IF LOVING GOD AND NEIGHBOUR ARE WHAT IS REQUIRED OF US, WHO THEN IS MY NEIGHBOUR?

 Monday of the 27th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 5th October, 2020. 

Readings: Gal 1:6-12, Ps. 111, Luke 10:25-37 

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

IF LOVING GOD AND NEIGHBOUR ARE WHAT IS REQUIRED OF US, WHO THEN IS MY NEIGHBOUR?

As humans we are always desiring to know what life requires of us, especially when we are faced with the realities of life. We often want to know the things that should be our first priority. So we always ask questions that will help us in addressing most of the challenges we encounter. These questions are sometimes meant to test our ability towards understanding the realities of life.   

This is the deposition of the lawyer in our Gospel passage today, who came to Jesus to test him by asked him question concerning the requirements for inheriting eternal life. This lawyer backing up his question with his knowledge of the ten commandment, made reference to the 'Shema Israel' - שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, the prayer that the people of Israel knew and recite from their earliest years, from which they learned that the most important thing in life is to love God with all their heart, and with all thy soul, and with all their mind and to love their neigbhour as well. In other words, loving God with all our heart, with all our understanding and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves is what is required of us and it is the foundation of all the things we have to do. 

But this lawyer needed more clarification concerning this requirements, then he asked Jesus a second important question when he said: who is my neighbour? At this point Jesus did not just explained, he illustrated who a true neighbour should be with the famous story of the good Samaritan. In fact, from the story Jesus did not just answer the question: ‘who is my neighbor?’ He also demonstrate what a true and righteous neighbour should be like, thereby showing us that our neighbours are often those we least expect to be a neighbours. For our neighbour can be anyone even the ones we most despised or feared just like the good Samaritan and this tells us that a true neighbour shows compassion, love, care and makes sacrifice for others.

And St. Paul in our first reading addressing the people of Galatia concerning what it means to be a good neighbour spoke clearly against all those who misinterpreted the Scriptures and twist the truth for their own selfish purposes and by so doing sowed seed of divisions and confusions among the Christian communities. Thereby,  warning us that if anyone should preached a version of the Good News different from the one they have already preached to us, whether it an angel from heaven, he is to be condemned for committing such sin against God and against his neighbours. 

Dear friends, love is the center of all the teachings of Jesus, for love is a gift from God to humanity. It is like the stream water, so innocent and pure. A true love is not hidden, it radiates from the innermost being of a person who experienced it. If we love God, then, we will see him in others and treat them justly and honourably. We will not hurt our neighbours but do our utmost best to live in peace with them. 

The truth is that, the absence of love is the cause of all the problems in our world today as most families exist by grace and not by love. Imagine how wonderful the world would be if we all love one another. How I wish we can invest our time and resources in ensuring love and unity in our dealings with one another. Believe me we will not only be fulfilling the first and greatest commandments of God, but we will be building a happy community. 

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, in you resides the fullness of love, grant that we may truly love you and our neighbours and so conquer the world full of hatred, self-centeredness, greed and corruption, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful week ahead.

AS TENANTS IN GOD’S VINEYARD, WHAT IS OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE THINGS ENTRUSTED TO US?

 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 4th October, 2020.

Readings:  Is. 5:1-7, Ps. 80, Phil 4:6-9. Matt. 21:33-43

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

AS TENANTS IN GOD’S VINEYARD, WHAT IS OUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE THINGS ENTRUSTED TO US? 

In this world we are like tenants, who are living in an apartment that is entrusted to us to manage by a generous landlord, who has gone on a long distance journey. We do not know when he will come back, we do not know his plan for the apartment. But one thing is certain, he wants us to be fruitful and to give a proper account of what he has entrusted to us whenever he comes back. 

Sadly, because of the comfort and freedom we are enjoying, we have forgotten who we are , we have forgotten that we are nothing but a common tenant. Worst still, some are now claiming to be the landlord and maltreating other fellow tenants and acquiring the whole property for themselves. They are doing everything to ensure that the true landlord do not return.

This ugly attitude of humanity is what prophet Isaiah in our first reading is talking about in the song concerning the vineyard of the Lord, which has failed to bear good fruits despite the efforts the Lord has made to ensure that it is fruitful. This same issue is what Jesus is also addressing in our Gospel passage today in the great parable of the vineyard owner, who planted a vineyard, fenced it round, dug a winepress in it and built a tower; then he leased it to tenants and went abroad. When vintage time drew near he sent his servants to collect his produce from the tenants whom he had entrusted with the care of his vineyard.

 But the tenants were now wicked, greed and selfish, for they desired to keep everything they gained to themselves. Hence, they persecuted and killed the servants sent to them. The tenants also killed the son of the vineyard owner, whom the owner sent to them thinking that the tenants would respect his own son. At the end, the vineyard owner came down himself and dealt with all those wicked tenants, punishing them all for their wickedness and the evil things which they had committed out of greed and ego. They lost everything and were punished justly by the owner. 

Thus, this parable describes the relationship between God and humanity and how humanity has been summoned for a trial. Here, the owner of the vineyard is God, the servants represents the prophets who constantly rebuked the people and reminded them about their tenantship in the Lord’s vineyard. While the son represents Jesus Himself, who is the Son of God sent into the world to save humanity, but was reject and killed. Also the vineyard represents the world and all it’s resources which does not belong to us but to God, while the wicked tenants represent the ugly attitudes of humanity towards these resources entrusted to us by God.

 

Dear friends, our world, our nation, our societies, our families, our lives as individuals are on a trial before God, for God has presented his case against us today, summoning our blessed land and mountains to act as judge between Him and the people of this generation, by reminding us how He has blessed us with so many resource, skills, good weather and people. But we have failed to be fruitful, we have misused the Lord’s gifts and resources, we have neglected his message, we have committed a lot of evil and murder, yet we are still carrying, seeking for solutions and signs from God. 

Today as tenants in God’s vineyard, we are called to change our ugly attitudes. We are called turn away from greed, corruption, pride and ego. If not, we will likely end up like those wicked tenants who acted with such evil against their fellow men and even against the son of their master and were justly punished and the kingdom of God being taken away from them and give to those who will be fruitful. Therefore, what God requires from us today is to do justice, to love kindly and to walk humbly with him for our own good and the good of others. 

And St. Paul in our second reading tells us not to worry; but if there is anything we need, we should pray for it, asking God for it with prayer and thanksgiving. He also encouraged us to fill our minds with everything that is true, everything that is noble, everything that is good and pure, everything that we love and honour, and everything that can be thought virtuous or worthy of praise, we should keep doing them. Knowing that, it was the stone rejected by the builders that has became the cornerstone. 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, oftentimes we have failed to be good and fruitful tenants in your vineyard despite all your have offered us. Help us today, to make a radical decision that will change our ugly selfish, greed and corrupt attitudes, in order to embrace a more loving and caring attitudes that will make us more fruitful in your vineyard. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Sunday, wishing you God's favour and blessings.

Saturday of the 26th week in Ordinary Time Year A, 3rd October, 2020. The Memorial of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus

Readings:  Job 42:1-3.5-6.12-17, Ps.119, Luke 10:17-24

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE TRUE JOY OF THE MISSION OF CHRIST IS TO MAKE HEAVEN

In the mission of Christ, there are so many things that can make us happy and oftentimes we hope to have more of them. But there is one goal that should be the bases for all our desires. And this is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today, for when his disciples came back rejoicing with the report of how they were victorious on the mission he sent them. 

Jesus said to them:  ‘I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you. Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.

Here, Jesus made it clear that the true joy of our mission is to make heaven and he warns us to be careful, and make sure our priorities and motivations are found around this one goal of making it to heaven. Little wonder Jesus, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children.  Thus, if we are ready to open our heart in humility and simplicity, God himself will reveal many things to us about himself.

Dear friends, this is exactly what happened in the life of Job in our first reading, for when he opened his heart to God, Job realize his faults and he repented from his mistakes, and embraced the will of God for him as he remained faithful even in the most difficult times in his life. And God, blessed and restored him even much more than before, thereby telling us that those who hold onto God till the end despite the trials and persecutions of life, God will bless and restore us to his glory.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are made to know that the true Joy of our mission is to make heaven, grant that through the intercession of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, may we experience the true Joy of your heavenly kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.

DEALING WITH HUMAN SEXUALITY IN THE LIGHT OF THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT

 Friday 10th Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 12th June, 2020

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

DEALING WITH HUMAN SEXUALITY IN THE LIGHT OF THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT

Human sexuality encompasses all the physical and integral attributes of our sexual identity as male or female, includes all our thinking, feeling, acting and interaction that emanate from our maleness and femaleness. It is a very important aspect of humanity that must not be neglected. Because it enriches human relationships in ways that are basic to God's own nature and plans as it offers humanity the grace to participate in the works of creation in partnership with God. Little wonder, sexuality is one of the first human attributes to be identified when scriptures says in Gen.1:27: God created man in his image… Male and female God created them. 

So as a result of this great privilege in relation to human sexuality and procreation, humanity are to be truly responsible with the gift of their sexuality. This responsibility is guided by two fundamental principles that is, love and covenant. Hence, any intimate expression of sexuality especially inform of sexual intercourse, which is the most bonding of all human relationships, must be guided by these two fundamental principles of love and covenant in a marital act. Therefore to emphasize the important of this sexual responsibility, the sixth commandment of God states that thou shall not commit adultery. This reveals to us that God wants us to live chastely, justly and charitable in our relationships with one another and this is exactly what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today ( Matt 5:27-33).

Here, Jesus emphasized that this sixth commandment forbids not only the acts of adultery and fornication but all appetites to them, all lusting after sexual object, for this is the beginning of the sin. The  lust of conceiving it is a bad step towards the sin, for as far as the heart can do it, there is nothing but convenient opportunity for the sin itself to be carried out. So all approaches toward gratification of this sexual appetite such as: touching and feeding the eye with the sight of it where further satisfaction can be obtained is forbidden. Because such looks and behaviour are very dangerous and destructive to the soul and Jesus said that it is better to lose the eye and the hand than to give way to this sin, and perish eternally in it. 

Dear friends, today there are so many things that are leading us into this sin and we are so much attached to them because the world has sexualized almost everything around us. The television, the internet, the music, movies, cartoons, even our social and religious activities are corrupted by this sexualization motives which drive or tempt us to commit this sin of adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism and masturbation. Because we have lost the control of our responsibility towards our sexuality, which of course is the cause of the increase in rape, incest, divorce and all forms of gander transformation going on in our society today.

The main point here is for us not to indulge in sins that will ruin our soul. Rather we should strive for perfection, by living a life of mortification and keep a constant watch over our own hearts against the rising of lust and corruption in and out of our conscience, by avoiding the occasions of sin as much as we can, by resisting it from the beginning and decline the company of things and those who expose us to this sin. Anything at all that lead us to this sin must be cut off in our lives and environment, if not we will keep on falling into it. It is a radical decision we must make today no matter who is involved and the cost or sacrifice that may be required.

PRAYER: Almighty God, our human sexuality is your great gift to humanity, give us the grace to be responsible with our sexuality, especially in this time when the world as lost the true meaning and value of human sexuality, and as a result so many lives and families are being destroyed, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Friday of the 26th week in Ordinary Time Year A, 2nd October, 2020. The Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

 Readings:  Exodus 23:20-23, Ps.91, Matt.18:1-5.10

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE HOLY ANGELS OF GOD, OUR  DEAR GUARDIANS

As humans we often experience some level of favour, providence and protection which we do not expect. Sometime we wonder how we managed to escape some dangerous actions on our way or what has inspired and sustained us in doing great works. The answer to this question is found in the memorial we are celebrating today, that is, our Holy Guardian Angels whom God had set before us, to be our guide and protector in our constant struggle against war that rages in our souls. In this angels we celebrate God’s loving care for each and everyone of us, for God sends them to guide and to protect us. They are higher being then us but God put them at our service. 

The angels have one goal in mind that is the glorification of God, which for our sake consist in our salvation and sanctification. They are prepared to do anything in order to procure our salvation and increase our sanctification. So, angels do protect us physically but more than that, they protect us more spiritually especially guiding and protecting our souls from the danger of sin and condemnation, they do this by putting in us a holy fear, or contempt for those evil we know we should avoid. They enlighten our minds in order to help us to know the good we ought to do and the evil we are to avoid, this they do by acting upon the sensible part of our souls, our emotions and sentiments and so inspire us with joy, peace and favour of God. For God communicate his message to us through their mediation.

Thus, in our Gospel passage today Jesus, tell us to be humble like little children in following the directives of our Guardian Angels. As he also warned us from misleading the little children in their faith or in harming them, for their Angels in heaven are constantly interceding for them. And in our first reading the Lord says: ‘I myself will send an angel before you to guard you as you go and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. Give him reverence and listen to all that he says. Offer him no defiance; he would not pardon such a fault, for my name is in him. If you listen carefully to his voice and do all that I say, I shall be enemy to your enemies, foe to your foes. My angel will go before you.’

Dear friends, God has always provided for us and protected us. He often send his Angels before us. All we have to do is to trust in the Lord and follow the directives that our Guardian Angels had proposed for us. Because, they are always before God interceding and praying constantly for us. They often speak to us and communicate the message of God to us, but we are often too busy and distracted by the noisy thing of this passing world, which the devil has been using to lead us astray. We can not give-in to his schemes if we remain faithful and attentive to our Holy Guardian Angels.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of our Guardian Angels, today we ask that through their intercession may we always find favour in your sight and before men, and always be defended by their protection and rejoice eternally in their company as we say: Angel of God, our guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits us here. Ever this day be at our side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Thursday of the 26th week in Ordinary Time Year A, 1st October, 2020. The Solemnity of Our Lady Queen & Patroness of Nigeria

 Readings: Is.11:1-10, Ps.72, Eph. 2:13-22, Matt.2:13-14.19-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHEN THE POWER OF LOVE AND GOOD WILL SUPERSEDES THE LOVE OF POWER, THEN OUR COUNTRY WILL BE TRANSFORMED POSITIVELY

The root of all the problems in our world today is the love of power.  For people are ready to do anything to be on power and to retain that power. This is what we see in the life of Herod in our Gospel passage today, where the Holy family of Jesus have to flee away to Egypt, because Herod planned to kill an innocent child for the sake of retaining his power. This ugly attitude is not far from us today especially in our country Nigeria which is in the state of distress because of love of power and greediness among the people in power and even the common citizens.

The fact remains that the elements of good and bad seem inherent in human condition, little wonder the world involves both good and bad mixed together. This will help us to understand the reason for the corruption, greediness, immoral and social decadence in our country today. So as we are celebrating our country Nigeria at 60 since our independent, we thank God who has made it possible for us to witness the day. But today’s celebration should plunge us into deep reflection about the ugly condition of this country. We need to ask ourselves, what have we done right? What have we done wrong? How can we do better and what will the future of this country be like?

Dear friends, the rate of corruption and greediness in this country is so appalling. People are never tired of acquiring and embezzling public funds for their own selfish gain. The truth is that, we need a radical transformation. A transformation that will brings about a new out fit that makes one a new person, with a new life, a new mind and a new way of doing things. And this is possible only when we understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of greediness, then we will be able to do things the right way.  For this country will be transformed only when the power of love and good will supersedes the love of power, when justice and faithfulness becomes the habit of everyone of us in this country.

LET US PRAY:  Lord God, out of selfishness and greediness we have committed a lot of crimes and injustice against one another, grant that through the intercession of Our Lady Queen and Patroness of Nigeria, we may resolve to have genuine love and good will in carrying out our activities in the societies as you guide and direct us to learn how to do the right thing always by letting the power of love to transform the ugly situation in our country. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy new month and God bless you.

Wednesday of the 26th week in Ordinary Time Year A, 30th September, 2020. The Memorial of St. Jerome

 Readings:  Job 9:1-12.15-16, Ps. 88, Like 9:57-62

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LORD, I WILL FOLLOW YOU BUT…

The path to success is so rigorous, strenuous and competitive. The strong pass through it and are celebrated, while the weak will always quit or give up. Hence, a lot of people have not been able to achieve their goal in life because, there are always excuses to give. Oftentimes we hear such people saying I want to do this but.., I could have done it but..., I thought of it but… I was almost there but... 

This kind of attitude is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today, when he said to someone, ‘Follow me’, the man replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’ Than another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.

Here, Jesus is emphasizing that following him requires a life of total self-denial and the man who requested to follow Jesus had not reflect thoroughly what following Jesus would entail. So Jesus made it clear that following him would mean giving up many of the personal comforts that he enjoyed and perhaps took for granted. However, it may seems that the Lord Jesus was very harsh when he said that those who have chosen to follow him and looked back were not fit for the kingdom of God or that those who died ought to be left on their own to be buried. This is not the case here, rather Jesus is emphasizing that to be his follower requires serious commitment and sacrifices at  all times.

And this is what we see in the life of Job in our first reading where we heard how Job, although was suffering and was passing through many troubles, friends who abandoned him and even accused him of wrongdoing, but he remained committed to God in righteousness without blaming neither God nor the people for his misfortunes. Thereby teaching each and every one of us how to respond and react in the moment of trials and difficulties.

And today, as we celebrate the memorial of St. Jerome, which marked the sixteen centuries that he had passed on, we recall his great contributions to the Church and the Christian faithful especially for his compilation of the Latin translation of the Greek Bible. Jerome who involved and experiencing all sorts of worldly pleasures as a young student of philosophy. But later his conscience led him to conversion into the Christian faith as he renounced all of his past sinful ways of life and devoted himself deeply into the study of the Scriptures, from which comes all his great works we still study today.

Dear friends, for us to succeed in life we need to pass through some rigorous steps and stop making excuses. Sometimes the rigorousness of the paths may seem difficult and impossible but at the end they form the experience that will propel us to success and sustain us as well.  So as we journey through the rigorous path of success in our mission and vocations, let us be encouraged by the life of  Job and St Jerome, knowing that none of our sacrifices and contribution in the mission of Christ and his Church will be in vain.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, teach us how to faithfully embrace our vocation and mission in life without making excuses.  And through the intercession of St. Jerome may we be ever more nourished by your word and find in it the fount of grace to journey the path of life, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.