Homily For Thursday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 14th August, 2025. The Memorial of St Maximilian Kolbe

 

Readings: Jos. 3:7-10.11 .13-17; Ps.114; Matt. 18:21-19:1

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LEARN TO FORGIVE OTHERS FROM YOUR HEART

In the prayer our Lord Jesus gave us as a pattern of all prayers and as a fundamental principle of Christian life, there is a portion that point out something so important. This portion says “forgive us our trespasses as we for give those who trespassed against us” (Matt.6:12).

By this pray we are making a covenant and commitment that will be a standard by which we are going to be judged as regards our relationship with others and with God. But often times we are not conscious of this principles especially when we have to face the difficult moment of forgiving a grievous offense.

Thus, Peter one of the disciples of Jesus being conscious of this fact, asked Jesus in our Gospel passage today saying: ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy times seven. And he practicalized his answer with an example of a servant who owed his master a great debt that he and his generation cannot pay. But when he pleads for mercy, the master forgave him all the debts.

However, this same servant found a fellow servant who owed him as little as one hundred denarii, he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him and even when he pleaded for mercy, instead of forgiving him, he puts him in prison according to the norms of the law until he had paid his debt.

This unforgiven servant did to his fellow servant what the master could have done to him, but did not. When the master heard how he treated his fellow servant, he said to him: “You wicked servant! I have forgiven you all your debt because you appealed to me. Were you not bound then to have pity on your fellow-servant just as I had pity on you?

And, angry, the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debts.” Jesus then said, this is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’ For God will apply the principle he has given us in our Lord’s Prayer, which will automatically put us where we properly belongs based on how we have related with other.

In this story, we see the extreme estimate of the debt the servant owed his master, ten thousand talents, even if him and his family had to work their whole life, they would never have been able to pay that debt. Because a denarius is a day's wage for a common workingman. While a talent is 6,000 denarii, or 20 years of daily wages. That means he would need to work 6,000 days to earn one talent and we are talking about ten thousand talents.

So, that’s a huge amount compared to hundred denarii his fellow servant owed him, in fact, there was no comparison between the two debtors at all. However, this will exposed to us the ugly attitude of unforgiveness and also help us to understand that our debt before God is so huge and countless for we cannot be able to pay them but he still forgive us.

This is what we see in our first reading today, for after the death of Moses, God assured his people of his mercy and protection when he said to Joshua, ‘This very day I will begin to make you a great man in the eyes of all Israel, to let them be sure that I am going to be with you even as I was with Moses.

So, let us learn from the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe, whose memorial we celebrate today, for he heroically offered his life in place of another man who had been selected for execution, seeing how the man was filled with despair over the welfare of his wife and children.

Maximilian, being a priest, chose to die in place of this man so that he could be united once again with his family. What a great lesson and example for us to value the gift of love that God has given to humanity in the sacramental union of marriage.

Dear friends, Are there people we have vowed not to forgive? Have people hurt us so much that we can’t forgive them? Have we offended people and cannot be humble enough to ask for their forgiveness? Do we think that our sins are so huge for God to forgive?

Are we finding it difficult to forgive those who have offended us? There is no doubt that forgiven a grievous offense can be very difficult, but when this is done, it is like recovery a lost treasure that contains: joy, peace, freedom and healing. And today Jesus is asking us to learn how to forgive others always and unconditionally from our hearts, so that God will also forgive us always and unconditionally.

Therefore, we must never refuse to forgive or reject an offer of reconciliation in our relationship with God and with our fellow human beings and if this becomes difficult, bring it to Jesus in prayer as you contemplate his patience and humility and mercy on the cross for us.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, today you have made us to realize how unlimited you mercy is, as you exposed how huge our debts are in comparison with the little debts of forgiveness others owe us. As we make it a habit to forgive from the debt of our hearts all those who have offended us, may we discover and experience the hidden treasures that forgiveness brings. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a grace filled day.

Homily For Wednesday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 13th August, 2025

 

Readings: Deut. 34:1-12; Ps.66; Matt. 18:15-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WIN YOUR FRIENDS BACK THROUGH FRATERNAL CORRECTION AND RECONCILATION

As human, we are not perfect because of our contingent nature, so we are likely to offend one another in any relationship we find ourselves. As a result of this, one of the major challenges we face in most relationship today is the ability to properly correct one another especially when one is straying from the norms set up for the good of the relationship.

In our Gospel passage today Jesus gave us the practical steps we need to follow in order to correct and reconcile with one another so as to build a stronger relationship when he said, ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.

If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the Church as a community; and if he refuses to listen to the Church, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.

Here, Jesus calls for fraternal correction in any relationship we find ourselves, for we are responsible for one another and these steps and stages give room for reconciliation. This fraternal correction must always be inspired by real charity which is one of the spiritual works of mercy. Though, this is never an easy task especially when one has to bear the sacrifice of forgiveness, because forgiving a very grievous offense is one of the most difficult things to do.

However, forgiven a grievous offense is like recovery a lost treasure that contains: joy, peace, freedom, healthy mind and healing. But how often do we seek to recover this lost treasure in our lives caused by unforgivingness? Hence Jesus today calls us to persistently seek for reconciliation until we gain our brothers and sisters back whenever they have offended us.

And if they refused to be reconciled we should pray for their conversion for that is how Jesus taught us to treat the pagans, the task collectors and sinners. For in all our proceedings we should seek direction in prayer, knowing that God manifests his mercy when he transforms people and lead them to conversion, as he changes us and turns us from selfish and rebellious individuals into humble and loving persons.

This is the case with the people of Israel in our first reading today, who were rebellious, but God through Moses corrected them. Though, he did not make it to the promised Land but he was hourned by God before the people, for we were told that never has there been such a prophet in Israel as Moses, the man the Lord knew face to face.

Dear friends, today Jesus gave us the steps for fraternal correction and reconciliation. For it is our duty, obligation and responsibility to ensure in a fraternal charity that our fellow brothers and sisters, friends and neighbours, colleagues and collaborators are corrected and guided whenever they go astray. For each and every one of us have the responsibility to strengthen our relationship and be a good examples for one another as we work the path towards our salvation,

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are rebellious and proud people, we lack the courage and disposition to accept corrections, help us to correct one another in fraternal charity as we also learn to accept corrections when corrected. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a favourable day.

Homily For Tuesday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 12th August, 2025.

 

Readings: Deut. 31:1-8; Ps. Deut 32:3-9, Matt. 18:1-5.10.12-14

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY DO WE ALWAYS WANT TO KNOW WHO IS THE GREATEST?

Human life and activities are always competitive and comparative in nature, that is why we are often anxious to recognize or be recognized as the strongest, wisest, cleverest, richest. We will always want to know the most beautiful, handsome, most talented and greatest in virtually everything.

Little wonder, the most lucrative business and adventures are found among those activities that are competitive such as sports, entertainment and politics because greatness gives more ego to our status.

This competitive and comparative way of life is what the disciples of Jesus displayed in our Gospel passage today, when they asked Jesus, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? For they were curious to know which one of them. But Jesus showed them the way to identify greatness and one who has such quality by offering them two strong images: that of the humble child and a dependent sheep.

Here, Jesus surprised his disciples by linking true greatness to that of humility and simplicity of little children and also showed how children can be the subject of a parable that reveals the vanity and deception found in some great persons. Because children are docile, humble, teachable, loving, forgiven and dependent.

Thus, Jesus explains that in the kingdom of heaven, true greatness is found in humility and children serve as a symbol of humility as they are dependent on adult for everything just as we also are dependent on God.

Little children serve as concrete symbol of the simplicity which is a condition for entering the kingdom of heaven. So, in children we found these great virtues of simplicity and humility. Hence, parents should encourage their children to participate in activities where they display these virtues.

Meanwhile, in the parable about the lost sheep, Jesus presents to us the images of a dependent sheep and a caring and loving shepherd who searches for the wandering sheep. For he invites us to embrace true greatness in humble service to others, especially the weak and the vulnerable, as we imitate God who never abandons anyone even the lost "sinners".

This is exactly what Moses did in our first reading when he summoned Joshua and in the presence of all Israel said to him, ‘Be strong, stand firm; you are going with this people into the land the Lord swore to their fathers he would give them; you are to give it into their possession. The Lord himself will lead you; he will be with you; he will not fail you or desert you. Have no fear, do not be disheartened by anything.

Dear friends, let us learn to be humble like little children even in the midst of our competitive and comparative nature. For today we are reminded that true greatness is found in humility and in humble service to others. But this is exactly what many of us are lacking. Because most of us are so proud, greed and selfish, as we are deeply attached to the pleasurable things of this passing world which prevents us from seeking true greatness that leads to heavenly kingdom.

As a result many of us are lost sheep, but Jesus the good shepherd is searching for us and guiding us on the path towards reconciliation and redemption, so that we may find the path towards the salvation God has offered to all humanity.

 LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are lost, for we are so much engrossed with the competitive activities of this world, seeking to be great in things that are passing away, grant that, we may embrace true greatness rooted in the humble service of our neighbours, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Monday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 11th August, 2025. The Memorial of St. Clare

 

Readings: Deut. 10:12-22; Ps. 147; Matt. 17:22-27

Rev. Fr.  Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

PAYING OUR CIVIL DUES AND TAXES ARE PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY

Oftentimes, people feel that is not necessary to pay taxes to civil authority especially when they are not utilizing the proceeds of the taxes they collected from the people. But in our Gospel passage today, Jesus made us to know that we are expected to contribute to the growth of our civil society. 

For when the tax collectors of the Temple came to the disciples and asked them on the matter of paying the Temple taxes, Jesus said, ‘Simon, what is your opinion? From whom do the kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from foreigners?’ And when he replied, ‘From foreigners’, Jesus said, ‘Well then, the sons are exempt. However, so as not to offend these people, go to the lake and cast a hook; take the first fish that bites, open its mouth and there you will find a shekel; take it and give it to them for me and for you.

Here, Jesus respects those in authority both civil and religious, even when he did not agree with them. He paid his dues calling his disciples to do the same while providing for them. Today, we all are called to do the same, let us have deep respect for authorities both civil and religious and pay our dues and ensure that they are well utilized, so that, like Jesus we may contribute to the growth of our society. 

For this is what Moses is reminding us in our first reading today. For he made us to know  that the only thing the Lord our God ask of us is to fear the Lord our God, to follow all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord our God with all our heart and all our souls, to keep the commandments and laws of the Lord which he laid down for our good and the good of our neighbours.

LET us also learn from St. Clare of Assisi, whose memorial we celebrate today.  For she was a woman of great faith and humility, who was known for her selflessness, great piety, love for God and humble service to the poor, and together with other women dedicated themselves to God’s service. And through prayer and holiness they founded the religious order of the Poor Clares, as a group inspired by the life of St. Francis of Assisi. 

Dear friends, we must learn to love one another and keep the commandments of God as well as our civil responsibilities. For Jesus paid his civil dues and taxes, we also should learn to fulfil our civil responsibility. I know that it is difficult to accept this especially when it is not well utilized, but we must learn to fulfil them. 

So, let us start our day by first taking our time to figure out our priority and get to work on them. Let us make our daily task more interesting and attractive and ensure that we contribute to the growth of our civil society. When our tasks seem difficult, just start with the minor once and from there we will be motivated to continue and by so doing we will remain faithful in keeping the commandments of our Lord. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for the gift of your word. As we begin our task this week, may your glory through the intercession of St. Clare inspire and elevate us to greater height. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful week.

Homily For Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 10th August, 2025

 

Reading: Wis. 18:6-9; Ps.33; Heb. 11:1-2.8-19; Luke 12:32-48

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

ARE YOU PREPARED AND READY FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD?

It is often said that adequate preparation is the secret and foundation of every successful event. This is obvious when we observe how footballers, boxers, athletes, also engineers, doctors and farmers, business men and women devote time and energy in rigorous preparation towards achieving their goals.

Then I said to myself, if we can go to this length of rigorous periods of preparation just for things of this passing world, it will be even more demanding when it has to do with preparing for eternal life.

Therefore, if we can devote such time and energy towards our spiritual life which we often neglected, we will be more awake and prepared for the day of the Lord. This is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today, when he said to his disciples: “Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks.

It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, wait for him, for happy are those servants if he finds them ready when he comes. Be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

Then he used the parable of faithful and wise steward to make this point clearer. And he concluded by saying: when a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him. Here we have a scenario which illustrate the unexpected approach of the coming of Christ which will be a great surprise to those who are asleep as they will be missing out the heavenly joy and also be deprived of their earthly treasures.

But for those that shall be found awake and ready, the Lord’s coming will be a happy day, while for those that are not prepared, it will be very dreadful. Thus our ignorance of the day and time of his coming is the reason for our watchfulness, so we must be awake and ready at all times.

Hence, in this passage we have two commands at the beginning and at the end which are not quite the same. The first command is based on God’s coming at an “hour” you do not know and the second have to do with managing the responsibility entrusted to us. For, just like the householder’s ignorance of the time when the thief would come is the reason why he does not watch.

Thus, our ignorance of the day and time should be the reason for our watchfulness in order to prevent being robbed. So the image of the thief is chosen to illustrate the unexpected approach of the second coming of Christ which will be a great surprise to those who are not ready as they will be robbed of Heaven and even their earthly treasures.

Therefore, Jesus commanded us to stay awake, because we do not know either the day or the hour when the Lord will come. And this is obvious in our first reading today where we heard that this was the expectation of the people: The saving of the virtuous and the ruin of their enemies; For by the same act with which the Lord took vengeance on our foes, he made us glorious by calling us to himself. And St. Paul in our second reading today made us to know that only faith canh guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen.

Dear friends, we are called today to be ready. We are called to repentance. We are called to embrace the new life the Lord is offering us. We are called to a life of constant struggle towards perfection in order to embrace the Lord whenever he comes. We should be prepared at all times and be ready to make sacrifices like the faithful and wise stewards.

We should be watchful for we know neither the day nor the hour when the Lord will call u. Therefore, preparation is the key word. Let us not be deceived when the world suggest to us that the day of death is not coming soon and so forget who we are, and then, the day and time will take us by surprise.

Rather, let us be like those wise servants who are prepared at all times for the coming of the master knowing that this world is passing away. So we need to stay awake and be ready. We need to look into our inner being, our interior life in order to embrace the life of holiness and self-control that will help us to be more prepared for the coming of the Lord.

 Thus, we must change our disposition especially as regards our attitude towards the things of this passing world in order to embrace more of the things that will lead us to our heavenly kingdom for we are nothing but travelers in this world.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we have often failed to listen to your warnings concerning the things of this passing world and the need for us to stay awake and be ready for your coming, give us the grace and wisdom to be well prepared to stand before you whenever you call us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 9th August, 2025

  

Readings: Deut. 6:4-13; Ps. 18; Matt 17-20

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel  Emenike Onyia.

EXPRESSING THE FAITH THAT MOVES MOUNTAINS

Oftentimes, we think and wish that we have enough faith to face whatever challenges come our way. But the fact remains that we can only know the level and capacity of our faith when we are truly faced with a situation that overwhelms our physical and mental abilities. Then we will realise that what we think we have as faith is nothing but a shadow of reality. Such was the situation with the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today.  

A man came up to Jesus begging him to deliver his son, whom he had brought to the disciples, but they were unable to cure him. But Jesus said to them ‘faithless and perverse generation!’ ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.’ And he rebuked the devil, who immediately came out of the boy and he was cured from that moment. 

Then the disciples came privately to Jesus. ‘Why were we unable to cast it out? They asked. He answered, ‘Because you have little faith. I tell you solemnly, if your faith were the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it would move; nothing would be impossible for you.

Here, Jesus gives two reasons why the disciples failed to cure the boy. The first is connected with their own moral condition and disposition as they are only depending on their own personal abilities. Secondly, and more importantly, is their lack of faith. Though they had, indeed, shown some faith by making even the attempt at the expulsion of the devil. 

But they had acted half-heartedly and had not displayed that perfect confidence and trust which alone can bring success and make all things possible. Thus, Jesus decided to use the analogy of a mustard seed to give them a lecture about having a perfect and complete faith that moves mountains.  

The mustard seed, as we know, is the smallest of all seeds, which grows to produce the largest of all shrubs. So with the analogy of the mustard seed in relation to faith, Jesus supposed that, if we have the smallest faith that is genuine, we can do all things. Just like the mustard seed produced the largest of all herbs. 

Therefore, if we begin to nurture our faith to grow and strengthen from a small, humble beginning, it will grow to the point that it can help us to perform and achieve greater things and conquer the most difficult situations that, at first, would appear impossible. 

So faith moving mountains implies that spiritual and divine ability to make difficult and stumbling situations vanish. And this is obtained when we are rooted in God through sincere love. Little wonder we heard Moses in our first reading today instructing the Israelites on the need to love God sincerely with all their hearts and souls as they have it in their common daily prayer called the Shema Israel.

Dear friends, if we want to grow in faith, we must cultivate the humble habit of a mustard seed, which, though small, has the potential of becoming great when exposed to a fertile environment. For us to have the faith that moves mountains, we must be well-deposed to embrace the power of God in our lives, we must desire to have a personal experience of the power of God at work in the world and acknowledge that in him comes our victory over every situation we encounter.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, faith is your supernatural gift to humanity, grant that we may embrace this gift even as little as that of a mustard seed, to move out of our lives the tough mountains that are crushing us in our daily lives. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a joyful weekend.

Homily For Friday Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 8th August, 2025, The Memorial of St. Dominic

 

Readings: Deut. 4:32-40; Ps. 77; Matt 16:24-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

UNDERSTANDING THE SACRIFICE OF FOLLOWING THE LORD

Reflecting on the effect of the continuous hostility, persecutions and the influential powers of the things of this world, I think it 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 is getting tougher everyday. For if we are really willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a personal radical decision towards our discipleship.

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today says:  ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life?

 Here Jesus knowing what awaits us in this world, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level, especially in a situation where our faith and Christian values have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excess desires for worldly pleasures, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God.

Thus, these hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our life experience. Here comes the moment when we have to make a radical and difficult choice as disciples of Jesus. It’s time for us to take up our Cross in a sacrificial way and follow the Lord. But what is the cross we are called to take up? Taking up our cross could mean to faithfully face our daily challenges with all their difficulties. It is accepting who we are and what we have and using them to the glory of God. 

The way of the cross is a way of sacrifice, a way of commitment, a way of love, forgiveness, mercy and compassion, which aims towards the good of the other person. It can be a costly service to a loved one who is ill; it can be embracing illness, even terminal illness or other personal weaknesses. This makes no sense except when we relate it to the suffering of Christ through faith in God. 

For God, through Moses, in our first reading today, reminded us of the great works he did and is still doing to save and bring us to the promised Land. Hence, he commanded us saying: understand this today, therefore, and take it to heart: the Lord is God indeed, in heaven above as on earth beneath, he and no other. Keep his laws and commandments as I give them to you today, so that you and your children may prosper and live long in the land that the Lord your God gives you for ever.’ 

Here, God has promised us that he will stand by us in the midst of persecution and suffering. That for a while we might suffer, but in the end, those who remained faithful in him will be victorious while the oppressors will be rejected, crushed and destroyed. Thus, to share the glory of Christ, we have to share his suffering, because it is impossible to follow Jesus without accepting the cross, nor acknowledging and embracing all that life has to offer us.

Let us learn from St. Dominic whose memorial we celebrate today. Through his personal experience of God, he has helped the faithful to renew their faith and commitment in God and their society through the deepening of their spiritual lives, especially through the use of the rosary as a prayer, which eventually became one of the most popular of all devotions in the Church, through which countless souls have been converted to the Lord, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Dear friends, we must learn to deny ourselves the excess desire for the things of this passing world in order to follow the Lord. For 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 let go 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 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: Heavenly Father, the excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts towards your, give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires and as we do this, may the cross of Christ be 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.