Homily For Wednesday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 3rd July, 2024. The Feast of St Thomas the Apostle

 

Readings: Eph. 2:19-22, PS 117:1.2, John 20:24-29

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

DOUBT NO LONGER BUT BELIEVE

 

There are many reasons in our world today why people may possibly have doubts about their faith in God and in Jesus. Because following the ugly attitude of deception, manipulation, exaggeration, corruption and flamboyant life style of false prophets and preachers in our societies, these can really make it difficult for people to become true and faithful believers in our world today.

 

Little wonder, people are scandalized by the actions and behaviour of some believers. Some have given up their faith, some are about to give up, some are just confused while a lot of people are just holding on to the little faith they have based on their little personal experience and encounter with the Divine. This disposition can be likened to that of St. Thomas whose feast we are celebrating today.

 

St. Thomas, one of the great Apostles of Jesus, journeyed with Jesus and experienced his great miracles, listened to his teaching, witness his passion and death. But as his faith could not bear it, he doubted the resurrection of Jesus based on other people's testimony. He could not believe it because it is too real to be true, so he sort for a personal experience and encounter with Jesus.

 

As a result of this, Jesus appeared to him in the occasion of our Gospel passage today and said to him: Thomas, ‘put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him you believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe’. Here Jesus offered the scars side of his wounds for the disbelieving disciple to touch and so healed the wound of his unbelief.

 

Through this personal encounter of the risen Lord, he believed; looking at one who was true man, he cried out that this is God, the God he could not see. So, faith is no longer necessary, all that matters now for Thomas is to share his personal experience with everyone who cares to listen.

 

Tradition has it that, at the dispersal of the Apostles after Pentecost, Thomas was sent to evangelize the Parthians, Medes, and Persians; he ultimately reached India, sharing his experience and carrying the Faith to the Malabar coast, which still boasts a large native population calling themselves "Christians of St. Thomas.” He shed his blood for what he is convinced of. He was speared to death at a place called Calamine.

 

But, what about you and I who today have experienced the Lord, having journeyed with Jesus as long as we have come to embrace the Christian faith. What can we say about our personal encounter and experience of the person of Jesus. Are we really convinced about the faith we profess, are we still at the level of faith based on what we hear or read about Jesus? Or have we really and truly encounter the person of Jesus in such a way that our faith has no doubt anymore, such that we can truly say like St. Thomas "My Lord and My God"? The fact remains that we need to personally experience the rising Lord if we are to bear authentic witness.

 

Dear friends, today we are encouraged to believe without seeing, but this can really be very difficult in a world of empiricism, yet we are still called to truly embrace this faith without doubting despite all the ugly human attitudes that are kicking against our faith. For Jesus said to Thomas, blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. Therefore, we need to support each other. We need to strengthen our community life especially during this difficult moment in our country and world at large.

 

This is necessary, because the first Christians supported one another by praying, worshipping and sharing the word of God and their resources together. And St Paul in our first reading encouraged us to remain faithful and strong, for we are no longer aliens or foreign visitors in the affairs of God: rather we are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. For we are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself is the main cornerstone. Thus, let us unite together as believers and bear authentic witness to our faith.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we struggle in this dark and trial moment in our lives, when your presence seems far away from the world, help us through the intercession of St Thomas, never to doubt whatever you have revealed through your son. May we rather be steadfast in faith, joyful in hope and untiring in loving you and our neighbours, especially in this time when the Gospel is under all kinds of threats by faithless and ignorant people. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Tuesday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 2nd July, 2024

 

Readings: Amos 3:1-8.4:11-12; Ps. 5; Matt 8:23-27

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

NAVIGATING THROUGH THE STORMS OF LIFE

 

Why are we so frightened by the storms of this passing world? Why is our faith shaking because of the way things are going in our lives? Are you going through a situation where the need to look for a Saviour is highly expected. Such was the case with the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today. It is a story about the disciples' panic and fear of perishing as a result of the heavy storm that is effecting their boat.

 

With this heavy storm breaking their boat, the disciples cannot believe that Jesus was asleep while they were afraid and needed help from anywhere. So they went to him and woke him saying, ‘Save us, Lord, we are perishing!’ And he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?’ And with that he stood up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and all was calm again. The men were astounded and said, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.’

 

This story signifies God's chosen people on a transit of faith, frightened by the guilt of sin and wounded by the waves of the sea, the abode of evil forces and monsters of this world. The boat can be taken as a symbol of the faith of the Church and the people of God struggling with the world’s principalities and powers, while the storm is a symbol of heavy persecutions and suffering by the people of God. And Jesus is saying: why are you so frightened, you men of little faith.

 

Today Jesus is calling us to journey on this boat of life with an unwavering faith and a repented heart, because the world is being tossed around by the waves of evil forces, the enemies of humanity. And it is only God who can subdue it, for he has promised to restore us back to himself. This is what the people of Israel failed to understand in our first reading today. Hence, we heard the Lord saying through prophet Amos: “you alone, of all the families of earth, have I acknowledged, therefore it is for all your sins that I mean to punish you”.

 

Dear friends, why are we so frightened by the storms of this passing world? Why is our faith shaking because of our present situation? Though, I don't know the great storms of doubt and fear in your soul? I don’t know if you are under the power of the evil forces of this world. I don’t know if you are heading to destruction? All I know is that with great faith in God we can navigate through the heavy storms of life, for Jesus and his angels will surely rebuke the violent storms in our hearts so that we can experience once again the calmness of safety, peace and joy.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God. As we struggle everyday to overcome the ugly situation around us, grant that the violent storms and waves of bondage in our lives will end in a wonderful calm that brings peace in our souls, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful and joyful day

Homily For Monday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 1st July, 2024. Happy New Month

 

Reading: Amos 2:6-10.13-16; Ps. 50; Matt. 8:18-22

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

FOLLOWING THE LORD REQUIES SERIOUS COMMITMENT AND SACRIFICE

 

The path to success is so rigorous, strenuous and competitive. The strong pass through it and are celebrated, while the weak will always quit or give up. Hence, a lot of people have not been able to achieve their goal in life because, they always have excuses to give. Oftentimes we hear such people saying I want to do this but.., I could have done it but..., I thought of it but… I was almost there but...

 

This kind of attitude is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, when one of the scribes came up and said to him, ‘Master, I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus replied, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Another man, one of his disciples, said to him, ‘Sir, let me go and bury my father first.’ But Jesus replied, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead.’

 

Here, it seems as if the Lord Jesus was very harsh when he said that those who have chosen to follow him have no place to call their own or that those who died ought to be left on their own to be buried. This is not the case here, rather Jesus is emphasizing that to be his follower requires serious commitment and sacrifices at  all times. That following him requires a life of total self-denial and the man who wished to follow him most reflect thoroughly what following Jesus would entail. So Jesus made it clear that following him would mean giving up many of the personal comforts that one enjoys.

 

But this is not the same with the people of Israel in our first reading today, who did not follow the instructions the Lord and often broke their covenant with God. Thus the Lord said: For the three crimes, the four crimes, of Israel I have made my decree and will not relent: because they have sold the virtuous man for silver and the poor man for a pair of sandals, because they trample on the heads of ordinary people and push the poor out of their path, because father and son have both resorted to the same girl. See then how I am going to crush you into the ground. For that day, the strong man will find his strength useless, the mighty man will be powerless to save himself. The bowman will not stand his ground, the fast runner will not escape, the horseman will not save himself and the bravest warriors will run away naked.

 

Dear friends, why making excuses when the Lord has chosen us and called us to follow him? Why do we chose to remain unfaithful and disobedience? How much of our lives and resources can we sacrifice for the sake of following the Lord? How far can we go for the sake of God’s kingdom? The fact remains that, following the Lord requires serious commitment and sacrifice because to succeed in life we need to pass through some rigorous steps without making excuses.

 

Sometimes the rigorousness of the paths may seem difficult and impossible but at the end they form the experience that will propel us to success and sustain us as well. So as we journey through the rigorous path of success in our mission and vocations, let us be encouraged to learn how to sacrifice for the sake of following the Lord, knowing that none of our sacrifices and contribution in the mission of Christ and his Church will be in vain.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, following you requires giving up everything, teach us how to faithfully embrace our vocation and mission in life without making excuses. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed New Month

Homily For Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 30th June, 2024

 

Reading: Wis.1:13-15;2:23-24; Ps.30; 2Cor 8:7.9.13-15; Mark 5:21-43

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

SINFUL HUMANITY IN NEED OF GOD’S MERCY, RESTORATION AND SALVATION

 

There is no doubt that people are going through a lot of difficulties as a result of the active presence of evil in the world which manifests itself in the form of trials, temptations, sickness and challenges both physically and spiritually. So every day we struggle against these troubles and tribulations, and people are doing everything they can to overcome them.

 

But oftentimes, it seems as if we are not making progress because we don’t have enough faith to subdue our challenges and out of fear we fall victim and are helpless. The fact remains that, we have faith but we have not been able to actively and radically put it into action like the synagogue official whose daughter had died but came to Jesus for help and also the woman with a haemorrhage in our Gospel passage today.

 

In this passage, one of the officials came to Jesus and said, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live.’ Jesus then rose and his disciples followed him to the official's house. On their way, a woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years came behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch his garments I shall be well again.’

 

Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health.’ And from that moment the woman was well again. When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the crowd making a commotion he said, ‘Get out of here; the little girl is not dead, she is asleep.’ And they laughed at him. But he went inside and took the little girl by the hand and said Talitha Cumi; and the girl got up and walked.

 

Here, the father of this little girl had faith and radically put his faith into positive action, for he confessed great faith in the resurrection. He believed that even Jesus’ slightest touch would restore life in his daughter, likewise the woman with a haemorrhage. This story of the little girl and the woman with haemorrhage has interesting similarities: Both were called “daughters”, and both were restored at the demonstration of radical faith in the touch of Jesus. The woman had been ill for twelve years, and the little girl was twelve years old. Both the woman and the little girl have been cut off from normal societal activities.

 

On the other hand, there were also differences between them. First, the official is an influential man in the community, but the woman is unclean and an outcast. The man approaches Jesus boldly, but the woman approaches him timidly. The girl was raised based on the father’s radical faith, the woman was restored through her faith for she was very sure that the very moment she touched the Lord’s garment all her troubles would end, for her body was made whole again.

 

This woman and the little girl actually represent the sinful humanity in need of God’s mercy, salvation and restoration. The faith and intercession of the synagogue official signifies the great intercessions of the saints and the people of God towards the restoration of humanity. The woman’s bleeding signifies the iniquity of all humanity who are defiled by the constant shading of innocent blood through violence, wars and abortions, thereby making humanity unworthy of God’s presence.

 

Her reaching out to touch Jesus and her restoration signifies the effort each one of us needs to make to reach out to God in order to be restored, the father of this little girl represents the importance of helping and interceding for one another reminding us about the power in the intercession of the Saint, the Church and our dear ones. And finally, these stories show us the willingness of Jesus to heal all of us just as he had healed the woman from all of her troubles and restored the girl back to life. But this requires that we radically put our faith into action.

 

The ability to put our faith into positive action is what St Paul is addressing in our second reading today when he said: You always have the most of everything: of faith, of eloquence, of understanding, of keenness for any cause, and the biggest share of our affection. So you are expected to put them into use. Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was: he was rich, but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty.

 

And in our first reading, we heard the truth that God never intended for any one of us to endure suffering in any of its forms or to experience death. For death was not God’s doing, he takes no pleasure in the extinction of the living. For humanity are meant to share fully in the love of God and to share in the glory of his kingdom.

 

Dear friends, we are called to put our faith into positive action. For if we have no faith in the Lord and refuse to put our faith in action, we will suffer and there is no hope for us. I don’t know why we are often stubborn and often hardened our hearts and minds by refusing to trust the Lord who is so generous and compassionate. Today therefore, we are made to know that, it is not enough to have faith, we must radically put our faith into action no matter the circumstances we find ourselves. It is through active faith that we can reach out to God in prayers and so obtain mercy, salvation, restoration and our hearts desires.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of faith, give us the grace and courage to put our gift of faith into positive action that yields positive results. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.  Do have a fruitful Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 29th June, 2024. The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

Reading: Acts. 12:1-11; Ps. 34 ; 2 Tim. 4:6-8.17-18; Matt. 16:13-19

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

LEARN TO BRING YOUR UNIQUE MISSION INTO THE ONE MISSIONARY MANDATE OF CHRIST

 

There is something deep and unique about every person as regards the master plans of God for humanity. But sometimes it takes personal experience to discover this uniqueness. I don't know if you have ever had an experience that made you think about your purpose on this earth as 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 Saints Peter and Paul whose solemnity we are celebrating today had with Jesus on different occasions that made them change their perception of life as they embraced their mission and mandate from Jesus. Their very encounter with Jesus brought a great transformation. Thus Simon left his fishing profession and became a Fisher of men and a preacher of the word of God with a new name Peter the Rock on which Jesus built his Church, the same thing with St. Paul.

 

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, where Peter demonstrated an act of faith as he gave an inspired answer to the question about the personality of Jesus. And Jesus stresses that Peter's faith is a gift from the Father when he says: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

 

Here the key represents the authority to open the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to judge whether to admit or to refuse. While the expression “binding and loosing” refers to the doctrinal decisions and disciplinary power of St Peter. that is, the faculty to impose and to lift. This is a guarantee that Peter’s decisions in the exercise of his ecclesial function are valid in the eyes of God.

 

And that is why in the iconographic tradition we see the keys in the hand of Peter,  because, the faith given to Peter by God is the rock on which Jesus built his Church. This is what St Peter expressed in our first reading today when he said: “Now I know that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod and from all that the Jewish people were so certain would happen”.

 

Meanwhile, Paul’s encounter brought true conversion in his life and changed his perspective about Christians with a new identity, changing his name from Saul to Paul. A name indicating his new mission as the Apostle of the Gentiles. Little wonder the iconographic tradition represents St. Paul with a sword. The image of the sword refers to his entire mission of evangelization and that was the instrument with which he was killed.

 

No doubt that St. Paul carried out his mission with all his zeal and passion he is regarded as one of the apostles and today his works still speak about the effect of his personal encounter with Jesus. Hence, we heard him saying in our second reading: I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his appearing.

 

Thus, the relationship between Peter and Paul is designed by God for the mission entrusted to them. Their lives are symbols of unity in one missionary mandate of Christ. St. Peter was entrusted with the leadership of all the Apostles and the Church, while St. Paul was empowered and entrusted with the mission to the Gentiles (Gal.2:8). For this mission they both suffered martyrdom for the faith and their love for God and the mission entrusted to them by Jesus. 

 

This very sacrificial life of love is what we are celebrating today, as being represented in different images and statues of Saints Peter and Paul as seen in front of Saint Peter’s Basilica, in the seminaries and in parishes, of which they are easily recognizable by their respective attributes: the keys in the hand of St. Peter and the sword held by St. Paul, showing us the fraternal zeal and unity of these two Apostles on their way to martyrdom for the love of Christ.

 

Dear friends, like Saints Peter and Paul we must learn to bring our unique mission into one missionary mandate of Christ. This is important following the ugly events of division, manipulation and multiplication of Churches going on in Christianity today. Hence, we are called to examine our conscience to know where we are with regard to our faith as Christians, we are called to be convinced of who we are and the need to truly unite together in God and His Church entrusted to St. Peter of which the get of the underworld shall not prevail against it.

 

LET US PRAY: Almighty and ever-living God, as we begin our day with the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, create in us we pray, a pure heart and renew a steadfast spirit of true faith within us, so that your Church may truly be united as one. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Friday Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 28th June 2024. The Memorial of St. Irenaeus

 

 Reading: 2Kings 25:1-12; Ps.137; Matt.8:1-4 

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

HOW TO APPROACH THE LORD FOR HEALING AND RESTORATION

 

There is no doubt that we have great events in the scriptures that illustrate the compassionate concern of Jesus in the struggles of humanity and wish to set us free from the shackles of all our troubles.

 

This is evident in the occasion of our Gospel passage today, where a leper having listened to Jesus speaking on the mountain, came up and bowed low in front of him and said ‘Sir, if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And his leprosy was cured at once.

 

Here the touching of Jesus is very significant. No ordinary person would dare to touch a leper. We can think of the inner healing that must have resulted from the touch of Jesus, that moment of physical contact that the leper had not experienced for a long time due to rejection. Touch is something we all need, but are so often lacking in our relationship with God and one another. But this cannot stop Jesus from reaching out to his children who call on him for healing and restoration.

 

Thus, the leper was despised, feared, shunned and rejected, but when he approached Jesus in humility, he became the object of divine attention. We too just like the leper, need healing, including the healing that comes from the touch of Jesus, all we need is to approach Jesus in humility and we will become a person of divine attention.

 

More so, the story of this leper is a good example of how we sinners can and should appeal to Jesus for cleansing, especially from our sins. We should come in faith knowing that God is always willing to cleanse every sinner who comes to Him. So, let us sincerely turn to God once again with all of our hearts and with all of our strength, just like the leper who came to Jesus with faith, knowing that he could heal him and make him better. This is what all of us must have as well, a strong and genuine faith. Today may be my great opportunity to be restored and what is needed is to put my faith in action and said Lord if you will you can restore me.

 

Dear friends, I don’t know what type of leprocious problems you are going through. Are you weighed down by sin or sickness? Are you feeling helpless and rejected?  Or do I know people who are helpless and need some help? Do I feel the need for Jesus’s help in some part of my life? Let us pause for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at us. How does he see us? What are you saying to him and what is he saying to you?

 

Jesus wishes to set us free from sickness, troubles challenges and manipulations of the evil ones. He desires to be with us as we struggle every day to overcome the challenges in our families, society and the world at large. Therefore, we should not be afraid to approach Jesus for healing and restoration, all we need is an active faith like the leper in our Gospel passage today.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you know our innermost being and the challenges we are struggling with,  come to our aid through the intercession of St. Irenaeus and cleanse us from all our physical, emotional and spiritual leprosy, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Thursday Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 27th June 2024

 

Reading: 2Kings 24:8-14; Ps.79; Matt. 7:21-29

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF LISTENING AND DOING THE WORD OF GOD

One of my favourite hymns in our hymn book says:

In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song! This cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled when striving cease! My Comforter, my All in All, here in the love of Christ I stand.

 

This hymn draws my attention to our Gospel passage today, where Jesus says:  ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. When the day comes many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?”

 

Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, you evil men! And he continues, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: for it was founded on rock.

 

Here Jesus calls our attention to something very important. He reminds us that it is not enough to hear the word of God; we must put it into practice. It is not sufficient to speak about God, but we must practice what we speak. We are called not merely to hear God’s word but to daily put it into action. Hearing or reading the Word is important, but that is not enough.

 

We must let the Word of God touch and shape our lives. For it is a waste of time and energy if our lives do not reflect the Gospel we preach if we do not hear the words of Jesus and act on them. The truth is that the houses built by wise and foolish persons may probably look alike. But the difference is the foundations, which can only be revealed when tested by the storms of life as we heard in our first reading concerning King Jehoichin and the people of Israel.

 

Dear friends, what are we doing with the word of God we hear every day? What kind of fruit am I bearing? How has the word of God changed my life and the lives of those around me? How has the word of God challenged and propelled me to love God and my neighbours? The fact remains that, hearing and doing the word of God is building our faith on a rocky foundation, that cornerstone, that solid ground, through the fiercest drought and storms of life, because the fruit of the Word of God in us is seen when tested in the storms of life.

 

Thus, is my attitude towards the word of God like that of the foolish builder who takes shortcuts for quick results? Or that of a wise builder who spends time digging a secured foundation through constant meditation and practice of the word of God? Therefore, when we hear the word we must apply it to our daily lives because that's the only way we can feed our soul. Our society has enough hearers of the word, what we need now are doers of the word of God, men and women who will feed their lives with the word of God and from the abundance of their hearts live a life that will influence the society positively.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, through your Word we find life and hope in Christ who is our all in all, grant us the grace to be doers of your Words and not just hearers, in order to build our faith on a rocky foundation in Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.