Homily For Wednesday, Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 26th February 2025

 

Readings: Sir 4:11-19; Ps.119; Mark: 9:38-40

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LET US LEARN TO COLLABORATE AND ACCOMMODATE EACH OTHER

There is no doubt that the Christian faith can be very demanding and ambiguous for those who do not understand the sacrificial nature of our missionary life. To deal with these challenges, we must learn to discipline ourselves and collaborate with one another. 

So discipline and collaboration must be central to the Christian mission since the Christian faith comes across different categories of people, which requires that there should be room to accommodate one another in that single language of sacrificial love towards Christ's missionary mandate. 

This very discipline and collaborative nature of our faith is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today when John had said to him, master; we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; because he was not one of us, we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.

Here, Jesus is speaking to his disciples and to all of us about doing the works for the glory of God, saying that we should not stop people from doing the good works of God even if the people do not belong to the same group as us. This is because, the disciples of Jesus saw some people who were doing works in the name of Jesus, casting out demons and healing in his name, and they tried to stop them from doing so. 

Why? Because the disciples had received from Jesus the authority and power to perform miracles, they wanted to keep these gifts and authority exclusive to themselves. But Jesus rebuked such a selfish attitude shown by the disciples because Jesus desires that everyone who wishes to do the work of God should be accommodated regardless of their background and affiliations.

Dear friends, by virtue of our baptism and confirmation, we have received the same Spirit of God that gives us the authority to do great works for God. Therefore, we, too, have been entrusted with the missionary mandate of Christ. So, it is our responsibility to make good use of the various gifts and opportunities God has given us by ensuring that we discipline ourselves and learn to accommodate other people’s gifts and charisms. 

We must make wisdom our priority and learn how to collaborate and accommodate other people who speak the one true language of Christ which is sacrificial love. For we are told in our first reading that those who serve wisdom minister to the Holy One, and the Lord loves those who love her. Whoever obeys her judges aright, and whoever pays attention to her dwells secure.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who has always been our guide. Help us to be more accommodating and collaborate with one another as we carry out your missionary mandate of love for each other. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Tuesday Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 25th, 2025

 

Readings: Sir.2:1-11; Ps. 37; Mark: 9:30-37

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LESSONS ABOUT TRUE GREATNESS

Human life and activities are always competitive and comparative in nature, 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. This is because we feel great participating in such events and greatness gives more ego to our status. But this has brought about the ugly attitude of selfish ambition among people.

So, this selfish ambitious, competitive and comparative way of life is what the disciples of Jesus displayed in our Gospel passage today, where we heard how they were arguing about who is the greatest among them. It is quite surprising for them to be arguing for such intention just after Jesus had told them that he would be delivered into the hands of men, they would put him to death, and three days after he had been put to death, he would rise again. 

This shows that his disciples had not grasped his teaching thereby exposing the danger between the mission of Christ and human selfish ambition as a result of ignorance. But, Jesus knowing the ugly intentions of his disciples, showed them the way to identify true greatness using the images of a humble child.

 Here, Jesus surprised his disciples by linking true greatness to the humility and simplicity of a little child 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,g, 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. 

Dear friends, true greatness is found in humble service and not in human selfish ambition. Today, we see in the lives of the disciples the danger of human selfish ambition and how to deal with it in relation to the mission of Christ, especially in the midst of ignorance and proud people. 

Little wonder we were told in our first reading: my son if you aspire to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for an ordeal. Be sincere of heart, be steadfast, and do not be alarmed when disaster comes. Cling to him and do not leave him, so that you may be honoured at the end of your days.

Therefore, we are reminded that true greatness and ambition are found in humble service to others. But this is exactly what many of us are lacking. We are so proud, greedy and selfish, as we are deeply attached to the pleasurable things of this passing world, which prevents us from seeking true greatness that leads to the heavenly kingdom. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, amidst the danger of selfish human ambition in relation to your mission, we have become 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. Have a blessed and fruitful day.

Homily For Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 24th, 2025

 

Readings: Sir.1:1-10; Ps. 93; Mark: 9:14-29

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE PUT THEIR FAITH INTO POSITIVE ACTION

Oftentimes, we think that we have faith enough to face whatever challenges that come our way. But the fact remains that we can only know the level and capacity of our faith when we are truly faced with a situation that overwhelms our physical and mental abilities. Then, we will realize that what we think we have as faith is nothing but a shadow of reality. Such was the situation with the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today.

For a man came up to Jesus begging him to deliver his son, who he brought to the disciples, but they were unable to cure him. But Jesus said ‘faithless and perverse generation!’ ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? And he said to the man: ‘Everything is possible for anyone who has faith.’ Immediately the man cried out, ‘I do have faith. Help the little faith I have!’

Then, Jesus said: Bring him here to me.’ And he rebuked the devil, who immediately came out of the boy and he was cured from that moment. Then the disciples came privately to Jesus. ‘Why were we unable to cast it out? Jesus answered, that this kind can only be driven out by prayer.

Here, Jesus gives two reasons why the apostles failed to cure the boy. The first is connected with their own moral condition and disposition as they are only depending on their own personal abilities. Secondly and more importantly is their lack of faith.

Though they had, indeed, shown some faith by making even the attempt at the expulsion of the devil, they had acted half-heartedly and had not displayed that perfect confidence and trust which alone can bring success and make all things possible. Thus, Jesus made them know that in extreme situations faith in our prayers is very necessary towards achieving our desires.

Therefore, If we begin to nurture our faith to grow and strengthen from a small, humble beginning, it will grow to the point that it can help us to perform and achieve greater things and conquer the most difficult situations that, at first, would appear impossible. So faith moving mountains implies the spiritual ability to make difficult and stumbling situations vanish.

This, of course, requires wisdom, humility and sacrifice. Little wonder, we were told in our first that all wisdom is from the Lord, and it is his own forever. The sand of the sea and the raindrops, and the days of eternity, who can assess them? The height of the sky the breadth of the earth, and the depth of the abyss, who can probe them.

Dear friends, if we want to grow in faith, we must cultivate a humble habit in our prayer life. This is important because in prayer we are well disposed to follow the instructions of the Lord. Because, for us to have the faith that moves mountains, we must be well deposed to embrace the power of God in our lives; we must desire to have a personal experience of the power of God at work in the world and acknowledge that in him come our victory over every situation with encounter.

Therefore, we are called to let every moment of difficulties and trials lead us to grow in faith and knowledge of God’s power and authority at work in us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, faith is your supernatural gift to humanity; grant that we may embrace this gift in humility to be well disposed to move out of our lives the tough mountains that are crushing us on our daily struggles. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a joyful week ahead.

Homily For Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 23rd February 2025

  

Readings: 1 Sam. 26:2.7-9.12-13.22-23;  Ps. 103; 1Cor.15:45-49; Luke 6:27-38

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

SACRIFICIAL LOVE: THE MOST DIFFICULT ASPECT OF CHRISTIAN MISSION 

A critical look at what is happening in our world today, it is obvious that the world is in a big crisis. This is because humanity has lost the true meaning of love. For we have abandoned God, who is the source and power of love and created for ourselves a mirage in the name of love. 

Today love has become a tool for selfishness, deception, greed and emotional satisfaction. Thus, it is extremely difficult to practice the genuine love of neighbours and talk more of the sacrificial love of our enemies.

But this is the demand Jesus is making of all his disciples in our Gospel passage today when he said: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To the man who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek too; to the man who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from the man who robs you. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. 

So, in this Gospel, Jesus gave us reasons why we must choose love over hatred and forgiveness over vengeance. For he made us know that it is natural and universal for human beings to love those who love them. But what makes his disciples different from other people is the ability to love not just everyone but to love their enemies and not take vengeance or bear grudges against one another. By so doing, they will be imitating God, their heavenly Father, who in his compassionate heart shows equal love to both the good and the bad, not because he is indifferent to morality, but because his love knows no bounds.  

Hence, we are called to love and to be loving in all things, for that is the essence of our Christian faith. We cannot be true Christians unless we are willing to love sacrificially in our actions and interactions, in all situations and to everyone, without exception. We must learn to bear with one another and forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven us; now we must do the same. 

This is exactly what David demonstrated in our first reading today when he chose to spare the life of King Saul. David could have killed Saul since God had placed his enemy in his mercy. Yet, as we heard, David did not. He even rebuked his fellow men and told them that they could not touch Saul or his men. Although Saul might have fallen from grace and sinned against God, he was anointed by God. 

So, it was not right to kill God’s anointed regardless of the circumstances. Instead, David, even at the risk of his life, spared the life of Saul, for he could have killed him and taken over his throne since he, too, had been anointed to be King. What a magnanimity of heart. Here, David showed not just Saul but all of us what it means to love sacrificially, just like Jesus has instructed us today, who also demonstrated the same thing on the cross.

Dear friends, how many of us Christians are willing and able to follow these instructions of the Lord? How many of us today are ready to follow the examples of the Lord’s disciples? How many are ready to follow the example of David? But all of us have received the love of God, and we have witnessed the love of God made manifest, and now we are all reminded that we have the obligation to show that same love in our daily activities.

 Hence, today we are called to a life of deeper virtue. We are called to a life of sacrificial love. We are called to perfection, we are called to choose love over hatred and forgiveness over vengeance. But when Jesus talks about loving our enemies, he is not telling us to be passive in the face of physical danger or abuse. Rather he wants us to realize that hatred is a dangerous thing and must be handled with great care. Because hatred breeds violence and other things that weaken the human soul. 

The truth is that our enemies are not necessarily those who we are at war with, those making life difficult for us or those we think hate us. But, our real enemies are those whom we choose to hate. And the best way to destroy our enemies is to discover how best we can make them become our friends, not by hating or carrying out vengeance. 

How I wish humanity would embrace this principle of loving and stretching the hands of friendship and peace to our presumed enemies by investing more resources in things that bring about peace and friendship with one another rather than building a nuclear weapon that breeds more violence and hatred in the world. When this is done, then the world will become more peaceful and loving.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, it is difficult and demanding for us to love our enemies, but this is what you are commanding us to do, give us the grace to bear the sacrificial nature of this demand and so become a true sign of your loving presence to those we encounter in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful Sunday celebration.

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.