Homily For Saturday in The Octave of Christmas, 27th December, 2025. The Feast of St John the Apostle and Evangelist.

 

Readings : 1 John 1:1-4; Ps 97; John 20:2-8

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

FINDING YOUR PLACE IN THE MISSION OF CHRIST

Every 27th of December within the octave of Christmas, the Church celebrates the Feast of St John the Apostle and Evangelist. St. John, as we know, is one of the Twelve Apostles and one of the three inner circle of Jesus Christ, and no doubt one of the four great Evangelists of the Church. As one of the three inner circle of our Lord, John, together with St. Peter and St. James, his brother, were often brought to the most important events in the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ.

St. John, as we know, was present in great events such as the resurrection of the synagogue official’s dead daughter, the Transfiguration of the Lord at Mount Tabor, and also at the agony of the Lord at the Gardens of Gethsemane before the time of the Lord’s Passion. He witnessed great works and miracles of Jesus.

We will recall that St. John was one of those who remained and followed the Lord at the moments of his Passion, suffering and death on the Cross. He also remained with Mary at the foot of the cross, and it was to St. John that the Lord Jesus entrusted Mary, his Mother, and also John to Mary as well. This no doubt shows the place of St. John in the mission of Christ and the important role he played in the life and mission of the Lord Jesus.

The fruit of this great privilege is evident in the missionary activities of St. John. For he spent all his life spreading the truth of God all over the world. He also wrote several letters and Epistles, and the fourth Gospel is attributed to him. He also received the great vision of the end-time event when he was in exile as a result of the persecution of Christians, this vision he recorded in the book of Revelation as we have it today.

So today as we celebrate the Feast of this great Apostle, we heard the readings of his first letter and his Gospel passage. In this letter, as we have it in our first reading today, St John wrote about Christ the Word of Life that has come into this world. Concerning this Word, he said: This is what we have heard from him, and the message that we are announcing to you: that God is light; there is no darkness in him at all. If we say that we are in union with God while we are living in darkness, we are lying because we are not living the truth. It is this Word of truth that we are celebrating this Christmas.

However, this Christmas celebration will not be complete if we do not let the Lord be born in our hearts or if we do not have a personal experience of the Lord Jesus in our lives that will make us find our place in the mission of Christ such as the one we heard in our Gospel passage today. Here, we were told about the personal experience of John and Peter, who having heard about the resurrection of the Lord, ran towards the empty tomb with open hearts to encounter Christ, who had died and is risen to renew us, to remove from our hearts the guilt of sin and death, so that we can embrace his divine and eternal life.

Dear friends, this is the fundamental core of our Christian faith; this is the victory that transforms us and unites us with our Lord. Hence, if Jesus, who was born for us, was crucified, died, buried and is risen, and is alive, who will ever be able to separate us from him? Who will ever be able to deprive us of the love of him who has conquered hatred and overcomes death?

Therefore, I don't know what your experience has been in this world, especially this Christmas season. I don't know how you woke up today. I don't know what troubles your mind. But all I know is that today is another gift of God to humanity, a day of joy, a day of victory. I am excited, hopeful and am going to live it with all joy, not trying to change things that I cannot change or try to fix things that I do not want to be fixed.

I will not let the ugly situation in our world today, or any ugly event of the past, distract me today or steal my joy. I will focus on the blessings that come with the joy of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. I will follow the directives of the Lord, for his ways are right and the upright walk in them, but the transgressors stumble in them. Thus, let us proclaim the message of this season and spread it throughout the world with the joyful song of this Holy Season.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we celebrate the great event of Christmas, may your joy fill our hearts and through the intercessions of St John, may we spread this joy all over the world especially to people and places where this joy is lacking. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a blessed day.

Homily For Friday in The Octave of Christmas, 26th December, 2025 The Feast of Stephen, the First Martyr

 

Readings : Act 6:8-10;7:54-59; Ps 31; Matt.10:17-22

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY STONE THE INNOCENT FOR BEARING WITNESS TO THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST?

Every day God makes himself present to us, but we often ignore him or pretend we do not perceive his presence. The truth is that in each heart, there is a secret garden which God has made uniquely for himself and that garden is our conscience.

This garden is like a safe deposit vault which has two keys. God has one key; hence, the soul cannot let in anyone else but God. The human heart has the other key, which no one can get in without his/her consent. However, God is always at the gate of this garden with his key but we often pretend to be looking for ours.

This is the ugly attitude of humanity, which is well illustrated by the people who seek to kill Stephen as we have it in our first reading today. Stephen was filled with grace and power and began to work miracles and great signs among the people. But certain people came forward to debate with him.

As they could not get the better of him because of his wisdom. They were infuriated and planned to kill him. Nevertheless, Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. This he witnessed before them, but they stoned him to death.

Dear friends, today we celebrate the feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr, who opened the door of his heart completely and, finding God, he witnessed with his life and went up triumphantly to heaven. We are called today to open up our minds and hearts for God to fill us with the grace and power of witnessing to the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are called not to be afraid to bear witness. For we may be dragged before governors and kings for the sake of the Gospel, we should not worry about how to speak or what to say; for what we are to say will be given to us when the time comes, as Jesus promised us in our Gospel passage today.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we open up our minds and hearts for your words to reign in us. Grant us the grace and courage to bear witness to the Gospel and, through the intercession of St Stephen, may we find you in the daily events of our lives. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.

Homily For The Vigil Mass of the Lord’s Nativity (Christmas) A. Saturday 24th December, 2025

 

Readings: Is. 62:1-5; Ps 89, Acts. 13:16-17.22-25; Matt. 1:1-25

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

A NIGHT OF ENCOUNTER WITH THE CHILD JESUS IN THE LITTLE MANGER OF OUR SOULS

Tonight we have gathered in anticipation of the birth of our Lord Jesus, whom for the past four weeks we have been preparing for his coming. Tonight, Jesus is coming to dwell with us for an exchange; he is coming to offer his divinity in exchange for our sinful humanity. Tonight, Jesus is offering everything; he is sacrificing everything for our salvation.

He is giving up his heavenly glory in exchange for our suffering world. He is taking human flesh and becoming man to elevate the human person to share in his divinity. Tonight God is unveiling His Word, which became Flesh in the womb of Mary, in order to dwell with us. Tonight the Lord will manifest himself in a little manger in Bethlehem of our souls.

Little wonder in the Gospel passage tonight, we heard the genealogy of Jesus, which gave us the historical plan of God towards the manifestation of his Son, the Word made Flesh. From this genealogy of Jesus, we can observe that generations came, generations go, great men and women came and passed away, new generations continue to spring up as God continue to unveil his plan for humanity.

This genealogy shows how the Lord had revealed to different generations what he was going to do for humanity. Judah’s kingship over all Israel was given to David, who became the rightful king and God’s chosen one, and God promised that David’s house would rule over Israel forever.

Hence, we heard St. Paul in our second reading tonight saying: Men of Israel, and fearers of God, listen! The God chose our ancestors, and made our people great when they were living as foreigners in Egypt; and by divine power he led them out. ‘Then he made David their king, of whom he approved in these words, “I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.” To keep his promise, God has raised up for us one of David’s descendants, the child Jesus, whose coming we await tonight. For we heard the Lord in our first reading tonight saying: about Zion I will not be silent, about Jerusalem I will not grow weary, until her integrity shines out like the dawn and her salvation flames like a torch.

So, tonight the Lord is searching for a dwelling place and the only place available is the little manger of Bethlehem. For down in a little manger lies the child Jesus, no crib for a bed, but the little Jesus lay down his sweet head on a little manger of humble dwelling of a shepherd and his sheep. Here our God became man and took on our flesh. Our Creator became a creature; the One who dwells in the highest place, now lay helpless in a manger. The One who we so great and mighty became so tiny, so weak, and so powerless in a manger. The King of the whole world had been made a little child in a manger. The Creator of time has been constrained by time in a manger.

This little manger was a great symbol and sign. For when the angel appeared to the shepherds in the field to invite them to visit the newborn King, he told them to look for a baby in a manger. But the manager was not just a sign for the shepherds; it’s a sign to all of us that Jesus is accessible to everyone who seeks him in humility. Yes, every humble soul will surely have access to the little manger of Jesus, for the shepherds would not have had access to a baby born in a royal palace, and as strangers, they probably wouldn’t even have had access to a baby born in the confines of a family home. But a manger was accessible to pure, innocent and humble souls.

Dear friends, the questions we need to ask ourselves tonight are: where is the little manger? How can we locate the little manger of Jesus? How prepared is this little manger? Can we say that the little manger is available for the child Jesus to be born?

I know a good number of us will still be looking for the little manger of Jesus. I know some will tell me that the manger is right beside us. I know that those who are good with the scripture will tell me that the manger is located in a little town in Bethlehem. Yes, there was a little manger in Bethlehem, and there is a little manger besides us here so beautiful and captivating. But the true little manger is not just in Bethlehem, or the symbol of what we have here, rather the true little manger is my soul, the dwelling place of God, which is located in the innermost chamber of my being.

This little manger of my soul is what the child Jesus is searching for to dwell in to night. He is searching for a humble soul, he is searching for a peaceful soul. The child Jesus is searching for a lovely soul, he is searching for merciful and caring souls of humanity. The Lord is searching for innocent souls who can accommodate and make him accessible to humanity. The little manger of Jesus, that’s who we are, but are we available for the child Jesus to come in and be born in us? Are we ready and prepared to welcome the child Jesus into our little manger? Are you going to allow him to dwell with us? Are we going to offer him joyful praise and worship just like the shepherds? Are we going to let him exchange our sinful humanity with his divinity?

What is stopping us from welcoming Jesus into the inner manger of our souls? Will you let bitterness and anger occupy the dwelling place of the Lord? Will you let the desire for the things of this passing world prevent you from opening the door of your soul for the child Jesus to come in tonight? Will you let unforgiveness and jealousy send the child Jesus away from the manger of your soul? Will you let the ugly attitudes of your husband, your wife, your children or your parents deprive you of the joy of this gracious season? Will you let the present situation in your life separate you from the presence of the child Jesus?

 Why not make your soul available for the child Jesus to reign in your life? Why not let the peace of his presence dwell in your heart? Why not let the joy of his presence dwell in the manger of your soul? Why not let his love propel you to love even those whom you find very difficult to forgive? Why not let the child Jesus reign in that little manger of your soul tonight and always? Remember, the scripture says that the Newborn child dwells in the little manger in a little town of Bethlehem, which means “the house of Bread”. That means that the child Jesus dwells also in the little tiny Bread of Life. That is, the Eucharist. So, the Lord Jesus present in the Eucharist wants to feed us with his heavenly glory and love. He wants to dwell in the little manger of our souls so as to nourish our souls and exchange our sinful humanity with his divinity. Why not open up your heart to receive the child Jesus present in the Eucharist, which is going to be consecrated in a few moments tonight? Why not let the child Jesus in the Holy Eucharist reign in the little manger of your soul? Do not let anything deprive you of his presence tonight.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we open the little manger of our souls for you to dwell in, may you reign in our hearts, in our homes, in our societies, in our country and in the whole world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Merry Christmas to you all

Homily For Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent Year A, 24th December, 2025

 

Readings : 2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-12,14,16, Ps 89, Luke: 1:67-79

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HOW ARE YOU WAITING ON THE LORD’S COMING? 

For the past four weeks, we have been preparing for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Tonight. Coming to us for an exchange, he is coming to offer his divinity in exchange for our sinful humanity. Jesus is offering everything, he is sacrificing everything. He is giving up his glory in exchange for our sufferings. He is taking human flesh and becoming man to elevate the human person to share in his divinity. 

This is evident in our first reading today, where we heard about King David, who was now the king of the United Kingdom of Israel, and set out to build a house for the Lord. But the Lord, knowing David’s plan, asked him through the prophet Nathan to stop, for instead it is he, the Lord, who will build a dynasty for David, a dynasty that will last forever. This he fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ our Lord, whose coming we await in anticipation.

Dear friends, what are you preparing to offer in exchange for God’s Love and Divinity? For Jesus is coming to exchange his glory with everything about us: our weaknesses, our strengths, our filthiness, our sinfulness, past, present, future, everything we can ever think about in our lives. But are we ready to exchange our lives for what Jesus is offering us today? Are we ready to exchange our humanity with that of his divinity? Are we ready to embrace the love he has for us? Are we ready to exchange our worries, burdens, sorrows, failures and fears with the smiling, peaceful and loving face of the baby Jesus who will soon make himself present to us? 

Zechariah experienced this loving mercy of God and surrendered everything about his plan in exchange for God’s plan for humanity which he expressed in his Benedictus canticle in our Gospel passage today. What about us? What are we offering in exchange? What are we sacrificing? What do we give up in exchange for God’s love in our lives? 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, for four weeks now we have been preparing for the birthday of your Son Jesus, as we await his coming at dawn, may you fill our hearts with the joy of his presence, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful and joyful day.

Homily For Tuesday Fourth Week of Advent Year A, 23rd December, 2025

 

Readings : Malachi 3:1-4, 4:5-6; Ps 25; Luke: 1:57-66

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE MYSTERIES SURROUNDING YOUR BIRTH AND NAMES?

One of the most significant days in our lives is our birthday. This day often comes with joy and praise and in the mood of the joy that a life has been born, one of the things that comes to mind is giving a name to the baby as an identity. This event is very important and necessary. In fact, the naming of objects and persons is an important ritual found in scripture.

We can recall in the book of Genesis (Gen.2:19-20), when God created Adam and gave him the responsibility of giving names to all creation. So the act of giving a name to people has been a traditional event not only in the scriptures but in every human culture.

 Thus, our Gospel passage today, gives us the record of the events of the birth and naming of John the Baptist. From the passage, great, significant and surprising things happened on the birth and naming of John the Baptist, of which we can identify three unusual features: first the old have given birth.

Secondly, the child has a strange name, “John”, derived from the Hebrew name Yochana, meaning " YAHWEH is gracious", a name which no one bears in the family, and thirdly, Zechariah's dumbness is taken away on account of giving this name. These brought great joy to the people and they praised God. However, such remarkable events caused the crowd to fear and reflect that something different and surprising is happening, things worth remembering. Showing us that, when God names a child, that child is significant in his plan.

John, whose birth was prophesied by the prophets, such as the Prophet Malachi, in our first reading today, saying: “Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple. Who will be able to resist the day of his coming? Who will remain standing when he appears? For he is like the refiner’s fire and the fullers’ alkali. He will take his seat as refiner and purifier; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver.” No doubt the mission of John the Baptist was quite unique and challenging because of his special role in preparing humanity for the coming of the Lord.

Dear friends, what are the mysteries surrounding your birth and your name? For we all have a significant place in the plan of God, and our names are not just a common ceremony, because they bear the mystery of our mission and purpose in life, which are testimonies of God’s plan for us. So, why not take out time today to reflect on the mystery, the meaning and the circumstances surrounding your birth and your names.

For by God’s grace, we will understand better who we are and what our mission and purpose on earth are. And by so doing, we will faithfully stand for the truth which we represent and fulfil our plans and purposes, just like John the Baptist, who stood for the truth of his mission and offered it to everyone, whenever and however it would best bring conversion to sinners, even at the cost of his head.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, you created each one of us to fulfil your plan on earth and in our names we bear the mystery of our mission and purpose. Grant us the grace to faithfully and courageously fulfil our mission and purpose in this world, through Christ our Lord. Amen. As we embrace the Christmas season, may the joy of the Lord be our strength.

Homily For Monday Fourth Week of Advent Year A, 22nd December, 2025

 

Readings : 1 Samuel 1:24-28, 1 Samuel 2:1,4-8 , Luke: 1:46-56

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO SHOW JOYFUL APPRECIATION TO GOD

As we look back on all the events that happened this year and how we managed to survive all of them. I think it is indeed necessary to contemplate the victory and greatness of our God, who knows no limits. Just like Mary in our Gospel passage and Hannah in our first reading. In our first reading today, we heard from the Book of the Prophet Samuel, how Hannah, filled with joy, came to thank God for answering her prayers. For she once came to the Lord in sorrow and frustration and she prayed to the Lord to help and rescue her from her troubles.

The Lord heard her prayers and blessed her with a child, who was to be known as Samuel. And since Hannah had promised that if she had a son, she would dedicate and offer him to the Lord, and thus, in our first reading today, we heard how she joyfully came to the Lord and offered Samuel to be God’s servant. And in our Psalm today we heard the great song of joy that Hannah sang, in thanksgiving to God who had shown her love and blessings.

In the same light, we heard in our Gospel passage how Mary sang the Magnificat in honour of God for the great thing he has done not just for her but for all humanity. Thus, Mary, having heard that her cousin Elizabeth, at the time, who had been long barren, had conceived a child, just like Hannah, came and found out that what the Lord had revealed to her through the angel Gabriel was indeed true, that her cousin Elizabeth had miraculously conceived in her old age. And herself, about to have a Child without any human relations but by the power of the Holy Spirit. These made Mary rejoice greatly, for it was truly a great and joyful moment which God had shown to all his people.

Dear friends, are we truly grateful to God? For only a grateful heart can joyfully show appreciation like Mary and Hannah. But today the world is so busy preparing for the coming of her Saviour. The streets are full of people struggling and bobbling, the markets are full of people buying, selling, cheating and chatting, the Churches are full of people praying, singing and celebrating. We are so busy with everything except the very essence of the season that is, showing joyful appreciation to God for the salvation of our souls.

Today God is calling us to reflect deeply on all he has done for us this year and show joyful appreciation just like Mary and Hannah. For he wants to come into our souls to share the joy of his presence with us. Jesus is coming to us, for he comes to us more than we go to him. As we await his coming, may God help us to be well prepared physically, materially and more importantly spiritually for his joyful coming.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, only the soul for whom you have done great things can truly proclaim with fitting praise the joy of your presence. As we embrace the season of Christmas, we joyfully surrender unto you, our whole life, our senses, our judgment, for our spirit rejoices at the coming of Christ Jesus our Saviour, and may this joy always remain in our hearts through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Fourth Sunday of Advent Year A, 21st December, 2025

 

Readings: Isaiah 7:10-14;  Ps. 24; Rom. 1:1-7; Matt. 1:18-24.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

IF GOD IS WITH US, ARE WE STILL WITH GOD? 

Today is the fourth Sunday of Advent, the Sunday that ushers us into the Holy Season of Christmas, the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ, an event that reminds and reveals to us the great plan of God towards redeeming humanity. Little wonder our readings today focused on the revelation of God’s plan to dwell with us and redeem us. 

Hence, we heard in our first reading how the prophet Isaiah, when the people of God were passing through crises, war and oppression, told King Ahaz to ask for a sign from the Lord, no matter how deep. But in false humility, Ahaz said he would not put the Lord to the test. In response, Prophet Isaiah said: ‘Listen now, House of David: are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men without trying the patience of my God, too? Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel, a name which means “God-is-with-us”

These prophetic words came to fulfilment in the life of Mary at the event of Annunciation, who, having received this message from the Angel Gabriel, accepted God’s will and plan for her. For she is about to have a Child without any human relations but by the power of the Holy Spirit. This grace-filled event reveals the special role that Mary is playing in God’s plan for human salvation. 

But when Joseph realised this, he was heartbroken since Mary was betrothed to him and he loved her so much. But what will he do? How is he going to handle this? The Gospel tells us that Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put Mary to shame, resolved to send her away quietly before the angel in a dream spoke to him about his mission and role in the salvation of humanity.

Here, we see the magnanimity of Joseph’s heart and soul. How he wished to follow his own plan, but God was reserving another plan for him, a greater mission. Joseph was a man who always listened to the voice of God; he was deeply sensitive to his secret will and was a man attentive to the messages that came to him from the depths of his heart. He did not persist in following his own plan; he did not allow bitterness to poison his soul; rather, silently, he was ready to make himself available to the event of the new mission entrusted to him. What a great virtue.

Little wonder the Angel said to him: Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel, a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’ as we have it in our Gospel passage today.

Thus, St. Paul in our second reading today said: this news is about the Son of God who, according to the human nature he took was a descendant of David: it is about Jesus Christ our Lord who, in the order of the spirit, the spirit of holiness that was in him, was proclaimed Son of God in all his power through his resurrection from the dead. Through him we received grace and our apostolic mission to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations in honour of his name. This means that Jesus is the Word of God made Flesh and dwells with us. He is the “Emmanuel” God with us.

But the question before us today remains: is God still with us? If the answer is yes, are we still with God? These questions are very important because a deep reflection on what is going on in our societies and the world at large, one will surely have doubts about the presence of God in so many activities and events in our lives today. I have heard people asking very pertinent questions concerning the circumstances around them, saying: Is God still with us, especially with the present situation in their lives? Is God still with us in this present situation in our country, our societies and our families? Is God still with us with the sad news of killings and kidnappings of innocent souls in our society? 

Is God still with us when greedy men and women are looting the common fund and resources of our nation? Is God still with us when bribery and corruption have become a way of life? Is God still with us when we make and promulgate bad polices and regulations that are destroying human lives and our environment? Is God still with us when immorality and wickedness have become the fashion and a way of life? Is God still with us, brothers and sisters, when true love is seen as a scam or an impossible virtue? Is God still with us when holiness, honesty, integrity, hard work, life of sacrifice and sincerity have become old school? Is God still with us?

Dear friends, the answer to these questions is not blowing in the wind, because God is with us much more than we can ever imagine. But the question remains, are we still with God? Are you standing with him? Is my way of life showing that I am still standing with God? For one thing is sure, you can choose to be with someone but you can not force anybody to remain with you. God has chosen to be with us, and he is always with us, but are we with him? 

Are we still paying attention to him? Are we listening to what he is saying to us? Are we not running away from God? Are we not saying to him, Leave us alone so that we can do whatever we want? Are we not feeling restricted by the presence of God around us? Are we not saying to God, I don’t want you now, come only when I need you? And after we have separated ourselves from God, now we are calling on him whom we have abandoned even when he had never abandoned us. 

Therefore, it is time to come back to God, for he is very much with us. I don’t know how far we have separated ourselves from God; it is time to come back, for he is coming to be with us. I don’t know how tough our activities this year have been, but what is important now is that God is with us, but are we with him? He wants to help us, are we going to listen to him? He wants to guide and save us, are we going to follow him? If the Lord is with us, are we going to remain with him?  

We have left God and followed our own plans, and the results are obvious. Why not learn to follow the plan of God like St Joseph and Mary?  But, like King Ahaz, we have abandoned True Love, holiness, honesty, integrity, hard work and the results are very obvious: hatred, wickedness, corruption, greed, killing, and kidnapping. Now let us come back to God who is always with us. For the psalms today says: Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place? The man with clean hands and a pure heart, who desires not worthless things. Who has not sworn to deceive his neighbours? 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, only the soul for whom you have done great things can truly proclaim with fitting praise the joy of your presence. As we embrace your words today, may we always remain with you who is always with us as we joyfully surrender our whole life, our senses, our troubles, our barrenness and loneliness in anticipation of you coming who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful Sunday celebration.