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

 

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

DO NOT SEEK FOR SIGNS RATHER BE PREPARED

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

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

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

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

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

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

But the questions we need to ask ourselves are: what signs are we seeing around us today? How can we interpret the signs of this time, the signs that tell us that this world is passing away? Do these signs make us dread the second coming of the Lord, or do we joyfully embrace it in anticipation? 

Hence, Jesus is warning us today not to waste our time seeking signs; rather, we should be prepared, and we should remain firm in the faith. He reminds us that he is the only sign that can be given to humanity. Therefore, we should not join the crowds to look for signs, especially in times of trials, rather we should seek wisdom to make things right by turning our eyes to the central mystery of our faith which is the life, death and resurrection of Christ, where every question can be answered and every grace is obtained.

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

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

 

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

HOW TO PRAY PROPERLY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE DAY OF GREAT SEPARATION, WHERE WILL YOU BE?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

OVERCOMING OUR DAILY STRUGGLES AGAINST SINS AND TEMPTATIONS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Homily For Saturday after Ash Wednesday, 8th March, 2025

 

Readings: Is. 58:9-14, Ps. 86,  Luke 5:27-32

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE LORD HAS NOT COME TO CALL THE RIGHTEOUS BUT SINNERS 

Jesus on account of his mission to save humanity had been calling people from different works of life to be part of his mission, but today’s call and choice of Levi, also known as Matthew, a man identified with sinners because of his work as a tax collector, was quite strange to some people as we have it in our Gospel passage today. 

The call of Levi differs from the call of the other apostles because Levi was a tax collector, a profession that is labelled to be sinful since the collectors extort excess taxes from the people for personal profit and enrich themselves at the expense of their fellow citizens. They are thus held in great contempt. 

However, to follow Jesus, Levi must abandon his ugly but lucrative job. By so doing, he needs to also cut himself off from his old network of friends. So, it seems likely that, in a spirit of joy, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to a great feast in his house, and his fellow task collectors were present. 

But the Pharisees felt bad and offended about Jesus sharing a meal with such kind of people regarded as "sinners". So, they complained to his disciples, but Jesus had to correct this notion when he said: "It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.  

Here, we heard the innermost desire of Jesus for sinful humanity in need of salvation. The call of Levi 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 Levi, who, though sinner, rose up and followed Jesus at his call for repentance, we, too, are to respond to this invitation without delay. Let Levi be an inspiration and hope for all sinners.

Dear friends, the task collectors were seen as dirty, unworthy, wicked, corrupt and evil people who were generally shunned by the rest of the society. The Pharisees looked down on them and they severely criticized Jesus for eating in the house of Levi. But they failed to realize that just like the tax collectors, they were sinners in need of God’s mercy. 

The truth is that all of us are sinners who have been privileged to have such a loving, caring, compassionate and merciful God, who is always willing to embrace us and heal us from our afflictions of sin. For we are sinners who have been called to a new existence with God, to embrace a new life filled with God’s grace and free from the corruption of sin. Because God despises our sins, but not we sinners. 

Hence, we are called to let go of our sinful occupation to embrace a more glorious one. For God has promised us through prophet Isaiah in our first reading, that if we do away with the yoke of sin, the clenched fist, the wicked word, if we give our bread to the hungry, and relief to the oppressed, then our light will shine in the darkness, and our shadows become like noon.

Therefore, as Christians during this season of Lent, we should draw ourselves closer to God by asking ourselves how we are responding to God's call for repentance. How are we relating with those we judge to be sinners? What efforts are we making to convert sinners? Remember, we are all invited to follow Jesus along the way to 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. Through the intercession of St Matthew, give us the grace to make good choices that will help us to respond positively to your call for repentance and evangelization. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful weekend.

Homily on Friday after Ash Wednesday, 7th March, 2025

 

Readings: Is. 58:1-9; Ps. 51; Matt. 9:14-15

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

FASTING WITH THE RIGHT INTENTIONS AND PURPOSE

One of the spiritual exercises during this season of Lent is fasting. That is the willful refrainment from eating for a period of time as a means of getting our minds focused on God our creator while realizing the reality that our lives are not self-sufficient. Fasting helps us realize just how fragile we are and how much we depend on things beyond ourselves.

Fasting is not just about putting on sackcloths and ashes on oneself as were customary in the past to show repentance and regret, but more importantly, fasting must be accompanied by a change of heart from within and not just the outside.

Hence, today, prophet Isaiah, in our first reading, tells us to fast with the right intention and purpose, and not just fasting but also all other sorts of observances and practices during this Lenten season. We must have the right disposition and direction as we move along through this time of purification and repentance.

This Lenten season is a good time for us to reorientate ourselves and our lives as we seek to redress our sins and our past wicked ways of life and embrace once again God’s love and mercy. For that is the kind of fasting that pleases God and yields positive results.

Thus, in our Gospel passage today, the disciples of John the Baptist criticized Jesus and his disciples for not fasting as the Law of Moses has prescribed fasting on certain days as a custom, which they observed with great passion and zeal. The Pharisees fasted and did all that because they wanted to be praised for what they had done, and they liked it when others looked up to them for their piety and commitment.

But Jesus tells his disciples that they should not fast with such intention; rather, fasting must be for a purpose and should be done at the proper time. 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.

This is because 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 a relationship with Jesus is more important because what the bridegroom is to the bride is what Jesus is to the souls of all who believe in him. 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.

Dear friends, we can make the best use of this Lenten season by turning ourselves and our whole being towards God through fasting. We should not let ourselves be distracted by the vanity of the things of this passing world. This is a time we are called to humble ourselves before God and refrain from all the corrupt ways of life, pride, greed and over-ambition which lead us to sin and death. This type of fasting is what pleases God and yields positive results. Therefore, through our fasting let us sincerely repent from our sins and make the best use of this opportunity that God has given to us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we deny ourselves the pleasurable things of this world through fasting, may we open up our hearts to you and sincerely reject all our sinful habits and so embrace the life of holiness. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Thursday after Ash Wednesday, 6th March, 2025

 

Readings: Deut. 30:16-20, Ps. 1, Luke 9:22-25

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

COME LET US CARRY OUR DAILY CROSS AND FOLLOW THE LORD

Reflecting on the continuous hostility, persecution and influential powers of the things of this world, I think is time for us to really think twice about our faith as Christians, whether we are actually ready to live out our faith in the midst of these ugly situations in our societies, which are not stopping soon, for it is getting tougher every day. Thus, if we are really willing to live up to our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision towards our discipleship in a personal and radical way.

Hence, concerning this radical decision, we are called in our first reading today, to make choices between life and death, blessing or curse. And we are encouraged to choose life so that we may live in the love of the Lord our God, obeying his voice and following him, for in him consists the true meaning of life. Therefore, we are to choose that one path that leads to life while rejecting those that lead to evil and death.

Similarly, this same choice was presented by the Lord Jesus to his disciples in our Gospel passage today, as he revealed to them what he would have to endure for the salvation of humanity, how he is to be betrayed and made to suffer, crucified and die on the Cross, a most painful and humiliating death. In the end, he said that those who believe in him should take up their crosses daily and follow him. That though they may lose their lives physically in the eyes of the world, they will gain it in the eternal glory that is to come.

Dear friends, as we journey through this Lenten season, Jesus is presenting the same choice to us, for we have to choose between enjoying all that this world has to offer us, all the materialistic pursuits and excess desire for the pleasurable things around us, all the pursuits for excess money, possessions and wealth, the accumulation of vain fame and glory which in reality are separating us from God and Jesus is calling us to turn away from these worldly things and embrace the way of the Cross that teaches us to love, to sacrifice, to embrace peace, to share with one another for in it we attain holiness of life.

Therefore, we are called today to deny ourselves the pleasurable things of this passing world in order to take up our Cross and follow the Lord. It’s time to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully follow Jesus. But how much are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of following him? Why are we finding it difficult to follow Jesus? What are those habitual desires and possessions that are holding us from making this radical decision today? Thus, it is time to come to God with all our hearts, for tomorrow may be too late.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we decide to journey with Jesus today, help us to make the right choice by embracing the way that leads to life while rejecting our excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world which have weakened our hearts towards you. May the cross of Christ be for us a shining example in our daily struggles so as to hold firm in our faith despite all the sufferings and persecutions we may encounter. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful day.