Homily For Saturday Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 27th July, 2024

 

Readings: Jer. 7:1-11; Ps.84; Matt. 13:24-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

WHAT SHALL WE DO WHEN OUR GOOD WORKS ARE INTERTWINED WITH THE  EVIL OF THIS PASSING WORLD

 

Oftentimes, when we reflect on the ugly events that happen around us, we wonder why God, who is so good and all-powerful, permits the evil we see and experience in the world He created. And sometimes, the evil ones are so cruel that we wish that God should just wipe them away from the face of the earth and when this is not coming forth, we complain and even doubt the power of God over this evil.

 

The answer to this ugly phenomenon is found in the parable of today's Gospel passage. Here the sower has sown good seed in his field for a healthy wheat harvest. But in the dark of night, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. What Matthew most likely refers to as weed is darnel or cockle, a harmful weed that closely resembles wheat and is common in Israel. The difference between darnel and real wheat is evident only when the plants mature and the ears appear.

 

So, when the servants notice the weeds, their first response is to question the quality of the seed. Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from? When the master replies that an enemy has sown the weeds, the slaves are anxious to take care of the problem, to root those nasty weeds immediately. But the master restrains his servants, saying that in gathering the weeds they would uproot the wheat along with them. He orders them to let both grow together until the harvest. Then he will send out his reapers to collect and burn the weeds and to gather the wheat into his barn.

 

In this parable the one who sows the good seed is Jesus, the field is the world, and the good seeds are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Jesus does not, however, say whom the servants represent.

 

Perhaps they represent the disciples or anyone who has questioned why God allows evil to grow and thrive and wishes to take matters into his or her own hands and root out the evil around them. But this will not be easy because it is not so easy to tell the weeds from the wheat as their roots are intertwined below the ground. Thus, rooting out the weeds would uproot the wheat as well, doing more damage to the crop than leaving the weeds to grow.

 

Dear friends, most of us are victims of the evil weeds and darnels of this passing world. But are you a good seed or the evil weed of this passing world? What shall we do when our good works are intertwined with the evil weeds of this passing world? Today, as we wish to remove these weeds in our lives, Jesus wants us to learn how to be patient and trust God in times of trouble and tribulations, for he alone knows the best time and how best to deal with the evil ones. For when that time comes He will gather all evildoers and throw them into the furnace of fire.

 

But the problem is that we are not patient with the Lord, we often behave like the Israelites in our first reading today, who have failed to listen to God, for we have chosen to dwell in sin and are intertwined with the sinful weeds of this world.

 

Thus, we heard the prophet Jeremiah saying:  Amend your behaviour and your actions. Put no trust in delusive words. Yet here you are, trusting in delusive words, to no purpose! Stop doing evil and learn to do good so that you will be saved. Therefore, we must learn to be patient with the Lord especially as we struggle with the troubles and tribulations of this passing world.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, our hearts are full of weeds of different corruptions and evil planted by the evil ones. As we wait on you, may you guide and protect us from the malice of the evil ones. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Have a fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 26th July, 2024. The Memorial of SS Joachim and Anne

 

Readings: Jer. 31:14-17, Ps. Jer. 31:10-13; Matt. 13:18-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

HOW ARE WE RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD IN OUR HEARTS? 

A critical observation of the structure of our society, one will easily notice how people are struggling with the things of this life; our passion, determination and willingness are deep-rooted in worldly things. For we work so hard to fill our hearts with the rocks and thorns of life that we have no room for the Word of God to blossom in our hearts.

 

This unhealthy and ugly attitude is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today as he explains the parable of the sower, pointing out our different dispositions towards the Word of God in relation to our interior life. Here, Jesus describes different kinds of obstacles to God's Word, obstacles such as shallow-mindedness, hardened heart, worldly desires and finally, trials and persecutions.

 

Today, because of our uncontrolled desire for things in this world, most people fall into some, if not all, of these obstacles. For a lot of people do hear and talk about the Word of God, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth will always choke the word we hear, and it yields nothing because it has no root to sustain it in our hearts.

 

Also, we often hardened our hearts by following the dictates of our stubborn attitude, thereby making our hearts a rocky ground where God’s Word does not bear much fruit. Thus, we are called to examine whether our soul is like the dry, rocky ground or has been choked by the thorns of this life. For it is time to regularly seek to nourish our soul and prepare it to receive the Holy Word of God So that we can create a fertile disposition within our heart in order to let the Word bear fruit in our soul.

 

Dear friends, how are we receiving God’s Word and applying it in our daily lives? Today we heard the Lord saying in our first reading that no one will ever say again: Where is the ark of the covenant of the Lord? For when that time comes, Jerusalem shall be called: The Throne of the Lord; all the nations will gather there in the name of the Lord and will no longer follow the dictates of their own stubborn hearts.

 

Remember, our hearts are the fields in which the Word of God is spread today. But to which do our hearts belong: the pathway, the rocky ground, the thorns or the good soil of faith and hope? Whichever one, we are called to dispose our hearts more so that God’s Word may find root in us just like SS. Joachim and Anne the parents of the blessed virgin Mary, whose memorial we celebrate today. For they were entrusted with the task of nurturing and bringing up Mary as a great instrument for God’s salvation for humanity.

 

Thus, today we celebrate these two great saints for their dedication and commitment towards the Word of God by nurturing and bringing up Mary to be Immaculate and pure, worthy to be the vessel of our salvation in Christ. They played their role as the guardians and parents of Mary and she grew in faith and love for the Lord. Similarly, we are also entrusted with different responsibilities and are called to fulfil them.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the world is full of hidden rocks and thorns which are seriously making your Holy Word unfruitful in our hearts, give us the grace to truly detach ourselves from them in order to faithfully embrace your Word in our souls and bear great fruits of love, peace, joy and fulfilment. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Thursday Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 25th July, 2024. The Feast of St. James, Apostle

 

Readings: 2Cor 4: 7-15, Ps 126:1-6, Matt: 20:20-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

EVERYONE WANTS TO BE GREAT BUT TRUE GREATNESS IS FOUND IN SACRIFICIAL SERVICE TO HUMANITY

 

As human beings it is always our desire to be great. This desire is what makes us to utilize the unique gift God has given us, from  which we serve Him and our neighbours responsibly. However,  human greediness and selfishness have made us to see greatness as domination and subjection of others in a competitive and comparative manner. Today as we celebrate the feast of St. James,  we heard in our Gospel passage how the disciples of Jesus were struggling with this competitive and comparative attitude.

 

This is because the mother of James and John sons of Zebedee came with her sons to make a request from Jesus saying, ‘Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ And Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what you are asking’. ‘Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ ‘Very well,’ he said ‘you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.”

 

So, other disciples became angry because James and his brother John through the intercession of their mother desired to have key leadership positions in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus. But Jesus let them know that the transcendent power and authority to lead belong to God and whoever He wishes to share it with.

 

Here, Jesus prophesied that James and his brother John would "drink of the same chalice" of suffering as himself, since the two brothers had asked to be seated at his right and his left in his kingdom, and he told them that they would be with him in a far different way than they expected.

 

Tradition has it that, James suffering martyrdom for the sake of the kingdom, for he was beheaded in Jerusalem at the orders of Herod Agrippa. His death is the only biblical record we have of the death of one of the Apostles, and he was the first to give his life for his Master. He embrace true greatness not by domination and subjection, but, in service, sacrifice and dedication to the faith he has found in Jesus which he wishes to share with others.

 

So, today we celebrate the feast of a great man, who along with his brother John and Peter was part of the inner circle of Jesus. So like St. James, we are encouraged to seek true greatness in humility of service and sacrifice even at the point of losing everything.

 

 And St. Paul also encouraged us in our first reading to be steadfast for we are affiliated in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. Knowing that true greatness is found in humble service and not in domination or subjection of others. For good leaders serve the community, they subdue arguments and divisions, they maintain unity in times of distress and act as role models for the young just like St. James.

 

Dear friends, today, we all are called to seek true greatness in humble service of other and not in subjection and domination of others. We are called to utilize the unique gift God has given us and use it to serve Him and our neighbours responsibly in any capacity we find ourselves, bearing in mind that one should not strive to be a leader but a servant because leadership is a gift from God. Remember, true greatness is found in our sacrificial service to others, not in competitive and comparative subjection and domination of others.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you have taught us that true greatness is found in the sacrificial service to humanity, give us the grace to live a life of sacrifice and humility. And through the intercession of St. James my our lives be a good example of true greatness. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful day.

Homily For Wednesday Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 24th July, 2024

 

Readings: Jer. 1:1.4-10; Ps. 71; Matt:13:1-9

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT IS THE DISPOSITION OF YOUR HEART TOWARDS THE WORD OF GOD YOU HEAR EVERY DAY?

 

Those who are into farming understands very well how a healthy seed blossoms on a fertile soil. Little wonder Jesus in the parable of the sower decided to use this great farming mechanism to explain the relationship between the Word of God and the human heart. Because the Word of God is to the human heart what a healthy seed is to the soil.

 

In this parable Jesus said to the crowd, ‘Imagine a sower going out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up straight away, because there was no depth of earth; but as soon as the sun came up they were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Others fell on rich soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, anyone who has ears!’

 

Here, Jesus used the parable of the sower to describe different kind of response to God's Word for there are four obstacles that can distract us from making our hearts a fertile soil. These obstacles include: shallow mindedness, hardened heart, worldly desires and finally, trails and persecutions. Most people fall in some, if not in all of these obstacles.

 

But what about the good soil? These are those who made their hearts a fertile soil through love and purity of heart which helped them to hear the Word of God and understands it, and indeed bears fruit and yield an abundant harvest of hundred, sixty and thirty folds. Our Mother Mary is a good example of such people.

 

Therefore, the different kinds of ground on which the seed falls represent the different ways in which we receive the Word of God, just like prophet Jeremiah in our first reading today who made his heart a fertile soil for the word of God. Hence, we heard the Lord saying to him: I am putting my words into your mouth. Look, today I am setting you over nations and over kingdoms, to tear up and to knock down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant

 

Dear friends, what is the disposition of your heart towards the Word of God you hear every day? Today Jesus Christ gives us all the wonderful and beautiful Words of life, wooing us to heaven, are we disposed to letting his word blossom in our hearts and souls? Remember, our hearts are the fields in which the Word of God is scattered, to which do our hearts belong: the path way, the rocky ground, the thorns or the good soil. Whichever one, we are called to pay attention and take some time to appreciate and dispose our hearts more, so that God’s Word may find a root in us.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, each and every one of us have received the seeds of your Words, give us grace to remain open to receiving your Word, so that it will blossom in our souls and bear fruit abundantly. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Tuesday Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B , 23rd July, 2024

 

Readings: Micah 7:14-15.18-20, Ps. 85, Matt 12:46-50

Rev  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

DOING THE WILL OF GOD IS THE ONLY WAY TO BELONG TO THE TRUE FAMILY OF JESUS

 

One of the psychological and spiritual needs of the human person is the sense of belonging, this need is just like the need for food, clothes and shelter. The feeling of belonging is fundamental to our sense of happiness and well-being, for it gives value to life and help us in coping with some painful emotions as it improves our motivation. Hence, we often want to belong with one another, to our friends and families, to our culture and from one association and group to another.

 

However, one of the common and safest place to belong is our families, especially when it is rooted in the family of God. So today in our Gospel passage, Jesus speaks about belonging to his family and his relationship with members of his family when he said: Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.’ From the Gospel, Jesus speaks of two ways the people around him could be identified as members of his family. Firstly he talks about those who belong to the family of his birth that is, his mother, father and relations. Then his other family which is made up of those who do the will of God.

 

 This family he says, is his true family where doing the will of God is the only way of becoming part of this family. This is not to say that Jesus is rejecting his family; to do so would be contradicting his own teaching about loving ones parents and loving ones neighbours.

 

However, Jesus is using this opportunity to emphasize that relationship with God is more important and this is based on our total commitment to doing the will of God through him. Surprisingly, Mary the mother of Jesus belongs to both sides of the family, for she gave birth to Jesus and also the first to do the will of God when she  said, “let it be done unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). For this reason she is the first disciple of Jesus and a model for all Christians.

 

Thus, to be a Christian or a disciple is to enter into the family of Jesus and embrace a new relationship with God and with one another and this is the most important place to belong. All other bonds, including those of blood should be considered secondary. Because, belonging to God is fundamental to our basic relationships, prior to all human relations. Since we belong first to God before belonging to our families, after which we all go back to God where we ultimately belongs, which will be determined by our attitude towards doing the “Will” of God here on earth.

 

Dear friends, are you part of the true family of Jesus? Where do we ultimately and truly belong? As Christians, we claimed to be part of God’s family, but do our attitudes and decisions show that we truly belong to God’s family? Do we not often commit ourselves to things contrary to the faith we professed in God?

Today prophet Micah in our first reading prayers for God’s mercy, asking God to show kindness to His people and forgive our trespasses for the times we have failed to be committed in doing His will, as he called us to turn back to God once again for it is in Him that we truly belong. Therefore, today like Mary and the disciples of Jesus, we are called to do the will of God always in order to truly belong to that true family of Jesus where love of God and love of neighbour unites us together.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we truly belong to your family, give us the grace to always do your will and as we carryout our activities today, grant success to the works of our hands, through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Monday Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 22nd July, 2024. The Feast of St. Mary Magdalene

 

Readings: 2Cor. 5:14-17, Ps. 63, John 20:1-2.11-18

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE ENCOUNTER THAT TURNS THE LIFE OF A SINNER INTO A SAINT

Every human person has a past and a future, the past is gone we cannot change it, but the future bring hope alive, for in both past and future we make our history a reality that can change the world. Today we celebrate the feast of St. Mary Magdalene, a woman whose life history gives hope to sinners and sense of the past to the saints.

Often Mary Magdalene is referred to as the woman from whom Jesus had cast out seven demons or the repentant prostitute, whichever one, scriptures and history point out that Mary Magdalene had been greatly transformed by her faith in Jesus and her life was changed after her first encounter with Jesus for she abandoned her past life of sin.

May Magdalene was a great sinner who ought to had been condemned to die by those who were also unworthy and sinful before God. But grace of God brought about the encounter that transformed her life and she was privileged to be the first to know about the resurrection of Jesus and to also encounter the risen Lord.

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, which presents to us the encounter of Mary Magdalene with the risen Lord. When the apostles have left the tomb, Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. In her devotion to Jesus, Mary seeks to learn where she might find Jesus’ body so that she might take him away, a task that would be difficult both emotionally and physically. But she was not even concerned with how she would convey the body from one place to another. She only believes that Jesus’ body has been dishonored, and she is determined to see that he is accorded the honor that it deserves.

So, she remained by the tomb, weeping. Her heart was in earnest to find Jesus. The angels asked her: why are you weeping? she was just busy trying to find the corpse of Jesus. But when she turned around and saw Jesus, her heart was filled with joy and peace.

This courageous act of faith brought about her encounter with the risen Lord. Thus, in Mary Magdalene we see a heart that is determined to find Jesus. A heart that truly loves Jesus, a heart that cannot give up the search for Jesus, a heart that listened and remembered the words of Jesus about his resurrection.

Dear friends, as we celebrate the feast of St. Mary Magdalene, we must learn to let go of our old sinful way of life and embrace the new life of grace and hope God is offering us. So, today we are called to imitate her virtues, knowing that God can use anyone as His instruments if we are ready to embrace Him irrespective of our past ways of life. For St. Paul tells us in our first reading that anyone who is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old creation has passed away, behold the new has come. For Christ died for all so that living men should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life for our sake.

Therefore, today, we are called to forget our past sinful life and embrace the Lord. We are called to seek the Lord with affection and tears. But often times the clouds and darkness of our sins blind us from recognizing the Lord who is always very close to us. The truth is that, the Lord’s way of making himself known to his people is by his word; his word appeals to our souls, speaking to us in particular way that is unique to us. Are we ready to embrace the Lord once again and make our history a reality that will change this sinful world?

 LET US PRAY: Lord God, like Mary Magdalene our souls seek to encounter you personally once again, give us the grace and strength to always be ready to turn away from sin and embrace your word, that we may personally experience, fill and recognize your presence once again in our lives. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 21st July, 2024

 

Reading: Jer. 23:1-6; Ps. 23; Eph.2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

HUMANITY IS LOOKING FOR GOOD AND RESPONSIBLE LEADERS. ARE YOU ONE?

 

As humans we are constantly in need of one thing or the other, and one of the greatest need of humanity today is good and responsible leaders. This is even worst with the ugly situation in our world today were a lot of people are lost, confused and sick as a result of bad leadership.

 

There is no doubt that leadership is one of the characteristics of the human person, it is that which makes us unique from every other creatures. It is a gift from God by which we serve Him and our neighbour responsibly. However, a critical look at what is happening in our world today, it is obvious that humanity are losing the true meaning and essence of leadership. Because we have failed to understand the true meaning and source of leadership and this can be seen in the kind of fruit we bear as leaders.

 

The fruit of leadership in this generation is so complicated: leadership has become a tool for power tussle, selfishness, deception, greed, corruption and intimidation of people. This is because we have abandoned God who is the source and giver of true leadership skills and knowledge. Hence, we keep searching for leaders who will satisfy our desires for physical and spiritual well being and they are very difficult to find .

 

This situation can be likened to the condition of the people in our Gospel passage today of which Jesus and his disciples devoted time trying to attend to them. But when the situation got worst Jesus said to his disciples you must come over to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while’; for there were so many coming and going that the apostles had no time even to eat. As they went through their boat, the people went after them on foot. So as Jesus got out of the boat he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them for they were like sheep without a shepherd and he healed their sickness and taught them for a while.

 

Here, we see that the attitude of a good shepherd as well as that of a leader is a life of sacrifice, love, care, discipline, mercy and knowledge of the sheep or people entrusted to the leader. And this is what Jesus demonstrated with his life. By this action Jesus fulfills his role as the expected messiah who is to liberate his people from all kinds of diseases. The teaching and healing touch of Jesus reveals to us that God is faithful to his promises.

 

This healing and wholeness are offered as a sign of the presence of God’s kingdom among his people. For God has promised to take care of his people as we heard in our first reading today through prophet Jeremiah when he said: woe to the shepherds who allow the flock of my pasture to be destroyed and scattered. You have let my flock be scattered and go wandering and have not taken care of them. Behold, I will take care of you for your misdeeds and evil. For the days are coming when I will raise a virtuous Branch for David, who will reign as true king and be wise, practicing honesty and integrity in the land.

 

So, St. Paul in our second reading made us to know that Jesus is that Virtuous Branch. For we who are used to be so far apart from God have been brought very close, by the blood of Christ. Because he is the peace between us and God, since he has broken down the barrier which used to keep us apart, by actually destroying in his own person the hostility caused by the rules and decrees of the Law.

 

Therefore, Christ Jesus is that true shepherd that humanity is looking for, for in him we found this quality of a good shepherd that we all need to embrace. Therefore, to be that good shepherd like Jesus, we need to die to selfish desires of the human flesh, because most of the problems we face as humans are caused by selfishness and human greediness.

 

Dear friends, the hopeless and ugly situation in our world today are clear indications that we are just floating in this world like sheep without a responsible shepherd. Thus, we need to come to Jesus our true and Good Shepherd. We must make sure that nothing comes between us and the love of Jesus our Lord and also our love towards our neighbours. Because love is the fundamental root of leadership. Without true love for the people, there will never be a leader to be called a good shepherd.

 

Therefore, today we are called to come back to the source of love, God himself, who teaches us that love is an attitude of a true leader that seeks the good of others despite how we feel about them. He teaches us to be merciful, just as he is merciful. Love in leadership is an attitude that is sacrificial, an attitude that forgives, an attitude that accommodates, preserves, heals and builds up others when every other thing fails. This is the kind of attitude in leadership that the world needs now, the attitude that comes from the pure love of God and neighbours. Are you that kind of leader? Do you have that kind of attitude?

 

Brethren, how can humanity recover this leadership skills that is rooted in the power of love? How can we harness it to bear more fruit in our societies where it seem as if true leadership does not exist anymore? This is possible when we realize that we are products of love and are called to live out our essence, which is to love. We are called to be good examples to one another, imitating Jesus the Good Shepherd, who has been so loving and caring towards us.

 

And these we are called to reciprocate in our relationship with others and by so doing we will finally reach that grazing ground where all who followed Jesus the good shepherd in simplicity of heart will feed on the green pastures of eternity in heaven. Remember, in you resides that leadership of love that is lacking in your family and our society today.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are lost in this passing world, as we come to you in need of good leaders  who will lead us through the path of  love, may you guide our sense of direction both physically and spiritually, and bring us once again towards the path of truth, love and fulfilment even in the midst of all the confusion in our world today. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a joyful Sunday celebration.