Homily For Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 25th May 2024

Readings: James 5: 13-20; Ps. 141; Mark: 10:13-16

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT IS YOUR DISPOSITION TOWARDS THE KINGDOM GOD

 

Oftentimes whenever we contemplate the kingdom of God, two questions come to mind, the first question is how will it look like? And the second question is how are we going to be part of it? These questions are very important because we wish to have the right disposition towards embracing the kingdom.

 

Hence in our Gospel passage today Jesus gave us the guiding principles of what should be our disposition towards the kingdom when he said: Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’

 

Here, Jesus surprised his disciples by welcoming little children and setting them as an example of what should be our attitude and disposition towards the kingdom. This is because children are docile, humble, teachable, loving, forgiven and dependent. Such disposition is necessary for anyone who wishes to embrace the kingdom of God. Thus, Jesus explains that in the kingdom of heaven, true greatness is found in humility and children serve as a symbol of humility for they are dependent on adults for everything just as we also are dependent on God. Little children serve as concrete symbols of simplicity which is a condition for entering the kingdom of heaven.

 

So, in children we see these great virtues of simplicity and humility being present. Then, we can understand why Jesus ordered that children should be brought to him and that nothing should be said or done to hinder them. Therefore, we must receive the kingdom of God as little children; we must stand affected by Christ and his grace, as little children to their parents and guidance.

 

Dear friends, how many of us today possess these qualities of little children? How many of us are docile to this invitation of Jesus calling us to be humble and obedient to God’s instructions? How many of us are still innocent and pure like little children? How many of them are peaceful, forgiven and loving like little children? Today the Lord is calling us to embrace these qualities of little children in order to have the right disposition towards embracing the kingdom of God.

 

Little wonder, St. James in our first reading today is calling us to embrace this childlike disposition towards fulfilling our mission of loving and forgiving one another when he said: My brothers, if one of you strays away from the truth, and another brings him back to it, he may be sure that anyone who can bring back a sinner from the wrong way that he has taken will be saving a soul from death and covering up a great number of sins. Therefore, let us in childlike disposition look out for one another as we embrace the kingdom of God.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we have become so much engrossed with the competitive activities of this world out of pride, Grant that, we may embrace your kingdom with childlike humility and disposition that is rooted in the humble service of one another, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 24th May 2024

 

Readings: James 5: 9-12; Ps. 103; Mark: 10:1-12

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

UNDERSTANDING GOD’S FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES ABOUT MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFE

 

The fragile nature of our society today has placed in the minds of the youths a distorted image of what marriage and family life entail and truly represent in society. This is because many young people today find themselves in a condition of radical instability and look for people to help them answer the fundamental questions of life. Today there are different notions and understandings of marriage especially among the youths.

 

Marriage is seen as a business in which anybody can engage or disengage at any time. Marriage among the youths of today is a thing of choice and contract which is suitable only when it serves their personal interest. Commitment, sacrifice and partnerships of whole life are far from their understanding of what marriage truly represents. The fact remains that Marriage is the basis of every human family and indeed the basic cell of every human community.

 

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today when the Pharisees engaged Jesus on the notion of divorce in marriage and its controversy. Jesus referred them to the fundamental principle of marriage when he said: It was because you were so unteachable that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. Because from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. This is why a man must leave his father and mother, and the two become one body. They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.

 

Here Jesus emphasized the real intention of God about marriage. He ruled out divorce by placing men and women on the same level; no longer could a man opt to divorce his wife. But, today there are lots of problems in families due to a lack of understanding of what marriage truly means. It is quite interesting to realize that social, economic and political factors were major determinants that shape the youth's present understanding of marriage, as we see the youths giving importance to changing trends in marriage such as single parent, inter-caste marriage, living in relationship or cohabitation, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender marriages, etc. Hence, marriage for them is more of a social phenomenon than spiritual union and physical companionship.

 

Dear friends, today we are called to embrace the will of God and his teaching concerning marriage and family life. We should not let the trending ideas of disordered personalities in our society mislead us. Rather, we should value and respect the Sanctity of marriage knowing that marriage is not just a contract but more of a covenant sealed with an oath that must not be broken. Hence St James in our first reading today said: do not swear by heaven or by the earth, or use any oaths at all. If you mean ‘yes’, you must say ‘yes’; if you mean ‘no’, say ‘no.’ Otherwise, you make yourselves liable to judgment.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we have always failed to listen and follow your teaching, as a result, there are lots of problems in our families due to a lack of understanding of what marriage truly means. As we listen to your teaching today, help us to value our vocation whether marriage or celibate life and to constantly struggle to fix the problems in our families, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 23rd May 2024

 

Readings: James 6:1-5; Ps.49; Mark: 9:41-50

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

IF YOUR HAND SHOULD CAUSE YOU TO SIN, CUT IT OFF

 

The way things are going in our societies today, we really need to think twice about our faith as Christians, and whether we are actually ready to live out our faith in the midst of the ugly situation in our country today. Because the way people are so attached to the things of this passing world is really disturbing, for this no doubt is affecting our Christian values and principles.

 

So, if we are willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision towards our discipleship in a personal and radical way, for these days, it is not enough to say am a Christian, we must convincingly and radically demonstrate it.

 

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level when he said: anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck. And if your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that cannot be put out. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is a good thing, but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.’

 

Here, Jesus wants us to accept the consequences that come with the truth of the Gospel teaching, more importantly, when it comes to living out the Gospel message radically, especially in a situation where humanity is deeply engrossed in sinful things of this passing world and the values of human life have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excess desires for worldly pleasures and possessions, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God.

 

So, these hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our life experience, because there are moments when we have to make radical and difficult choices as disciples of Jesus. These moments may require the sacrifice of some aspects of our physical appearance for we must not let them distract us from our heavenly glory. Hence, St. James in our first reading today, points out ways in which we can be distracted by the excess desires for riches of this passing world and as a result can misuse and abuse the various gifts and talents God has given to us.

 

Dear friends, today we are called to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully live out our Christian faith and morals. But how much are we willing to let go for the sake of our faith in God? Why are we finding it difficult to follow the instructions of Jesus? What are the habitual desires and possessions that are holding us from making this radical decision today?

 

Friends, whenever sin, selfishness and corruption have made our life tasteless, let the salt of our good attitude and character make it tasty. Where sin and immorality have made humanity filthy and ugly, let our salt of holiness purify. Remember, if we lose the value and taste of who we are as Christians, the world will trample upon us because we will be good. Therefore, it is time to come to God with all our hearts, for tomorrow may be too late.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts towards you, give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires and attachment to them, so as to hold firm in our faith despite losing things that are dear to us, This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 22nd May, 2024

 

Readings: James 4:13-17; Ps.49; Mark: 9:38-40

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

ANYONE WHO IS NOT AGAINST US IS FOR US

 

There is no doubt that the Christian faith can be very demanding and ambiguous for those who do not understand the sacrificial nature of our missionary life. To deal with these challenges, we must learn to discipline ourselves and collaborate with one another. So discipline and collaboration must be central to the Christian mission since the Christian faith comes across different categories of people which requires that there should be room to accommodate one another in that single language of sacrificial love towards Christ’s missionary mandate.

 

This very discipline and collaborative nature of our faith is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today when John said to him, master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name, and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.

 

Here Jesus is speaking to his disciples and all of us about doing the works for the glory of God, saying that we should not stop people from doing the good works of God even if the people do not belong to the same group as us. This is because, the disciples of Jesus saw some people who were doing works in the name of Jesus, casting out demons and healing in his name, and they tried to stop them from doing so. Why? Because the disciples having received from Jesus the authority and power to perform miracles they wanted to keep these gifts and authority exclusive to themselves. But Jesus rebuked such a selfish attitude shown by the disciples because Jesus desires that everyone who wishes to do the work of God should be accommodated regardless of their background and affiliations.

 

Dear friends, by the virtue of our baptism and confirmation we have received the same Spirit of God, that gives us the authority to do great works for God. And St. James in our first reading today said everyone who knows what is the right thing to do and doesn’t do it commits a sin.

 

Therefore, we too have been entrusted with the missionary mandate of Christ. So, is our responsibility to make good use of the various gifts and opportunities God has given us by ensuring that we discipline ourselves and learn to accommodate other people’s gifts and charisms. We must learn how to collaborate and accommodate other people who speak the one true language of Christ which is sacrificial love.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit who has always been our guide. Through the intercessions of St. Polycarp, help us to be more accommodating and collaborate with one another as we carry out your missionary mandate of love for each another. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 21st May 2024

 

Readings: James 4:1-10; Ps.55; Mark: 9:30-37

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

TRUE GREATNESS OVER HUMAN SELFISH AMBITION

 

The struggles of life always have a way of propelling us towards seeking to be ahead of other people. This desire makes us ambitious about acquiring things and holding high positions in any community we find ourselves. This is the disposition of the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel reading today.

 

Here, Jesus was telling them about his passion, death and resurrection, but they were arguing among themselves about who was greatest among them, though they tried to figure out what Jesus was saying. Yet they were afraid to ask him rather, their ambition was to be an important personality, wealthy or celebrity.

But, Jesus knowing the ugly intentions of his disciples, showed them the way to identify true greatness using the images of a humble child. Here, Jesus surprised his disciples by linking true greatness to the humility and simplicity of a little child and also showed how children can be the subject of a parable that reveals the vanity and deception found in some great persons. Because children are docile, humble, teachable, loving, forgiven and dependent.

 

Thus, Jesus explains that in the kingdom of heaven, true greatness is found in humility and children serve as a symbol of humility as they are dependent on adults for everything just as we also are dependent on God. Little children serve as concrete symbols of simplicity which is a condition for entering the kingdom of heaven. So, in children, we found these great virtues of simplicity and humility. Hence, parents should encourage their children to participate in activities where they display these virtues.

 

Dear friends, true greatness is found in humble service and not in human selfish ambition. For today we see in the lives of the disciples the danger of human selfish ambition and how to deal with it in relation to the mission of Christ especially in the midst of ignorance and proud people. Little wonder St. James in the first reading made us know that all the wars and fighting come from the corruptions of our hearts, it is right to mortify those lusts that cause war in our hearts. James accurately describes strife among Christians with the terms wars and fights. And these battles that happen among Christians are bitter and severe, and the source of these wars and fights is rooted in the carnality of mind and heart.

 

Therefore, we are reminded that true greatness and ambition are found in humble service to others. But this is exactly what many of us are lacking. We are so proud, greedy and selfish, as we are deeply attached to the pleasurable things of this passing world which prevents us from seeking true greatness that leads to the heavenly kingdom.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, amidst the danger of selfish human ambition in relation to your mission, we have become so much engrossed with the competitive activities of this world, seeking to be great in things that are passing away, grant that, we may embrace true greatness rooted in the humble service of our neighbours, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and fruitful day. 

Homily For Monday Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year B, The Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church (Mater Ecclesiae) 20th May, 2024

 

Readings: Gen. 3:9-15.20, Ps.86; John 19:25-34

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

CELEBRATING MARY AS OUR MOTHER

 

As the Holy season of Easter comes to an end with the celebration of Pentecost yesterday, the Church continues with the second face of the Ordinary Time of the liturgical calendar. This begins with the memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church.

 

 Although today’s Memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church is new, the devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of Mother of the Church, is very ancient. It was Pope Francis, who established the celebration of this Memorial in 2018, which is to be celebrated annually on the day following the Solemnity of Pentecost. Pope Francis said he wished to establish this Memorial in order to encourage the growth of the maternal sense of the Church in the pastors, religious and faithful, as well as a growth of genuine Marian piety.

 

Hence, the Memorial of Mary Mother of the Church is established in order to remind us that Mary is indeed the Mother of all of us. For as God’s chosen people, Mary has been entrusted to us to be our loving Mother, and to whom we have also been entrusted as her own beloved adopted sons and daughters, through Christ, her Son, who shares his divinity with us as he elevates our humanity, as we have it in our Gospel passage today, when Jesus entrusted his mother to John saying: Woman, behold your Son, then to the disciple he said, Behold your mother.

 

Here, Mary assumes the role of the Mother of the Church, while the disciple represents all of us Christians, who are members of God’s Church and therefore have become children of Mary, God’s own beloved Mother, and she is indeed, the Mother of the Church, the Mother of all Christians. Thus, Mary had always been with the Church as she has always been with the Apostles and the other leaders of the Church, for she is full of grace and had borne Christ who is the Head of the Church. So it is worth honouring her with the title Mater Ecclesiae, the Mother of the Church. For she was the New Eve resisted the temptations of Satan and remained completely faithful to the Lord as she followed her Son, the New Adam, to the foot of the Cross. Thereby fulfilling the Lord’s prophecy at the very beginning, as we heard in our first reading today.

 

Dear friends, as we celebrate Mary, as our Mother, the Mother of the Church, we entrust all our struggles, suffering, persecutions, challenges, trials and difficulties into her maternal care, in order to remain faithful and survive through the turbulent times and challenges of our time. Let us learn to remain faithful like Mary and never take our faith for granted. Let us remain steadfast knowing that Mary, the Help of all Christians is our Mother and Consoler.

 

LET US PRAY, Lord God, as we celebrate the Memorial of Mary Mother of the Church, grant us through her intercessions, all the graces and courage we need in order to conquer all our fears and challenges of life and so look forward to the coming of Christ our Lord and Saviour. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily for Pentecost Sunday Year B, 19th May, 2024

 

Readings: Acts.2:1-11; Ps.104; Gal. 5: 16-25;  John 15:26-27.16:12-15

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

COME HOLY SPIRIT MAKE US KNOW YOU EXPERIENTIALLY

 

We have gathered here today to celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. Today we receive a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Today the promised Paraclete has come, the Comforter has come, the purifying fire has come. An experiential encounter with the Holy Spirit. Today all children of God are empowered once more to conquer the world with the Good News of Christ's salvation.

 

Today the fears, the shame, the weakness of sins, the lukewarmness, the lockdown and all the barriers that hold us captive in the upper room of fear and shame have now been consumed by the power of the Holy Ghost, which we receive afresh today. For we have been set free and empowered to transform the world once again with the truth of the Gospel of Christ.

 

This is the fulfilment of the promise Jesus made to his disciples in our Gospel passage today when he said to his disciples: ‘When the Advocate comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father, he will be my witness. And you too will be witnesses, because you have been with me from the outset. ‘I still have many things to say to you, but they would be too much for you now. But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth.

 

This promise was made when, after the Last Supper and the ugly event of his passion, death and resurrection, a sense of loss and fear saddened the hearts of the Apostles. But their sadness will not be long, for Jesus will not abandon them, he will not leave them orphans. He will send the Counsellor, the power of Love, the Spirit of the Father. And this Spirit will enable them to understand that his work is a work of love:  love of the One who gave himself, love of the Father who has given him and love for humanity whom he has come to save.

 

Thus, this is the mystery of the Pentecost we are celebrating today as we have it in our first reading, when on the Pentecost day the disciples were in a room of lockdown and fearfulness, and suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.

 

Such is the work of the Holy Spirit, who illuminates the human spirit and reveals in it, the image of Christ Crucified and Risen, in order to become more like him, bearing the image and instrument of the love which flows from Christ. It is in this image of love, that the greatness of the Pentecost event is perceived.

 

There are seven gifts and twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit, the seven gifts include wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. While the fruits which are perfections that the Holy Spirit infused in us as the first fruits of eternal glory are as follows: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.

 

Among all these gifs and fruits, love is the most important of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, just as it is also the most important of all the Christian virtues. Without love, all the good things we have accomplished mean nothing. Hence, St Paul advised us in our second reading saying: If you are led by the Spirit, no law can touch you. But when self-indulgence is at work in you the results are obvious: fornication, gross indecency and sexual irresponsibility; idolatry and sorcery; enmity and strife, jealousy, bad temper and selfishness; disagreements, factions, envy; drunkenness, carousing and similar things.

 

However, Paul continued by saying: I warn you now, as I warned you before those who behave like these will not inherit the kingdom of God. What the Spirit brings is very different and they include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control. There can be no law against things like that, to embrace the Spirit of love that will help us to accommodate each other’s gifts and talents, for we, though separate individuals are united as one body and one Spirit in one baptism.

 

Dear friends, today the power of the Holy Spirit of love has been poured upon us, so we are called and empowered to go into the whole world and proclaim the Good News of God’s love to humanity. There are many people in our world today who have not experienced the true love of God in their hearts, because they are distracted by various worldly concerns and their selfishness, as they keep hurting each other and causing trouble and suffering to one another. These should not be our attitude.

 

Let our actions and deeds bear the fruit of this love of God not only to such people but to our fellow brethren by showing genuine care and concern for each other. Let us not close our doors of love because we continually want to feel secure and do not want to be disturbed by others or by God. Rather let us like the apostles break open the doors of our hearts, for Christ overcomes our enclosure to bring us love and peace and build a bridge between heaven and earth, so that we can climb up on this bridge of love to reach him and together with him, we too can reach all humanity, beginning with our families, societies and to the ends of the Earth.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we lift our hearts together with Mary our mother in the Spirit of Pentecost, singing the Veni Sancte Spiritus, may the Holy Spirit of love come down upon all your children wherever we may be and fill our hearts with the fire of his love. Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love. Amen. Wishing you a Spirit-filled Pentecost celebration.