Homily For Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 22nd February 2025 The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter

Readings: 1Pete 5:1-4, Ps.23, Matt. 16:13-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE CHAIR OF ST. PETER, THE AUTHORITY AND ROCK ON WHICH CHRIST BUILD HIS CHURCH

There is no doubt that the supreme authority belongs only to God, and he alone decides who to endow his authority and also delegates to exercise it among his people. Such is the occasion in our Gospel passage today where the gift of faith given to Peter by God was the rock on which Jesus built his Church and bestowed his authority on him.

 So, today, in a special way, the Church celebrates the Supreme Chair of Saint Peter. A feast that marks the establishment of an organized Christian community under the leadership of St. Peter and his successors (that’s the Popes throughout the ages).

In our Gospel, we heard how Jesus stresses that Peter's faith was a gift from the Father when he said: “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Here, the key represents the authority to open the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven and to judge whether to admit or to refuse. While the expression “binding and losing” refers to the doctrinal decisions and disciplinary power of the office of St. Peter. That is, the faculty to impose and to lift, a guarantee that Peter’s decisions in the exercise of his ecclesial function are valid in the eyes of God. This is because the faith given to Peter by God is the rock on which Jesus built his Church, and that is why, in the iconographic tradition, we see the keys in the hand of Peter.

This gift of faith comes from a personal response of Peter when he professed that Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God. Hence, our faith requires that we give a personal answer to the question: who is Jesus to me personally? It is not enough to quote the scriptures and the teachings of the Church about our faith or the teachings of other theologians and preachers. Or to respond not only from the head but from the heart that is convinced of what it believes in.

Dear friends, today’s feast reminds us of the need to truly profess our faith in God and be united as one family of God and, by so doing, overcome the ugly events of division, manipulation and multiplication of Churches going on in Christianity today. We are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are as regards our faith as Christians.

Today, we are called to be convinced of who we are and recognize the authority Christ has bestowed on his Church entrusted to St. Peter, of which the get of the underworld shall not prevail against it. To exercise this authority St. Peter in our first reading tells us to be the shepherds of the flock of God which has been entrusted to us: we should watch over it, not simply as a duty but gladly, because God wants it; not for sordid money, but because we are eager to do it.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, all authority belongs to you alone, as you have bestowed on your Church the authority and delegated her to exercise it among your people, may this gift unite us more closely to your Son Jesus, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily For Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 21st February 2025

 

Readings: Gen. 11:1-9; Ps. 33; Mark: 8:34-9:1

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY DO YOU WANT TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSE YOUR SOUL?

There is no doubt that the material things of this world are so captivating and attractive, and people are so much engrossed in acquiring them at the detriment of things that edify the human soul. People are ready to do anything just to acquire material things in this world.

People are ready to kill, blackmail, kidnap, and even sacrifice parts of their bodies just to gain power, acquire properties and belong to a particular class or level that they feel is influential in society, thereby causing more hostility, persecution and evil in the society.

This really makes me wonder if we are actually learning anything from the lives of those who have passed away from this world. Have we really taken time to reflect on where all of us and the beautiful things of this world will be in the near future?

In fact, I think it is time for us to really think twice about our faith as Christians, whether we are actually ready to live out our faith in the midst of these ugly situations in our societies, which are not stopping soon, for it is getting tougher every day.

Little wonder Jesus, after telling his disciples about his passion and the coming persecution, said in our Gospel passage today: ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it, but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life?”

Here Jesus knowing what awaits us in this world, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level, especially in a situation where our faith and Christian 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.

Hence, if we are really willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision towards our discipleship in a personal and radical way. Not like those in our first reading today, who wished to follow their own selfish desires rather than the plan of God, for they said: “Come, let us build ourselves a town and a tower with its top reaching heaven. Let us make a name for ourselves, so that we may not be scattered about the whole earth. But the Lord corrected this selfish desire by changing their language.

However, these hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our experience in life. Here comes the moment when we have to make radical and difficult choices as disciples of Jesus. It’s time for us to take up our cross in a sacrificial way and follow the Lord. But what is this cross we are called to take up. Taking up our cross could mean faithfully facing our daily challenges with all its difficulties. It could mean accepting who we are and what we have and using them to the glory of God.

The way of the cross is a way of sacrifice, commitment, love, forgiveness, mercy and compassion, which aim towards the good of the other person. It can be a costly service to a loved one who is ill; it can be embracing illness, even terminal illness or other personal weaknesses, but these make no sense except when we relate it with the sufferings of Christ through faith in God. We must let our struggles in life lead us to God’s purpose for us. We must not let the captivating and influential power of things in this passing world make us lose focus on our heavenly kingdom.

Dear friends, we are called today to deny ourselves the pleasurable things of this passing world in order to take up our Cross and follow the Lord. Yes, the material things of this world are captivating and pleasurable, but it is complete foolishness for us to gain the whole world and ruin our lives. Hence, it’s time to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully follow Jesus.

But how much are we willing to let go for the sake of following him? Why are we finding it difficult to let go of our excess attachment to worldly things? What are those habitual desires and possessions that are holding us from making this radical decision today? It is time to come to God with all our hearts, for tomorrow may be too late.

LET US PRAY: Gracious God, it is indeed foolishness trying to gain the pleasurable things of this passing world and ruin our lives, give us courage and grace to let go of our excess worldly desires to embrace the Cross of Christ. And as we do this, may the Cross of Christ be for us a shining example in our daily struggles, to hold firm in our faith despite all the sufferings and persecutions we may encounter. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a lovely day.

Homily For Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 20th February 2025

Readings: Gen. 9:1-13; Ps. 102; Mark: 8:27-33

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HOW CAN YOU DESCRIBE JESUS IN RELATION TO YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH HIM

Following the ugly events of division, manipulation and multiplication of Churches going on in Christianity today, one can not but repeat this fundamental question of Jesus to Christians all over the world: who do you say I am? Jesus addresses this question to all his disciples.

The people are free to believe whatever they want about Jesus, for Jesus has been carefully preparing his disciples to carry on his work so they ought to know better. They have heard His teachings and witnessed his miracles. What they think of Him should be more critical.

Thus, St. Peter spoke up and said to him, ‘You are the Christ.’ And he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone about him. And he began to teach them that the Son of Man was destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and to be put to death, and after three days to rise again.

Here, we see how Peter expressed his personal conviction about the personality of Jesus. He did not have to quote any authority, because his response was a clear and sincere knowledge of who he professed Jesus to be. Peter’s gift of faith comes from his personal response about who Jesus is, even though he does not want to associate with the suffering aspect of the life of Jesus, and that was why Jesus rebuked that spirit of fear in him.

Thus, our faith requires that we give a personal answer to the question: who do you say I am? For it is not enough to quote the teachings and Catechism of the Church about our faith or the teachings of other theologians and preachers or to respond only from the head but from the heart that is convinced of what he believes in and is really ready to embrace the will of God.

The fact is that Jesus wants us to develop a divine way of looking at things; he wants us to know him deep down in our souls so that we can truly profess our faith with deeper meaning and conviction. Little wonder God said to Noah in our first reading today: See, I establish my Covenant with you, and with your descendants after you. I set my bow in the clouds and it shall be a sign of the Covenant between me and the earth and every living creature for all generations.

Dear friends, having heard the teachings and works of Jesus in the scriptures and traditions of the Church, the question remains: who is Jesus to you? What is your personal experience of Jesus? When was your spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that is not based on what people told us of him? How has your knowledge of Jesus helped other people to come to faith in Jesus?

The truth is, we can change our religion, churches, even our pastors, friends, residence, car or our physical appearance: heart, clothes, colour, even gender, as some people do today. But if we don't have a personal experience of God that will bring about a change of mind and heart towards loving God and our neighbours like St Peter, we will remain the same and the old experience of unfruitful life will perpetuate itself over and over again

In case you have not personally experienced him, all you need to do is to sincerely seek God in those common events in your life, and you will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to you.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, you revealed to St. Peter the true identity of Jesus your Son, help us to profess our faith with deeper meaning and conviction. And as we experience the power of your presence, may we embrace more deeply your sacred mysteries. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily For Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 19 February 2025

 

Readings:Gen. 8:6-13.20-22; Ps. 116; Mark: 8:22-26

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

EXPERIENCING THE HEALING TOUCH OF JESUS

Blindness is one of the most difficult human deformities that deprives one of the ability to exercise some of the characteristics of a human person. So, anyone suffering from such deformity constantly looks forward to a day when he or she will be restored. This is the case with the blind man in our Gospel passage today who some people brought to Jesus and begged him to touch him.

Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Then putting spittle on his eyes and laying his hands on him, he asked, ‘Can you see anything?’ The man, who was beginning to see, replied, ‘I can see people; they look like trees to me, but they are walking about.’ Then he laid his hands on the man’s eyes again and he saw clearly; he was cured, and he could see everything plainly and distinctly.

Here, we see the compassionate love of Jesus in its historical and physical solidarity with human suffering, which springs from the love of God the Father and constitutes the basis of the Church’s liberating activity, which is rooted in our faith in God.

In this miracle, Jesus did something quite different from his usual ways of healing. He began by separating himself from his present environment and then putting spittle on his eyes, and the healing took place gradually. After the healing was completed, Jesus asked him not to return to the village from which he came.

This is very significant because oftentimes, our problems are caused and compounded by our present environment. So, for significant change to occur, we need to be separated from our present environment. So Jesus is using this opportunity to teach us in order to lead us out of the present environment that makes us blind to the spiritual realities of our lives.

We need to know that the physical activity of the human person can be linked to the present nature of his environment because the physical is controlled by the interior being of the person.

And when the interior being of a person is engrossed in a wrong environment, then, the ugly fruit of this environment is manifested in the physical activity of the person. This can be likened to the situation Noah was struggling with in our first reading today.

God decided to destroy the face of the earth with a flood in order to give Noah a new environment better than the formal environment corrupted by sins. And God said: Never again will I curse the earth because of man because his heart contrives evil from his infancy. Never again will I strike down every living thing as I have done.

Dear friends, are we suffering in any way as a result of the ugly nature of our present environment? Do we know people who are suffering and in need of God’s intervention? Are we spiritually blind by the present activities going on in our environment? We need to be separated from this ugly situation and environment so that we can be restored completely like the blind man in our Gospel passage today.

Let us, therefore, present ourselves and our Loved ones to Jesus, who is always ready and willing to heal us and set us free from the ugly situation we are passing through because the touch of Jesus heals and restores us completely.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, our environment has made us blind both physically and spiritually; as we present our needs before you today, may we experience once again your compassionate love and healing; we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you God’s favour and blessings.

Homily For Tuesday Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 18th February 2025

Readings: Gen. 6:5-8,7:1-5,10 ; Ps. 29; Mark: 8:14-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LORD GIVE US THE GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is understanding, which is the ability to perceive an idea or situation mentally and to know and comprehend the nature or meaning of things. Hence, understanding is a gift of God and it is to be prayed and desired by all.

Understanding has a moral character which one has to seek and learn. Understanding, then, involves the cognitive, the spiritual, and the moral. While human efforts are required, the ability to understand comes from God and the true test of understanding is obedience to God.

This is what humanity in our first reading was lacking; they failed to obey what God had instructed them because they lacked understanding of God and his ways as they continued to sin against God.

Thus, when the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was so great on the earth and that the thoughts in his heart fashioned nothing but wickedness all day long. He regretted having made man on the earth, and his heart grieved. Hence, he planned to get rid of mankind, though Noah found favour in God’s sight and he promised to preserve humanity and other creations through him.

Similarly, Jesus, in our Gospel passage today, was disappointed at his disciples’ inability to grasp what he was saying to them or who he really was. They failed to understand what he was capable of doing in their midst. Hence, he asked them over nine questions, which they failed to understand. We can imagine them asking what is it that we do not yet understand?

But they had been witnesses to two extraordinary events done by Jesus: the feeding of five thousand people with five loaves and four thousand with seven Loaves. Yet they do not seem to have grasped the implication of the miracle they had witnessed nor the divine identity of Jesus who had made it possible.

Thus, Jesus said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you not yet understand? Have you no perception? Are your minds closed? Have you eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear? Or do you not remember?” These questions reveal that the disciples are really in need of the gift of understanding, which is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that is given to us to make sense of what is happening around us all the time.

Dear friends, the fact remains that we all need the gift of understanding just like the disciples in our Gospel today. Oftentimes, we are confused about so many things going on in our lives, even concerning our faith. Therefore, let us ask the Holy Spirit for an increase in the gift of understanding.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you are the source of all understanding; help us to understand your word today, calling us to embrace love sacrificially; give us the grace to truly love you to understand and follow the examples of our Lord and Saviour who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

Homily For Monday Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 17th February 2025

 

Readings: Gen. 4:1-15.25; Ps. 50; Mark: 8:11-13

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT SIGN ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN THIS PASSING WORLD? 

 

Oftentimes people want to see signs before they can accept or believe whatever we have to present to them. And sometimes people ask for signs just to discredit someone’s efforts. This is the case with the Pharisees in our Gospel passage today, who asked Jesus for a sign in order to test him. But Jesus, with a sigh that came straight from the heart, said, ‘Why does this generation demand a sign? I tell you solemnly, no sign shall be given to this generation.’ 

This response was as a result of pride, which has blindfolded the Pharisees who refused to accept Jesus as the Messiah, that very sign that they seek. Jesus presents to us the final recommendations of the end time, pointing out that he is the greatest sign of all time. But this is what the Pharisees want to discredit out of pride and ego.  

This same pride is what we saw in the life of Cain in our first reading today. Cain overcame pride and ego, and he killed his brother because he saw that his offerings were not accepted by God, while the offerings of Abel were accepted by the Lord. As a result, he fell deeper into sin. 

Dear friends, pride can make us blind in such a manner that we will continue to seek signs even when things are clear and obvious in our lives. And Jesus is saying that in the midst of proud people, no sign will be given. But, what signs are we seeing around us today? How can we interpret the signs of this time, the signs that tell us that this world is passing away? Do these signs make us dread the second coming of the Lord, or do we joyfully embrace it in anticipation? 

Hence, Jesus warns us not to waste our time seeking signs; rather, we should be prepared, and we should remain firm in the faith. He reminds us that he is the only sign that can be given to humanity. Therefore, we are not to be like the Pharisees who are looking for signs, especially in times of trials; rather, we should seek wisdom to make things right.

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, you are the sign that we seek; as we embrace your word today, give us the grace to be humble in order to follow you, our Lord and Saviour. And as we carry out our task this week, may your favour be with us now and always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed week ahead.

Homily For Sixth Sunday In Ordinary Time Year C, 16th February, 2025

 

Readings: Jer. 17:5-8; Ps. 1:1-6; 1Cor.15:12.16-20; Luke 6:17.20-26

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

ARE YOU AMONG THE BLESSED OR AMONG THE WOES? 

Oftentimes, when we reflect on the ups and downs of life, the struggles, the tears and the disappointments that people are going through every day. We wonder and feel that Life is not fair to some people. But is there anybody who has it all in this world? The truth is that we all struggle every day to make a significant impact in our society. And this significant impact often brings division and separation based on class, social and political affiliation. Hence, we talk about the poor and the rich in relation to what people have and possess.

But this is not the same with Jesus, for today in our Gospel passage, Jesus talks about the blessings of the poor and the lots of the rich in relation to the virtue of humility and pride towards the things of this passing world and the things of heaven. For he said, blessed are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now: you shall laugh. But woe to you who are rich: you are having your consolation now. Woe to you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep.

Here Jesus is referring to our disposition towards the things of this passing world and the things of heaven. He wants us to realize that we are not living simply to be happy in this life, but we should be conscious of our heavenly home by constantly examining ourselves on the deeper value of our ways of life in the light of what we can bring with us to eternal life. In this teaching commonly known as the Beatitudes, Jesus gave us the qualities that make for a happy and blessed life. To be blessed means to have inner joy and happiness because of God’s favour upon us. While to be called woe is to have sorrow and pain because we have turned away from God.

However, the poor, the hungry and those weeping in this Gospel passage are not just referring to the regular poor and hungry people around us. Rather, Jesus is referring to the fundamental character of the virtue of humility that is rooted in the poverty of the spirit, that consciousness of one’s own weakness and total dependence on God, which can be found in the lives of both regular poor or rich people and can also be lacking in neither depending on one’s disposition.

In all these things, what God wants is for us to be excellent in good virtues, for we heard through prophet Jeremiah in our first reading today, that curse be on the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on things of flesh, whose heart turns from the Lord. He is like dry scrub in the wastelands: but blessing on the man who puts his trust in the Lord, He is like a tree by the waterside that never ceases to bear fruit.’

Dear friends, our societies and, indeed, humanity are in need of more virtuous people rather than rich people. Hence, the Lord said blessed are those who are virtuous and rich, but woe to those who are rich and lack virtue, for they shall soon mourn and weep. And St. Paul, in our second reading, tells us to remind the faithful to do good in accordance with the will of the Lord, whose death and resurrection have purchased for us the price of eternal life. For if our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are the most unfortunate of all people.

But we are most privileged people, for as long as we remain faithful in doing Good according to the will of the Lord, we will be rewarded. Hence the psalmist says: blessed the man who has placed his trust in the Lord. For he shall be like a tree that is planted beside the flowing waters, that yields its fruit in due season and all that he does shall prosper

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are always engrossed with the pride of life, an ugly attitude that often separates us from you. Grant us the grace of humility so that in our poverty, hunger, mourning and hatred in this world, our lives may aim towards our heavenly kingdom and make us a shining splendour in our families, society and in the world at large. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.