Homily For Tuesday Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 8th July, 2025

Readings: Gen. 32:23-33 , Ps. 17, Matt 9:32-38

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE LORD NEEDS FAITHFUL LABOURERS IN HIS VINEYARD. ARE YOU ONE?

When we look critically at the streets, we will observe how people are struggling with the things of this passing world. We will fill their passion, their determination and willingness to achieve great things in life at the expense of things that prepare us for eternal life. Today, life has become nothing for some people. Greed, corruption and selfishness have rendered so many people into perpetual poverty and suffering.

Reflecting on these, my mind turned towards the words of Jesus in our Gospel passage today, when he saw the crowds and had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest’.

Here, Jesus had compassion on humanity who were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. He then says to his disciples that there is a huge harvest waiting to be reaped. Calling on us to pray for God to send labourers into his harvest.

Therefore, more labourers are needed, for Jesus sees how humanity is harassed and dejected, wandering aimlessly like sheep without a guiding shepherd. And because the souls of everyone in the world are so precious to Jesus, he needs many more labourers.

Hence, the harvest is as big as ever, and people are getting lost and clueless as never before. But who are these labourers? They are not just the bishops, priests, or religious men and women, but every baptised person is called in a different capacity as God’s labourers to share the good news of Jesus Christ with those around them.

So each of us has a vocation, a call to save souls and build the Kingdom of God together, just like Jacob in our first reading today, who wrestled with God and his name was changed to Israel, because he had been struggling against God; thus shall prevail against men.

Dear friends, the Lord desires to have faithful labourers. Are we among them? As labourers of the Lord, how are we carrying out this mission and mandate of Christ? How strong is our compassion towards others? Do we know people who are harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd? Let us look at them for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at them and saying something to them. Do we feel harassed and helpless as a result of what we are going through in life? Do we feel the need for Jesus’ help in some part of our lives? Then turn to him for restoration

Remember, as labourers, each one of us is called today to reach out to people at any particular corner of the field of harvest where we are now, for we may be the only person who may have access to reach out to them. Therefore, let us start from our families, neighbours, colleagues in the office and others whom we encounter in our lives, because we may be the only person who can bring the healing and compassion of Jesus into their lives.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, give us the grace and courage to be faithful labourers in your vineyard, who will labour to bring souls to you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Monday Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 7th July, 2025

 

Readings: Gen. 28:10-22 , PS 91, Matt 9:18-26

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE FAITH THAT YIELDS POSITIVE RESULTS

Today we are presented with the story of the faith of a woman with a haemorrhage set inside the story of a little girl who died, and the father in faith came to Jesus for help. However, Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8:40-56 tell the story in greater detail.

In Mark and Luke, the woman with the haemorrhage interrupts Jesus’ journey to the home of a child who might die before he arrives, creating an urgency that is not present in Matthew’s account. In Matthew’s account, the girl is already dead, so there is no hurry.

Here, the father confesses a resurrection faith, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” The father believes that even Jesus’ slightest touch will restore life to his daughter, as well as the woman with a haemorrhage.

The stories of the little girl and the woman have interesting similarities: Both are called “daughter” (9:18, 22). Both are restored in the presence of people (the woman and the father) who seek Jesus’ help. The woman has been ill for twelve years, and the little girl is twelve years old. Both the woman and the little girl have been cut off from normal society by their physical condition.

 But there are also differences between the stories. The father is a man of high standing in the community, and the woman is unclean and an outcast. The man approaches Jesus boldly, and the woman approaches him timidly. The girl was raised based on the father’s radical faith, and the woman was restored through her own faith, for she was very sure that the very moment she touched the Lord’s cloak, all her troubles were ended, for her body was made whole again.

This woman actually represents the sinful humanity in need of God’s mercy, salvation and restoration. Her bleeding signifies the iniquity of all humanity who are defiled by the constant shedding of innocent blood through violent wars and abortions, thereby unworthy of God’s presence.

Her reaching out to touch Jesus and her restoration signify the effort each one of us needs to make to reach out to God in order to be restored. And finally the willingness of Jesus to heal all of us just as he had healed the woman from all of her troubles. But this requires that we radically put our faith into action.

Thus, this passage simply tells us to have faith in God no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in, for faith is the only way to get to God in prayers. Just like Jacob, who prayed in our first reading today, saying: ‘If God goes with me and keeps me safe on this journey I am making, if he gives me bread to eat and clothes to wear, and if I return home safely to my father, then the Lord shall be my God. This stone I have set up as a monument shall be a house of God.

Dear friends, today we are made to know that it is not enough to have faith, we must radically put our faith into action, no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in. For it is through active faith that we can reach out to God in prayers and so obtain what we desire. Therefore, having faith in the Lord is very necessary in order to obtain God’s restoration.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for the gift of faith. Give us the grace and courage to put our gift of faith into positive action that yields positive results. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful week ahead. 

Homily For Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 6th July, 2025

 

Reading: Is. 66:10-14; Ps. 66; Gal.6:14-18; Luke 10:1-12.17-20

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

HAVING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS GOD’S CALL TO SERVE

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that the reason why God created us is to know, love, and serve him and to be with him in eternal joy. This can be seen as a foundational principle in Catholic faith and the essence of human existence. This affirms our belief that humanity's ultimate fulfilment comes from our relationship with God. 

For God whose nature is love, created us to share in that love and to participate in his divine life through service to him and to one another in fraternal charity. But the rebellious nature of humanity has always kept us away from responding to God's invitation to serve him as we find it difficult to actively participate in the mission of Christ. 

This is because we have always failed to understand God’s ways of doing things. However, God has not stopped caring and stretching his hands of love towards us. In every generation, God always send messengers to remind us of his love and plan for humanity.

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, we heard how the Lord appointed seventy-two persons and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he was to visit. He said to them: ‘The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, “Peace to this house! 

Here, Jesus gave us the nature and requirements for carrying out his missionary mandate successfully. So, to continue this great mission, he invites his disciples and sends them out, commanding them to see themselves as someone who gives freely of the good they have received from God. 

Hence, we should offer to others what we have received from  God, knowing that it has cost us nothing. We must live a life of detachment that is, in this mission, we are to depend totally on God's providence. Unfortunately, many of the disciples have to face rejection and persecution from people, who, through their rebellious attitude, have refused to believe in God, even though He has always been so patient, loving, caring and forgiving us.

Thus, we heard  Paul in our second reading today saying: the only thing I can boast about is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. It does not matter if a person is circumcised or not; what matters is for him to become a new creature. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule. And prophet Isaiah in our first reading said: rejoice, Jerusalem, be glad for her, all you who love her! Rejoice, rejoice for her, all you who mourned her! 

Dear friends, what is our attitude towards the missionary mandate of Christ? How has the Word of God shaped our lives? How are we contributing towards the missionary mandate of Christ? As disciples of Christ, we have received a lot from God without payment; we should learn to give without expecting reward. 

Therefore,  we are called to acknowledge with gratitude all that we have received from God and give freely to others that which we have received. For this act of charity will purify us from pride and self-righteousness, because we are all recipients of God's love, mercy, forgiveness, favour, protection, healing and deliverance. So, may we learn to respond to God’s call and serve in fraternal charity. Hence, we must offer to others these same gifts which we have received.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today you gave us the requirements and nature of our missionary mandate. Help us to effectively follow these requirements and so fulfil your plan for humanity. We ask this through Christ our Lord Amen. God bless you. 

Homily For Saturday of Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 5th July, 2025

 

Readings: Gen. 27:1-5.15-29; Ps. 135; Matt 9:14-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

DO NOT MIX YOUR NEW LIFE OF GRACE WITH OLD LIFE OF SIN

Today our attention is drawn to the gift of New Life which Jesus is offering to humanity. A gift that differentiates his disciples from other people. This is evident in our Gospel passage today, where we read about the observation made by the disciples of John the Baptist concerning the relationship between Jesus and his disciples and their new ways of doing things.

So they came to Jesus and asked him a question regarding their manner of fasting and feasting. Jesus used this opportunity to educate them about the New Life of grace which he has come to offer humanity.

He said to them: Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast. For no one puts a piece of unshrunken cloth onto an old cloak, because the patch pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; if they do, the skins burst, the wine runs out, and the skins are lost. No; they put new wine into fresh skins and both are preserved.

Here Jesus gave two responses to the question. First, people do not fast when they are in the company of the bridegroom which is a time for celebration. For Jesus is the groom and as long as he is around, it would be inappropriate for his disciples to fast.

However, a time will come when the groom will no longer be with them, then they will surely fast, telling us that fasting should be done at the right time for the right reasons. Moreover, being in relationship with Jesus is more important, because, what the bridegroom is to the bride, that is what Jesus is to the souls of all who believe in him.

So, as his bride, he loves us with a deep and everlasting love. He pays all our debts to God; he supplies all our daily needs; he sympathises with us in all our troubles; he bears with all our infirmities, and does not reject us because of our weaknesses. He regards us as part of himself: We share in the glory that he has received from his Father.

These are the privileges of all true Christians who are called to the heavenly kingdom. So Jesus is teaching us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not a matter of ritual or ceremonious fasting or feasting. But it is about building a personal relationship with God, who loves us personally and unconditionally.

In the second response, Jesus shows that he is bringing something totally new which should not be mixed with the old way of life. This he emphasised with the importance of pouring new wine into fresh wineskins and the need to avoid using a new cloak to patch an old one.

Here, the fresh wineskins refer to a new heart that has put off the old cloak of sin and looks forward to the new wine of grace through the process of conversion. This is totally different in the case of Isaac in our first reading today, who was deceived by Rebekah and Jacob to steal the blessing of Esau.

Dear friends, what is that old garment in our lives that we are patching with the new? What is that old wine of habitual sin that we are pouring into the new wine skins of our redeemed and purified soul? Today we are called to a fresh response towards embracing the New Life of grace which Jesus is offering us. We must not mix our old life of sin with the new life of grace Jesus is offering us. As we think about these, let us struggle to avoid our old sinful ways of life and fully embrace the new righteous way of life that God is offering us.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, You are the source of our new life, grant us the grace of true and total conversion so as to find such great Joy in your abundant Life of grace and mercy, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and peaceful weekend.

Homily For Friday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 4th July, 2025

 

Reading: Gen. 23:1-4.19;24:1-8.62-67; Ps. 106; Matt. 9:9-13

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

UNDERSTANDING THE DESIRE OF JESUS FOR SINFUL HUMANITY 

There is no doubt that Jesus had been calling people from different walks of life to be part of his mission, but today’s call and choice of Matthew, a man identified with sinners because of his work as a tax collector, was quite strange to some people. 

Little wonder that in our Gospel passage today, after Jesus had called Matthew to follow him, he had a dinner in his house and while at the dinner, it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. This is because to follow Jesus, Matthew needs to abandon his lucrative job, knowing that he can never regain it. Also, he needs to cut himself off from his old network of friends. 

So, it seems likely that, in a spirit of joy, Matthew invites Jesus and his disciples for a great feast at his house. But the Pharisees felt bad and offended about Jesus sharing a meal with "sinners". So they complained to his disciples saying: “Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this he replied, “It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: I desire mercy, not sacrifice. For I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.” 

Here we heard the innermost desire of Jesus for sinful humanity in need of salvation. Because the call of Matthew is like the call of each of us, a choice that demonstrates Jesus' desire for sinners to repent. For all he desires is mercy and not sacrifices, repentance and not pride. Jesus is calling us to repentance, he is inviting us to make a fundamental choice for God, just like St Matthew, who, though a sinner, rose up and followed Jesus at his call for repentance; we too are to respond to this invitation without delay. 

Dear friends, as Christians who are called to follow the Lord, how are we responding to God's call? How are we relating to those we judge to be sinners, and what efforts are we making to convert sinners? Therefore, we are called today to let St. Matthew be an inspiration and hope for everyone of us. Let him be an example that will remind us that there is no one beyond the reach of God’s mercy and love. 

For he is capable of transforming our ugly ways of life into a glorious instrument for human salvation, just like Abraham and Isaac in our first reading today, for the Lord consoled them with the gift of Rebekah, Sarah, who had passed on. Remember, Jesus desires mercy and not sacrifice and we are all invited to follow him along the way of salvation and not to condemn or judge anyone. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, despite our sinfulness, you called and chose us to be instruments of your salvation to all humanity. As we learn from St. Matthew, give us the grace to make good choices that will help us to respond positively to your call for repentance and evangelisation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.  Have a fruitful day.

Homily For Thursday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 3rd July. The Feast of St Thomas the Apostle

 

Readings: Eph. 2:19-22, PS 117:1.2, John 20:24-29

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

“DOUBT NO LONGER BUT BELIEVE”: AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS

In our world today there are great reasons why people may possibly have doubts about their faith in God and in Jesus. Because of the ugly attitude of deception, manipulation, exaggeration, corruption and flamboyant lifestyle of false prophets and preachers in our societies, these can really make it difficult for people to become true and faithful believers in our world today. 

Little wonder that people are scandalised by the actions and behaviour of some believers. Some have given up their faith, some are about to give up, some are just confused while a lot of people are just holding on to the little faith they have based on their little personal experience and encounter with the Divine. This disposition can be likened to that of St. Thomas whose feast we are celebrating today. 

St. Thomas, one of the great Apostles of Jesus, journeyed with Jesus and experienced his great miracles, listened to his teaching, and witnessed his passion and death. But as his faith could not bear it, he doubted the resurrection of Jesus based on other people's testimony. He could not believe it because it was too real to be true, so he sought a personal experience and encounter with Jesus. 

As a result of this, Jesus appeared to him on the occasion of our Gospel passage today and said to him: Thomas, ‘put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe’. Here Jesus offered the scarred side of his wounds for the disbelieving disciple to touch and so healed the wound of his disbelief.

Through this personal encounter of the risen Lord, he believed; looking at one who was a true man, he cried out that this is God, the God he could not see. So, faith is no longer necessary, all that matters now for Thomas is to share his personal experience with everyone who cares to listen. 

Tradition has it that, at the dispersal of the Apostles after Pentecost, Thomas was sent to evangelize the Parthians, Medes, and Persians; he ultimately reached India, sharing his experience and carrying the Faith to the Malabar coast, which still boasts a large native population calling themselves "Christians of St. Thomas.” He shed his blood for what he is convinced of. He was speared to death at a place called Calamine. 

But, what about you and I who today have experienced the Lord, having journeyed with Jesus as long as we have come to embrace the Christian faith. What can we say about our personal encounter and experience of the person of Jesus? Are we really convinced about the faith we profess? Are we still at the level of faith based on what we hear or read about Jesus?

 Have we really and truly encountered the person of Jesus in such a way that our faith has no doubt anymore, such that we can truly say like St. Thomas, "My Lord and My God"? The fact remains that we need to personally experience the risen Lord if we are to bear authentic witness.

Dear friends, today we are encouraged to believe without seeing, but this can really be very difficult in a world of empiricism, yet we are still called to truly embrace this faith without doubting despite all the ugly human attitudes that are kicking against our faith. For Jesus said to Thomas, Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. Therefore, we need to support each other. We need to strengthen our community life, especially during this difficult moment in our country and world at large. 

This is necessary, because the first Christians supported one another by praying, worshipping and sharing the word of God and their resources together. And St Paul in our first reading encouraged us to remain faithful and strong, for we are no longer aliens or foreign visitors in the affairs of God; rather, we are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. For we are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself is the main cornerstone. Thus, let us unite together as believers and bear authentic witness to our faith. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we struggle in this dark and trying moment in our lives, when your presence seems far away from the world, help us through the intercession of St Thomas, never to doubt whatever you have revealed through your son. May we rather be steadfast in faith, joyful in hope and untiring in loving you and our neighbours, especially in this time when the Gospel is under all kinds of threats by faithless and ignorant people. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful week.

Homily For Wednesday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 2nd July, 2025

 

Reading: Gen. 21:5.8-20; Ps. 34; Matt. 8:28-34

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE AUTHORITY TO OVERCOME EVIL IS IN JESUS

A critical study of the scriptures, it seemed as if Jesus lived in a world of hostility, political and family divisions, as well as the conflict between good and evil, just like we have in our societies today. Thus, every day is a struggle against the malice of the evil ones, and people are doing everything they can to overcome them.

Little wonder that our Gospel passage today presents to us Jesus’ encounter with two demoniacs from the countryside of Gadarenes, who had been tormenting the community. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way.

So when they saw Jesus, they started shouting, ‘What do you want with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before the time?’ And Jesus said to them, Go, and they came out from the men and immediately entered the pigs and the pigs rushed into the lake and perished in the water.

Here, we are called to recognise that the presence of Jesus in the world brings about victory over the evil ones. Demons recognise Jesus as the power of God. And his power over demons is a direct defeat of the evil ones. The restoration of the two demoniacs signifies the inauguration of God's kingdom in the world.

It also signifies the healing of God’s people who had sinned and disobeyed God by abandoning His precepts and laws, preferring instead the wicked ways of life and worldly practices which lead to destruction.

This is evident in our first reading today, where we heard the story of Abraham and his two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. For while Ishmael was born of a slave woman named Hagar, Isaac was born of Abraham’s wife Sarah, so he was the lawful and legal heir of Abraham. But this created friction between Ishmael and Isaac, because Ishmael was older and the supposed heir before Isaac was born.

However, he had been superseded by Isaac, the true heir. To resolve this conflict, Abraham sent both Hagar and her son Ishmael away after providing them with some food and water. They both wandered in the desert and in places without food and sustenance. It was then that Hagar cried out to the Lord for mercy and compassion, which the Lord heard and sent his Angels to help Hagar and her son Ishmael.

Dear friends, today each and every one of us is called to seek good and not evil, to promote justice and integrity, lest we be enslaved, rejected and possessed by the evil of this world, just like the two demoniacs that lived in the wilderness away from other people.

We must know that no matter how great our sins may have been, God alone has the power to heal us and to bring us back to Himself. And Jesus has given us the gift of his presence in the person of the Holy Spirit, which God has bestowed on us in our baptism.

In this gift resides the power and authority to confront the evil of this world and overcome it. For Jesus wishes to set us free from sickness, forces, power and manipulations of the evil ones. He desires to be with us as we struggle every day to overcome the evil in our lives, our families, our societies and the world at large. Therefore, we should not be afraid to stand firm against the manipulations of the devil, because Jesus will not abandon us in this battle of life.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the world is full of evil and wickedness, give us the grace to seek what is good and hate what is evil, and as we struggle every day to do your will, may your presence be felt and drive away all evil in our midst through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.