Homily For Wednesday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 31st July, 2024. The Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola

 

Readings: Jer. 15:10.16-21; Ps. 59; Matt 13:44-46

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT IS OUR ULTIMATE TREASURE OF LIFE AND HOW CAN WE ACQUIRE IT

 

Today we are called to reflect on what should be our ultimate treasure and how we can acquire it. This is because every day, under terrible scourges of the sun and noisy streets, people struggle to acquire things that they value as treasures of life just to realize that all these things sooner or later pass away as we expire from this world.

 

So, in the Gospel passage today, Jesus used two parables to describe to the people that the kingdom of God is the greatest and ultimate treasure anyone can and should acquire. He said to them: the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field. Again, he said, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value, he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.

 

Here, the parables describe the kingdom of God as the ultimate treasure that cannot be compared to anything whatsoever we have in this world. Using these parables Jesus explains what the kingdom of heaven is like and what we need to do in order to acquire it. The essence of these parables is to remind us that the kingdom of heaven is so precious and great, that it is worth more than our entire life and our worldly possessions and treasures.

 

Therefore, we must do all that it takes to ensure that we acquire it; losing it over the temporal pleasure, glory, fame, power, and influence of the things of this passing world will be complete foolishness. For none of them last forever, and what good is it for us to gain the whole world but lose our soul out of God’s kingdom? Hence, for the sake of this kingdom the Lord in our first reading said: I will make you a bronze wall fortified against this people. They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you because I am with you to save you and to deliver you.

 

Dear friends, what is our ultimate treasure in this life? How many of us are paying attention to the ultimate heavenly treasure? How many of us think and search for this ultimate treasure of our souls? How many of us desire to personally discover God in our life? How I wish we would understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of losing our soul out of greediness for the things of this passing world.

 

Then, we will sincerely desire to experience God personally, because in him lies the greatest and ultimate treasure of life. Discovering God personally in our lives is the greatest treasure anyone can ever have. Therefore, like St. Ignatius of Loyola, whose memorial we celebrate today, let’s be courageous and steadfast in our heavenly race no matter the condition we find ourselves in now.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the world is full of distractions from false treasures; give us wise and discerning hearts in order to give up all our attachment to worldly possessions in pursuit of the heavenly and ultimate treasure of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 30th July, 2024

 

Readings: Jer.14:17-22, P 78, Matt 13:36-43

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

ANYONE WHO HAS EARS LET HIM LISTEN CAREFULLY

 

One of our great music legends Bob Marley said in one of his songs titled Natural Mystic:

 

There's a natural mystic

Blowing through the air

If you listen carefully now you will hear

This could be the first trumpet

Might as well be the last

Many more will have to suffer

Many more will have to die

Don't ask me why

Things are not the way they used to be

I won't tell no lie

One and all got to face reality now.

 

This song is in line with the topic of our message today and also with what is happening in our country today, for the situation in our societies today is calling us to listen carefully to the cries and lamentation voices of people who are suffering just like the time of Jesus.

 

This can be linked to our Gospel passage today because, for many days now, we have been listening to Jesus telling us about the kingdom of God and the need for us to prepare to embrace it. In most of the occasions, Jesus used parables to communicate the importance of this message. Having listened to him carefully, his disciples in our Gospel passage today asked him to explain the parable of the wheat and the darnel and he said:

 

 “The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them, the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time.

 

Then, the Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that provoke offences and all who do evil and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Listen, anyone who has ears!”

 

What is most important in this message is for us to “Listen carefully”. This is because the world as we know is coming to an end, for the day of reckoning is very close at hand. This could be the first trumpet might as well be the last. For it is obvious from the signs we are seeing around us today, especially with the situation in our societies. How can we interpret the signs of these times, the signs that tell us that there is no peace or tranquillity in this world is passing away?

 

Many are suffering, and many more will have to suffer from the greediness of others. Many have died, and many more will have to die. Many are perishing in sin, many more will have to perish if we refuse to repent from sin and greediness. And God says through prophet Jeremiah in our first reading: “Tears flood my eyes night and day, unceasingly, since a crushing blow falls on the daughter of my people, a most grievous injury. If I go into the countryside, there lie men killed by the sword; if I go into the city, I see people sick with hunger”.

 

Dear friends, do these signs make us afraid of the second coming of the Lord or do we joyfully await its coming? Because the explanation of this parable gives us an account of what will happen on the day of reckoning. And today, we are called to examine our conscience to know where we are with regard to our vocation as Christians. What will be our lot if the Lord calls us today? Will we be among the virtuous who will shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father? Or among those that will be thrown out of his kingdom and sent into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth?

 

The answer to this question is available in our consciences, and if we listen carefully now, we will hear, for things are not the way they used to be; we all have to face reality now. Every day is a golden opportunity; today may be the only opportunity for us to change our sinful ways of life and embrace God completely.

 

PRAYER:  Lord God, as we listen carefully to your word, let the groans of your children come before you, help us to embrace your word and be prepared to embrace your kingdom on the day of reckoning, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Monday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B. 29th July, 2024. The Memorial of St. Martha May and Lazarus

 

Readings: Jer.13:1-11. Ps. 32, Luke 10:38-42

 Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia 

 

DON’T WORRY AND TROUBLE ABOUT SO MANY THINGS LEARN TO LISTEN

 

Oftentimes, we worry about so many things in life, trying to satisfy everyone at the expense of the real thing that matters more. I have come across people who are often worried about how to make others feel more comfortable without minding their discomfort. They are so concerned with pleasing others even when they are not pleased. What a great sacrificial virtue that is not common this day. This sacrificial virtue is the attitude of Martha, whose memorial, along with Mary and Lazarus, we are celebrating today.

 

In our Gospel passage, we have the story of how Martha was so busy trying to make Jesus comfortable as he visited them at their house in Bethany. But when Martha observed that her sister Mary was not helping out in the preparation but rather was busy listening to Jesus, she said to Jesus: “Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her”.

 

Here, Jesus is not condemning this great sacrificial virtue nor condoning laziness. Rather, he is saying that being busy without listening and listening without doing is worthless. Hence, he gently corrects the impression of Martha, who was too busy and distracted with so many things that she risks losing sight of what is important, that is, listening to Jesus. This is because Martha gives the impression that Mary is just sitting there doing nothing.

 

But she is listening to Jesus. However, Jesus is not telling us to be content with sitting down to listen to his word, for he always insists that true listening to his word means putting it into practice. His objection to Martha is because she was too anxious and distracted by many things that she was not able to listen to him and for Jesus listening is the best option

 

Dear friends, in our relationship with Jesus, are we more of the listener or more accommodating and caring? Are we more like Martha or like Mary for they were both friends of Jesus? Today, many of us are so busy and anxious about so many things that we have no time to listen to God speaking to us and addressing the situation we are busy trying to solve. Today, we are called, like Martha, to pause and listen so that we can hear God speaking to us and directing us towards the right path.

 

For, Martha who was known as a friend of Jesus, loved to welcome him into her home, let us learn from her, that, it is a great virtue to be hospitable and caring especially when we spend quality time listening to God and letting him direct and guide us towards carrying out our daily tasks.

 

Thus, we heard the Lord through the prophet Jeremiah in our first reading saying I had intended the whole House of Judah to cling to me. It is the Lord who speaks to be my people, my glory, my honour and my boast. But they have not listened.’ So, let us learn to listen to the Lord.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are anxious and worried about so many things, but indeed, only one thing is needed: give us the grace to truly listen to your word and be caring and hospitable just like St. Martha, Mary and Lazarus, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 28th July, 2024

 

Reading: 2Kings 4:42-44; Ps. 145; Eph.4:1-6; John 6:1-15

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

ALL THAT IS NEEDED IS THE SACRIFICE OF MY FIVE BARLEY LOAVES AND TWO FISH

 

A deep reflection on what is going on in our families, our societies, our country and the world at large, one will be deeply distressed and worried especially as regards the crises caused by human selfishness, greed, excessive desire for power and influential things of this passing world.

 

These no doubt bring about the effects of wars, high inflation of basic human needs which brings about several protests around the globe, as well as the effects of the ongoing hunger pandemic, which are taking different forms and shapes in our country today. Hence, we are constantly in need of one thing or the other; we are never tired of searching for things that will satisfy our desire for physical and spiritual well-being.

 

This ugly situation can be compared to the condition of the people in our Gospel passage today. When they heard about Jesus, they went after him on foot, searching for solutions to their problems. So, as Jesus stepped ashore, he saw a large crow, and he took pity on them and healed their sickness and also miraculously fed them with just five barley loaves and two fish provided by a little boy.

 

Here, Jesus fulfils his role as the expected messiah who is to liberate his people from all kinds of diseases and troubles. The healing touch of Jesus reveals to all those who are in need 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. But Jesus did not just heal the sick; he also fed the crowd in fulfilment of the word of God in our first reading today, when prophet Elisha said: thus says the Lord, “They will eat and have some left over.” Thus, he served them; they ate and had some leftovers, as the Lord had said.

 

Moreover, we can interpret this miracle of feeding the crowd in two ways. First, we can simply interpret it as a miraculous event, pointing to the divine origin and mission of Jesus, who has come to save us from our troubles. Secondly, we can interpret the miracle as the fruit of sharing, for it is possible that once the disciples began to share the little five barley loaves and two fish provided sacrificially by the little boy which Jesus blessed, other people who also had brought some food with them started also sharing what they have brought and indeed grace multiplied what they have to the point of having left over.

 

This is a great lesson for us because in this miracle we can see that if we can let go of our selfish and greedy attitudes and make little sacrifices of our five barley loaves and two fish we can bring about that miracle we all desire to have in our lives as individuals, families, societies, country and the world at large.

 

But, what are these five barley loaves and two fish? These are those special things we have, but we have refused to offer them for the goodwill and well-being of humanity. Those things we are hiding, those things we are thinking that will guarantee us safety. That money in the bank that you’re not using now, that house you have built and no one is staying in. Those cars you have packed in your house that are decaying.

 

Those properties you have abandoned and are decaying. Those resources you embezzled and are hoarding for your selfish gain. Those talents and skills you have failed to use. Those people you have failed to forgive. Those people you have put in prison and hospital because of your deception and negligence. Those people you have failed to visit. Those policies you have failed to implement, those contracts that you have failed to complete.

 

These and many more are the five barley loaves and two fish we are called today to offer for our well-being and the goodwill of our families, societies, countries and humanity at large. So, why are you still hiding your five barley loaves and two fish? Why do you think that you don’t have five barley loaves and two fish to offer for the well-being of others? Is your life not more than five barley loaves and two fish? If only we can learn to sincerely offer and utilize our God-giving five barley loaves and two fish, our families, societies, and the country will be better, for we will have enough and even left over for other generations. This shows the connection of this prophecy with the miracle in our Gospel passage today.

 

More so, this feeding of the crowd refers back to the journey of the people of God in the desert from Mount Sinai to the promised land, which, in a special way, signifies the event of our Eucharistic celebration. The Eucharist has the same characteristics of this miracle: the community gathers together and experiences the transformation of humble elements into a glorified body of Christ to satisfy our spiritual hunger, which is an abundant gift of God to humanity. In fact, because of the link to the Eucharist, this is the only miracle that is reported by all the four Gospels.

 

So, as Jesus heals and feeds the physical aspect of humanity, he also knows that we need the food of the Eucharist to sustain us spiritually for our journey to heaven which is our promised land. Here, Jesus did not bring the loaves and fish out of nowhere. Rather, he took what was offered to him and multiplied them greatly. This bread is the gift of the Eucharist, which we receive back from Jesus, whose heart is always moved with pity and compassion towards us.

 

Dear friends, God loves us so much, that he is willing and ready to satisfy our unquenchable hunger for physical and spiritual things. How I wish humanity could give up greed, selfishness, hatred, and embezzlement of our common resources in order to embrace true love for one another and learn to share our resources for the purpose for which they are created. Believe me, when these are done the world will witness another miracle of multiplication of resources that will be enough for everyone with left over for the future generations.

 

But we have failed to embrace this love, we have failed to share this love with one another or give up our ugly attitudes. Little wonder St. Paul, in our second reading, implores us to lead a life worthy of our vocation, bearing with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. He encouraged us to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds us together. Therefore, let us embrace Jesus and the love he is offering us. Let us, like Jesus, have compassion and love for everyone by offering our five barley loaves and two fish  for the goodwill and wellbeing of humanity.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are really hungry and in need of your love and satisfaction both physically and spiritually; feed us once again with your heavenly grace and multiply the little bread and fish we share with others and provide for us the basic needs of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed Sunday.

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.