Homily For Monday Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 19th August, 2024

 

Readings:  Ezek. 24:15-24, Deut.32:18-21, Matt. 19:16-22

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

DON’T BE SO MUCH ATTACHED TO THE THINGS OF THIS PASSING WORLD FOR YOU WILL LEAVE THEM ONE DAY
 

In our societies today, people can go to any length to acquire properties, treasures, fame, influence and power that will last from the fourth to the tenth generation without thinking of that which will lead to eternal life. This is quite disturbing when we reflect on the negative effects of this situation in our societies and families today.

 

 This ugly behaviour is exactly the mindset of the young man in our Gospel passage today, who claimed to have kept all the commandments without realizing that he has actually abandoned the fundamental principle of the commandment, which has to do with loving and caring for our neighbours, especially the poor.

 

So Jesus draws his attention to this fundamental principle of our human existence, when he said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go and sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me”. This really touched his ego and pride, so he suddenly became very sad and dejected and went away sorrowfully.

 

This is why a proud and possessive person will find it difficult to remain faithful in their relationship with God and their neighbours just like the people of Israel in our first reading, who have constantly been disobedient and proud in their relationship with God and their neighbours, an ugly attitude that is leading them to destruction.

 

Thus, God addressed them through the prophet Ezekiel, telling them that unless they changed, they would all be crushed and conquered by the Babylonians. For their city, their whole kingdom, their king and people, their proud Temple built by King Solomon would be torn down and destroyed, all because of their infidelity to God’s commandment.

 

Dear friends, what is it in this passing world that you are so much attached to? Today, Jesus touched the very thing that this young rich man was not ready to give up: his money, his houses, his credentials, his power, pride and all his wealth. But, if we are honest enough, we will admit that we all have some things we would be very slow to let go of if Jesus should make the same demand of us. Things we would not like God to ask us to give up.

 

In fact, it might be a good thing today for us to ask ourselves, what would be the most difficult thing for us to give up if Jesus should ask us to do so. It might be something we own, like our house, or it might be a relationship, or our job, or our wealth. Whatever we possess that will separate us from our mission of following Jesus and loving our neighbours, today we are called to give them up and come follow the Lord.

 

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

Homily For Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 18th August, 2024

 

Reading: Prov. 9:1-6; Ps. 34; Eph.5:15-20; John 6:51-58

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

MY FLESH IS REAL FOOD AND MY BLOOD REAL DRINK FOR YOUR SOUL
 

Life, no doubt, is a great mystery. It is a mystery that requires our attention towards understanding how to make decisions with what it offers to us. We may not be able to have a complete understanding of the mysteries of life. However, when we embrace its signs and symbols, it reveals itself more for our understanding. But if we neglect these signs and symbols, we will become lost and confused, and if care is not taken, we will miss out on the real fruits of this life's mysteries.

 

 We will understand this reality better when we reflect on the event in our Gospel passage today. In this event, we heard how Jesus engaged the people in a very important discussion about the reality of life mystery and his sacrificial love for humanity. A discussion that was very strange and difficult to comprehend.

 

 He said to them “I am the living bread which has come down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever, and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world… I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him.

 

This teaching seemed so hard and difficult to understand as many disciples of Jesus withdrew from him and abandoned him just like some of our brethren in faith chose to abandon this same truth of our faith concerning the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. However, their abandoning of Jesus does not make him change his statement.

 

But for those Apostles who stayed, he made known this mystery at the Last Supper and on the Cross at Calvary when he instituted the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist by presenting the Bread and Wine as his Body and Blood which he offered as a sacrificial love for humanity and gave his disciples power and authority to do this in memory of him.

 

This very mandate of Christ is what the Church is doing at every celebration of the Holy sacrifice of the Mass, where Christ through the priest who acts ‘in persona Christi’ by the power of consecration, transubstantiate the Bread and Wine into his Real Body and Blood and offer it to God His Father as an unbloodied sacrificial love for humanity.

 

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

 

Therefore, at every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, through the power of the Holy Spirit the substance of bread and wine become the Real and Most Precious Body and Blood of Christ Jesus, just in the same way he spoke at the Last Supper saying ‘This is My Body, which shall be given up for you’, ‘This is the Chalice of My Blood, the Blood of the New and Eternal Covenant, which shall be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins’.

 

This he fulfilled at the Cross in Calvary, where he offered himself; Body, Soul and Divinity for the salvation of humanity. Hence, we share in this grace of salvation when we participate fully in this sacrificial offering of God’s love for humanity. That is why the Church defined the Eucharist as the sacrament of the true body and blood of Jesus Christ, together with his Soul and Divinity, under the appearance of bread and wine. However, the appearances of bread and wine remain in the Holy Eucharist, for we cannot see Christ with our bodily eyes in this sacrament. But we do see him with the eyes of faith. But this is difficult for those who do not have faith and are ignorant.

 

Little wonder St Paul advised us in our second reading today saying: Be very careful about the sort of lives you lead, like wise and intelligent people and not like unwise and senseless people. Because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what is the will of the Lord. Do not get drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit.

 

To understand more about this mystery, we were told in our first reading today that Wisdom has built herself a house; she has erected her seven pillars, slaughtered her beasts, prepared her wine, and laid her table. She has despatched her maidservants and proclaimed from the city’s heights: ‘Who is ignorant? Let him step this way.’ To those who are without sense, she says, ‘Come and eat my bread, drink the wine I have prepared! Leave your folly and you will live, walk in the ways of perception.

 

This is important because Christ Jesus has offered us his body and blood, having won eternal redemption for us. He has purified our inner self from dead actions so that we can offer our service to the living God. The fact remains that in the Eucharist, we are physically and spiritually fed, for Christ gave us his body and blood not just for us to survive in this world, but for us to gain eternal life and come to share in his love.

 

Dear friends, what is our understanding of the mysteries of life and the presence of Christ in the Eucharist? What is our relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist? What is our attitude towards the Holy Eucharist? What is our experience of Jesus in the Eucharist? How has the Eucharist we receive almost every day changed our lives positively? How has the Eucharist influenced our lives to sacrifice for the good of humanity? Do we still have that strong desire to receive Christ in the Eucharist? Do we still believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist? Do we still feel the love of Jesus in the Eucharist?

 

 How often have we abused the Eucharist and treated the body of Christ without due reverence? How often have we received the Eucharist unworthily? The answer to these questions is blowing in the wind because we have forgotten that anyone who received the Eucharist in an unworthy state received judgment unto his or herself (1 Cor. 11:27-29). Anyone aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession ( CCC. 1457).

 

Therefore, we must receive the Eucharist worthily and reverently. These are the benefits we gain when we receive the Eucharist worthily: first, we gain eternal Life and renew the life of grace we received at Baptism. We also gain forgiveness of Venial Sins, we receive spiritual joy, Supernatural Protection and closeness to the Trinity. Yes, the Eucharist fills our hearts with love and thanksgiving. It gives us hope that God is with us in our daily struggles. In the Eucharist, we have a personal communion with Christ. For it keeps us in one communion with God, the church and with one another. It reminds us of God's constant presence with humanity and his love for us.

 

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

 

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

Homily For Saturday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 17th August, 2024

 

Readings: Ezek. 18:1-10,13,30-32; Ps. 51; Matt. 19:13-15

Rev. Fr.  Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

EVERY SOUL SHALL BEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF IT’S ACTIONS

 

Most of the time, we often find it difficult to understand the way God operates, especially as regards his relationship with humanity. This is because humanity has failed to understand how God’s mercy and justice are applicable in our relationship with him and with one another. Little wonder, today, in our first reading, the prophet Ezekiel demonstrated to us how God’s mercy and justice will be a standard for judging humanity.

 

Here, he began by asking: why do you keep repeating this proverb in the land of Israel: “The fathers have eaten unripe grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? For there will no longer be any reason to repeat this proverb in Israel. Since all life belongs to God, the father’s life and the son’s life, both alike, belong to him. The man who has sinned is the one who shall die.

 

So we are made to know that those who fall into sin and wickedness will be judged by those same sins they committed, and if found wanting, they will be condemned because of them. And if anyone has a son prone to violence and bloodshed, then this son shall certainly not live; having committed all the appalling crimes he will have to die, and his blood be on his own head.

 

On the other hand, the upright man will be blessed for he is law-abiding and honest; he does not eat on the mountains or raise his eyes to the idols of the House of Israel and does not seduce his neighbour’s wife or sleep with a woman during her periods. He oppresses no one, returns pledges, never steals, and gives his own bread to the hungry and his clothes to the naked. He never charges usury on loans, takes no interest, abstains from evil, and gives honest judgement between man and man, for the Lord will judge each one by what he or she does.

 

Remember, that when the upright man renounces his integrity to sin and dies because of this, he dies because of the evil that he has committed, and this is God’s justice in action. But when the sinner renounces sin to become law-abiding, honest and holy, he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins; he shall certainly live; he shall not die, this is God’s mercy in action. For we cannot separate God’s mercy and justice, because they are the same. The fact remains that, God is not interested in our past sinful ways, but in our present state of life.

 

Hence, everyone has to bear the consequences of his or her actions. So it is time for us to repent and renounce all our sins and avoid all occasions of sin. Shake off all the sins we have committed against God and one another. It is time to make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit as the psalmist of today says. Thus, we have to be vigilant always and strive to be righteous before God and man.

 

Dear friends, today, we have to make a fundamental choice to live a holy life and never to return to our sinful ways of life. We must struggle every day to grow in righteousness and never give up, no matter the situation we are going through. We must learn to live a holy life and sacrifice in humility and innocence of hearts just like little children.

 

Little wonder Jesus said in our Gospel passage: ‘Let the little children alone, and do not stop them coming to me; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ So, Jesus appreciates it when, in childlike humility, we make the fundamental option to serve him and to sacrifice for the good of others, for we are called to taste and see that the Lord is good.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we struggle every day towards holiness and perfection, may we be guided by the Holy Spirit and strive to remain on the path of righteousness and never go back to our sinful and ugly ways of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a peaceful weekend.

Homily For Friday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 16th August, 2024

 

Readings: Ezekiel 16:1-15.60-63, Is. 12:2-6, Matt. 19:3-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

WHAT DID JESUS SAY ABOUT DIVORCE IN MARRIAGE?

 

The idea of secularism and individualism in our society today has placed in the minds of the youths a distorted image of what marriage and family life truly represent in society. This is because many young people today find themselves in a condition of radical instability and look for people to help them answer the fundamental questions of life. Today, there are different notions and understandings of marriage, especially among the youth. Marriage is seen as a business in which anybody can engage or disengage at any time.

 

Marriage among the youths of today is a thing of choice and contract which is suitable only when it serves their interest. Commitment, sacrifice and partnerships of whole life are far from their understanding of what marriage truly represents. The fact remains that Marriage is the basis of every human family and, indeed, the basic cell of every community.

 

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today when the Pharisees engaged Jesus on the notion of divorce in marriage and its controversy. Jesus referred them to the fundamental principle of marriage when he said, Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body? They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’

 

Addressing the issue of divorce, Jesus said ‘It was because you were so unteachable that’s why Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. Now I say this to you: the man who divorces his wife, except for unchastity, marries another, is guilty of adultery. And he who marries a divorced wife commits adultery. 

 

 Here, Jesus emphasized the real intention of God about marriage and celibacy, that they are two forms of life that help us to value human sexuality as a gift from God. He ruled out divorce by placing men and women on the same level; no longer could a man opt to divorce his wife, except for extreme unchastity. Today, there are lots of problems in families due to a lack of understanding of what marriage truly means.

 

It is quite interesting to realize that social, economic and political factors were major determinants that shape the youth’s present understanding of marriage, as we see the youths giving importance to changing trends in marriage such as single parent, inter-caste marriage, living in relationship or cohabitation, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender marriages, etc. Hence, marriage for them is more of a social phenomenon than a spiritual covenant and physical companionship.

 

Meanwhile, today, prophet Ezekiel, in our first reading, reminds us that right from conception, God gave us life; at birth, he protected us, then we were stark naked, and he spread the corner of his cloak over us to cover our nakedness. Now we are old enough for love. He showed us love and adorned us with beauty, ornaments, silver and gold, and then he made a covenant with us to be our Groom and we, his lovely bride.

 

But we abandoned and divorced him by trusting in our beauty and gifts which he has given us and using them to play the harlot and lavished our harlotries on things of this passing world that take us away from God’s purpose for us. Yet God still remembers the covenant he made with us, he is not ashamed to forgive us. All he wants is for us to come back to him now that we are still alive for he is a merciful and faithful husband who loves us his bride.

 

Dear friends, today we are called to embrace the will of God and his teaching concerning family life and the issue of divorce. We should not let the trending ideas of disordered personalities in our world mislead us. Rather, we should value and respect the sanctity of marriage. We should hold on to the true meaning of marriage, which has to do with love, covenant, commitment, trust, sacrifice and partnership of a whole lifetime.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we have always failed to listen and follow your teaching. As a result, there are lots of problems in our families due to a lack of understanding of what marriage truly means. As we listen to your teaching today, help us to value our vocation, whether marriage or celibate life and to constantly struggle to fix the problems in our families; we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Thursday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 15th August, 2024 Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

Readings:  Rev .11:19;12:1-6.10, Ps. 45, 1Cor. 15:20-27, Luke 1:39-56

Fr. Emmanuel Onyia.

 

THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY A PROOF THAT DEATH IS NOT THE END OF HUMAN LIFE

 

Reflecting on ugly events we hear and experience in our world today there is no doubt in my mind that the world is a battlefield between the forces of life and death, good and evil. And forces of death and evil seem to have the upper hand, as we can see in cases of killings, hatred, betrayals, greed, and social and economic injustice all over the world. Thus, there is this constant fear of what becomes of us when we die. Where are we going when we die? Is death the end of life? Is there another life after death?

 

The answer to these questions is found in today’s solemnity: The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The solemnity is where we celebrate the mystery of the assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary's body and soul into heaven. An event which shows the triumph of life over death and good over evil. For since Christ’s divine body did not undergo corruption, it follows that his mother’s body, which forever contains a cell component of his Divinity, would not be allowed to experience corruption but would be taken into heaven and be reunited with Christ. For as we know, a particle of God is God's entirety. And the Psalmist says: that you will not leave my soul among the dead, nor let your Holy one know decay (Ps. 16.10).

So, according to the tradition of the Orthodox Church regarding the Assumption of Mary, it was said in a writing attributed to Joseph of Arimathea, that when Mary was about to die, all the Apostles except Thomas were miraculously transported to Jerusalem to witness her death. However, Thomas who was in India, witnessed the assumption of Mary into heaven and he received the girdle of Mary as a proof. So, when Thomas arrived on the third day after burial, he narrated the story to the other apostles, they were skeptical. So, they opened the grave of Mary and found it empty and they glorified God. This of course, becomes part of the historical revelations among the Apostle and the early Church.

Thus, on 1 November 1950, Pope Pius XII proclaimed as Dogma that the Virgin Mary “having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory”. This truth of faith, as known by Tradition, was affirmed by the Fathers of the Church and was an important aspect in the veneration of the Mother of Christ. This Dogma appears as an act of praise and exaltation of God’s grace in the life of the Blessed Virgin. It also emerges for the honour of her Son Jesus and the joy and exultation of the entire Church.

 

Little wonder, our readings today help us to understand better this mystery. In our first reading, we heard of the revelation of the victorious power of God, who,o, through a woman, has overcome the evil that threatened to destroy humanity. Telling us that salvation, victory, power and kingdom have now been won for us by our God, for the authority of his Christ has come.

 

And St. Paul, in our first reading, made us know that Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of all who have fallen asleep. For death came through one man, and in the same way, the resurrection of the dead has come through one man. Just as all men die in Adam, so all men will be brought to life in Christ. Meanwhile, in our Gospel passage, we heard Mary’s glorification of God’s power and victory, for God through Christ has remembered his mercy for humanity as he had promised to Abraham and all his descendants forever.

 

Therefore, through Mary’s Assumption into Heaven, we understand better that even though our daily lives may be marked by trials, persecutions and difficulties, our death is not the end but the entrance into a life that knows no death, for we are made to share in God’s Heavenly Kingdom. So, the Assumption reminds us that Mary’s life, like that of every Christian, is a journey of following, following Jesus, a journey that has a very precise destination, a future already marked out, for the definite victory over sin and death, in order for us to be in full communion with God.

 

Dear friends, how can this solemnity of the Assumption of Mary help us on our journey towards our heavenly kingdom? What message is God passing to us in this solemnity? In this solemnity of Assumption, we find the message of faith and hope that in God, there is room for humanity, God is humanity’s true home, and in us, there is also room for God. Hence, Pope Benedict XVI says that One thing is certain, that is, our hope in God: that God expects us, God waits for us, we do not go out into a void, we are expected.

 

God is expecting humanity, for as we pass to the other side of life, we will find the goodness of our Blessed Mother, we will find our loved ones, we will find eternal Love Christ our Saviour.  For he is waiting for us since we are made to share in his glory. And this is our greatest joy and the great hope that is born from this solemnity.

 

This reality makes us victorious over death and the evil of this world. Therefore, we should not be afraid, for God has made us victorious over sin and death in order to share in Christ's glory. Let us then entrust our Christian journey to Mary's Motherly intercession since she is the consolation and hope of the people still on this journey of faith.

 

LET US PRAY, Heavenly Father, we thank you for knowing how fragile our lives are in this passing world; you gave us the message of faith and hope through the mystery of the Assumption of Mary. As we celebrate this mystery, may we be filled with the joy of your kingdom? We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily For Wednesday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 14th August, 2024. The Memorial of St Maximilian Kolbe

 

Readings:  Ezekiel 9:1-7;10:18-22, Ps.113, Matt. 18:15-20

Fr. Emmanuel Onyia.

 

STEPS TOWARDS RECOLLECTION AND   FRATERNAL CORRECTION IN HUMAN RELATIONSHIP

 

As humans, we are not perfect because of our contingent nature, so we are likely to offend one another in any relationship we find ourselves in. As a result of this, one of the major challenges we face in most relationships today is the ability to properly correct and reconcile with one another, especially when one is straying from the norms set up for the good of the relationship.

 

In our Gospel passage today Jesus gave us the practical steps we need to follow in order to correct and reconcile with one another to build a stronger relationship when he said, ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the Church as a community; and if he refuses to listen to the Church, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.

 

Here, Jesus calls for fraternal correction in any relationship we find ourselves in, for we are responsible for one another, and these steps and stages give room for reconciliation. This fraternal correction must always be inspired by real charity which is one of the spiritual works of mercy. However, this is never an easy task, especially when one has to bear the sacrifice of forgiveness because forgiving a very grievous offence is one of the most difficult things to do.

 

However, forgiving a grievous offence is like recovering a lost treasure that contains: joy, peace, freedom, a healthy mind and healing. But how often do we seek to recover this lost treasure in our lives caused by unforgivingness? Hence, Jesus today calls us to persistently seek reconciliation until we gain our brothers and sisters back whenever they have offended us.

 

If they refused to be reconciled, we should pray for their conversion, for that is how Jesus taught us to treat the pagans, the task collectors and sinners. For in all our proceedings, we should seek direction in prayer, knowing that God manifests his mercy when he transforms people and leads them to conversion, as he changes us and turns us from selfish and rebellious individuals into truly loving persons.

 

So, let us learn from the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe, whose memorial we celebrate today, for he heroically offered his life in place of another man who had been selected for execution, seeing how the man was filled with despair over the welfare of his wife and children. Maximilian, being a priest, chose to die in place of this man so that he could be united once again with his family. What a great lesson and example for us to value the gift of love that God has given to humanity in the sacramental union of marriage.

 

Dear friends, it is our duty, obligation and responsibility to ensure in a fraternal charity that our fellow brothers and sisters, friends and neighbours, colleagues and collaborators are corrected and guided whenever they are in need or go astray. Every one of us has the responsibility to strengthen our relationship and be a good example for one another as we work the path towards our salvation.

 

This is exactly what the vision of prophet Ezekiel in our first reading is addressing, for Ezekiel saw what happened when the glory of God departed from the Temple and the city, because of the sins of the people which brought about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple of God by the Babylonians, as seen by Ezekiel who was then in exile in Babylon. However, God through this vision, showed how his grace and mercy will be made presence among the people who embrace his call for repentance, reconciliation and fraternal correction.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are rebellious and proud people; we lack the courage and disposition to accept corrections; help us to correct one another in fraternal charity as we also learn to accept corrections when corrected. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a favourable day.

Homily For Tuesday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 13th August, 2024

 

Homily For Tuesday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 13th August, 2024.

Readings:  Ezekiel 2:8-3:4, Ps.119, Matt. 18:1-5.10.12-14

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

BE HUMBLE LIKE LITTLE CHILDREN AND YOU WILL FIND TRUE GREATNESS

 

Human life and activities are always competitive and comparative, which is why we are often anxious to recognize or be recognized as the strongest, wisest, cleverest, and richest. We will always want to know the most beautiful, handsome, most talented and greatest in virtually everything. Little wonder, the most lucrative businesses and adventures are found among those activities that are competitive, such as sports, entertainment and politics, because greatness gives more ego to our status.

 

This competitive and comparative way of life is what the disciples of Jesus displayed in our Gospel passage today when they asked Jesus, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? For they were curious to know which one of them. But Jesus showed them the way to identify greatness and one who has such quality by offering them two strong images: that of the humble child and a dependent sheep.

 

Here, Jesus surprised his disciples by linking true greatness to the humility and simplicity of little children and also showed how children can be the subject of a parable that reveals the vanity and deception found in some great persons. Because children are docile, humble, teachable, loving, forgiven and dependent.

 

Thus, Jesus explains that in the kingdom of heaven, true greatness is found in humility, and children serve as a symbol of humility as they are dependent on adults for everything, just as we also are dependent on God. Little children serve as concrete symbols of simplicity, which is a condition for entering the kingdom of heaven. So, in children, we found these great virtues of simplicity and humility. Hence, parents should encourage their children to participate in activities where they display these virtues.

 

Meanwhile, in the parable about the lost sheep, Jesus presents to us the images of a dependent sheep and a caring and loving shepherd who searches for the wandering sheep. He invites us to embrace true greatness in humble service to others, especially the weak and the vulnerable, as we imitate God, who never abandons anyone, even the lost "sinners".

 

This is exactly what prophet Ezekiel demonstrated to his people who were lost as they rebelled against God and needed to be brought back to God as we have it in our first reading today, where the Lord made him great by offering him the scroll to eat and then said Son of man, go to the House of Israel and tell them what I have said.’

 

Dear friends, let us learn to be humble like little children even in the midst of our competitive and comparative nature and we will find true greatness. For today we are reminded that true greatness is found in humility and humble service to others. But this is exactly what many of us are lacking. Because most of us are so proud, greedy and selfish, as we are deeply attached to the pleasurable things of this passing world.

 

This, of course, prevents us from seeking true greatness that leads to the heavenly kingdom. And as a result, many of us are lost sheep, but Jesus the good Shepherd is searching for us and guiding us on the path towards reconciliation and redemption so that we may find the path towards the salvation God has offered to all humanity.

 

 LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are lost, for we are so much engrossed with the competitive activities of this world, seeking to be great in things that are passing away, grant that,  we may embrace true greatness rooted in the humble service of our neighbours, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.