Homily for Friday Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 15th July, 2022. The Memorial of St. Bonaventure

 Readings: Isaiah 38:1-6.7-8.21-22, Ps. 38, Matt 12:1-8

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 THE LORD DESIRES MERCY AND NOT SACRIFICE IN OUR DEALINGS WITH ONE ANOTHER 

One of the attributes of God is mercy, and this attribute run through the scriptures as it is actually the summary of most of the stories in the scriptures. Because at the end of everything it is the mercy of God that we need more than His justice. Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today teaches us about the essence of making laws. 

This is clear from his response to the Pharisees who criticized the attitude of his disciples who on the Sabbath were seen plucking ears of corn to eat because they were very hungry. So, Jesus corrected them on the right disposition concerning the application of God's law and any law at all, when he said to them "I desire mercy and not sacrifice". This is because the Pharisees emphasized on strict keeping of the law of Sabbath while neglecting the spirit of the law which has to do with God’s love  and mercy.

 This is also evident in our first reading, where we heard of God’s mercy on king Hezekiah, who was suffering from a terrible illness that would have led to his death. But he begged the Lord in prayer to remember what he had done for the sake of his people, for Hezekiah had been faithful to God and led the people of Judah to return once again to God. So God had Mercy on him and said to prophet Isaiah: ‘Go and say to Hezekiah, “The Lord, the God of David your ancestor, says this: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will cure you: in three days’ time you shall go up to the Temple of the Lord.” I will add fifteen years to your life.’ Such is the mercy of God.

Dear friends, Law exists for the good of the people, but often times we find ourselves seeking more recognition by exercising too much control over other people’s lives under the disguise of laws. Hence, we should not lack compassion and mercy or close our hearts against our neighbour like the Pharisees, an attitude that reminds me of the words of Pope Francis when he said: "If our heart is closed, if our heart is made of stone, then the stones will end up in our hands and, then, we will be ready to throw them at someone.

Therefore, this should not be the case, rather, we should always consider the essence and purpose of making laws and applying them, bearing in mind that human needs which supersedes all other human interest should be the guiding principle of any law both social and religious. In fact the ritual demands of the Sabbath encourages mercy, forgiveness and compassion which are at the heart of any true religion. 

Thus, as we make laws and implement them, let love, compassion and mercy be our guiding principle. Just as we heard in the life of St Bonaventure whose memorial we celebrate today. He was a great theologian whose task and mission was to defend and reform both the Church and the community of the faithful, a burden he faithful carried out through total submission to the grace of God and mercy.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you show the light of your truth to those who go astray. Through the intercessions of St. Bonaventure, may we always embrace your laws and apply them with mercy and compassion, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily for Thursday Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 14th July, 2022

 Readings: Isaiah 26: 7-9.12.16-19, Ps. 102, Matt 11:28-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE LORD WANTS TO HELP US CARRY THE HEAVY BURDEN IN OUR SOULS 

Thinking about the ugly condition of our societies today, where the ugly and sinful attitudes of greed, corruption, pride and selfishness of humanity have places heavy burden and stress on us all and often times these burdens are so heavy that we don’t know how to carry them. The worst of these burdens are the sorrows we bear in our hearts: sorrows caused by our sins, unhealthy relationships we engaged in, unforgiven attitude and family problems as a result of the bad influence of the society.

Thus, today in our Gospel passage Jesus says to us: Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’ No doubt that everyone of us has a task and a mission to accomplish and this can be very demanding. Little wonder prophet Isaiah in our first reading invites us to earnestly seek the Lord like a woman with child, who writhes and cries out in her pangs, for when God’s judgements appear on earth the inhabitants of the world learn the meaning of integrity and righteousness.

In a similar way, Jesus recognizes the sorrows in our lives, how we labour and are overburdened as a result of our tasks and mission. Hence he invites us to come to him with all our burdens. Yes, it is in the nature of human person to think and worry about things of this world. Every human person thinks and worries about something. Only few people can sometimes find it easy to resolve their problems, but for most people their problems are too great that they move from bad to worst. Hence, this invitation of Jesus opens a refreshing space in our soul, by inspiring hope and drawing us into God’s loving and gentle presence where our souls find peace and solace. 

Dear friends, what are those tasks and mission the Lord have given to us in this life? How are we carrying out this task and mission? What are the challenges we are facing? Is the task and mission so heavy for us to bear? Are we carrying additional load apart from the one God has given to us? I don't know the heavy burden in your heart right now, I don’t know your cherished plans which have failed and it seems as if disappointments have prevailed, thereby wandering in the darkness of confusion and heavy heart all alone? 

Today, the Lord wants to help us carry the heavy burdens in our souls. He is inviting us to come to him with all our burdens, all our troubles, all our challenges and  disappointments and he will give us rest. He says we should embrace his yoke, we should learn from him, for he is gentle and humble of heart and by so doing find rest for our souls. Then we will tell the story of how we overcome our most troublesome and darkest of moments, for we will understand it better by and by.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we come to you with heavy burden and sorrows in our hearts, grant that we may embrace the yoke of Christ and so find peace and solace in our soul. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you the God's favour.

Homily for Wednesday Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 13th July, 2022

 Readings: Isaiah 10:5-7.13-16, Ps. 94, Matt 11:25-27

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

GOD WILL ALWAYS REVEAL HIS PLANS TO HIS HUMBLE AND MERE CHILDREN 

Gazing on the crucifix this morning, all I could see is the childlike humility of Jesus towards his loving Father. For he sacrificed himself on the cross for the sake of humanity. Thereby teaching us that our relationship with God in prayer requires the humility of an infant to his loving father.

This type of humility is not a way of glory, but a road of surrender that leads to passion and death of ones self. It is  a way of sacrifice, a service to others at the expense of the self. In prayer Jesus experienced God as his Father and approached him with a childlike humility, faith and confidence. Hence, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus after his reproaches towards unrepentant cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida, demonstrates to us a humble way of relating with God in prayer when he 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 infants. Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will'.  

Here Jesus is referring to those who claim to be wise and intelligent, self-sufficient and self-made, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, Scribe and Lawyers who rejected his message. Also those who think that they don’t need God, for they can save themselves by their meritorious works. Thus, Jesus points out that there is a link between prayer and the inner disposition of being a humble child of God in communion with a heavenly Father, through confidence and total abandonment to God. For no matter who we are and what we have achieved in life, humility is the key and sure way to reach God in prayer. 

Nonetheless, even those who are highly gifted and blessed, can become a "baby" who humbly depend upon God’s grace. While the uneducated and less privileged persons can be in the same undesirable company of the wise and intelligent if they are not humble in spirit in their relationship with God and their neighbours, because our natural and spiritual gifts are only useful in our Christian journey when we have a humble heart.

This is what God is teaching us in our first reading today, when He reminded us through prophet Isaiah, that no power in this world is meaningful without Him. For pride as showed by the Assyrian king, will lead us to nowhere else but destruction and failure. Therefore, it’s time for us to get rid of pride, corruption, greed and unhealthy desire that dwell in us, in order to embrace the life of humility and love.

Dear friends, today God wants us to relate with him in total humility and obedience, just like the humility of an infant to his lovely father. For He is always with us in our daily troubles and struggles, He understands us more than we can ever imagine. Therefore, why not  humbly come to Him in prayers for He is always willing to help us in solving those difficult and challenging situations in our lives. Remember, our natural and spiritual gifts are only useful in our Christian journey when we have a humble heart.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we thank you for being with us in our daily struggles, troubles, joys and hopes, may you provide for the poor, console the troubled, heal the sick and put simile on the faces of your children who humbly come to your in prayers. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily for Tuesday Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 12th July, 2022

 Readings: Isaiah 7:1-9, Ps. 48, Matt. 11:20-24

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WOE TO HUMANITY FOR WE ARE HEADING TOWARDS SELF DESTRUCTION 

A critical look at  the ugly and fragile nature of our societies and the world as a whole it is obvious that humanity are heading towards self destruction, especially when we look at how the streets are full of people struggling and suffering, the markets are full of people buying, selling, cheating and manipulating others. Our leaders are so busy with acquiring, manipulating and embezzling the common resources, not minding the struggles, the tears, the disappointments that people are passing through everyday, as some people have lost hope in themselves and even in everything they do.  We are just so busy with everything except the very essence of our existence, that is, the salvation of our souls. 

These ugly and fragile kind of condition is what Jesus is addressing in our Gospel passage today as he continues with his reproaches, this time to cities where he had done great miracles, yet the people failed to embrace the life of the Gospel he preached. Hence he reproached them saying: woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. And still, I tell you that it will not go as hard on Judgement day with Tyre and Sidon as with you’. 

Yes, Jesus has taught us about the kingdom of God and proclaimed a message of healing and conversion but his teaching and powerful deeds have not yet been embraced by humanity. Hence, Jesus in this Gospel is not just rebuking the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, but all humanity for not being open to the fruits of his Gospel, calling us to reflect on how we are losing out on what God is offering us.

Dear friends, Jesus is saying woe to humanity for we are heading towards self destruction. We might not feel very comfortable with the idea of Jesus rebuking and uttering terrible words of threats on these big and powerful cities that represents all humanity. But the questions we need to ask ourselves are: Has humanity really embraced the Word of God we hear everyday? Is the Word bearing fruits in our lives? Can we recognize in this fragile condition of our country and societies the great deeds that Jesus is doing to save humanity and the need to turn back to God? Do we think that repentance is for others and not for us? Jesus is saying woe to us for failing to embrace and live out the Gospel teachings, because he seem to expect some sort of changes in us when we hear his Words or when we encounter him in prayers. 

Therefore, God is calling us to repentance, He wants to come into our souls and dwells. Today He is rebuking all humanity, He wants us to come to Him for He comes to us more than we come to Him. And this is what prophet Isaiah is telling us in our first reading today, reminding us that unless we stand by God we can not stand at all. Hence, if we believe in God, and put our trust in Him, we will have the assurance and guarantee of restoration, for God does not want us to suffer the consequences our sins, that is why He keeps reminding us about the up coming danger. But, if humanity constantly refuse to believe in God, we will end up in self destruction. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we embrace your words today, may we experience your love, joy and healing both physically, materially and more importantly spiritually, as we wait patiently for the restoration of all humanity from the ugly and fragile condition of this passing world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily for Monday Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 11th July, 2022. The Memorial of St. Benedict

 Readings: Isaiah 1:10-17, Ps. 50, Matt 10: 34-11.1

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE SWORD OF THE GOSPEL AND IT’S CONSEQUENCES

The way things are going in our world 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 all the ugly situation in our societies today. Because the hostility, persecution, kidnapping and the influential power of things of this world is not stopping soon rather, it will be getting tougher. Therefore, 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 practice our faith by following the example of Lord Jesus. 

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level when he said: 'Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth: it is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword. For anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; and anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.’ 

Here, Jesus does not directly intend to cause tensions and divisions in family life, but he 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 our family 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. 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 wield the sword of division or separation among those people and things which are so dear to us. 

However, Jesus does not endorse we engaging in armed conflict, but he warns that we have to struggle to put him first, before family ties, knowing that divisions will surely occur as people have to decide to be for or against God. Hence, he states that the cost of discipleship extends to one even losing his life. Nevertheless, he promises that even the small efforts we make in following him will be rewarded. 

Thus, Jesus demands a total commitment towards finishing the journey of discipleship once begun or not beginning it at all. Because, following Jesus demands the sacrifice of all that one has. For none of us can become his disciple if we do not give up our excess desire for worldly pleasures and possession, and pay our unreserved loyalty and allegiance to Jesus over all other competing loyalties in our lives including family, self-interest, and possessions. 

This is what prophet Isaiah is emphasizing in our first reading today, as he speaks about what God demand of His people. That God does not demand our sacrifices and offerings, rather, He desires our real love, genuine faith and total dedication to Him. Calling us to take our wrong-doing out of His sight. We must cease to do evil. Learn to do good, search for justice, help the oppressed, and cease to be hypocrites who claimed to believe in Him and yet, our actions are totally contrary to what we claim to believe in.

Dear friends, today we heard about the sword of the Gospel and it’s consequences as  we are called to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully follow Jesus and to accept the consequences of living by the truth of the Gospel. But how much are we willing to let go for the sake of following the truth of the Gospel? Why are we finding it difficult to follow Jesus?  What is that habitual desires and possessions that are holding us from making this radical decision today? It is time to come to God with all our hearts, for tomorrow maybe too late.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, the excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts towards your. Through the intercessions of St. Benedict, give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires, so as to hold firm in our faith despite losing people and things that are dear to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful week ahead.

Homily for Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 10th July, 2022

 Reading: Deut. 30:10-14; Ps. 69; 2Col. 1:14-20; Luke 10:25-37

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

GOD HAS TRULY LOVED US, LET US GO AND DO THE SAME

As human beings 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 may come as sentiments or bias which sometimes meant to test our ability towards understanding the realities on ground.   

This is the deposition of the lawyer in our Gospel passage today, who came to Jesus to test him by asking 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’, 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 know and 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 this story, the man who was going down can be referred to Adam who represents humanity departing from paradise to the world. While Jerusalem is paradise, and Jericho is the world. The robbers who maltreated the man are hostile powers of this passing world. The priest who passed by represent the Law, the Levite represent the prophets, and the good Samaritan is Christ who came to save wounded humanity. The wounds are disobedience, the beast is the Lord’s body, the inn, which accepts all who wish to enter, is the Church. The manager of the inn is the head and ministers of the Church, who are entrusted with care of human souls. The oil and wine represents the instruments they use in carrying out their ministry of healing, restoration and salvation. Finally, the Samaritan’s promises of returning soon represents the second coming of Christ. 

 In fact, from the story Jesus did not just answer the question: ‘who is my neighbor?’ He gave us the background of his mission and plans for saving wounded humanity and 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 our neighbour. 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 just like our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is exactly what Moses is telling us in our first reading today when he said: Obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping those commandments and laws. For this Law that I enjoin on you today is not beyond your strength or beyond your reach. It is not in heaven, so that you need to wonder, “Who will go up to heaven for us and bring it down to us, so that we may hear it and keep it?” Nor is it beyond the seas, so that you need to wonder, “Who will cross the seas for us and bring it back to us, so that we may hear it and keep it?” No, the Word is very near to you, it is in your mouth and in your heart for your observance.

Dear friends, God has truly loved us, we must learn to do the same by sincerely loving one another. And as we know, love is the center of all the teachings of Jesus. Hence, St Paul made us to know in our second reading that Christ Jesus is the image of the unseen God and the first-born of all creation, for in him were created all things in heaven and on earth: visible and invisible. Therefore we are created in the image of God who is Love and this love is his nature which we share, 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. 

So, we must learn to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind, and our neighbour as ourselves.’ For 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 also be building a happy and peaceful societies. 

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. Happy Sunday to you all.

Homily for Saturday Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 9th July, 2022

 

Readings: Isaiah 6:1-8, Ps. 93, Matt 10: 24-33

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

ARE YOU REALLY A FIRM DISCIPLE OF JESUS IN THE MIDST OF  PERSECUTION? 

The goal of every disciple is to become like the master. This does not mean that the disciple will become equal to the master, but through the training he becomes like or similar to the master in his own unique way. For a good disciple develops great qualities and skills like that of the master. Hence, Jesus knowing the difficulties and challenges his disciples will encounter, needed to train and instruct them properly, so that they can stand firm in the midst of oppositions and persecution.

Thus, today in our Gospel passage, Jesus continues with his instruction on what it means to be a firm disciple in respect to the mission he is about to entrust to his apostles. Hence he said to his Apostles:  The disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor the slave to his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, what will they not say of his household? What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. 

As disciples, this encouraging words of Jesus is very apt now that we are passing through difficult moment of poverty, sickness, persecution, intimidation, greed, immorality, killings, wars, famines, genocide in our families, societies, country and the world at large. This ugly condition can make someone to completely lose hope in humanity and also in God.  But Jesus do not want us to lose hope, rather he wants us to be that firm and strong disciples that will stand firm and courageously face the ugly situation we encounter everyday. For Jesus needs firm disciples that will speak and stand for his Gospel no matter the cost. 

Hence, we heard the Lord saying through prophet Isaiah in our first reading: Whom shall I send? Who will be our messenger?’ I answered, ‘Here I am, send me. This prophecy gives us the assurance that the Lord wants us to have faith and trust in Him, despite everything that we may be suffering and enduring because of the sins and wickedness of the evil ones. 

Dear friends, in the midst of persecution are we really firm disciples of Jesus? This question is important because as disciples of Jesus, our purpose in life is to become like him in deeds and in character. By so doing we will have confident that God will enable us to carry out the work that He has entrusted to us even in the midst of persecution, knowing that neither men nor the devil can affect our soul. We can be confident of God’s intimate care for us because He knows even the numbers of the hairs on our head.

Therefore, as true disciples of Jesus we must have confidence and remain firm in faith even in the midst of persecution, sufferings and sickness, because, his love and care for us surpass all our challenges. Thus we are called today to follow God wholeheartedly by living a life of holiness, purity, courage and simplicity, and by so doing inspire others to be part of this mission.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, there is no doubt that our world is full of oppositions and persecutions of your faithful people. Grant that we may follow you wholeheartedly and stand firm in the midst of all the oppositions and persecutions we may encounter in our daily lives. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a lovely and peaceful weekend.