Homily for Sunday of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) Year B, 2nd June 2024

 

Reading: Exo. 24:3-8; Ps. 116; Heb. 9:11-15; Mark 14:12-16.22-26

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

THIS IS MY BODY, THIS IS MY BLOOD SHADE FOR YOU

 

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ also called the Corpus Christi celebration. This event occurs every Thursday or Sunday after the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. It is a solemn celebration where we reaffirm with great joy our faith in the Eucharistic Mystery of Christ’s love for humanity. Reminding us of God’s infinite gift of love for humanity which was made present in the Person of Christ Jesus under the appearance of Bread and Wine.

 

The mystery of the solemnity of Corpus Christi constitutes a very important aspect of our Christian faith, which is rooted in the historical and cultural context of the Jewish people's experience with God, of which Jesus is the fullest of this experience and revelation. Hence, on the occasion of our Gospel passage today, we heard how Jesus sent his disciples to go and prepare a place for their Passover celebration, which they did.

 

So, as they were eating Jesus took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to them. ‘Take it,’ he said ‘this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, and all drank from it, and he said to them, ‘This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many. I tell you solemnly, I shall not drink any more wine until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God.’

 

With this statement, Jesus instituted the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and gave his Apostles power and authority to do this in memory of him. This is a very important mission, which the Apostles had faithfully carried out and has passed on to all of their successors, the bishops and the priests of the Church, who have been ordained and have received the same power and authority from the Lord to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

 

So, at the Last Supper, Jesus presented the Bread and Wine as his Body and Blood which he offered on the cross as a sacrificial love for humanity and asked his disciples to do the same in memory of him. This very mandate of Christ is what the Church is doing at every celebration of the Holy sacrifice of the Mass, where Christ through the priest who acts ‘in persona Christi’ by the power of consecration, transubstantiate the Bread and Wine into his Real Body and Blood and offer it to God His Father as an unbloodied sacrificial love for humanity.

 

This means that the substance and essence of the bread and wine the priest blessed and offered to God at the celebration of the Holy Mass, have truly become the very Body and Blood of Christ Himself, under the appearance of bread and wine through the mystery of Transubstantiation. Thus, the word ‘transubstantiation’ from the two words ‘Trans’ which means ‘change’ and ‘Substantiate’ meaning ‘substance or essence’, we can explain the mystery of the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, as the change of the whole substance and essence of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ through the prayer of consecration by Christ through the priest in the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Therefore, at every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, through the power of the Holy Spirit the substance of bread and wine become the real and most precious Body and Blood of Christ Jesus, just in the same way he spoke at the Last Supper saying ‘This is My Body, which shall be given up for you’, ‘This is the Chalice of My Blood, the Blood of the New and Eternal Covenant, which shall be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins’ of which he fulfilled at the Cross in Calvary, where he offered himself Body, Soul and Divinity for the salvation of humanity. Hence, we share in this grace of salvation when we participate fully in this sacrificial offering of God’s love for humanity.

 

Little wonder in our second reading we heard that: Christ has come, as the high priest of all the blessings which were to come. He has passed through the greater, the more perfect tent, which is better than the one made by men’s hands because it is not of this created order; and he has entered the sanctuary once and for all, taking with him not the blood of goats and bull calves, as we heard in our first reading how Moses took the blood and cast it towards the people saying: This is the blood of the Covenant that the Lord has made with you, containing all his rules you are to observe. But here, Jesus offers his blood, having won an eternal redemption for us, to purify our inner self from dead actions so that we can offer our service to the living God.

 

The fact remains that in the Eucharist, we are physically and spiritually fed much more than the Israelites in the wilderness, who were fed with manna as we have it in Deut. 8:2-3,14-16, they were given the manna to survive in the wilderness, but Christ gave us the Eucharist not just for us to survive in the wilderness of this passing world but for us to gain eternal life and come to share in his love, for the Eucharist is the real presence of Christ love for humanity.

 

Dear friends, today we are called to embrace the love of God present in the Holy Eucharist, the power of God’s mercy for sinful humanity. We are called to deepen our understanding of this rich mystery of our faith in the Eucharist and come to change the way we relate with Jesus in the Eucharist. We are called to strive to worthily receive the Holy Eucharist. We are called to be grateful for this Sacrificial love of Christ in the Holy Eucharist and form the habit of adoring Christ our Lord present in the Holy Eucharist, as we let the love of his presence to transform our souls into that purest love that will renew our families, societies and the world at large.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, through the sacrificial love of your Son Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist, grant us the grace to constantly experience your presence within us, especially amid doubt, ignorance, persecution, trials and uncertainties of life. May the Eucharistic Power of love fill our hearts once again and so renew the hatred, greed and corruption in the hearts of sinful humanity. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday to you all.

Homily For Saturday Eight Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 1st June 2024. The Memorial of St. Justin, Martyr (Happy New Month)

 

Readings: 1 Jude 17.20-25, Ps.63; Mark 11:27-33

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

IDENTIFYING THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF JESUS

 

In our dealings with people, we are often requested to make reference to authorities in order to back up our claim to know or possess anything. And when such authority is not available our proposal may not be taken seriously. Little wonder our gospel passage today, presents to us the fundamental question concerning the source of Jesus’ authority, namely whether it is divine or human. Here, after Jesus drove away the traders from the courts of the Temple, the chief priests and elders questioned the source of his authority, for they were more concerned to learn whether Jesus had received the proper human authorization by questioning the source of his authority.

 

In response, Jesus draws their attention to John the Baptist and his authority and by so doing he implies that the source of John's authority is the source of his as well. Thus, anyone who correctly identifies the source of John's authority will identify the source of Jesus’ own as well. Therefore the questions we need to ask ourselves are: What is our notion about the authority of Jesus? Do we have any doubt about the authority of Jesus? How much of this authority dwells in you? The crowds identified the source of John and Jesus’ authority as divine. Have we personally identified the divine authority of Jesus in our lives? Why not ask him to manifest his power and authority once more in your life?

 

Dear friends, we need to open up our hearts to truly embrace the authority of the Lord Jesus. We need to build up our interior lives around his authority, so as to be closer to God and continue to prepare ourselves physically and spiritually for the coming of our Lord Jesus in our hearts and our souls. For there he awaits our response to his invitation to holiness and love. Little wonder St. Jude in our first reading today said when some have doubts reassure them; when there are some to be saved from the fire, pull them out; but there are others to whom you must be kind with great caution.

 

So, like St. Justin whose memorial we celebrate today, we are called to learn to identify our authority with that of Jesus. He was known for his desire to establish a peaceful relationship between the Church and the state. For through his writings, he tried to convince Emperor Marcus Aurelius to end the persecution of Christians by the Roman state which led to his martyrdom with some of his followers in the year 165.

 

Today however, St. Justin no doubt, has shown us through his works and interactions, with pagan philosophers and even with the Emperor, that it is indeed possible to be fully faithful and committed to God while exercising our authority and position by living in harmony as a law-abiding citizens of the community and the state even in the midst of persecutions and operations as we experience in our societies today.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, in your divine authority we build our confidence and hope. May you continue to direct and guide our ways and bring our plans and purposes to a successful end. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a happy and fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday Eight Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 31st May 2024. The Feast of Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Reading: Zeph.3:14-18; Ps. Is. 12:2-6; Luke 1:39-56

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

THE SACRIFICE AND JOY OF VISITATION

 

Every last day of May, we celebrate the Feast of Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A great Marian feast on which we conclude our May devotion in a grand style in procession, with hymns and candlelight, singing along with our Mother Mary in thanksgiving to God for the good work of our salvation.

 

So, today’s feast as we have it in our Gospel passage, reminds us of the moment when Mary, after the event of Annunciation, having received the message from Angel Gabriel, came to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who is now pregnant with a child. For at that time, Mary was just having the Child Jesus in her not long after he was conceived in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit, while Elizabeth, who had become pregnant earlier, was having John the Baptist in her womb, even in her old age.

 

Here, Mary sang the Magnificat in honour to God for the great thing he has done not just for her, but for all humanity. For having heard that her cousin Elizabeth, who at that time had been long barren had now conceived a child, came and found out that what the Lord had revealed to her through the Angel Gabriel was indeed true, that her cousin Elizabeth had miraculously conceived in her old age. And herself, about to have a Child without any human relations but by the power of the Holy Spirit. These made Mary rejoice greatly, for it was truly a great and joyful moment which God had shown to all his people.

 

Hence, this grace-filled event reveals the special role that Mary played in God’s plan for human salvation. So, as she brings the Word of life dwelling in her womb to Elizabeth, Mary becomes the image of the Church’s missionary activity for she is filled with the spirit ready to visit and bring Christ to all humanity.

 

This also presents to us the joyful moment when Mary bearing the Word Made Flesh visited barren and lonely humanity well represented by the person of Elizabeth. Thus, in this act of kindness, we recall the faith and the wonderful commitment shown by Mary, as an example and inspiration to all of us. For she totally obeyed the Lord and entrusted herself completely to the divine will of God.

 

Dear friends, visitation is part and parcel of our mission, just that we are so busy with everything except the very essence of our mission, which is, the salvation of our souls. The fact remains that, there is joy and power in visiting one another just like Mary. There is grace and a sense of belonging in visiting one another.

 

Do you know that some visitations bring healing, restoration and joy? Do you wish to have or give such kind of visitation? For there is inner healing and restoration when we visit each other. So today, who do you wish to visit or who will you like to visit you today? How will you feel if any of your loved ones should pay you a surprise visit today? How will you feel if your presence brings joy and happiness to someone today?

 

Why not try to visit someone today? Why not try to visit your friends, colleagues, classmates, workers, family members and neighbours whom you have abandoned for a long time? Why not try to learn from Mary, for in her we have found a great role model? So, by following her example we also embark on our journey of faith, learning from her obedience and dedication to the mission that has been entrusted to her throughout her life, just as we are entrusted with the task of spreading the Gospel passage to all humanity.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, only the soul for whom you have done great things can truly proclaim with fitting praise the joy of your presence. As we embrace your words today through the visitation of our Mother Mary, we joyfully surrender unto you, our whole life, our senses, our barrenness and loneliness, for our spirit rejoices at the coming of Christ Jesus our Saviour, and may this joy always remain in our hearts through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Thursday of the Eight Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 30th May 2024

 

Readings: 1Pet. 1:18-25; Ps.147; Mark 10:46-52

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT DO YOU WANT THE LORD TO DO FOR YOU?

 

There is no doubt that Jesus has shown his compassionate love for humanity in different ways, especially to the poor, the sick and those possessed by the unclean Spirit. This attitude of Jesus which springs from the love of God the Father constitutes the basis of the Church’s liberating activity which is rooted in our faith in God.

 

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, Bartimaeus, the blind beggar gives us a complete lesson about faith, expressed with total simplicity in front of Christ Jesus. He had faith enough to call out to Jesus as he passed by, even when he was scolded by the people close to him, his need for Jesus was so great that he cried all the louder, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!

 

Then Jesus asks an unusual question “What do you want me to do for you?” So even though his need was obvious, Jesus wanted him to mention it. In the same way today, Jesus is asking us: my child what do you want me to do for you? Why not like this blind beggar tell Jesus your need. Even though he knows your needs, you still need to present them before him. This blind man needed his eyesight restored, so he said aloud to Jesus, “Lord, that I may see!” And Jesus said: ‘Go your way; your faith has saved you.’

 

Here, we see a man whose faith led him to put off his former identity and cry in the hope of restoration. Bartimaeus’s faith involves proclamation, prayer, liberation, personal encounter and following of Jesus. More so, Jesus in this healing reveals his compassion towards human sufferings and wants us to imitate Bartimaeus’s faith in our struggles and challenges of life.

 

Dear friends, what is that one thing you need in your life? Have we ever felt helpless and neglected? Do we feel the need for Jesus’s help in some part of our lives? Do we know people who are helpless and need some help? How strong is our compassion towards them? Let us look at them for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at them. How does he see them? Why not in faith present our needs before Jesus who is willing and ready to help us? For St. Peter, in our second reading today reminds us that we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

 

So, like Jesus, each one of us is called today to reach out to people around us who are really in need of our assistance. This includes our family members, our neighbours, our colleagues and others who we encounter in life. The truth is that you may be the only person who can bring the healing and compassion of Jesus into their lives.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we present our needs before you today, may we experience once again your compassionate love and grant our hearts desire according to your Holy will, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you God’s favour and blessings.

Homily For Wednesday Eight Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 29th May 2024

Readings: 1Pet. 1:18-25; Ps.147; Mark 10:32-45

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS POWER AND THE INFLUENTIAL THINGS OF THIS WORLD?

 

One of the most ugly attitudes of most of our leaders today is the love of power, people are ready to do anything just to grab power. People kill, kidnap, blackmail and condemn others because of their ambition to hold power and sustain it. This ugly attitude of mankind is well displayed in our Gospel passage today when the two sons of Zebedee requested that Jesus should promise that they should sit one at his right hand and the other at his left in his kingdom.

 

This unfortunate request was made while Jesus was telling his disciples about his passion and death. But instead of reflecting on the seriousness of the words of Jesus, they were busy quarrelling over who grabs power as most people do today. For  when the other ten heard about the request made by these two sons of Zebedee, they were indignant with the two brothers. perhaps because they had misinterpreted Jesus’ teachings about the Kingdom and presumed that it would be a kingdom in which they would have honour and prestige like most people think today.

 

But Jesus called them and said, ‘You know that among the pagans the rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

 

Dear friends, true greatness is found in sincere service to others and not in over-ambition for power nor by plotting against others. This ugly attitude is what we often experience in our families, societies and our country today. Where people do all kinds of evil in order to grab power and sustain it.

 

Little wonder St. Peter in our second reading today said: Remember, the ransom that was paid to free you from the useless way of life your ancestors handed down was not paid in anything corruptible, neither in silver nor gold, but in the precious blood of a lamb without spot or stain, namely Christ. You have been obedient to the truth and purified your souls until you can love like brothers, in sincerity; let your love for each other be real and from the heart.

 

Friends, I don’t know what your experience has been as regards to serving others. I don’t know which of the characters in our readings can best describe our attitude towards power. Are we like the sons of Zebedee? Is our attitude like that of the ten disciples? Is our attitude like that of the pagan rulers who lord it over others? Whichever category we fall in, today we are called to be humble like Jesus who came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Therefore, as leaders, we should see ourselves as servants and not seek after status beyond our reach or plot the downfall of others. Remember, ambition can be a good thing but only if it is kept in check and if pursued for the right reason, that is, to serve others.

 

 LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are often consumed by excess love for power, which we often misuse and abuse.  As we listen to your teaching today, may we learn to use the power and authority entrusted to us in humble service for the common good of all. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.

Homily For Tuesday Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 28th May 2024

 

Readings: 1Peter 1:10-16;  Ps.98; Mark: 10:28-31

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT IS OUR REWARD FOR FOLLOWING THE LORD IN HIS MISSION?

 

In our world today people can go to any length to acquire properties, treasures, fame, influence and power just to secure their future and the future of their tenth generation. But we hardly take time to prepare for our spiritual life or sacrifice for the sake of our soul about the Kingdom of God.

 

This is exactly the mindset of most people today, and this is not different from the disposition of some of the disciples of Jesus. Little wonder Peter in our Gospel passage today, asked Jesus a very important question about sacrificing everything for the sake of following him. So, in response, Jesus said to him: ‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, not without persecutions now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.

 

Here, Jesus is reassuring us that all those who have given everything committed their time and efforts, and are making sacrifices for the sake of his kingdom would not be disappointed nor left without rewards. Their reward in the end will be truly great, for God remembers those who love him and have given themselves for his sake. He will guide them and remain with them throughout their journey no matter how tough it may be.

 

Hence, we heard  St. Peter in our first reading saying:  put your trust in nothing but the grace that will be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. Do not behave in the way that you liked before you learnt the truth; rather, make a habit of obedience: be holy in all you do, since it is the Holy One who has called you, and scripture says: Be holy, for I am holy.

 

Dear friends, what would be the most difficult thing for us to give up if Jesus should ask us to do so? Those things we so much attached ourselves with and would not like God to ask us to give them up for the sake of following him. Will you let go of things such as money, houses, credentials, love of power, pride and wealth or our relationship, our job, our habits and attitudes? These will be extremely difficult because we are living in a world of materialism and egoism.

 

But the Lord is asking us to leave them and follow him for we will surely be rewarded for sacrificing them for the sake of his mission. Also, whatever we possess that will separate us from our mission of following Jesus and loving our neighbours, today we are called to give them up and come follow the Lord because in leaving them for the sake of Jesus, we gain all in abundance.

 

LET US PRAY, Lord God, we are distracted with the things of this passing world. Give us the grace to let go of things that often separate us from your Mission and the obstacles on our way to your Kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful day.

Homily For Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 27th May 2024

Readings: 1Peter 1:3-9  Ps. 111; Mark: 10:17-27

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT WILL YOU FIND VERY DIFFICULT TO LET GO FOR THE SAKE OF ETERNAL LIFE?

 

A critical observation of how humanity is so much attached to the things of this passing world with little or no attention to the things that edifice the human soul and lead to eternal life is quite alarming. People can go to any length to acquire properties, treasures, fame, influence and power that will last from the fourth to their tenth generations, without thinking of how to acquire that which will lead them to life eternal.

 

This is exactly the mindset of most people today, and this is not different from the disposition of the rich man and some of the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today, little wonder Peter asked Jesus a very important question about sacrificing everything for the sake of following him after the rich man walked away from Jesus because he could not let go of his riches and follow Jesus. So, in response, Jesus draws his attention to the fundamental principle of our human existence, when he said to him: My children, ‘how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

 

Here, Jesus is not condemning human riches, so we should not think that he is asking or demanding that we should surrender all of our wealth and worldly possessions. No, that was not what he intended and we should not interpret the Gospel passage literally. Rather, what Jesus is saying is that we should learn to live a life of detachment in order to follow him wholeheartedly. That means we must put God first and above every other thing. We should not allow our worldly possessions, fame, wealth, influence and power to separate us from God and our salvation.

 

So, Jesus is reassuring us that all those who have given everything and committed their time and efforts, and are making sacrifices for the sake of his kingdom would not be disappointed nor left without rewards. Their reward in the end will be truly great, for God remembers those who love him and have given themselves for his sake. He will guide them and remain with them throughout their journey no matter how tough it may be.

 

Thus, we should not depend on worldly possession and power for they will rob us of true wisdom. Little wonder the psalmist says that in his riches man lacks wisdom, he is like the beasts that are destroyed. This is true because in his riches man lacks the fundamental principle of wisdom which is the fear of the Lord and we know that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Hence in our first reading today we heard St. Peter saying: You did not see him, yet you love him; and still, without seeing him, you are already filled with a joy so glorious that it cannot be described, because you believe; and you are sure of the end to which your faith looks forward, that is, the salvation of your souls. You did not see him, yet you love him; and still, without seeing him, you are already filled with a joy so glorious that it cannot be described, because you believe; and you are sure of the end to which your faith looks forward, that is, the salvation of your souls.

 

Dear friends, what is the essence of our existence in this world? What does God require from us in this life? Do you know that without God everything in life is vanity vanishing? So today Jesus addressed the very thing that most people are not ready to give up. Those things such as money, houses, credentials, love of power, pride and wealth. But, if we are honest enough, we will admit that we all have some things we would be very slow to let go of if Jesus should make the demand of them. Those things we so much attached ourselves with and would not like God to ask us to give them up for the sake of following him.

 

In fact, it might be a good thing today, for us to ask ourselves, what would be the most difficult thing for us to give up if Jesus should ask us to do so. It might be something we own like our properties, treasures, fame, influence power or wealth; it may be a relationship, our job, or our habits and attitudes. So, whatever we possess that will separate us from our mission of following Jesus and loving our neighbours, today we are called to give them up and come follow the Lord because in leaving them for the sake of Jesus, we actually gain all in abundance.

 

Therefore, let us not be carried away by the beauty of the things of this passing world, for nothing lasts forever. Rather, we should remain steadfast in our faith in God, who has called us to love him and to love one another, for that is all that the Lord has required from us in this life.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are so much attached to things of this passing world, help us to know that excess attachment to our earthly possessions could be an obstacle on our way to your Kingdom. Give us the grace to let go of things that often separate us from you as we learn to share with our neighbours especially the poor. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week.