Homily For Monday Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 11th, November 2024. The Memorial of St. Martin of Tours

Readings: Titus 1:1-9; Ps.24; Luke 17:1-6

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY WE MUST FORGIVE AND CORRECT ONE ANOTHER IN FRATERNAL CHARITY 

The fragile nature of the human person has made it clear that we are not perfect, as we are likely to offend one another in any relationship we find ourselves. As a result of this, there is a need for us to learn how to accommodate one another’s imperfections. But one of the major challenges we face in most relationships today is the ability to properly accommodate and correct one another especially when one is straying from the norms set up for the good of the relationship.

This is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, for he 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, be on your guard for when your brother does something wrong, reprove him and, if he is sorry, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times a day and seven times comes back to you and says, “I am sorry,” you must forgive him.’

Here, Jesus calls us to forgive and apply fraternal correction in any relationship we find ourselves in, for we are responsible for one another’s welfare, and these steps and stages give room for reconciliation and accommodation. So, 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 and separated from us. 

But if they refused to be reconciled we should pray for their conversion. 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 people. For we are meant to watch over our neighbours. We must cultivate a good character and show good examples at any stage and level we find ourselves.

Little wonder St. Paul addressing the issues of leadership said to Titus in our first reading today: I told you: that a leader must be a man of irreproachable character; he must not have been married more than once, and his children must be believers and not uncontrollable or liable to be charged with disorderly conduct. 

Since, as president, he will be God’s representative, he must be irreproachable: never an arrogant or hot-tempered man, nor a heavy drinker or violent, nor out to make money; but a man who is hospitable and a friend of all that is good; sensible, moral, devout and self-controlled; and he must have a firm grasp of the unchanging message of the tradition. 

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 forgiven, corrected and guided whenever they 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.  

Therefore, mutual love and fraternal charity are the only ways and processes of fulfilling this obligation. Let us then be inspired by St. Martin of Tours, whose memorial we celebrate today; his life was truly exemplary to us before God. He was a champion of the true faith amidst several challenges and heresies that were rampant in his time. He protected his flock from the false teachings and helped to guide them down the right path, leading by example through his own virtuous life.

  

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are rebellious and proud people, we lack the courage and disposition to correct and accept corrections. Through the intercession of St. Martin of Tours, give us the grace and courage 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 blessed week

Homily For Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, 10th November, 2024

 

Readings: 1 Kings  17:10-16; Ps: 146; Heb.9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO OVERCOME THE UGLY ATTITUDE OF PRIDE AND THE HUMAN EGO

Beginning from the time of Adam and Eve in the Gardens of Eden, the Devil has been tempting mankind with the first capital sin of pride and ego, knowing how vulnerable and weak we can be in resisting our desires for knowledge and power. 

These are temptations for every age, however, it is more obvious in our society today, as we all desire to have red carpet treatment. We all enjoy wearing well-tailored clothes and being addressed with honorific titles on different occasions and events, even in the Church. 

These, of course, can be done innocently without any harm, depending on how they affect our relationships with God and our neighbours. When it is done out of pride and ego, then it becomes harmful to others, and this can lead to idolatry, where man will seek to be like God or assume honour and glory due to God. 

This ugly attitude is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, when he said “Beware of the scribes who like to walk about in long robes, to be greeted obsequiously in the market squares, to take the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at banquets; these are the men who swallow the property of widows, while making a show of lengthy prayers. The more severe will be the sentence they receive”.

Here, Jesus points to those entrusted with religious leadership who have turned their positions of trust into selfish interests as they focus on what they can get rather than what they can give. So Jesus warned his disciples against such kind of behaviour, especially how they exercised and practised their faith. The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law often prided themselves in their privileged and highly respected position in the community, and showed off their faith, seeking important and privileged positions. 

What Jesus is telling us all is to be careful and vigilant against the temptations of ego and pride in our lives. We must focus our attention on God and put Him first and foremost in all we do. This no doubt requires sacrifice just like the poor widow in our Gospel passage and the widow in our first reading, for they sacrifice all that they had in thanksgiving to God. 

In reward for such great sacrifice, prophet Elijah made us know that our Jar of meal shall not be spent and our jug of oil shall not be emptied before the day when the Lord shall send rain of blessings in our lives. For our Lord Jesus Christ has made his appearance once and for all, now at the end of the last age, to do away with sin by sacrificing himself as we heard in our second reading today.

Dear friends, living a life of sacrifice helps us to overcome the ugly attitude of pride and human ego. Because the warning of Jesus concerning our pride and ego is not only for religious leaders and ministers but for every one of us: fathers, mothers, teachers, lecturers, students, government officials, military leaders, businessmen and women, celebrities, doctors, mechanics and leaders of all works of life. 

We are to be on the watch in order to avoid being carried away by the titles of honour and dignity that come with the pride of life, like some of the scribes in our Gospel passage today. Rather, we should humble ourselves in the midst of external respect and honour, for noble souls despise this kind of honour, as they offer it to God, to whom all respect and honour belongs. 

Therefore, we have to be careful with St Paul in 2Tim 4:1-8, which tells us that out of pride, time is sure to come when far from being content with sound teaching, people will be avid for the latest novelty and collect themselves a whole series of teachers according to their tastes; and then, instead of listening to the truth, they will turn to myths. 

Friends, let us always be careful to choose the right course; be brave under trials, and make the preaching of the Good News our life’s work in thoroughgoing service. So that we can join him in saying: “I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on the last Day”.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as you warn us today to beware of the pride and ego of the human life in order to embrace the life of humble sacrifice, grant us we pray, the grace of humility in the midst of all prideful events in our lives. We as this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace-filled Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday Thirty- First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 9th November 2024. The Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

 

Readings: Ez.47:1-2.8-9.12, Ps.46, 1Cor3:9-11.16-17, John 2:13-22

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

REMEMBER YOU ARE A LIVING TEMPLE DEDICATED TO GOD

Today, in a special way, the Church celebrate the feast of the dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica Rome. It is the Mother and head of all the Churches and a symbol of unity for all the Churches in the world with the Roman Church.

This feast reminds us of our need to live in deep communion with the Pope, the successor of St. Peter, the rock on which Jesus built his Church on which our faith as Christians depends. However, we should never lose sight of the fact that it is the symbol of the true meeting point between man and God and Jesus Christ, who is the actual temple.

Little wonder Jesus in the Gospel passage today points to himself as the temple of God in the world, the one through whom God is present in the world. Here, he is speaking of the sanctuary that was his body when he said to the Jews: Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days, I will raise it up.

Thus, prophet Ezekiel, in our first reading, prophesying about this sanctuary, said: ‘Along the river, on either bank, will grow every kind of fruit tree with leaves that never wither and fruit that never fails; they will bear new fruit every month because this water comes from the sanctuary. And their fruit will be good to eat and the leaves medicinal.’

While St. Paul, in our second reading, emphasises that the Christian community, the body of Christ, is the place where God is to be truly present in the world. That the Church is a spiritual temple and each member of the Church is a temple of the Holy Spirit, a living expressions of God’s loving presence in our world today.

He said: ‘Didn’t you realise that you were God’s temple and that the Spirit of God was living among you? If anybody should destroy the temple of God, God will destroy him because the temple of God is sacred, and you are that temple.

Dear friends, our bodies are sacred temples of the Lord; this is the heart of our baptismal character, to become temples of God through whom God’s loving presence touches the lives of others. So, today, we are reminded that we are a sacred reality, where God dwells, which should not be profaned or used as a material object.

Therefore, we must preserve our bodies from stains of sin and corruption. We must not let the pleasurable things of this passing world defile our body which by virtue of our baptism has become a scared dwelling of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, we must unite together to build up the body of Christ, which is his Church.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we celebrate the feast of the dedication of your Church, help us to realize that our bodies are the sacred temple of your dwelling presence and so preserve it always from the stains of sin and corruption. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Have a fruitful week.

Homily For Friday Thirty- First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 8th November 2024

 

Readings: Phil 3:17-4:1, Ps.121, Luke 16: 1-8

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO PRUDENTLY USE THE RESOURCES ENTRUSTED TO YOU TO WIN YOUR SALVATION

The elements of good and bad seem inherent in every human person, little wonder the world involves both good and bad mixed together. This will help us to understand the reason for corruption, greediness, immoral and social decadence in our world today. But even in the midst of all these ugly situations, we are expected to be wise and smart in our deals with the things of this passing world.

Little wonder, in the Gospel passage today, Jesus tells the parable of this dishonest steward who, having acted unjustly and having been exposed by his master, went to great lengths to make friends of his master’s debtors in order to secure his future. In this parable, Jesus is not telling us to be dishonest, but he wants us to know that we can learn, even from this dishonest servant, how to prudently use the things of this passing world to gain our salvation.

Thus, Jesus points out that we, too, should be smart but not exactly like the dishonest steward, using dishonest wealth to exploit others as most rich people do today. No, instead, we, his disciples, are to use our wealth to win souls for the kingdom and safeguard our souls.

But more importantly, if we understand the principle that says that everything we own is a gift from God, then we will realize that God is the owner of everything and that we are His stewards. As such, we are to use the Master’s resources to further the Master’s work and not the contrary. In this context, we are told to be generous with our resources and use them for the safety of our souls and the growth of God’s kingdom.

For we heard St. Paul in our first reading saying: I have told you often, and I repeat it today with tears, many are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ. They are destined to be lost. They make foods into their god and they are proudest of something they ought to think shameful; the things they think important are earthly things. For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for.

Dear friends, today, we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are with regard to our vocation as Christians. How can we best harness the things entrusted to us so that they can be a source and midst of safeguarding our souls surrounded by corruption and greediness? We are called today to be wise and smart, for if worldly-minded people can be smart in their dealings, we, too, should be smarter in our struggles for the salvation of humanity. We should utilize the resources available to us and use them to secure our salvation.

Homily For Thursday Thirty- First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 7th November 2024

 

Readings: Phil 3:3-8 , Ps.105 , Luke 15:1-10

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DO YOU KNOW THAT GOD IS SEARCHING FOR YOU? HE WANTS YOU TO TURN AWAY FROM SIN AND COME BACK

It is natural and common for any human person to desire to search find any valuable thing he/she has lost. Some people even have sleepless nights over their lost items. Some can go to any length hoping to recover any of their valuable commodity that is lost. If we can do this just for perishable things of this passing world, don’t we think that God will do even much more to save every single soul he created in his image and likeness?

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, Jesus, while addressing the Pharisee who accused him of welcoming sinners, with the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, Jesus illustrates the unrelenting love of God for each of us, especially sinners. For there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who do not need repentance.

In these parables, we see two examples of people searching for what is precious to them. And when they found it their joy was so great. So, Jesus uses these examples to explain to us how God seeks us when we are lost in sin and his joy when our friendship with him is renewed and restored. His searching for us cost him the sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ.

This can help us to realize how precious we are to him and that he never gives up on anyone except those who choose to be lost. All we need is for us to return to God who is patiently waiting for us. Just like St. Paul in our first reading who told us that because of Christ, he has come to consider all he has as nothing. For nothing can happen that will outweigh the supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord.

Dear friends, are we lost in sin? Have we given up in our struggle with sin? Do you think that our sins are so great that God cannot forgive us? Do we feel lost now? Jesus is searching for us, he is waiting for us at the confessional. When was the last time we visited him at the confessional? Just know that he loves us and we are too precious to be lost in this sinful world. So we must know that God is searching and waiting for you to come back to him.

We may have been lost in sin, it’s time to come back to God. We may have abandoned our good virtues, but it’s time to come back to God for restoration. We may have separated ourselves from God and his family, it’s time to come back. We may have been lost in the ugly things of this passing world; it’s time to come back, for God is searching and waiting for you. No matter how bad or ugly we may have been as a result of our sinful behaviours, don’t remain in that condition for that is what the enemy wants, but is waiting for you to come back and be restored and purified.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are lost in this passing world due to our sinfulness; seek out humanity once again from the wilderness of sins so that we may return to you, just like the lost sheep and the lost coin and so rejoice and praise you once again with the angels. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Wednesday Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 6th November 2024

Readings: Phil 2: 12-18; Ps.27; Luke 14:25-33

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DISCIPLESHIP REQUIRES SACRIFICE, COMMITMENT AND DISCIPLINE

A true disciple must constantly reflect through life in order to be aware of the seriousness of the commitment required of him/her. Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level when he said: ‘If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. 

Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.’

Here, Jesus teaches about the cost of discipleship. That there is a price to be paid. However, Jesus does not directly intend to cause tensions and divisions in family life, but he wants us to accept the consequences that come with the truth of the Gospel teaching, more importantly, when it comes to living out the Gospel message radically, especially in a situation where our family values have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excess desires for worldly pleasures, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God.

So, these hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our life experience because there are moments when we have to make radical and difficult choices as disciples of Jesus. These moments may wield the sword of division or separation among those people and things which are so dear to us. Thus, he warns that we have to struggle to put him first, before family ties, knowing that divisions will surely occur as people have to decide to be for or against God.

Hence, he states that the cost of discipleship extends to one even losing his life. None of us can become his disciple if we do not give up our excess desire for worldly pleasures and possessions and pay our unreserved loyalty and allegiance to God over all other competing loyalties in our lives, including family, self-interest, and possessions.

Dear friends, how much are we willing to let go for the sake of discipleship? Do we find it too demanding? In what ways? Is giving up ‘all my possessions’ realistic, and if not, what does this passage mean to me? Whatever my response may be, may God give us the grace to grow in freedom, to be ready to follow and to serve him in a new way and also be able to speak to the Lord about the points of difficulty in paying this cost. St. Paul, in our first reading, tells us to work out our salvation in fear and trembling.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts from becoming a good disciple; give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires so as to hold firm in our faith despite losing people and things that are dear to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily For Tuesday Thirty-First week in Ordinary Time Year B, 5th November 2024

 

Readings: Phil 2:5-11 , Ps.22 , Luke 14:15-24

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THE INVITATION TO GOD'S HEAVENLY BANQUET

Invitations to events and social gatherings are part of humanity's social ways of life. As usual, Jesus often uses the things we are very familiar with to teach us a very important lesson. So, on the occasion of our Gospel passage today, Jesus tells us the parable of the great banquet, how a man planned a large banquet and sent out invitations, but those invited turned it down, so he opened the invitation to all who cared to come. Jesus ends the parable by saying that “not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet”

Here, their excuses for not coming to the banquet are not realistic. Because no one buys land without seeing it first, and the same can be said for buying oxen. And what, exactly, would keep a newly married couple from attending a social event? All the excuses in the parable show insincerity on the part of those invited. Hence the invitation is opened up to society’s maimed and downtrodden. The fact is that those who ignored the invitation to the banquet chose their path. They missed out and the master respects their choice by making it permanent: they would not “taste of my banquet”, he said.

So it will be with God’s judgment on those who choose to reject Christ or are too busy to respond to his invitation. They will have their choice confirmed, and they will never taste the joys of heaven. Therefore, let us learn to honour the invitation of God in humility, just like Christ Jesus whose state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross as we heard in our second reading today.

Dear friends, the Lord offers us again an invitation to the banquet of heaven. An invitation is God's free act of kindness, as He wishes to dine with us. No one deserves it anyway, and He is not obliged to invite us nor are we compared to honour his invitation. Hence in the parable, those who think that they deserve to be invited are too busy to enter the banquet hall. But the poor in spirit and the humble who know that the love God has for them is completely gratuitous accepted his invitation with joy.

Thus, today we are called not to be too busy to come to our heavenly banquet. For God’s banquet is his Church, good and bad, saints and sinners are invited, for the Church is made up of saints and sinners. The bad are expected to become good while sinners are expected to repent and put on a new garment of holiness and love like the saints. Let us not be too proud or busy to embrace it for the blessings of the kingdom are available to all who will come to Christ by faith.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are too busy with the things of this passing world; as we hear about the invitation to your Heavenly Kingdom today, may we embrace it with all humility through Christ, your Son who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Have a blessed day.