Homily For Friday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 5th July, 2024

Reading: Amos 8:4-6.9-12; Ps. 119; Matt. 9:9-13

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

HOW ARE YOU RESPONDING TO GOD’S CALL FOR REPENTANCE?

 

There is no doubt that Jesus had been calling people from different works of life to be part of his mission, but today’s call and choice of Matthew a man identified with sinners because of his work as a tax collector, was quite strange to some people. Little wonder in our Gospel passage today after Jesus had called Matthew to follow him, he had a dinner in his house and while at the dinner, it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. This is because to follow Jesus, Matthew needs to abandon his lucrative job, knowing that he can never regain it. Also, he needs to cut himself off from his old network of friends.

 

So, it seems likely that, in a spirit of joy, Matthew invites Jesus and his disciples to a great feast at his house. But the Pharisees felt bad and offended about Jesus sharing a meal with "sinners", so they complained to his disciples saying: “Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this he replied, “It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.”

 

Here we heard the inner most desire of Jesus for sinful humanity in need of salvation. Because the call of Matthew is like the call of each of us, a choice that demonstrates Jesus' desire for sinners to repent. For all he desires is mercy and not sacrifices, repentance and not pride. Jesus is calling us to repentance, he is inviting us to make a fundamental choice for God just like St Matthew, who though sinner, rose up and followed Jesus at his call for repentance.

 

Therefore, we too are to respond to this invitation without delay, so that we will not be like the people of Israel in our first reading today, who failed to listen to God’s words and warnings. Thus we heard the Lord saying: see the days when I will bring famine on the country, a famine not of bread, a drought not of water, but of hearing the word of the Lord. They will stagger from sea to sea, wander from north to east, seeking the word of the Lord and failing to find it

 

Dear friends, how are we responding to God's call to repentance? As Christians who are called to follow the Lord, what is our attitude towards notorious and public sinners? How are we relating with those we judge to be sinners? What efforts are we making to convert sinners? Today, we are called to let St. Matthew be an inspiration and hope for every one of us. Let him be an example that will remind us that there is no one beyond the reach of God’s mercy and love. For he is capable of transforming our ugly ways of life into a glorious instrument for human salvation. Remember, Jesus desires mercy and not sacrifice and we are all invited to follow him along the way of salvation and not to condemn or judge anyone.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, despite our sinfulness,  you called and chose us to be instrument of your salvation to all humanity. As we learn for St. Matthew, give us the grace to make good choices that will help us to respond positively to your call for repentance and evangelization. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.  Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Thursday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 4th July, 2024

 

Readings: Amos 7:10-17, Ps 18:8-11 , Matt 9:1-8

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

LORD RESTORE US AGAIN FOR WE ARE PARALYZED BY THE SINFUL THINGS OF THIS PASSING WORLD

 

The sin and evil going on in the world today are putting our faith to the test and most people are giving in to the scheme of the devil because they lack the strong will to withstand the suffering, sickness and problems that befall us as a result of this evil. People are running ups and down seeking for solutions.

 

While the evil ones are taking advantage of the situation to destroy the faith of the people. In fact, one may begin to wonder if there is still hope for the restoration of humanity from this ugly situation. But the fact remains that God is able to heal and restore us once again.

 

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, when some people brought to him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven.’ But some scribes doubted his authority to forgive sins, and Jesus knowing what was in their minds said: ‘Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts? Now, which of these is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ he said to the paralytic, ‘get up, and pick up your bed and go off home.’ And the man got up and went home.

 

Here we see the power and authority of Jesus towards the restoration of paralytic man carried by his friends. A gesture that signifies the restoration of humanity paralyzed by sin. So Jesus began by forgiving our sins. Though sin seems to be the root of the sickness. But sin may be pardoned, yet the sickness not be removed; the sickness may be removed, yet the sin not pardoned. But for Jesus, healing is holistic for those who have faith in God. And this is what the scribes and the Pharisees failed to understand as they doubted and opposed the power and authority of Jesus just like the priest Amaziah in our first reading, who opposed prophet Amos.

 

Prophet Amos was doing the work of God, by calling people to repentance and to face the consequences of their sins. This is because, Amaziah and king Jeroboam had sinned and also led the people of Israel to sin against God as well.  So Amaziah saw Amos as a rival and a threat to his own influence, and that was also why he went up to king Jeroboam complaining about Amos and asking him to get out of Israel and return to the land of Judah, and stop prophesying in Bethel because he doesn’t want to hear the truth just like must of our leaders today who does not like to hear the truth.

 

Dear friends, today we are called not to be like the priest Amaziah or the scribes who were enslaved by their pride and desire to maintain their prestige in the society. They doubted the power and authority of Jesus and rejected the message of truth. But Jesus rebuked them, this shows us that truly he has power and authority not just to heal and forgive us but to restore us and all humanity back to our formal glory.

 

We are also called to imitate the great faith and love of the friends of the paralytic, the love and faith that radiate from the innermost being of those who exercise it. Let us like them, learn to love and help one another. Because the absence of love is the cause of most problems in our world today. For most families exist only by grace because of the absence of love. How I wish we can invest our time and resources in ensuring love and goodwill in our dealings with one another, believe me, the world will be a temporal home for everyone.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are paralyzed by the sins and evil we are committing against you and the world you created, as we come to you in faith, forgive us our sins, heal and restore us once again. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

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.