Friday, 14 March 2025

Homily For Saturday of the First Week of Lent Year C, 15th March, 2025

 

Readings: Deut.26:16-19, Ps.119, Matt. 5:43-48

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

A CALL FOR A SACRIFICIAL LIFE OF LOVE

Naturally, people desire to love and be loved, to relate and be in the company of those whom they love. Nobody enjoys being among those who detest them and cause them pain and sorrow.

That is why people naturally sacrifice for those whom they love to keep their friendship and companion. But it takes greater love and sacrifice to do good to people who detest us and cause us sorrow and pain since it is difficult and unnatural to sacrifice for such people.

This sacrificial life of love is what Jesus calls us to embrace in pursuit of the life of perfection. Little wonder he says in our Gospel passage: ‘If you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must, therefore, be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

Here, Jesus emphasises 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. For by so doing, we will be imitating the perfection of God our heavenly Father, who shows equal love to all and calls us to a greater life of sacrificial love and deeper virtue towards perfection.

Hence, we are called in our first reading today to keep the laws of the Lord, to keep and observe them with all our heart and with all our soul so that we will be a people consecrated to the Lord and, by so doing, become perfect just as our heavenly Father is perfect.

Dear friends, we are called today, to a life of deeper virtue in love that leads to perfection. We are called to choose love over hatred and forgiveness over vengeance. For hatred breeds violence and other things that weaken the human soul, but love unites and heals.

The fact is that God desires peace for humanity, and this peace is what Jesus came to bring in the world, to restore the peace that God intended for all creation from the first day of creation. So today all of us are called to offer this peace to the world full of hatred, greed and violence. This we are called to accept and live out day by day in every way we can.

Therefore, friends, it’s time for us to stretch out the hands of friendship and peace to everyone, both friends and enemies alike, 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. For by so doing the world will become more peaceful and loving.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, today we are called to live a life of perfection through sacrificial love. But the cross of the sacrificial life of love is so heavy; give us the grace to truly carry it by forgiving our enemies and striving towards the life of perfection that offers peace, mercy, compassion and love to distressed humanity. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Thursday, 13 March 2025

Homily For Friday of the First Week of Lent Year C, 14th March, 2025

 

Readings:  Ezek. 18:21-28, Ps.130, Matt. 5:20-26

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia


WHY WE MUST STRIVE TO REMAIN FAITHFUL WITH GOD

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


Here, he made us know that those who are righteous if they fall into sin and wickedness, will be judged by those same sins they committed, and if found wanting, they will be condemned because of them. On the other hand, those who are wicked, if they repent from their wickedness and act righteously, will be pardoned and saved because of the righteousness and faith that they have shown through their repentance.


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


Hence, Jesus, in our Gospel passage today, calls us to a deeper virtue when he said to his disciples, If your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.  That is, we must strive to deepen our virtue towards righteous deeds. We must become agents of peace and reconciliation. We must be a symbol of God’s mercy and justice in a world full of corruption and greed.


Dear friends, we are called today to experience this mercy and justice of God uniquely. Thus, we have to be vigilant always and strive to be righteous before God and man. Today, we have to make a fundamental choice to live a holy life and never to return to our sinful ways of life. 


We must struggle every day to grow in righteousness and never give up, no matter the situation we are going through. We should always reflect on what this justice and Mercy of God really mean in our lives as we strive every day to remain faithful to God’s commandment of love and peace.  


LET US PRAY, as we struggle every day towards holiness and perfection, may we be guided by the Holy Spirit and strive to remain on the path of righteousness and never to go back to our sinful and ugly ways of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. It’s Friday, wishing you God’s grace, mercy and favour.

Wednesday, 12 March 2025

Homily For Thursday of the First Week of Lent Year C, 13th, 2025

 


Readings:  Esther 14:1.3-4.11.13-14, Ps.138, Matt. 7:7-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia


HOW TO BRING YOUR BURDENS OF LIFE  TO GOD IN PRAYERS


Reflecting on our daily experience of the events of life, especially the struggles, challenges, disappointments, cries and the difficult situations some people are passing through just to earn a living, gives the experience of the ugly situation in our country today. I can’t but recall, in our first reading today, Esther’s prayer to God, asking him for deliverance for his people, Israel, who were about to be annihilated as a nation by their enemies. 


In this passage, Esther prayed just before she was about to present herself before the King. She was ready to do anything for the sake of her people, and she asked God for strength, guidance and courage as she was about to face the greatest challenge of her life, risking her very life and position for what she was about to do. 


That is, to plead for the safety of her people before the King. She asked for the Lord to guide her and to give her the courage to face her enemies and to soften the heart of the King. And through her prayers, the Lord guided her to triumph against Haman and all those plots he had made against Israel.


This no doubt, shows us the power of prayer and seeking the will of God before doing anything or taking any difficult decision. Hence, Jesus, in our Gospel passage today, tells us to “ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him”. 


One may say I have been praying for God’s intervention in some ugly situations but it seems as if no answer has been given. The fact is that God answers all our prayers if we are patient with him. For he may not grant us what we want because, as a caring Father, he gives us what we truly need and not what we want.


Dear friends, do not carry your burdens alone bring them to God in prayer. Yes, we are full of energy, zeal and passion, ready to face the challenges and struggles of yet another day. But the questions we need to ask ourselves are: what are we doing concerning the present situation in our lives, our families, societies and country?  


It may seem as if all hope is gone, but the Lord is saying to us today, that we should ask, and it will be given to us; search, and we will find; knock, and the door will be opened to us. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. Let us all not be afraid to seek the Lord and ask him for protection and guidance. This is how we should bring our burdens of life to God in prayers. 


But are we willing to trust the Lord and be patient with him? Are we willing to seek the Lord and to make the effort to find him and to follow him wherever he leads us? Do we have the courage and the love of God, as well as the faith and dedication like that of Queen Esther? Who today has shown us that if we trust the Lord and ask him for anything, he will surely provide for us, and we will have no cause to fear in our struggles of life. So, like Queen Esther let us ask for God’s strength, guidance and courage to face the daily challenges in our life.  Thus, what are the things we need from the Lord? It's time to present them before him. 


LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are struggling with so many ugly situations in our lives, families, societies and the world at large, as we pour out our hearts to you in prayer, may you grant our heart desires and guide our ways today and always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Tuesday, 11 March 2025

Homily For Wednesday of the First Week of Lent Year C, 12th March, 2025

 

Readings: Jonah 3:1-10, Ps.51, Luke 11:29-32

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia


DO NOT SEEK FOR SIGNS RATHER BE PREPARED


Oftentimes, when we reflect on our struggle with the ugly situations in our lives, our families, societies and the world at large, we sincerely wish that God should give us a sign from heaven as a way of showing us some definitive guidance or direction towards addressing the situation. When these signs are not forthcoming, we feel bad and begin to question God or even doubt his presence in our lives.  This was the disposition of the crowd in our Gospel passage today. 


Where we heard how those who were listening to Jesus were anxious to know what signs to look out for when the End Times came. But Jesus said to them: “The only sign that will be given is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. Hence, Jesus states that no sign will be given except the sign of Jonah.  The “sign of Jonah” in this passage refers to Jesus’ Crucifixion, death, his three days in the tomb and his Resurrection.  Just the way Jonah was three days in the belly of the whale.  


Thus, Jesus in this Gospel was making reference to our first reading, where because of the preaching of the prophet Jonah, the whole city of Nineveh went into great mourning and repentance before God. Everyone from the King, who issued the order to the whole city and its people to repent from their sins, right down to the lowest among the people, all humbled themselves, tore their clothes and wore sackcloth as a sign of penance. 


The point here is that  Jesus’ death and resurrection are the signs that will be given.  We should seek nothing other than this sacred mystery of our faith. This is the sign and actions that the Lord Jesus is talking about when he addressed the people who doubted him and demanded miraculous wonders and signs from him.


So, here, Jesus strongly condemns those seeking signs because he wants us to seek him through the gift of faith rooted in the mystery of his death and resurrection. Every question, problem, struggle and confusion in our lives can be addressed when we enter into the great mystery of our redemption. So, seeking a sign other than this would be wrong, in that, it would be a way of saying that the death and resurrection of Jesus is not enough sign for us.


Dear Friends, the paschal mystery of Christ is the only sign we need. Therefore, as we embrace the activities of this Holy season of Lent, Jesus is calling us to repent for sins that make us blind in such a manner that we will continue to seek signs even when things are clear and obvious in our lives.  

But the questions we need to ask ourselves are: 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 is warning us today 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 should not join the crowds to look for signs, especially in times of trials, rather we should seek wisdom to make things right by turning our eyes to the central mystery of our faith which is the life, death and resurrection of Christ, where every question can be answered and every grace is obtained.


LET US PRAY: Lord God, you are the sign that we seek; as we embrace your word today, give us the grace to recognize that in the Paschal mystery of Christ, we find the true sign we desire and so obtain the answer and directions to our daily struggles. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.


Monday, 10 March 2025

Homily For Tuesday of the First Week of Lent Year C, 11Th March 2025

 

Readings: Is. 55:10-11, Ps.34, Matt. 6:7-15

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

HOW TO PRAY PROPERLY

One of the three traditional dimensions of the Lenten season is prayer. This is important because it is how we communicate with our God. So, we are called today to reflect on the meaning and right principles of prayer as we progress through this season of Lent.

Little wonder, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus knowing how important the act of prayer is to humanity, taught his disciples the principle and pattern of all prayers when he said: “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. You will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we also have forgiven all who trespassed against us. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from evil one”.

Here, Jesus knowing that prayer is an essential part of our faith through which we grow in our relationship with God, gave us seven principles that should guide all our prayers. This prayer contains a series of statements and petitions in which we affirm our relationship with God, with the people around us and with the world in general. It contains a statement of faith, obligations and commitment as the foundation through which these seven principles are fulfilled.

The first principle is to acknowledge God as “Our Father”. This is a call for unity that requires faith, obligation and commitment. Here, we acknowledge God not just as my Father but as Our Father and the ‘Our’ includes every single person who lives or has ever lived on this earth.

The second principle calls us to reverence the name of the Lord as we say: “Hallowed be thy name “Yes, God’s name is holy no matter what we say or think of him. However, we make this prayer for our sake more than for his sake. Because from the holiness of his name comes the root of our faith and strength, we are praying that God’s name be held in deepest respect by people everywhere.

The third principle calls us to have a vision of God’s kingdom. Hence, we pray to say: “Your kingdom come”; that is, we pray that humanity should consciously and willingly embrace the love and kingship of God that he is offering us.

The fourth principle invites us to dispose ourselves to embrace the will of God as we pray, saying: “You will be done on earth, as in heaven”. This is very important because it helps us to discern and be disposed to pray and live in accordance with the will of God. The fifth principle calls us to learn how to be contented with what we have and reject all forms of selfishness and greed as we say: “Give us today our daily bread,” which God surely provides.

The sixth principle calls us to make an examination of conscience and to seek reconciliation knowing how weak we are. Hence, we pray saying: “And forgive us our trespasses, as we have forgiven those who trespassed against us”. Here we make serious commitment and obligation, asking that the condition for God’s forgiveness of our sins should based on our readiness to forgive those who have offended us.

Finally, the seventh principle calls us to have total confidence in God’s providence, protection and guidance as we pray, saying: “And do not put us to the test, but save us from evil”. So here we acknowledge our weaknesses and our total dependence on God’s help against all the evil forces of this world.

Dear friends, I have no doubt that we know how to say Our Lord's Prayer, but knowing it is not enough, we have to pray it devotedly, but praying it is not, we have to believe in what we pray for, but believing is not enough, we must put it into practice in our daily lives.

This is because oftentimes, we treat prayer wrongly when we consider prayer as a means to only achieve what we desire, considering what God desires for us. Some of us spend lots of time reciting the prayers, and yet we do not often mean what we say because we have wrong dispositions born from unforgiving hearts, which must be redirected before we can get a positive response from God.

Therefore, it’s time for us to embrace these seven principles and change our perspective and wrong disposition towards prayers. It is time for us to spend more quality moments in prayer and be connected with God. We must make our prayers to be meaningful and genuine from our hearts. It is time for us to improve the quality of our prayer life by imitating Jesus, who always prayed to his heavenly Father at every possible opportunity.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in prayer, we build a strong relationship with you. Teach us how to pray more devotedly, for we really do not know how to pray as we ought; we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you God’s favour and blessings.

Sunday, 9 March 2025

Homily For Monday First week of Lent Year C, 10th, March 2025

 

Readings: Lev. 19:1-2.11-18; Ps.19; Matt. 25:31-46

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE DAY OF GREAT SEPARATION, WHERE WILL YOU BE?

As we continue with our Lenten journey, we are called today to look to the future with more insight into the ultimate goal of humanity, which is eternal life. In fact, this is evident in our Gospel passage today in which we heard of the account of the event of Last Judgment, when all of creation shall be judged by the Lord Jesus himself.

For he will return to the world as a triumphant King and judge humanity based on our actions, deeds and faith. Then will be time for great separation, when the good will be separated from the bad, holy from sinful, righteous from evil, sheep from goats of which their deeds will reveal our true identity.

Thus, the Lord will say to the righteous and those who have extended their love, care and affection for the needy, the poor and the afflicted, “Well done, Come you whom my Father has blessed; take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.”

But the wicked and the sinful, he will say, “Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you never gave me food; I was thirsty,, and you never gave me anything to drink; I was a strange,r, and you never made me welcome, nak, ed, and you never clothed me, sick and in pri, son, and you never visited me.”

So, they were judged by their refusal to follow the example of Christ our Lord, especially in his love, care and compassion towards one another. But had chosen to remain selfish, greedy, corrupt and wicked. Hence we are called to look towards the parousia, when all those who embraced Christ will be raised, having overcome all the hostile forces of this passing world.

Dear friends, no doubt that we are living in a world full of greed and selfish people, who are swallowed in values of egoism and materialism, with uncontrollable desires for pleasure. We are called today to embrace the teachings of Christ who has called us to live a life of love, care and compassion for one another. We are called to look into the future we an eye of hope and faith. Little wonder we are reminded in our first reading about the commandments of God, which call us to live a life of holiness, integrity, honesty and love.

Therefore, as we journey through this Lenten season, let us turn toward our Lord Jesus, following his teaching. Remember, following him means carrying our own cross, forgetting ourselves, and faithfully obeying his commandment of sacrificial love.

For it is by the blood of his cross, that Jesus reveals his sacrificial love, not in saving his life, but in offering it as a ransom for our salvation. Thus, trying to do away with the cross in our lives deprives our souls of these true love and loyalty to Christ our Lord who today wants to reign supreme in our hearts and souls.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we journey through this Lenten season, amidst the hostile forces and evil of this passing world, may we be victorious in all our struggles and endeavours. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful week.


Saturday, 8 March 2025

Homily For First Sunday of Lent Year C, 9th March, 2025

 
Readings: Deut. 26:4-10; Ps.91; Rom. 10:8-13; Luke 4:1-13

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

OVERCOMING OUR DAILY STRUGGLES AGAINST SINS AND TEMPTATIONS

Today is the first Sunday in this Holy Season of Lent. Lenten season, as we know, is a period of forty days set aside by the Church for the renewal and rediscovery of oneself in God and strengthened in our daily struggle against sin and temptations, which darkens our spiritual life.

So Lenten season is another opportunity for us to reconnect to God, to be reconciled with Him and to find our place once again in God’s loving grace. It is a time for us to turn away from excessive desires for worldly things to overcome many temptations we encounter in this world and so focus our attention more closely on God.

Hence the Church is offering us the opportunity during this Holy season to reflect on who we are, our mission and our purpose in this world. The Holy season of Lent is a moment of deep reflection, a season that prepares us for that great event of Easter.

It is a season when listening to God’s words leads us to develop some inner attitude that helps us become more aware of our Christian obligations and dignity. It is a period when the Church invites us to embark on a journey of repentance and penance that will lead us to reconciliation, forgiveness and restoration.

This Lenten journey is marked especially by three traditional dimensions that are: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These three traditional dimensions were demonstrated by Jesus in our Gospel passage today. Where Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, was led to pray and fast for forty days in the wilderness, and there he was tempted by the devil, just the way Adam and Eve were tempted by the devil, who planted the seeds of pride and greed in the hearts of humanity.

We can recall that in the beginning of time, God created everything good and perfect, and He made the first man, Adam and his companion, Eve, to live in the wonderful Garden of Eden. This means that mankind, all of us were actually meant to live with God in the fullness of His grace and love, to enjoy the wonders of God’s providence and blessings forever. However, we fell into sin as we were unable to resist the temptations to sin because of pride and greed and so separate ourselves from God’s presence.

But time and time again, God has always extended his hands of mercies towards humanity; he always wants to bring us back to himself, just as we heard in our first reading today, where the Lord intervened in the ugly situation of his chosen people.

For when the Egyptians ill-treated the people of Israel and inflicted harsh slavery on them. Then they called on the Lord, the God of their fathers. The Lord heard their voice and saw their misery, their toil and oppression. So he intervened and brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand and outstretched arm, with great terror, and with signs and wonders. God saved them and gave them a land where milk and honey flow.

Referring to this great event, St. Paul, in our second reading, says: If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved. By believing from the heart, you are made righteous; by confessing with your lips, you are saved, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

So Jesus, who has come to redirect the hearts of humanity back to God, where tempted today by Satan. However, he stood firm and conquered Satan and all his tricks and empty shows. Thereby reminding us about the promise we often make during our baptism. When we promised to reject sin and Satan with all his empty promises and shows while embracing God and his son Jesus, who has come to save us from sin and death.

Therefore, we are called to imitate Jesus in prayer. Through prayer,, we make room for God in our lives and express our desire to enter into a deep friendship with the Lord. Hence, we need to spend more time with God just like Jesus, bearing in mind that we cannot live by bread alone, we need the spiritual food of God's Word. Thus, we are called to withdraw from the world in order to encounter God and truly profess our faith in him.

Dear friends, God is calling us in this Holy season of Lent, to come back to him. The world has taken us far away from him; it's time to come back. Sin has separated us from God; it's time to come back and reconcile with him. Greediness, slots, unforgiveness, love of power and money, ambition, and unhealthy friendships have separated us from God; it’s time to come back to him.

It is time to say I am sorry, Lord; I am sorry for having deviated from you, and now is time to come back. It’s time to let go of hurtful feelings, it’s time to let go of malice and the bitterness in our hearts. It’s time to say yes! yes! to God and no! no! to all the distracting things of this passing world. It’s time to love, is time to share, is time to bear with one another's failings. It’s time to forgive those who have offended us and ask for forgiveness from those we have offended.

What is stopping us from embracing this opportunity? Is it fear of the future? Or fear of failure or death? Or Fear of what people will say, is it fear of losing our position and wealth. Fear not child of God, for the Psalmist tells us that He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High and abides in the shade of the Almighty says to the Lord: ‘My refuge, my stronghold, my God in whom I trust!’

Thus, God is calling us to come back and remain firm in him in order to overcome our daily struggles against sins and temptations. For he is offering us a new life. He is offering us the opportunity to gain our life back and obtain the grace to overcome sin and temptations. For he wants to create a pure heart in us and put a steadfast spirit within us. Therefore, do not let this Holy season of Lent pass you by. Don't miss this golden opportunity. I will not miss it, but I don’t know about you?

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we come back to you and embrace the events of this Holy season, may you give us the right disposition and fill our hearts with joy, peace and love. For those who find it difficult to live the Christian life, may they learn to draw strength and grace from Jesus so as to resist the devil and all of his empty shows. Amen. Happy Sunday, wishing you a fruitful Lenten season.


Homily For Saturday Second Week of Easter Year C, 3rd May, 2025. The Feast of SS Philip and James

  Readings: 1Cor 15:1-8; Ps.19;  John 14:6-14 Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia. LET US LEARN TO FOLLOW JESUS THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE...