Homily For Thursday Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 5th September, 2024

 

Homily For Thursday Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 5th September, 2024.

Readings: 1Cor 3:18-23, Ps. 23, Luke 5:1-11

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

LEAVE ME, LORD; I AM A SINFUL MAN: THE VOICE OF TRUE CONVERSION

 

There is something deep and unique about every person, sometimes it takes personal experience to discover this uniqueness. I don't know if you have ever had an experience that made you realize the emptiness of this life, a kind of experience that turns your pride into humility, sinfulness into righteousness. This is the kind of experience that Simon had with Jesus in our Gospel passage today, that made him realize his emptiness and fell at the knees of Jesus confessing his unworthiness.

 

This is because Jesus had said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’ And when they had done this they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signaled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them. When Simon Peter saw this he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.’ But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.’

 

This very encounter brought true conversion in the lives of Simon and his companion, for this encounter changed their destiny from fishermen to fishers of men. For they obeyed the Lord who told them to put out into the deep waters, and as soon as they followed His instructions, they netted so much fish that the whole boat could not take it.

 

This glorious event manifested the power and grace of God at work in us especially when we humble ourselves. And St. Paul in our first reading said:  make no mistake about it: if any one of you thinks of himself as wise, in the ordinary sense of the word, then he must learn to be a fool before he really can be wise. Because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.

 

Dear friends, like Simon and his brothers, we are called to reflect on our personal encounter with God, an encounter that beings true conversion. But, how have we personally experience God? When was our spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that does not based on what people have told you of him? In case we have not personally encountered him, all we need to do is to sincerely seek God in those common events in our lives. Then, we will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to us.

 

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, everyday is an opportunity to encounter you through different events that occur in our lives. Grant that we may have a personal encounter of you and experience you in a unique way in our daily activities and through this experience discover our purpose in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a favourable day.

Homily For Wednesday Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 4th September, 2024

 

Readings: 1Cor 3:1-9 , Ps. 33, Luke 4:38-44

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

YOU ARE NOT GOD, YOU ARE ONLY HIS INSTRUMENTS IN THE WORLD

 

Everyday, every moment, God is working on us so that we can work with him just the way engineers and builders take their time to construct a building plan which an architect has drawn, and this is done on different stages with different instruments. 

Some are meant to begin from the drawing of the plan, some join at the pegging, digging and casting the foundation, some specialized with laying the blocks, casting the floor, raising it to lintel, roofing, plastering, painting and furnishing. But in all this God is the Master planner who determines what becomes the out come of the whole structure, but not the instruments he uses.

 

This is the message St. Paul is trying to communicate to us in our first reading today, that, it does not really matter who we encounter on our journey of life, only God makes things possible in our life, other things are only God's fellow workers, his field and also his building. He said this because the people were busy causing division among the instruments God used to ministered to them.

 

They said, ‘I am for Paul’ and ‘I am for Apollos’? But St Paul said to them: “what is Apollos and what is Paul? They are servants who brought the faith to you. Even the different ways in which they brought it were assigned to them by the Lord. I did the planting, Apollos did the watering, but God made things grow. Neither the planter nor the waterer matters: only God, who makes things grow”.

 

This is clearly demonstrated in our Gospel passage, when Jesus healed Simon's mother- in- law and others with several diseases as he goes about preaching the Good News of God's kingdom, a purpose for which he came into this world. Thereby demonstrating Gods ultimate role and power in our lives.

 

Dear friends, it does not matter who God has used in ministering to us, what really matters is what God has done and the message he wants to communicate. So, as disciples of Christ we have the grave obligation to announce the Good News taught by Jesus. We are to bear witness to the truth we have found in Christ. But we should not make ourselves the center of attraction, rather, God should be at the center while we make ourselves available instruments in his hands.

 

Therefore, as God's field and building, no matter the stage we are with him, what really matter is our corporation with his grace and plans for us. Let us learn to make God the center of attraction and not the instruments he uses to accomplish his plans. Remember, you are not God, you are only his instruments in the world.  For we are people the Lord has chosen for his heritage.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as your workers and your field, you have invested so much in us, help us to be great instrument in your hands through Christ our Lord. Amen. As you go about your duties, may the favour of God be upon you now and always.

Homily For Tuesday Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 3rd September, 2024. The Memorial of Pope St. Gregory The Great

 

Readings: 1Cor2: 10-16, Ps. 145, Luke 4:31-37

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE: THE HOLY ONE OF GOD

 

From the scriptures, Jesus seems to have lived in a world of hostility and conflict between good and evil, as well as political witch-hunting, family divisions and demonic possession, just like we have it in our societies today. For there is no doubt that there is an active presence of evil in the world which manifest itself in different forms. So everyday we struggle against the malice of the evil ones, and people are doing everything they can to overcome them. But often time, when children of God are confronted with evil, they don't know what to do and out of fear they fall victim and helpless because they are ignorance of the power and authority of God in them.

 

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, we heard how the people of Capernaum and even the demoniac recognized that, the Divine Authority of Jesus in the world brings about victory over the evil ones. For his teaching made a deep impression on them because he spoke with authority. And the man who was possessed by the devil shouted at the top of his voice, ‘Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the devil, throwing the man down in front of everyone, went out of him without hurting him at all. Astonished, they said to one another, ‘What teaching!  For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits and they come out.’

 

Here the demons recognize Jesus as the power of God. And his power over the demons is a direct defeat of the evil one while the restoration of the possessed man signifies the inauguration of God's kingdom in the world. Now, Jesus has given us the gift of his presence in the person of the Holy Spirit, which God has bestowed on us in our baptism. In this gift resides the power and authority to confront evil and overcome it.

 

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading tell us that, the Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God. For we have received the Spirit that comes from God, to teach us to understand the gifts that he has given us. Therefore, we have possessed through the Spirit the power and authority over the evil ones. We are no longer unspiritual, for an unspiritual person is one who does not accept anything of the Spirit of God: he sees it all as nonsense. But a spiritual man is able to judge the value of everything, and his own value is not to be judged by anyone, for we have the mind of Christ.

 

Dear friends, what is our notion about the authority and power of Jesus? Do we still have any doubt about the authority of Jesus? How much of this authority dwells in you? Today the demoniac identified the source of Jesus’ authority as divine, have you personally identified the divine authority of Jesus in your life? If you have not, why not ask him to activate his power and authority once more in your life, because we have received the gift of his power in our baptism.

 

All we need is to put it into active use, then we will obtain the desired results, just like Pope St. Gregory the Great whose memorial we celebrate today, for he had a personal encounter with the Lord which propelled his effort in spreading the Gospel message and by so doing converted many more souls to the Lord.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are often ignorance of the power and authority of the Holy Spirit which you gave us on the day of our baptism, may we through the intercession of St. Gregory recognize this divine power and authority once again in our daily struggles with the evil forces in our world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Monday Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 2nd September, 2024

 

Readings: 1Cor2:1-5, Ps. 119, Luke 4:16-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

DON’T RIDICULE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEIR HUMBLE BACKGROUND

 

Oftentimes we treat and respect people based on our knowledge of their background and status, so we fail to look at the image of God found in them or what God is doing through them. This is because our judgment is the product of human wisdom and when our faith is based on this kind of wisdom we are bound to neglect and treat others with contempt.

 

This is the situation in our Gospel passage today. For when Jesus came to Nazareth, his own town, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day as he usually did. He taught the people about his mission as prophesied by prophet Isaiah and at the end he said to them, this text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips. But in contempt they said, ‘This is Joseph’s son, surely? As they ridiculed him, Jesus said ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country. For this reason they tried to kill him.

 

Here, we see Jesus who preached about inclusion, found himself excluded. His listeners were frightened at his message and because of familiarity, he was rejected by his own people who glory in their wisdom which is based on their knowledge of his humble background. This is because they lack true faith as they depend on their human knowledge and philosophy.

 

This kind of ugly attitude is what St. Paul is addressing in our first reading today when he said: During my stay with you, the only knowledge I claimed to have was about Jesus, and only about him as the crucified Christ. Far from relying on any power of my own, for I came among you in great ‘fear and trembling’ and in my speeches and the sermons that I gave, there were none of the arguments that belong to philosophy; only a demonstration of the power of the Spirit. And I did this so that your faith should not depend on human philosophy but on the power of God.

 

Dear friends, our relationship with Jesus should not be based on this kind of philosophy, rather it should based on our personal experience of the power and love of God in our lives. For it is this personal experience that will help us to embrace his words convincingly and never look down on anyone, but see in all the light of God's presence. Therefore, we are called today to be accommodating and never try to treat anyone with contempt, because anyone can be a potential vessel of God blessings to us.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, out of pride and ignorance, we have often treated people with contempt because of their humbled background, help us today to realize that everyone is a potential instrument of your blessings and so learn to accommodate people, we ask this this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week ahead.

Homily For Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 1st September, 2024. (Happy New Month)

 

Readings: Deut 4:1-2.6-8, Ps.15;  James 1:17-18.21-22.27; Mark 7:1-8.14-15.21-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THIS PEOPLE HONOURS ME WITH THEIR LIPS BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME. IS YOUR HEART WITH THE LORD?

 

Oftentimes, we find it difficult to separate the commandments of God from human traditions. This no doubt plays out in our making and interpreting of laws and it has great consequences in our relationship with God and our neighbours just as we have it in our Gospel passage today, where we heard how the Pharisees multiplied religious laws and rituals to such an extent that it was impossible to know them all, talk more of observing them.

 

So, Jesus accuses them of neglecting the true commandment of God over their petty regulations. For they neglected the instructions of Moses in our first reading today who said to the people: “take notice of the laws and customs that I teach you today. You must add nothing to what I command you, and take nothing from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God just as I lay them down for you”. But they have added petty laws and traditions highly detailed which the Scribes and Pharisees regarded as having the same binding force as the Laws God gave to Moses.

 

However, Jesus was not totally against these laws and regulations. What he was against was the legalism by which the mere observance of some external actions were equated with being a devout lover of God. Hence he reminds them of the quotes from the prophet Isaiah saying: “this people honours me only with lip service, while their hearts are far from me. The worship they offer me is worthless; the doctrines they teach are only human regulations.” (Is 29:13).

 

Little wonder Jesus makes it clear that we are not defiled or separated from God, by external things, such as the kinds of food we eat, but by the sins of the heart, evil intentions and sinful actions which we entertain in our hearts. Telling us that physical activity of the human person does not defile a person because the physical is being controlled by the interior being of the person. For when the interior life of a person is corrupted by sin, then the fruit of this corruption is manifested in the physical activity of the person’s life.

 

For just as a corrupt fountain sends forth corrupt streams, so will a corrupt heart bring forth corrupt fruits, corrupt appetites, corrupt passions and covetousness and excess desires for worldly things from which comes wickedness; malice, hatred, and a delight in mischievous actions, deceit; Lasciviousness; that filthiness and foolish talk which darkened the human soul and keep us away from our God.

 

Hence, Jesus teaches us that from a corrupt heart comes the desire for fornication and adultery. Therefore, the defilement we ought to avoid is not from what entered our mouths as food, but from what comes out of our mouths, which shows the goodness or corruption deep down in our hearts. For the human heart is the source of every good and evil deeds.

 

Hence, the pollution of the human heart is very dangerous, for in it comes all the powers and faculties of the soul. So there is need for us to know that lustful and sinful thoughts of the heart defiles the human person and makes one abominable in the sight of God. And St. James in our second reading tells us to do away with all the impurities and bad habits that are still left in us. But accept and submit to the word of God which has been planted in us and can save our souls. Thus, he encouraged us to be doers of the Word of God and not just hearers and thereby deceiving ourselves.

 

Dear friends, there can be some elements of the Pharisee in us and these happen whenever, we focus our attention on laws while neglecting the spirit of the law. So we must ensure that our hearts are constantly purged of all these corruptions in other to bear good fruits of love, forgiveness, compassion and holiness. For it is only when this occurs that there will be need for a new hearts and right spirit to be formed and created within us.

 

Because nothing will last in the soul more than the regenerating graces of the Holy Spirit which gives sight to the heart darkened by sin in order to effectively lead others to the truth that illuminates their hearts from the darkness of sin and death. So why not be one of  those holy and pure souls which humanity desire to have in our generation.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the human hearts have been corrupted and darkened by sins and this has made us to abandoned your commandment of love. As we struggle to constantly purge our hearts from sin and corruption, may you create a pure heart within us so that we can bear good fruits of love and holiness. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing a blessed Month.

Homily For Saturday Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 31st August, 2024

 

Readings: 1Cor.1:26-31; Ps.33; Matt.25:14-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

LEARN TO PUT YOUR GOD’S GIVEN TALENTS INTO POSITIVE USE

 

Everyone is special, unique and a masterpiece. For there is not doubt in my mind that God has a plan for everyone of us, since each person has been given a special talent according to his/her ability in order to fulfill that plan, just as we heard in the parable in our Gospel passage today.

 

In this parable a man who was going for a journey summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third one; each in proportion to his ability to utilize it until he comes back. Here, Jesus is telling us that we have all been given gifts by God which we must account for. If we use these gifts wisely for our own benefit and the benefit of others, we will grow and blossom. If on the other hand we fail to use them just like the third servant, we remain dormant  and unsuccessful.

 

But what is this talent all about? The talent may represent different physical and spiritual gifts of God, but it's  basic foundation is the gift of life and love of God towards us, the love that God has shown to us which needs to be reciprocated through an active love for our neighbours. So, this parable teaches us that our gifts are meant to be put to use, in service of God and humanity especially the poor. Our service to God should not be done grudgingly or fearfully but generously and the willingness to take risks in responding to God's mandate.

 

We must be ready to lose our life in order to find it. God wants us to use the individual talents given to us to make a difference in the world, not to relax into our comfort zone doing nothing with them. God wants the best from us and when we have given our best, we receive more from him. However, we often fine it difficult to discover our talents or to accept the one God has given to us because we have failed to embrace love.

 

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading today made us to know that “it was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen”.

 

Dear friends, the greatest talents God has given us is our lives which should be nurtured in love. So, what are you doing with this your God given talent? Have you put this talent into full use? Or have you buried it out of fear, ignorance and shame? For we are called today to search and discover our talent, to discover life and love and invest on it in order to achieve the purpose by which we are created just like the first two servants in the parable of the talents who utilized the talents given to them.

 

Hence, we are reminded that we are going to give an account before God. And the real tragedy of life is not in being limited to one talent but in failure to use that one talent properly. So what are we doing in this world with the talents and gift of life God has given us and how are we preparing for the coming of our Lord knowing that we are all travelers in this world and are going to account for this talents.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you have given us a special talent according to our ability in order to fulfill your plans for us. Help us to discover our talents and utilize them in such a way that it will lead us to love you and our neighbours, especially the poor and so attain eternal life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 30th August, 2024

 

Readings: 1Cor. 1:17-25, Ps.33, Matt.25:1-13

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

 

FILL YOUR OIL FLASK OF GRACE AND KEEP YOUR LAMP OF FAITH BURNING THE LORD IS COMING SOON

 

Reflecting on how footballers, boxers, athletes, also engineers, doctors and farmers, business men and women devote time and energy in rigorous preparation towards achieving their goals. I wondered if we can go to this length of rigorous periods of preparation just for things of this passing world, it will be even more demanding when it has to do with preparing for eternal life. That is why in the parable of the ten maidens in our Gospel passage today, Jesus emphasis on the need to be well prepared.

 

For if we can devote such time and energy towards our spiritual life which we often neglect, we will be more awake and prepared more than the ten maidens, who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. When the bridegroom delayed in coming their lamps burned out and as they went out to get more oil, they missed out since the door was shut after the bridegroom had passed.

 

In this parable of the ten maidens Jesus emphasized on the need to be well prepared for the coming of God’s kingdom, warning us not to be like the foolish five maidens who were not well prepared and missed out when the bridegroom came. Thus, Jesus commanded us to stay awake, because we do not know either the day or the hour when the Lord will come. Therefore, we must learn to be like the wise maidens who carried their lamps along with the oil.

 

These lamps symbolizes the faith we have in all material things we have acquired in this world: our statues, beauty, handsomeness, properties, our gifts, our academic qualifications and positions which without the oil of God’s grace are worthless. Also, the extra oil flasks in this parable symbolizes the grace of God made active by our inner spirituality, our virtue, and our faith that has been nurtured carefully, which we accumulated gradually through the sacraments we have received, through our righteous deeds, our fasting, our prayers,  preaching of the Gospel, studying the scriptures, and our acts of love, mercy and forgiveness.

 

Dear friends,  we can acquire all the lamps of material things of this passing world, but without the extra oil flasks of grace,  goodness, righteousness, love, mercy and forgiveness we will be left behind in this passing world. We will be robbed of both our worldly possessions and heavenly glories. Hence, our life as Christians demands that we should be alert, we should be prepared at all times and be ready to make sacrifices of carrying our extra oil of grace, righteousness, obedience, wisdom and love like the five wise maidens.

 

Therefore, we should be watchful for we know neither the day nor the hour when the Lord will call us. Hence, we are reminded today that this world is passing away, so we need to stay awake and be ready carrying the extra oil of grace, goodness and our righteous deeds. For St. Paul in our first reading today made us to know that God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we often failed to listen to your warnings concerning the things of this passing world and the need for us to stay awake and be ready for your coming, give us the grace and wisdom to be well prepared to stand before you whenever you call us, may we never be among those You will be told: I do not know you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.