine, as we come back to you once again, please give us the grace to preach the Gospel following the example of St Mark the Evangelist, grant that we may learn from his teaching and walk faithfully in the footsteps of Christ and by so doing draw humanity once again back to You. Amen. Do have a grace filled week.

Homily For Wednesday Fourth Week of Easter Year B, 24th April, 2024

Readings: Acts. 12: 24-13:5 ; Ps.67; John 1244-50

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

ARE YOU IN THE DARKNESS OF SIN? COME TO JESUS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

 

The theme of light is a common terminology in the Gospel of John, as the struggle between the powers of light and darkness is so evident in his Gospel. In most discourse on the theme of light, Jesus refers to himself as the light of the world as we have it in our Gospel passage today when he said: “I, the light, have come into the world so that whoever believes in me need not stay in the dark any more. For if anyone hears my words and does not keep them faithfully, it is not I who shall judge him, since I have come not to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects me and refuses my words has his judge already: the word itself that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day.”

 

Here Jesus presents himself as the image of God and the light of the world as he declares his mission in the world. And his mission is not to judge the world but to save it. But this may seem contradictory as we know that, the presence of light brings judgment to darkness and Jesus said, he who rejects me and refuses my words has his judge already also in John 9:39 he said: “For judgment, I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.”

 

The fact is that there is no contradiction in these statements, for Jesus had come from the Father, bearing the light of his love, revealed by his word and deed. Those who receive him walk in this light. Those who reject him stumble around in the darkness. However, the primary purpose of his first coming was not to judge the world but to provide salvation to the world through his passion and death. But referring to the concept of judgment on the last day, this is implicit in the second coming of Jesus, because the light of the risen Lord will divide people into those who come to it and those who hide from it. Therefore the first coming is not to judge but to save, while the second coming will be for judgment, for light will surely separate from darkness all that is not of light.

 

Dear friends, every day is an opportunity for us to examine ourselves to know if there are areas in our lives that remain in the darkness of this corrupt world. It’s time for us to get rid of them, it’s time to let the light of Christ's presence illuminate the darkness of sin and shame in our lives. It’s time to embrace the salvation which Jesus has won for us for tomorrow may be too late.  It’s time to let the light of Christ in us illuminate the world through our ways of life. Let us like the disciples in our first reading today, discern carefully through the power of the Holy Spirit on how best we can spread the Good News of Jesus the light of the world, who has won salvation for all the people who embrace the light of his word.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we have come to know Jesus as the true light of the world, make us instruments of your light in the darkness of our families, societies and the world at large, so that by our worthy way of life, we may bring others to the fullness of life in you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Remain safe and blessed.

Homily For Tuesday Fourth Week of Easter Year B, 23rd April, 2024

Readings: Acts. 11:19-26; Ps.87; John 10:22-30

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

CAN WE STILL BE CALLED CHRISTIANS?

 

Giving a name to things is one of the habits and traditions of the human person. Little wonder Adam’s first assignment was to give names to what God has created. And throughout human history and even today a name is a powerful thing with great significance that can not be neglected. Names of things have deep meaning drawn from experiences that help define the reality surrounding such things.

 

So today in our first reading, the disciples of Jesus were for the first time given the name “Christian” in Antioch. But why a new name with a new word for these disciples of Christ in Antioch? Why was the name given by outsiders and why is the name different from other groups of the Jewish sect? From the reading, we heard that persecution forced many believers from Jerusalem to be scattered to various areas, as some from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks, telling them the Good News about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

 

Thus, seeing that their devotion, passion, love, behaviour, activity, and speech were like that of Christ Jesus, they called them Christians. This is because it was common for the Greeks to give nicknames to particular groups based on their way of life in relation to their leader. So since this new group were characterized by behaviour and speech centred on Christ, they called them “Christians,” or “those of the party of Christ.” And in Antioch, the disciples were first called Christians” because their behaviour, activity, and speech were like Christ.

 

Today, we are called Christians, followers of Christ, but are we really behaving like Christ?, Are we still having that devotion, passion, love, behaviour, activity, and speech like that of Christ and the early disciples? The disciples were scattered to various places due to persecution but everywhere they went they proclaimed the Good News of Jesus with their lives, are we doing the same today?

 

Dear friends, today we have the personal responsibility to ask ourselves, “What does the name Christian mean to me? Am I living out the responsibility of the name Christian which I claim to bear? Does the name Christian speak of my deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Do I perceive the name Christian from the world’s perspective today or for what it really means Christ-like people?

 

Remember, the people of Antioch gave the name to the disciples of Christ based on the experience of the reality they represent, but today what name will the people of our society give to us based on how we have represented the reality of the name Christians? In fact, do you still belong and believe in the true meaning of the name Christians? Hence, Jesus says in our Gospel passage today, you do not believe, because you are no sheep of mine. The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, grant we pray, that we may always find delight in bearing the name of Christians even in the midst of persecutions and difficulties, give us grace like the early disciples to bear authentic witness of the Good News of Jesus by our way of life, he who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. God bless you.

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.