Homily For Sunday of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity Year B, 26th May 2024

 

Reading: Deut.  4:32-34,39-40; Ps. 32; Rom 8:14-17; Matt. 28:16-20

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

UNDERSTANDING HOW GOD HAS REVEALED HIMSELF TO HUMANITY

 

Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. An event that occurs every first Sunday after the great event of Pentecost, which marks the end of the Easter season and renews the Baptism of the Church in the Holy Spirit. Hence, our attention is turned to the mysteries of heaven, where we gaze with an eye of faith into the mystery of God’s revelation of Himself

 

Therefore, this is a special feast that allows us to gaze into the communitarian life of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, who live in a communion of love and calls us to participate in this love. Thereby reminding us of the marvellous plan of our salvation, that finds its origin in this Trinitarian love of the Father, who sent the Son and the Holy Spirit for the redemption of humanity, as we have been called to share in this family of love. This family of love is God’s nature that he shares with humanity through the Son Jesus, the Word Made Flesh and the Holy Spirit the Paraclete.

 

This solemnity reveals to us that “God is love not in the oneness of a single Person, but in the Trinity of one substance”, as we have it in the Preface of today’s celebration. Telling us that God is the creator and merciful Father; he is the Only-Begotten Son, the eternal Word of Wisdom incarnate, who died and rose for us; he is also the Holy Spirit the Paraclete, who moves all things in history, toward their final and full recapitulation. That is, three Persons who are ONE GOD, because, the Father is love, the Son is love made Flesh, and the Spirit is love in Action. For there is wholly ONE purest, infinite and eternal LOVE which is God and love which is God himself. This of course is always a mystery, a reality that surpasses human reason without contradiction.

 

Thus, in this Sunday’s solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, we celebrate the summary of God’s revelation which was brought about through the paschal mysteries of Christ’s Death, Resurrection and Ascension to the right hand of the Father, and the gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This great mystery of the Triune God can not be comprehended by the human mind and language, hence the Church has called us to live it with deep faith and apply it in our daily lives.

 

Little wonder, our readings today tell us about this Trinitarian nature of God in human history, In the First Reading, we heard about the revelation of God’s active participation in the life of his people, as his servant Moses revealed to the people when he said: ‘Understand this today, therefore, and take it to heart: the Lord is God indeed, in heaven above as on earth beneath, he and no other. Keep his laws and commandments as I give them to you today, so that you and your children may prosper and live long in the land that the Lord your God gives you forever.

 

Similarly, Jesus after his resurrection instructed his disciples who had been cooperating in the life of the Trinity to go and introduce humanity into the New Life when he said: All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time. This is a great act of love which shows us God’s love in action, illustrating that God is not closed or satisfied with his self-sufficiency, but he is that life of love that wants to communicate itself with his fragile creatures in an open and deep relationship.

 

Hence St Paul talking about this new relationship in our second reading, encouraged and invited us to share and participate actively in the communitarian family of love in the Trinity that is now open for all humanity when he said: everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God. And if we are children we are heirs as well: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, sharing his sufferings so as to share his glory.

 

Dear friends, today’s solemnity invites us to embrace the new life we have found in the Trinity, that new life that calls us to the reality of love that is contained in the mystery of our faith. The One love of the Father, that is made Flesh in the Person of the Son, and in action in the Person of Holy Spirit, in a purely physical unity of which humanity is called to participate. Hence Jesus has revealed to us that we are essentially “God’s children”, creatures who live in a relationship with the Creator God the Father and are called to share this relationship with one another. Thereby reaching out to God and our fellow mankind, in whose life we discover the image of our common love in the Father.

 

Thus, in this love comes the model of the human community, originating from the Triune Family to our individual human families down to the society and the world at large, pointing to us that humanity is one, related in the love of God our common Father, through His Son Jesus in the active power of the Holy Spirit. This is the faith we have embraced and are called to share with all humility. Therefore, we are called to grow in this mission, knowing that, the Trinity is at the same time unity in love and mission, the deeper this love dwells in us, the stronger the urge to pour it out and spread it to all, beginning from our family, down to the society and the ends of the Earth.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as you reveal the mystery of your nature which is love and calls us to share and participate in it, grant that humanity may come to embrace this loving kindness, and so be united as one family sharing one common Father in love and truth, we ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen. God bless you.

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.