Homily For Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 27th February, 2022

 Homily For Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 27th  February, 2022

Readings: Sir. 27:4-7;  Ps. 92; 1Cor.15:54-58; Luke 6:39-45

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DEALING WITH THE LOG OF PRIDE IN US BEFORE CORRECTING AND ACCOMMODATING THE SPECK OF WEAKNESS IN OTHERS

As humans we are quick to always criticize and condemn other people. We are good in seeing people's faults and mistakes. But has it ever occurred to us that, while we were condemning other People’s faults, and suddenly we realized that our own faults are just as many as theirs? It is this ugly attitude that Jesus is addressing today in our Gospel passage, when he said: Why do you observe the speck in your brother’s eye and never notice the log in your own? How can you then say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,” when you cannot see the log in your own eyes? Hypocrite! Take the log out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye. 

Here Jesus is referring to that ugly attitude which the Pharisees and the Scribes and indeed most of us and our so called leaders today have decided to embrace as we have neglected the spirituality behind the natural human traditions and laws, to follow the may ritual and routing traditions and laws we have created out of our own selfish desires. For leaders who have the responsibility to lead, guide and teach the people have decided to embrace darkness and falsehood. And the greed, jealousy and wickedness in our hearts have blindfolded us and made us to become blind leaders of the blind as in the case of the war going on between Ukraine and Russia.

Hence, Jesus told us how we have failed to see the log in our eyes while seeking to remove the speck in other's. But what is this log in our eyes? It is the log of pride. Pride makes us to forget who we are and claim who we are not. Pride makes us to look down on people. Pride makes us blind. It makes us not to look into our own  live to see how we can accommodate other people’s weaknesses. Little wonder pride is the first capital sin. 

Therefore, we are called to humbly look into our lives and identify all those ugly attitudes of pride in us and get rid of them, so that we can humbly correct and accommodate other people’s speck of faults and weakness. Little wonder, in our first reading today we are told that in a shaken sieve the rubbish is left behind, so too the defects of a man appear in his talk. For a man’s heart is known from his expressions and actions. So we are called to look into our lives and examine our conscience before we begin to judge people. We must learn to accommodate other people’s weaknesses opinions and background.

No doubt that this can be a very difficult thing to do,  but this is what we are called to do and should be the right disposition for us to have. So, for this to be possible we must learn to die from the pride of the self and rise in humility. And this is what St. Paul is telling us in our second reading today when he said: When this perishable nature has put on imperishability, and when this mortal nature has put on immortality, then the words of scripture will come true: Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. So let us thank God for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Dear friends, today we are called to die to the self in order to rise in humility, we are called to look into our lives and examine ourselves to see those ugly attitudes in us that need to be corrected? we need to  know if we are in anyway behaving like blind leaders of the blind. Are we one of such leaders only see the error and weakness of others without looking into our own lives? We are called today to constantly examine our conscience to know what kind of attitude and judgement we give to people.

Hence, in any capacity we find ourselves we must learn to accommodate other people’s weaknesses and opinions, knowing that we also have our own ugly attitude that people have to accommodate.  Therefore, we are called to take away our log of pride in order to humbly remove and accommodate the speck of faults and weaknesses in others. So let us cultivate the right disposition of heart that will make us to be accommodating, loving, forgiving and tolerance in our relationship with others so as to lead those entrusted to us safely towards the path of truth and eternal life.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are often ignorant of our ugly attitude of pride which makes us to always see the faults of others without looking into our own. Help us to realize that we need to take away the log of pride that makes us blind in order to humbly remove, correct and accommodate the faults and weakness of others. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a glorious Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 26th February, 2022

 Homily For Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 26th February, 2022.

Readings: James 5: 13-20; Ps. 141; Mark: 10:13-16

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

EMBRACING THE KINGDOM OF GOD LIKE LITTLE CHILDREN

Oftentimes whenever we contemplate about the kingdom of God, two questions comes to mind, the first question is how will it look like? And the second question is how are we going to be part of it? These questions are very important because we wish to have the right disposition towards embracing the kingdom. 

Hence in our Gospel passage today Jesus gave us the guiding principles of what should be our disposition towards the kingdom when he said: Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’

Here, Jesus surprised his disciples by welcoming little children and set them as an example of what should be our attitude and disposition towards the kingdom. This is because children are docile, humble, teachable, loving, forgiven and dependent. Such disposition is necessary for anyone who wishes to embrace the kingdom of God. Thus, Jesus explains that in the kingdom of heaven, true greatness is found in humility and children serve as a symbol of humility  for 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 see these great virtues of simplicity and humility being present. Then, we can understand why Jesus ordered that children should be brought to him, and that nothing should be said or done to hinder them. Therefore, we must receive the kingdom of God as little children; we must stand affected to Christ and his grace, as little children to their parents and guidance.

Dear friends, how many of us today possess these qualities of little children? How of us are docile to this invitation of Jesus calling us to be humble and obedient to God’s instructions? How many of us are still innocent and pure like little children? How many of are peaceful, forgiven and loving like little children. Today the Lord is calling us to embrace these qualities of little children in order to have the right disposition towards embracing the kingdom of God.

Little wonder, St. James in our first reading today is calling us to embrace these childlike disposition towards fulfilling our mission of loving and forgiven one another when he said: My brothers, if one of you strays away from the truth, and another brings him back to it, he may be sure that anyone who can bring back a sinner from the wrong way that he has taken will be saving a soul from death and covering up a great number of sins. Therefore, let us in childlike disposition look out for one another as we embrace the kingdom of God.

 LET US PRAY: Lord God, we have become so much engrossed with the competitive activities of this world out of pride, grant that, we may embrace your kingdom with childlike humility and disposition that is rooted in the humble service of one another, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 25th February, 2022

 Homily For Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 25th February, 2022.

Readings: James 5: 9-12; Ps. 103; Mark: 10:1-12

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE REAL INTENTION OF GOD ABOUT MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFE

The fragile nature of our society today has placed in the minds of the youths a distorted image of what marriage and family life entails and truly represent in the society. This is because many young people today find themselves in a condition of radical instability and look for people to help them answer the fundamental questions of life. Today there are different notion and understanding of marriage especially among the youths. 

Marriage is seen as a business which anybody can engage or disengage at anytime. Marriage among the youths of today is a thing of choice and contract which is suitable only when it serves their personal interest. Commitment, sacrifice and partnerships of a whole life are far from their understanding of what marriage truly represent. The fact remains that Marriage is the basis of every human family and indeed the basic cell of every human community.

Little wonder in our Gospel passage today when the Pharisees engaged Jesus on the notion of divorce in marriage and it’s controversy. Jesus refer them to the fundamental principle of marriage when he said: It was because you were so unteachable that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. Because from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. This is why a man must leave father and mother, and the two become one body. They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.

Here Jesus emphasized on the real intention of God about marriage. He ruled out divorce by placing men and women on the same level; no longer could a man opt to divorce his wife. But, today there are lots of problems in family due to lack of understanding of what marriage truly means. It is quite interesting to realize that social, economic and political factors were major determinants that shapes the youths present understand of marriage, as we see the youths giving importance to changing trends in marriage such as: single parent, inter-caste marriage, living in relationship or cohabitation, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender marriages, etc. Hence, marriage for them is more of a social phenomenon than spiritual union and physical companionship.

Dear friends, today we are called to embrace the will of God and his teaching concerning marriage and family life. We should not let the trending ideas of disordered personalities in our society mislead us. Rather, we should value and respect the sanctity marriage knowing that marriage is not just a contract but more of a covenant sealed with an oath that must not be broken. Hence St James in our first reading today said: do not swear by heaven or by the earth, or use any oaths at all. If you mean ‘yes’, you must say ‘yes’; if you mean ‘no’, say ‘no.’ Otherwise you make yourselves liable to judgement.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we have always failed to listen and follow you teaching, as a result, there are lots of problems in our families due to lack of understanding of what marriage truly means. As we listen to your teaching today, help us to value our vocation whether marriage or celibate life and to constantly struggle to fix the problems in our families, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 24th February, 2022.

 Homily For Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 24th February, 2022.

Readings: James 6:1-5; Ps.49; Mark: 9:41-50

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

A CALL FOR SACRIFICIAL WAYS OF LIVING OUT OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH

The way things are going in our societies today, we really need to think twice about our faith as Christians, whether we are actually ready to live out our faith in the midst of the ugly situation in our country today. Because the way people are so much attached to the things of this passing world is really disturbing, for this no doubt are affecting our Christian values and principles. 

So, if we are really willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision towards our discipleship in a personal and radical way, for this days, it is not enough to say am a Christian, we must convincingly and radically demonstrate it.

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level when he said: anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck. And if your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that cannot be put out. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is a good thing, but if salt has lose its saltines, how can you season it again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.’

Here, Jesus wants us to accept the consequences that comes with the truth of the Gospel teaching, more importantly, when it comes to living out the Gospel message in a radical way, especially in a situation where humanity are deeply engrossed in sinful things of this passing world and the values of human life have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excess desires for worldly pleasures and possessions, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God. 

So, these hard words of Jesus can only be understood in the light of our life experience, because there are moments when we have to make radical and difficult choice as disciples of Jesus. These moments may require the sacrifice of some aspects of our physical appearance for we must not let them distract us from our heavenly glory. Hence, St. James in our first reading today, point ways in which we can been distracted by the excess desires for riches of this passing world and as a result can misused and abused the various gifts and talents God has given to us.

Dear friends, we are called today to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully live out our Christian faith and morals. But how much are we willing to let go for the sake of our faith in God? Why are we finding it difficult to follow the instructions for Jesus? What is that habitual desires and possessions that are holding us from making this radical decision today? So, wherever sin, selfishness and corruption have made our life tasteless, let the salt of our good attitude and character make it tasty. Where sin and immorality have made humanity filthy and ugly, let our salt of holiness purify. Remember, if we lose the value and taste of who we are as Christians, the world will trample upon us because we will be good for . Therefore, it is time to come to God with all our hearts, for tomorrow maybe too late.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, 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 attachment to the them, so as to hold firm in our faith despite losing things that are dear to us, This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 23rd February, 2022. The Memorial of St. Polycarp

Homily For Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 23rd February, 2022. The Memorial of St. Polycarp

Readings: James 4:13-17; Ps.49; Mark: 9:38-40

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 COLLABORATING AND ACCOMMODATING EACH OTHER IN THE MISSION OF CHRIST

There is no doubt that the Christian faith can be very demanding and ambiguous for those who do not understand the sacrificial nature of our missionary life. To deal with these challenges, we must learn to discipline ourselves and collaborate with one another. So discipline and collaboration must be central to the Christian mission, since the Christian faith comes across different categories of people which requires that there should be room to accommodate one another in that single language of sacrificial love towards Christ missionary mandate. 

This very discipline and collaborative nature of our faith is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today when John had said to him,, master, we saw a man who is not one of us casting out devils in your name; and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.’ But Jesus said, ‘You must not stop him: no one who works a miracle in my name is likely to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.

Here Jesus is speaking to his disciples and to all of us about doing the works for the glory of God, saying that we should not stop people from doing the good works of God even if the people did not belong to the same group with us. This is because, the disciples of Jesus saw some people who were doing works in the name of Jesus, casting out demons and healing in his name, and they tried to stop them from doing so. Why? Because the disciples having received from Jesus the authority and power to perform miracle they wanted to keep these gift and authority exclusive to themselves. But Jesus rebuked such selfish attitude showed by the disciples, because Jesus desires that everyone who wishes to do the work of God should be accommodated regardless of their background and affiliations.

Dear friends, by the virtue of our baptism and confirmation we have received the same Spirit of God, that gives us the authority to do great works for God. Therefore, we too have been entrusted with the missionary mandate of Christ. So, is our responsibility to make good use of the various gifts and opportunities God has given us by ensuring that we discipline ourselves and learn to accommodate other people’s gift and charisms. We must learn how to collaborate and accommodate other people who speak the one true language of Christ which is sacrificial love just like St Polycarp, whose memorial we celebrate today. For he is known for his passion for the missionary activities of the Lord for which he suffered martyrdom. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit who has always being our guide. Through the intercessions of St. Polycarp, help us to be more accommodating and collaborating with one another as we carryout your missionary mandate of love for each another. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 22nd February, 2022

 Homily For Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 22nd February, 2022

The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter

Readings: 1Pete 5:1-4, Ps.23, Matt. 16:13-19

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

CELEBRATING THE  SUPREME GIFT OF FAITH AND THE AUTHORITY OF ST  PETER

The supreme authority belongs only to God, and he alone decides who to endowed his authority and also delegate to exercise it among his people. Such is the occasion in our Gospel passage today where the gift of faith given to Peter by God was the rock on which Jesus built his Church and bestowed his authority on him. Thus, today in a special way the Church celebration the Supreme Chair of Saint Peter. A feast that marks the establishment of an organized Christian community under the leadership of St. Peter and his successors (that’s the Popes throughout the ages).

For in our Gospel, we heard how Jesus stresses that Peter's faith is a gift from the Father when he said: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." 

Here the key represents the authority to open the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to judge whether to admit or to refuse. While the expression “binding and loosing” refers to the doctrinal decisions and disciplinary power of the office of  St. Peter, that is, the faculty to impose and to lift, a guarantees that Peter’s decisions in the exercise of his ecclesial function are valid in the eyes of God because, the faith given to Peter by God is the rock on which Jesus built his Church and that is why in the iconographic tradition we see the keys in the hand of Peter.

This gift of faith comes from a personal response of Peter, when he professed that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God. Hence, our faith requires that we give a personal answer to the question: who is Jesus to me personally? It is not enough to quote the scriptures and the teachings of the Church about our faith or the teachings of other theologians and preachers. Rather to respond not only from the head but from the heart that is convinced of what it believes in. 

Dear friends, today’s feast reminds us of the need to truly profess our faith in God and be united as one family of God and by so doing overcome the ugly events of division, manipulation and multiplication of Churches going on in Christianity today. We are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are as regards our faith as Christians. Today we are called to be convinced of who we are and recognize the authority Christ has bestowed on his Church entrusted to St. Peter of which the get of underworld shall not prevail against it. To exercise this authority St. Peter in our first reading tells us to be the shepherds of the flock of God has been entrusted to us: we should watch over it, not simply as a duty but gladly, because God wants it; not for sordid money, but because we  are eager to do it.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, all authority belong to you alone, as you have bestowed on your Church the authority and delegate her to exercise it among your people, may this gift unite us more closely to your Son Jesus, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Do have a fruitful day

Homily For Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 21st February, 2022

 Homily For Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 21st February, 2022

Readings: James 3:13-18; Ps. 19; Mark: 9:14-29

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LORD, HELP OUR LITTLE FAITH

Oftentimes, we think that we have faith enough to face whatever challenges that 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 realize that what we think we have as faith is nothing but a shadow of the reality. Such was the situation with the disciples of Jesus in our Gospel passage today.  

For a man came up to Jesus begging him to deliver his son who he bought to the disciples but they where unable to  cure him. But Jesus said ‘faithless and perverse generation!’ ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you?  And he said to the man: ‘Everything is possible for anyone who has faith.’ Immediately the man cried out, ‘I do have faith. Help the little faith I have!’ Tben, Jesus said: 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? Jesus answered, that this kind  can only be driven out by prayer.

Here, Jesus gives two reasons why the apostles' 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 in a half-hearted manner, and had not displayed that perfect confidence and trust which alone can bring success and make all things possible. Thus, Jesus made them know that in extreme situations faith in our prayers is very necessary towards achieving our desires. 

Therefore, If we begin to nurture our faith to grow and strengthened from small humble beginning, it will grow to the point that it can help us to perform and achieve greater things and conquer most difficult situation that, at first would appear impossible. So faith moving mountains, implies that spiritual ability to make difficult and stumbling situations to vanish. This of course requires humility and sacrifice and St James in our first reading said: If there are any wise or learned men among you, let them show it by their good lives, with humility and wisdom in their actions.

Dear friends, if we want to grow in faith, we must cultivate a humble habit in our prayer life. This is important because in prayer we are well disposed to follow the introductions of the Lord. Because,  for us to have the faith that moves mountain, 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 come our victory over every situation with encounter. Therefore, we are called to let every moment of difficulties and trials lead us to grow in faith and knowledge God’s power and authority at work in us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, faith is your supernatural gift to humanity, grant that we may embrace this gift in humility, in order to be well disposed to move out of our lives the tough mountains that are crushing us on our daily struggles. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a joyful week ahead.