Homily For Saturday Fifth Week of Lent Year C, 12th April, 2025

 

Readings: Ezek.37:21-28; Ps.31; John 11:45-56

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHEN THEIR PLAN FOR OUR DOWNFALL TURN TO OUR VICTORY

Oftentimes, we do things without knowing or understanding the full meaning of what we are doing. Sometimes, we feel or think that we can change God’s plan by frustrating the effects of others, but later, we discover that we are unknowingly fulfilling the plan of God for them.

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, where we heard how the Jewish authorities were filled with rage on account of the news of the resurrection of Lazarus which increased the popularity of Jesus. So they convoked a council to discern how to get rid of him.

For them, this man works many signs, and people are now believing in him. If we let him go on this way, everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and suppress the Holy Place and their nation. They were jealous and afraid not just of the Romans but also of possibly losing the temple and even the privileged position of the priests.

Thus, Caiaphas, being the high priest, decided that one man should die for the people, and the whole nation should perish. Though being the high priest, he did not just speak, but unknowingly, was prophesying that Jesus had to die to save humanity from sin and death.

Dear friends, have you ever planned the downfall of someone, and your plans become a stepping stone for their victory? This happens because our actions and attitudes are often like that of the Jewish authorities. We condemn people out of jealousy and unnecessary fear we feel because of what God is doing through them.

Sometimes, we feel threatened and intimidated by people’s good deeds and blessings, because we don’t see the need to appreciate them or see the hands of God in what they do. This is very bad and should not be seen among us. The truth is that God has a plan for everyone.

God’s plan for Jesus is to save humanity, which he had promised through prophet Ezekiel as we heard him in our first reading today saying: “I shall rescue them from all the betrayals they have been guilty of; I shall cleanse them; they shall be my people and I will be their God”.

This, no doubt, is what this season of Lent is all about, calling us to prepare ourselves well to celebrate the upcoming mysteries of the Holy Week by embracing it with openness to God’s mercy and renewed faith and obedience to God’s will.

Let us all spend some time to reflect on how we can enter into the most sacred time of this season, so that we may truly have a personal experience of God’s presence so as to grow more spiritually and be ever closer to God our Father.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, you promised to guard us as a shepherd guards his flock, to turn our mourning into joy and to give gladness for grief. May this Holy Season of Lent remind us again of your loving mercy for humanity. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a grace-filled weekend.

Homily For Friday Fifth Week of Lent Year C, 11th April, 2025

 

Readings: Jer.20:10-13; Ps.18; John 10:31-42

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HAVING THE RIGHT IMAGE OF GOD IN OUR HEARTS

Coming very close to the peak of our Lenten season, when we recall the great price Jesus paid for our redemption. The Gospel passage today reminds us of the trouble Jesus has to bear from the Jewish authorities on account of his personality.

This is the same with the prophet Jeremiah, who was also persecuted terribly and suffered at the hands of those who used to be his friends, as we have it in our first reading today. Here we heard of his lamentations and words for all those who have persecuted and plotted against him.

So, in the same way, Jesus was being misunderstood and persecuted by the people who should understand him better. Hence, he challenged them to accept his personality as the Son of God who reveals the love of the Father and gives eternal life. But because of the unclear image of God they have in their minds they could not accept the teachings of Jesus in relation to God the Father. Thus, they tried to stone him.

Dear friends, oftentimes we behave the same way, where in the name of God, some persons are ready to kill others. In fact, throughout history, Jews, Christians and Muslims have fought in the name of God. Today the same thing is still happening in our societies and countries. These ugly attitudes will continue to happen because we do not have the right image of the God whom we claim to be serving.

The Jews condemned Jesus because of the particular image they had of God, which prevented them from accepting the teachings of Jesus, and since they were also deeply biased and prejudiced against Jesus, it was difficult for any words of truth or reason to change their minds. So, they persecuted the Lord just as their ancestors had persecuted Jeremiah and the other prophets.

Similarly, through our disobedience, pride and ignorance, we may have behaved or behaved just like those in our readings who have persecuted the prophets and also refused to listen to the truth of what Jesus has told us about his personality. But brethren, what image of God do we have in our minds? Is it the image of a God who is Pure, Loving and Merciful? Or an image of one who dominates others and condemns them?

LET US PRAY: Lord God, may this season of Lent guide us to have a true image of you in our minds and may this image reflect in our relationship with others. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day. 

Homily For Thursday Fifth Week of Lent Year C, 10th April 2025

 

Readings: Gen. 17:3-9; Ps.: 105; John:8:51-59

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DON’T REJECT THE MYSTERIES OF GOD BUT DEVELOP A DIVINE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING THEM

Today, we see how Jewish authorities find it very difficult to believe in the teachings of Jesus, but ordinary people who experience his miracles and teachings accept them as coming from God.

Hence, in our Gospel passage, the Jews continue to challenge the identity and personality of Jesus. They could not understand his words and actions. So, they continue to misinterpret the real meaning of what he says because they took it literally.

Here, Jesus made a very strange claim about his identity and insisted he would be lying if he were to say he did not know the Father. To emphasise this, Jesus said: truly truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am. This brought more arguments with the people who wished to stone him. But, John, in this gospel, goes to great lengths to help us believe that Jesus not only came from God but is God.

This shows us the difference between the way Jesus chooses to reveal himself and the way the Jewish authorities perceive him. Jesus wants us to develop a divine way of looking at things with deeper meaning, especially as he brings things to life, just as we heard in our first reading how the promise made to Abraham looks impossible when looked at literally but divinely came through and well fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.

Dear friends, having heard the teachings and works of Jesus in the scriptures and traditions of the Church, the question remains: personally, what is your disposition and understanding of the personality and identity of Jesus? Who is Jesus to you? As we can see, the Jewish authorities did not believe in Jesus because they could not understand the divine life of Jesus.

They could not understand his relationship with God the Father. That the Father gives glory to Jesus since it is His divinity that he manifests and, by so doing, glorifies the Father. We are called today to develop a divine way of understanding the mysteries of God but not rejecting them because we do not understand them. Thus, during this season of Lent, let us turn towards God once again with all our hearts and devote our whole lives to seeking to know Him more.

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, as we meditate on your passion this season of Lent, may we experience the power of your presence to embrace more deeply your sacred mysteries. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Wednesday Fifth Week of Lent Year C, 9th April, 2025

 

Readings: Dan. 3:14-20,24-25,28; Ps.: Dan. 3:52-56; John:8:31-42

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

WHY WE SHOULD EMBRACE THE TRUTH 

As our Lenten season draws closer to the events of Holy Week, the Gospel reading continues with the contentious dialogue between Jesus and the Jews. Here, Jesus told the Jews who believed in him that if they continued to know his word, they would learn the truth, and the truth would set them free. 

But the Pharisees take offence at this statement. As descendants of Abraham, they were free and never slaves to anyone. But this is not the case. In fact, the Jews were continuously enslaved by foreign powers.

 

Nevertheless, Jesus is talking about a different kind of freedom, that is, freedom from the slavery of sin. Sin makes us slaves to the devil. To be free from sin is the desire of every disciple of Christ and this freedom comes from knowing the truth found in the word of God. 

This is the truth that kept  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from succumbing to the request of  King Nebuchadnezzar to worship the status he has made as we heard in our first reading today. So, they answered: if our God, the one we serve, can save us from the burning fiery furnace and from your power, O king, he will save us; and even if he does not, then you must know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the statue you have erected.’

Dear friends, these men stood for what they believed; how far can we stand for the truth we professed in Christ? We are called today to embrace the truth found in the word of God. We are called to stand for the truth we have found in Christ. We are called to make truth our habit for the truth will surely set us free. So, we are called to defend the faith we profess in Christ. 

But how many of us who want to be disciples of Christ have truly made his word our own? How much of his word resides in us? Have we not personally experienced the Lord’s mercy and love through the scriptures?  Therefore, we are called to be more devoted and pay heed to the instructions of Jesus who tells us to be truly faithful to God.

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, help us to have a personal experience of you through the scriptures and so develop deeper love and interest in your word and find in it true freedom, happiness and peace, especially in this challenging moment in our world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you the best of God’s favour and blessings.

Homily For Tuesday Fifth Week of Lent Year C, 8th April 2025

 

Readings: Num.21:4-9; Ps. 102; John:8:21-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU REFLECT ON THE CROSS OF CHRIST?

The symbol of the cross has become the universal image of Christian belief, an instrument of salvation which often appears in Christian artworks. This is because countless generations of artists have turned it into a thing of beauty to be carried in procession or worn as jewellery and other religious activities.

But, the cross, in the eyes of early Christians, had no beauty; it was a sign of sorrow, a symbol of courage, an expression of faith which stood outside the city walls, decorated only with decaying human bodies, as a threat to anyone who believes in Jesus.

However, this ugly event has turned into a glorious act? Which shows the power of God over humanity. Telling us that God is the source of victory, He has the power to turn an ugly situation into a glorious one.

This is evident in our first reading today, where we heard of the rebellion of Israel against God and their lack of gratitude and appreciation for all that God had done for them. The people had repeatedly grumbled and disobeyed the Lord, spurning his love, committing all sorts of sins and betraying God for pagan idols.

At this God sent fiery serpents among the people; their bite brought death to many in Israel. Then, they cried to Moses, confessing that they had sinned against God. So Moses interceded and made a fiery serpent and put it on a standard. So, if anyone is bitten and looks at it, will live.

That's why in our Gospel today, Jesus is reminding us yet again how sin leads to death and how he is going to die, as he has repeatedly mentioned to his disciples his upcoming passion and death. He mentioned how he would suffer and die and be lifted up on the Cross for the salvation of humanity, pointing out the true reality of what had happened with Moses and the Israelites.

The truth is that God revealed his love, his greatest glory, when his Son was lifted up on the cross, for there, the victory of our salvation was achieved, and at the Cross, Jesus told us everything and solved all our difficult problems.

Dear friends, as we struggle with the ugly situation in our lives, societies and the world at large caused by sin and human frailty, thereby leading to the death of many people and the restriction of human movement and interaction, let us deeply look at the Cross of Christ, what do we see? How do we feel about the Cross? What does the Cross represent in our life?

Do we feel the love of Jesus? Can we perceive the expensive price of our salvation? As we reflect on these, let us return to God, for it is time to let go of our sinful ways of life. But what is keeping us from returning to God? Today, we are called not to die in our sins; rather, we should look up to the Cross of Christ and find the strength and mercy of God.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, your Son paid the price of our salvation on the cross and saved us from sin and death. As we resolve to embrace his mercy, may he change all the ugly situations in the world, societies and our families. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. It's a beautiful day, so cheer up, because God cares about you personally.

Homily For in Fifth Week of Lent Year C, 7th April 2025

Homily For in Fifth Week of Lent Year C, 7th April 2025

Readings: Dan.13:41-62; Ps. 23; John 8:12-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LET THE LIGHT OF CHRIST THE LIGHT OF CHRIST ILLUMINATE THE DARKNESS OF SIN IN OUR LIVES

In the scripture, the theme of light is well emphasized, but oftentimes we struggle between the powers of light and darkness. In most discourse on the theme of light, Jesus refers to himself as the light of the world as we have it in our Gospel passage today when he said: ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life”

Here, Jesus presents himself as the image of God and the light of the world as he declares his mission in the world. And his mission is not to judge the world but to save it. But this may seem contradictory as we know that the presence of light brings judgment to darkness, and Jesus said, You judge by human standards; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgement is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, this is what the Pharisees failed to understand.

The fact is that there is no contradiction in these statements, for Jesus had come from the Father, bearing the light of his love, revealed by his word and deed. Those who receive him walk in this light. Those who reject him stumble around in the darkness. However, the primary purpose of his first coming was not to judge the world but to provide salvation to the world through his passion and death.

But referring to the concept of judgment on the last day, this is implicit in the second coming of Jesus, because the light of the risen Lord will divide people into those who come to it and those who hide from it. Therefore the first coming is not to judge but to save, while the second coming will be for judgment, for light will surely be separated from darkness and all that is not of light. This is what plays out in our first reading today in the story of Susanna.

Dear friends, today we are called to walk in the light of Christ, for every day is an opportunity for us to examine ourselves to know if there are areas in our lives that still remain in the darkness of this passing world. It’s time for us to get rid of them, it’s time to let the light of Christ's presence illuminate the darkness of sin and shame in our lives. It’s time to embrace the salvation which Jesus has won for us for tomorrow may be too late.

It’s time to let the light of Christ in us illuminate the world through our ways of life. Let us, like Daniel in our first reading today, discern carefully through the power of the Holy Spirit how best we can spread the Good News of Jesus, the light of the world, who has won salvation for all the people who embrace the light of his word.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we have come to know Jesus as the true light of the world, make us instruments of your light in the darkness in our families, societies and the world at large, so that by our worthy way of life, we may bring others to the fullness of life in you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed week.

HOMILY FOR FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR C, 6th April, 2025

Readings: Isaiah 43:16-21; Ps. 126; Phil. 3:8-14; John 8:1-11

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

LORD, MAY YOUR WISDOM AND MERCY VINDICATE US WHEN SIN CONDEMNS US

One of the things that separate us from God and one another is sin. Sin brings us down from glory to nothingness. Sin was and still is the cause of humanity’s problems. Sin can bring down a whole generation; It can bring down a whole community, society, group, tribe, family and even a nation. Oftentimes, we fall and fall again into sin and shame and as a result, many have been swallowed and condemned by sin.

Sin, no doubt has left an ugly legacy on human history. The more we advance the more sin advance with us. Sin has never and can never offer us any good; all it does is to bring us down, down to condemnation, but God, out of his love for us, will not let us be condemned to death, just as we heard in our Gospel passage today.

Here, we heard how the Pharisees led a woman caught in the act of adultery to Jesus, condemning her to death by stoning in accordance with Jewish customs and laws. They attempted to use her to test Jesus, hoping that through his response, they would trap him down and condemn him to death as well.

This is because they knew that if Jesus had condemned the woman, then the people could then say that Jesus was following the example of the Pharisees and, therefore, discredit his teaching authority. And if Jesus said that the woman should be set free, the Pharisees then could condemn Jesus for siding with a sinner.

Here again, the wisdom and mercy of God vindicated the woman when Jesus asked for those who had no sin to cast the first stone on the woman. This is a perfectly wise set of words to say on that occasion, as it is a reality that everyone has sinned before, and the longer one has lived, the more sins naturally he or she could have committed.

So they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained standing there. He looked up and said, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir’ she replied. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus ‘go away, and do not sin any more'.

Dear friends the the wisdom and mercy of God will always vindicate us when sin condemns us. For such is the love and mercy of God for each one of us. This shows the fact that God loves us all, and his love for us is even greater than the hatred he has for our sins. And for all those who have faith in him and put their trust in him, God will provide for them and protect them, just as he did for this adulterous woman. So, God wants us all to repent and be cleansed from our sins, our wickedness, immorality, corruption and selfishness.

The Lord is repeating the same words he told the adulterous woman, that she had been forgiven and yet, she must not sin again. Telling us that sin is something that we must struggle daily to overcome, knowing that God is ever-loving and merciful towards us. But we must not take his love and mercy for granted and continue to live in a state of sin. We must let go of our sinful ways of life.

Little wonder St. Paul, in our second reading today, said: I have accepted the loss of everything, and I look on everything as so much rubbish if only I can gain Christ and be given a place in him. And in our first reading, we heard God through the prophet Isaiah saying: I will remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? For I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers and the desert for my people.

This tells us that God has not and will not abandon us in this state of sin. Yes, sin may bring us down; it’s time to get up. Though sin may have taken us away from God, it is time to come back; sins may have destroyed our relationship with God and our neighbours; it is time to reconcile with God and with one another. Sin may have condemned us to death, but God wants to raise us up again.

Therefore, as we approach the Holy Week, Jesus uses this example to explain to us how God searches for us when we are lost in sin and his joy when our friendship with him is restored. His searching for us cost him his life. This can help us realize how precious we are to him. He never gives up on anyone, we should not give up on him.

So, are we lost in sin? Have we given up in our struggle against sin? Do you think that your sins are so deep that God cannot forgive you? Do you feel lost now? Are you busy condemning other people because of their sinful state of life? Are you like the Pharisees who are trying to test God’s wisdom and mercy? Jesus is waiting for us to come back to him.

Brethren, when was the last time we sincerely felt very sorry for our habitual sins? When was your last sacramental confession? When are you going to say no to sin and let go of that stone of pride and condemnation of others? Though sin may bring us down God’s wisdom and mercy will not let us be condemned by sin and sinful people. I just want you to know that God loves you, and his mercy will not let you be condemned by sin, for you are too precious to be lost or condemned in this sinful world.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, you never stopped saving those who come to you for mercy, especially when we have separated ourselves from you because of sin. As we embrace your words today. May we experience your mercy once again in our lives. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a Grace-filled Sunday celebration.