Homily For Wednesday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 29th October, 2025

 

Readings: Rom. 8:26-30; Ps 13; Luke 13:22-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

TRY TO PASS THROUGH THE NARROW GATE OF LIFE 

Life is nothing but a temporal assignment, a journey which begins in the morning so beautiful, full of expectations and hope, but the sojourner has no knowledge of his/her destination, purpose and end. The only guide is his/ her willingness to constantly follow the directives of the Sender who communicates his plans and purposes to those who care and are willing to listen. 

Thus, the emptiness and shortness of life make me reflect on my future as a human person and the question that comes to my mind is: "Where will you and I, and the beautiful things of this world be in the next one, ten, twenty, forty, eighty and hundred years for those who are strong? 

The deep silence in my soul could not offer me any answer to this question; rather, it exposed before me the teachings of Jesus in our Gospel passage today when he said: Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed. For once, the master of the house has got up and locked the door, you may find yourself knocking on the door, saying, “Lord, open to us”, but he will answer, “I do not know where you come from.

Here, Jesus calls our attention to the reality of life which we must not take for granted, that is the need for us to follow the teachings of the Lord, for humanity have failed to embrace the life of truth, holiness and love for God and for one another that seems difficult and narrow to them, but prefers to follow the destructive ways of life that is born out of pride, greed and uncontrollable desire for worldly things. 

This is because the things of this passing world are so captivating and many people have been captured by its seductive power and are greatly following it.  We must not be victims of this ugly situation. Rather, we must learn to submit ourselves to the directives of the Holy Spirit for he is always ready to guide us along the narrow ways of life.

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading today says that: The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness. For when we cannot choose words to pray properly, the Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words.

Dear friends, the worst thing that can happen to us at the last moment of our life is to hear the Lord say: I do not know where you come from. The fact remains that life is indeed very short and the road that leads to death and destruction is truly wide and very captivating, of which many are captives of its seductive power. 

But the road to life is becoming narrower and narrower because humanity is working so hard to expand the seductive roads and gates of destruction against the narrow gate of life. 

Therefore, we are called to embrace the narrow gate and road that leads to eternal life. We must work harder by resisting all the temptations and sinful things of this passing world and embracing the life of love and sacrifice which Jesus has offered us.

 So, let us turn towards God with all our hearts by removing from our hearts all forms of pride, greed and unhealthy desires that lead us astray down the path of destruction.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, our journey of life depends on you and today you have called us to follow the narrow gate of love and sacrifice. But the seductive road of this passing world is really captivating, and many are victims of its power. Grant us the grace to resist it, but journey through the path and gate that leads to eternal life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. May God bless your little efforts in life and guide you always.

Homily For Tuesday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 28th October, 2025. The Feast of SS Simon and Jude

 

Readings: Eph.2:19-22, Ps  19, Luke 6:12-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

As CITIZENS OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD, HOW ARE WE FULFILLING THE MISSION OF CHRIST

Will you leave? We you care? Will you risk? Will you let the Lord lead you? These are questions of great demand which every true disciple must constantly reflect on in life, in order to be aware of the seriousness of the commitment required of each of us as a disciple of Jesus. 

This great demand is presented to us in our liturgy today as we celebrate the feast day of two great apostles, St. Simon and St. Jud,e, and our readings propel us to reflect on our call to discipleship. 

In the Gospel we heard how Jesus, after deep prayer, called from among his disciples twelve apostles, of whom Simon and Jude were part of the twelve. Simon also known as the Zealot, was a member of the Zealots, the extremists who fought for the freedom of the Israelites against the Romans at the time of Jesus. While St. Jude, often referred to as St. Jude Thaddeus, was a member of the extended family of Jesus.

These two apostles, along with others, followed the Lord faithfully throughout his ministry. Simon, though a member of the Zealots, abandoned his previous life as a freedom fighter to become a great missionary along with St. Jude Thaddeus, who was the probable author of the Epistle of St. Jude. 

These two apostles together served the Lord and reached out to many people and evangelised many nations. That is why both of them are celebrated together today, because of their missionary zeal and commitment to God even to the very end of their lives.

 

Tradition has it that Simon spread the Gospel to places like Persia and Armenia, Egypt and Ethiopia, and along with Jude, they evangelised throughout Judea, Samaria, Persia, Armenia and other places. Sadly, after many decades of their missionary activities, these two great apostles were martyred in Lebanon. 

They committed themselves wholeheartedly to the mission of Christ and his Church, and they converted many and established firm foundations of the Christian faith in many places. Little wonder St Paul in our first reading tells us that we are fellow citizens of God’s household that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone.

Dear friends, evangelisation is the very nature and essence of the Church. And Jesus gives us the mandate and the commission to evangelise, that is, to announce the Good News to all the nations and to spread the Gospel to every creature. This commission is shared by all those who are baptised, both priests and lay faithful. 

Everyone has a particular responsibility to share in the work of proclaiming the Gospel. Today, we should ask ourselves, how have we proclaimed the Gospel to the world? What efforts are we making to ensure that the mandate Christ entrusted to us is carried out effectively in our generation? 

Therefore, at this moment when the world is confused, because we have removed God out of our daily lives, at this time when we have placed our hope in the activities of the human person who seems to have taken the place of God, at this time when our governments, scientists, doctors, lawyers, professors and even pastors assumed the place of God, which of course have brought about the ugly situation we are facing in our societies today. 

We and reminded once again about our very mission, for it is time to take this mandate very seriously, because it is our responsibility to fulfil our promises to God and ensure that the Christian faith is preached and sustained in the world and by so doing save humanity once again from sin, death and destruction.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are lost in this world, we are confused because we have cut ourselves off from You our cornerstone, as we come back to you once again, please give us the grace to preach the Gospel following the examples of saints Simon and Jude, may we learn from their teaching and walk faithfully in the footsteps of Christ and by so doing draw humanity back to You once again.  We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Monday Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 27th October, 2025

 

Readings:  Roman 8:12-17; Ps 68;  Luke 13:10-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

NO LAW SHOULD RESTRICT US FROM ENSURING THE WELLBEING OF THE HUMAN PERSON 

 

From the scriptures, it seems like every encounter that the Pharisees had with Jesus was always aimed at finding fault with what Jesus was doing. This is because they are jealous of the great work of Jesus. But to their great surprise, Jesus will always escape and use that opportunity to communicate an important message to the people. 

Such was the occasion of our Gospel passage today. When on a Sabbath day Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a woman was there who for eighteen years had been possessed by a spirit that left her enfeebled; she was bent double and quite unable to stand upright.

 

When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, ‘Woman, you are rid of your infirmity,’ and he laid his hands on her. And at once she straightened up, and she glorified God. But the synagogue official was indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, and they addressed the people present saying: There are six days when work is to be done. Come and be healed on one of those days and not on the Sabbath. Then Jesus said, This woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has held bound these eighteen years, was it not right to untie her bonds on the Sabbath day?

 

Here the synagogue official affirms that the Sabbath is not an appropriate time for God to manifest his compassion and mercy.  But Jesus, on the other hand, made us know that God’s actions cannot be dictated or restricted by humans. Because God’s mercy and healing know no limits of time or place if we sincerely turn to him.  

Hence, we see how Jesus demonstrated his compassionate care for humanity, for the most important thing for God in this world is the human person. That's why he makes every effort to save humanity from damnation. He desires to see us making an effort to become faithful and holy. His mercy is so deep that he proposes it as the guiding principle for the perfect fulfilment of the laws of life.

 

This, Jesus, in this passage, has to teach us that humanity’s welfare should not be neglected because of laws and regulations. That nothing should restrict us from doing good to people not even the laws of the Sabbath. Therefore, since we desire to honour God’s laws, we must seek the good of people as well. 

This is what the Pharisees have failed to understand, for they are rather fault-finders and self-righteous people, who only wish to mislead the oppressed and suppress the truth and the good works of others, just because of jealousy and their selfish desires to sustain their ego, pride and their worldly ambition, since they dwell in the flesh rather than the Spirit. So, we should not be like them; rather, we should be compassionate and merciful like our Lord Jesus Christ, for that is what we are called to do.

 

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading, tells us that everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit we received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into our lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself and our spirit bear united witness that we are children of God.

 

Dear friends, no law or regulation should stop us from ensuring and caring for the well-being of people around us. So today, we are called to constantly do good to everyone. We are called not to be fault-finders who are blindfolded by pride.

We must also renounce all sorts of immoral actions and wickedness that may destroy the purity of our souls. Therefore, let us be compassionate and merciful for that is what we are called to do in this life.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we often fail to listen to your teaching because of our selfish desires and pride. Help us to always listen to you and be willing to do good always, as we resolve to live a life of purity and humility. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed week ahead.

Homily For Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 26th October, 2025

 

Reading: Sirach 35:12-14.16-18; Ps.34; 2Tim.4:6-8.16-18; Luke:18:9-14

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HUMILITY AND PERFECT CONTRITION IN PRAYER

There is no doubt that prayer is part and parcel of our Christian life. It is the act of raising up our minds and hearts to God. But sometimes we find it difficult to carry out this exercise because we don't understand how or what is demanded of us or the best disposition to prayer.

This is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today. For we heard how two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.”

While the tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Hence, Jesus said, the tax collector went home at right with God; the Pharisee did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.

In this parable, Jesus wants to let us know the importance of praying with the right attitude and disposition, especially those of us who think we are very righteous and often look down on people. For we can draw from this parable a sure remedy for arrogance in our prayer life and acts of piety.

This is important because our prayers and pieties, if done with humility, will be pleasing to God and will even lead us to make frequent acts of contrition for our wrongdoings. But when humility and contribution are lacking our prayers will be presented arrogantly, judgmentally and will be fruitless just like this Pharisee.

So, it is important to have the right attitude and disposition towards prayers. Little wonder Pope Francis said: “It is not enough, therefore, to ask how much we pray; rather, we have to ask ourselves how do we pray, or better, what is the state of our heart during prayers: it is important to examine it so as to evaluate our thoughts, our feelings, and root out arrogance and hypocrisy just like the tax collector.

For we heard how the tax collector stood at a distance proclaiming his guilt and beating his breast in contrition. Hence, we are encouraged to be sorry for our sins. As we know, Contrition, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again. Especially when it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else.

This contrition is called “perfect” (contrition of charity) and is a gift from God. The second contrition is called “imperfect” which is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It comes out of the consideration of the ugliness of sin or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (which is referred to as the contrition of fear)” (CCC 1451-1453).

Dear friends, in prayer, we are not to give God instructions or present our profile of piety, but our disposition should be that of humility and perfect contrition just like this tax collector. We are to present ourselves to God just like a good servant will report for duty and wait for instructions from his master. So, we are to respond in obedience to God's instructions in prayer, for there we encounter God in the innermost part of our being.

Thus, we are told in our first reading today that the man who with his whole heart serves God will be accepted, and his petitions will be carried to the clouds. For the humble man’s prayer pierces the clouds, and he will not be consoled until it reaches the Lord. And the Lord will not be slow in responding or executing his judgment.

This is what we heard St. Paul expressing in our second reading today: “My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing”.

Therefore, today we are called to cultivate the right disposition towards prayers, especially that of a humble and perfect contrite heart and learn how to communicate with God the right way.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we do not know how to pray as we ought, as we listen to your words today, may we learn how to cultivate the right attitude and disposition towards prayers. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a peaceful and joyful Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday, Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C, 25th October, 2025.

 

Readings: Romans 8:1-11; Ps 24; Luke 13:1-9

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

GOD HAS GIVEN US OPPORTUNITY TO REPENT NOW,  LESS WE PERISH

Reflecting on the ugly situations in our country today and in the world at large, there is no doubt that both the poor and the rich are testifying to it. For we can fill the struggles, the killings, the tears, the disappointments that people are passing through every day. In fact, some people are losing hope in themselves and even in everything they do, as they run up and down seeking solutions. 

The poor are searching for daily bread, upliftment and favour, the rich are seeking protection and good health, while the evil ones are taking advantage of the situation to destroy the little hope and faith of the people. All these are signs from God who gives us the opportunity to repent from our sinful ways of life.

This is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today when he said: “Do you suppose the Galileans who suffered like this were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No, but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Then with a parable of the barren fig tree, Jesus demonstrated how God has made every moment of our lives an opportunity for us to repent and be fruitful. 

This is clear when he said in the parable, “Look, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?” “Sir,” the vinedresser replied, “leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.”  

Such is God’s patience with us for he gives us the opportunity to turn away from our sinful and ugly ways of life. Repentance is the key message of this Gospel, for Jesus makes it clear that those who suffered and were killed were not worse offenders than others; rather, he uses the opportunity to call us to repentance. Note that the purpose of this message is not for condemnation, but for redemption. 

This is why St. Paul, in our first reading, says that God has done what the Law, because of the nature of our flesh, was unable to do. For God dealt with sin by sending his own Son in a body as physical as any sinful body, and in that body God condemned sin. He did this so that the Law’s just demands might be satisfied in us, who behave not as our flesh requires but as the spirit dictates. So those who live by the flesh are interested only in what is flesh, but the spiritual are interested in spiritual things.

Dear friends, this call for repentance shows us that it is not too late for us to repent, for this may be the last opportunity. Because we can never tell what will happen in the next moment. We can never tell who is the next to die, we can never know the form it will take or where it will occur, all that matters is for us to repent now that we still have the opportunity. 

For none of those who died yesterday knew that it was going to happen that way. Therefore, let us repent now, for repentance helps us to be well disposed for life and for death. It helps us to live right and at peace with God and with one another. It gives us the courage and confidence to face any situation without fear of death.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, You are the author of our lives, freedom and salvation, all we have are yours, thank you for being with us in our daily troubles, struggles, fears, tears, hope and joy, may you provide for the poor, console the troubled, heal the sick, protect and put simile on the faces of your children today and always as we make effort to repent from our sinful ways. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed and fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 24th October, 2025

 

Readings: Romans.7:18-25; Ps 119; Luke 12: 54-59

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHY NOT JUDGE FOR YOURSELVES WHAT IS RIGHT?

As human beings, we are good at discerning the events happening around us in order to predict what the outcome of such events can be in the future. We often read the signs of nature in order to make predictions of what will happen in the future.

Little wonder Jesus, while rebuking the crowd in our Gospel reading today, said: When you see a cloud looming up in the west, you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times the events of this passing world? Why not judge for yourselves what is right?

Here, Jesus condemned the ugly attitudes of the crowds for they can read the signs of nature and so predict the future, but now out of jealousy and selfishness, they have failed to recognise the truth by refusing to acknowledge in Jesus one who comes from God, one who speaks God’s word and acts in the power of God.

So Jesus rebuked them for such a hypocritical attitude. In the second aspect of the Gospel, Jesus is asking us to put things right while there is still time; if not, we should be willing to duly face the punishment for all our wrongdoings.

Thus, St. Paul in our first reading says: I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh, for though the will to do what is good is in me, I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, because instead of doing the good things I want to do, I carry out the sinful things I do not want.

Dear friends, there are so many signs around us today. What is our disposition towards these signs? Can we identify the signs of our time? How can we understand and interpret them? Why have we failed to understand the sign that tells us that this world is not our home, we are just passing by?

Are we not reading the hand of God in what is going on around us, especially in our country? Now we are called to respond to these signs. What do we think Jesus would do if he were living with us now? Today, Jesus is calling us to discern our actions towards the signs we see in the world we are living in now.

Though, it is very easy to condemn the ugly situation going on in our world today, are we learning anything from it? Do we have any sense of guilt and repentance? Why allow this evil to linger in us by getting into endless arguments and deception when we already know what is right? Why waste so much time arguing about unnecessary things while missing out on the main points that are more basic and challenging?

I think it's time we come back to the real issues, which are justice, honesty, transparency, and equity, equal respect for human life and property. These are the things we all need to put right at all levels and sectors where we find ourselves as we wait on the awesome day of the Lord.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, in every event that happens to us, you have your mark on it. Help us to discern the signs of our time, in order to embrace your will for us and to follow you wherever you may lead us as we struggle to overcome the ugly situation in our society. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. May God protect and keep us.

Homily For Thursday Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 23rd October, 2025

Readings: Romans 6:19-23; Ps.1; Luke 12: 49-53
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE SWORD OF DIVISION AND SEPARATION

The way things are going in our societies today, we really need to think twice about our faith as Christians, and whether we are ready to live out our faith amid the ugly situation in our country today.

The hostility, brutality, persecution and influential powers of the things of this world have eaten deep into the minds of our leaders and are not stopping soon; rather, it will get tougher unless we stop it now once and for all.

Therefore, if we are 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, for these days, it is not enough to say I am a Christian, we must convincingly and radically practice our faith by following the example of our Lord Jesus.

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level when he said: 'Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on, a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.

Here, Jesus does not directly intend to cause tensions and divisions in family life, but he wants us to accept the consequences that come with the truth of the Gospel teaching, more importantly, when it comes to living out the Gospel message radically, especially in a situation where our family values have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excess desires for worldly pleasures and possessions, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God.

So, these hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our life experience, because there are moments when we have to make radical and difficult choices as disciples of Jesus. These moments may wield the sword of division or separation among those people and things which are so dear to us.

However, Jesus does not endorse us engaging in armed conflict, but he warns that we have to struggle to put him first, before family ties, knowing that divisions will surely occur as people have to decide to be for or against God. Hence, he states that the cost of discipleship extends to one even losing their life. Because following Jesus demands the sacrifice of all that one has.

For none of us can become his true disciple if we do not give up our excess desire for worldly pleasures and possessions, and pay our unreserved loyalty and allegiance to God over all other competing loyalties in our lives, including family, self-interest, and possessions.

Thus, St. Paul in our first said that: as once we put our bodies at the service of vice and immorality, so now we must put them at the service of righteousness for our sanctification.

Dear friends, we are called today to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully live out our Christian faith and morals. But how much are we willing to let go for the sake of our faith in God?

Why are we finding it difficult to follow Jesus? What are the habitual desires and possessions that are holding us back 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: Lord God, the excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts towards you, give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires and attitudes, to hold firm in our faith despite losing people and things that are dear to us, as we ask you to heal and transform our nation once again. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.