Homily For Monday Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 1st August, 2022. Happy New Month. The Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori

 Readings: Jer.28: 1-17; Ps 119; Matt. 14:13-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE LORD CARES ABOUT OUR SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING 

Humanity are constantly in need of one thing or the other, we are never tired of searching for things that will satisfy our desire for physical and spiritual well being. This is the situation and condition of the people in  our Gospel passage today, where we heard how the people were in search for Jesus for more bread. So as Jesus stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them and healed their sickness and also fed them in a miraculous way.

Here, Jesus fulfills his role as the expected messiah who is to liberate his people from all kinds of diseases. The healing touch of Jesus reveals to all those who are in need that God is faithful to his promises. This healing and wholeness are offered as a sign of the presence of God’s kingdom among his people. But Jesus did not just heal the sick, he also fed the crowd. 

This feeding of the crowd refers back to the journey of the people of God in the desert from Mount Sinai to the promised land which in a special way signifies the event of our Eucharistic celebrate. The Eucharist has the same characteristics of this miracle: the community gathered together, the transformation of humble elements into a glorified body of Christ to satisfy our spiritual hunger which is an abundant gifts of God to humanity. In fact, because of the link to the Eucharist, this is the only miracle that is reported by all the four gospels. 

However, we can interpret this miracle of feeding the crowd in two ways. First, we can simply interpret it as a miraculous event, pointing to the divine origin and mission of Jesus. Secondly, we can interpret the miracle as the fruit of sharing with one another, for it is possible that once the disciples began to share the little food they had with those around, others also who had actually brought some food with them started sharing what they have and indeed grace multiplied what they have to the point of having left over. How I wish humanity can learn to share our resources with one another, believe me, the world will witness another miracle of multiplication of resources that will be enough for everyone with left over for the future generations.

So, as Jesus heals and feeds the physical aspect of humanity, he also knows that we need the food of the Eucharist to sustain us spiritually for our journey to heaven which is our promised land. Here, Jesus did not bring the loaves and fish out of nowhere. Rather, he took what was offered to him and multiplied them greatly. This bread is the gift of the Eucharist which we receive back from Jesus whose heart is always moved with pity and compassion towards us. 

Dear friends, God loves us so much, that he is willing and ready to satisfy our unquenchable hunger for physical and spiritual things. This is what prophet Hananiah in our first reading failed to understand, who spoke to please the king and his listeners, saying before everyone that the Lord would help Judah to crush the Babylonians, and helped to reverse all the losses and humiliations that they had suffered under them. But this was not the truth, he only said something that everyone wanted to here by reassuring false hope. Thus, prophet Jeremiah why rebuking him made it known that God is going to throw him and all the evil agents that are destroying humanity off the face of the earth.

 Therefore, let us learn to embrace the life of love the Lord is offering us just like  St. Alphonsus Liguori, whose memorial we celebrate today. He was  the founder of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, also known as the Redemptorists. He was truly a holy man and a role model that we can emulate in our own lives. St. Alphonsus Liguori was remembered for his great piety and dedication to serve the people of God. He was known for his simple and yet effective homilies, his courageous and loving outreach to those under his care and in touch with the plight and troubles of the people in his community. So why not , come to Jesus and embrace his love and you will be satisfied.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are really hungry, in need of your love and satisfaction both physically and spiritually, through the intercessions St. Alphonsus Liguori feed us once again with your heavenly grace and multiple the little bread and fish we share with others and provide for us the basic needs of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy New Month.

Homily for Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 31st July, 2022

 Reading: Eccl.1:2.2:21-23; Ps. 90; Col. 3:1-5.9-11; Luke 12:13-21

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

All OUR WORLDLY  POSSESSIONS ARE VANITY VANISHING WITHOUT GOD 

There is no doubt that the material things of this passing world are so beautiful and captivating. Of course, they are gifts from God and he alone gives us the right to them. But what we possess is meant to help us grow in our relationship with God and neighours not to separate us from them, because if we are not careful, too much love for material possession can be an obstacle on our way to God’s Kingdom. Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today warns us against covetousness and excessive attachment to worldly possessions which he greatly emphasized with the story of the rich Man Harvest. 

In this story a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his farm, thought to himself, “What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.” Then he said, “This is what I will do: I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and store all my grain and my goods in them, and I will say to my soul: My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come; take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.” But God said to him, “Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul; and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then.

Here, Jesus tells his disciples about the need to live a life of detachment. He used this story to teach his disciples and all of us about the futility of excessive worldly desires and it’s pursuits. Thereby showing us the foolishness of human greed, as well as pride and ego. For in this man we see the uselessness of human selfishness, covetousness and excess desire for worldly possession, as he constantly focused only on himself saying I will do this, I will do that, ‘my goods, my fruits, my barns, my soul, etc, without any interest or room for his neighbours or the poor. He has no thought of God, nor of his own servants. If he had looked a little beyond himself, he would have seen many places where he could have bestowed his crops.  Thus, there is need for us to constantly prune ourselves from excess love for material possession of this passing world. 

For we heard in our first reading that things of this passing world is vanity without God. That vanity of vanities. All is vanity! Since a man who has laboured wisely, skillfully and successfully must leave what is his own to someone who has not toiled for it at all. This, of course, is vanity and great injustice; for what does he gain for all the toil and strain that he has undergone under the sun? What of all his laborious days, his cares of office, his restless nights? This, too, is vanity. 

The fact remains, that, material possessions in themselves are good, for we would not survive for long without them, but excess attachment to it at the expense of eternal life is grade one suicide. No doubt, it is difficult to give out or share our possession, but the ones who give up everything are the ones who receives more in this life as well as in heaven. 

For we heard St. Paul in our second reading saying: Let your thoughts be on heavenly things, not on the things that are on the earth, because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God. That is why you must kill everything in you that belongs only to earthly life: fornication, impurity, guilty passion, evil desires and especially greed, which is the same thing as worshipping a false god; and never tell each other lies. You have stripped off your old behaviour with your old self, and you have put on a new self which will progress towards true knowledge of the image of God.

 

Dear friends, what is the essence of our existence in this world? What does God really required from us in this life? Do you know that without God everything in life is vanity vanishing? So today Jesus addressed the very thing that most people are not ready to give up. Those things such as: money, houses, credentials, love of power, pride and wealth. But, if we are honest enough, we will admit that we all have some things we would be very slow to let go if Jesus should make the demand of them. Those things we so much attached ourselves with and would not like God to ask us to give them up for the sake of following him.

In fact, it might be a good thing today, for us to ask ourselves, what would be the most difficult thing for us to give up if Jesus should ask us to do so. It might be some thing we own like our properties, treasures, fame, beauty, influence and power or our wealth; it may be a relationship, or our job, or our habit and attitudes. So, whatever we posses that will separate us from our mission of following Jesus and loving our neighbours, today we are called to give them up and come follow the Lord, because in leaving them for the sake of Jesus, we actually gain all in abundance. 

Therefore, detaching and sharing what we possess with others especially the poor is a sure way to finding life, peace and happiness. And Jesus is telling us that it will be difficult for us to enter his kingdom when we choose to attach ourselves with the riches of this passing world. Though material possessions are gifts from God and he alone gives us the right to have them, but what we possess is not meant to separate us from God, rather, they should help us to grow in our relationship with God and neighours. Hence, let us not be carried away by the beauty of the things of this passing world, for nothing last forever. Rather, we should remain steadfast in our faith in God, who has called us to love him and to love one another, for that is all that the Lord requires from us in this life.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are living in a world where materialism is the order of the day, help us to learn how to live a life of detachment and prune us always from the sin of covetousness and pride, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed week.

Homily for Saturday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 30th July, 2022

 Readings: Jer. 26:11-16.24, Ps. 69, Matt. 14:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WE MUST LEARN TO STAND FOR TRUTH NO MATTER THE COST 

One thing that the world hates to hear is the sound of the word "truth". Why! Because it makes the world to tremble as most things in the world are built on falsehood and deceit and people are becoming comfortable with falsehood as a way of life. This is obvious especially with the ugly situation of corruption where humanity are placed in perpetual darkness and confusion as the voices that speak the truth are silenced by all means. 

Today people want to be "free" to do whatever they like, they don't want anybody to remind them the hard truth about the realities of life. Hence, they can do anything just to silence truth. Thus, the cost of speaking the truth has become so expensive that sometimes it cost a life of an individual or even a whole community. It is even more demanding when the truth to be told has to do with the conversion of one in authority.

This is the case with John the Baptist in our Gospel passage today, whose head was the prize for the truth he told to Herod and Herodias. For Herod had arrested John and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had told him, ‘It is against the Law for you to have her.’ Herod had wanted to kill him but was afraid of the people, who regarded John as a prophet. 

But, on the occasion of Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and so delighted Herod that he promised on oath to give her anything she asked. She conspired with the mother and demanded for the head of John the Baptist. The king was distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered John to be beheaded and the head be given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 

These ugly attitudes towards John the Baptist points at what is done to Jesus in his Passion, demonstrating how good people, especially when they struggle for truth and justice, are often condemned to suffer in the hands of greed and powerful people. But should we stop speaking the truth because of fear of losing our lives. I don't think so, because truth saves life, it brings freedom, it releases tension, it brings peace, it settles quarrels and disputes. Truth is freedom which must be offered to everyone, whoever, whenever and however it will best bring conversion to its enemies, just like John the Baptist did to Herod and Herodias even at the expense of his life. 

Herod made a bad decision, which out of pride finds it difficult to change his mind and admit that he was wrong. He did not plan to execute John that night. He was persuaded by Herodias to do so, because he was a weak man. He is a slave to the opinion of others, he feared the people who revered John; he also fears the reaction of his guests if he should retract his oath. This is also what we have in our first reading where the priest, the prophet and some people planned to kill prophet Jeremiah because he told them the truth concerning their sinful attitude and there repercussions. But he was saved by some officials who stood up for the truth and said: ‘this man does not deserve to die: he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.’

Dear friends, in one way or the other we play one if not all the characters in our readings today. Sometimes we are Herod or Herodias, Herodias’ daughter, Herod’s guests, John the Baptist, Jeremiah, the priests prophets and even the crowds. So   like Herod, how often do we make decisions out of pride? When we make bad decisions, how quick are we able to change our mind, to admit that we are wrong. Are we like Herodias who is waiting for an opportunity to silenced the innocents who confront us with the truth?  If today we happen to be one of the guests of Herod, what would been our reaction? Will I have protested and stand for truth like the officials in the case of Jeremiah or  stayed silent like the guests of Herod? Thus, what do we do when we see others suffering injustice? Do we have the courage to protest, even at the cost of losing our lives? Today we are called to speak the truth, for the world needs to hear the truth no matter the cost.

LET US PRAY:  Lord God, it is difficult to speak and stand for truth in our world today, give us the grace and courage to become instrument of your word in truth and in deeds just like St. John the Baptist and prophet Jeremiah. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.

 

Homily for Friday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 29th July, 2022. The Memorial of Saints. Martha, Mary and Lazarus

  Readings: Jer. 26:1-9; Ps. 69; Luke 10:38-42

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LET US LEARN HOW TO WELCOME AND LISTEN TO GOD AS A FAMILY EVEN IN OUR BUSY SCHEDULES JUST LIKE MARTHA, MARY AND LAZARUS 

Today we celebrate the memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus very close family friends of Jesus. Usually we celebrate only the memorial of Saint Martha, but since January 26th, 2021, Pope Francis made this day an obligatory memorial not just for St. Martha but also for the family. That is Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus. In this family we see what should be a good example of our attitude towards Jesus in our families. In our relationship with Jesus we often do not know what Jesus requires from us.  Oftentimes we worry about so many things in life, and this often distract us from relating with Jesus properly. But just will always have a way of teaching us how to relate with despite our different charisms and disposition. 

This is what is playing out in our Gospel passage today, where we heard the story of how Martha was so busy trying to make Jesus comfortable as he visited them at their house in Bethany. But when Martha observed that her sister Mary was not helping out in the preparation, rather was busy listening to Jesus, she said to Jesus: “Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her”.

 

Here, Jesus is not condemning this great sacrificial virtue nor condoning laziness. Rather, he is saying that busy without listening and listening without doing is completely worthless. Because in our relationship with him, Jesus wants us to learn how to listen to him even in our busy schedules. Hence, he gently corrected the impression of Martha who was too busy and distracted with so many things that she risks losing sight of what is really important, that is, listening to Jesus. This is because Martha gives the impression that Mary is just sitting there doing nothing. But, in fact, she was listening to Jesus. 

However, Jesus is not telling us to be content with sitting down to listen to his word, for he always insists that the best way of listening to his word is by putting it into practice. While his objection to Martha is because she was too anxious and distracted by many things that she was not able to really listen to him and for Jesus listening is the best option. 

This act of listening to God is what the people in the first reading today failed to do, where God through  prophet Jeremiah called the people of Judah to repent and turn away from their sins, so that He might forgive them and stop the wrath and the punishments as a result of their many sins. For unless they repent from their sins, what happened to the sanctuary of Shiloh would also happen to them all. But they did not listened to him, rather, they all seized hold of Jeremiah and said, ‘You shall die! Why have you made this prophecy in the name of the Lord.

Dear friends, in our relationship with Jesus, are we more of listener or more of accommodating and caring? Are we more like Martha, Mary or Lazarus for they were all close family friends of Jesus? Let us learn how to welcome and listen to God as an family even in our busy schedules just like the family of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. For today many of us are so busy and anxious of so many things that we have no time to listen to God speaking to us and addressing the situation we are actually busy trying to solve. 

Today we are called like Martha to pause and listen, so that we can hear God speaking to us and directing us towards the right path. Remember, Martha who was known as a friend of Jesus, loved to welcome him into her home, let us also learn from her, for it is a great virtue to be hospitable and caring especially when we spend quality time to listen to God and letting him direct and guide us towards carrying out our daily tasks without being distracted by the things of this passing world. 

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are anxious and worried about so many things, but indeed only one thing is needed, give us the grace to truly listen to your word and so have a caring and hospitable family just like St. Martha, Mary and Lazarus. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily for Thursday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 28th July, 2022

 Readings: Jer.18:1-6, P 146, Matt 13:37-53

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

GOD IS OUR POTTER WE ARE NOTHING BUT A RAW CLAY HOPING TO BE MOULDED INTO A HEAVENLY VESSEL

A story was told of a beautiful clay pot used to decorate a garden. The clay pot was the point of attraction to all including it’s fellow ordinary clay. So one day the ordinary clay approached the beautiful clay pot and said, we have no doubt that you are clay just like us. But how come you have become so beautiful and special that everyone admires you? The clay pot smiles and said: there was a time when I was nothing but a dumb lump of red clay. Then one day a Potter came with a digger and a hoe, dung me out of the dumb lump and painfully separated me from my fellow clay and brought me to his house I cried out but he ignored me. 

He rolled and pounded me on a wooden table several times without mercy. I cried out, don’t do that! Leave me alone!’ But the Potter suddenly placed me on a spinning wheel and suddenly spun around and around and around until I lost all consciousness. Just when I thought it was over, he placed me carefully into an oven which is hotter than the hell fire. 

Why me! I cried out in anguish! But the potter only smiled and gently said: because you are special! I struggled, I yelled, knocked and broke several times, but the Potter was patient and meticulous in ensuring that I adjusted to his will. Realizing that I cannot win, I surrender completely to the will of the Potter and he only nodded in understanding and quietly said: “is not over yet! 

Then he pulled me out of the oven, when the heat became cooled he carefully picked me up, dust away some dirt and behold I was totally transformed, looking so beautiful and special. And the potter smiled and said:  this is what you are meant to be. For God has made you into a special vessel for special purpose. 

This story reflect what prophet Jeremiah is telling us in our first reading today that God is the Potter and we are the clay. Though God has created humanity as beautiful clay in his hands to be molded into a beautiful and special vessel for heavenly kingdom. But humanity have sinned and rebelled again God and his plan for us. Unless we repent and turn away from our sinful ways we will all perish. 

Hence we are called to repentance for there will be a day of judgement of which Jesus in our Gospel passage, used a parable to describe that the kingdom of heaven will be like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in fish of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. Here Jesus is telling us that the kingdom is open for all but not all can be suitable to dwell in it, only those who on the judgement day are found suitable can be admitted into the kingdom.

Dear friends, God is our potter, we are nothing but raw clay hoping to be moulded into heavenly vessels. So, all God required from us is for us to let him mould us into the heavenly vessels that he planned for humanity. No doubt that sin has destroy our original nature, but just like when the pot a potter was shaping spoils in his hands and he forms it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. So will God re-mould us into a new vessel for his heavenly kingdom if we repent from our pride and sinful ways of life.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, sin and pride has separated humanity from your plans for us, today we come to you like a clay in a dump lump, be our Potter once again and re-mould us into that heavenly vessels which you planned for us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily for Wednesday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 27th July, 2022

 Readings: Jer. 15:10.16-21; Ps. 59; Matt 13:44-46

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS OUR ULTIMATE TREASURE 

Everyday under terrible scourges of the sun and noisy street, people struggle to acquire things that they value as treasures of life. The quarreling and fighting, the early morning rush, the traffic jam, the aggressive words all just to acquire things of this life and people are never tired of acquiring properties for themselves and their generation yet to come, forgetting that all these things sooner or later passes away as we ourselves expire from this world. Thus, today we are called to reflect on what should be our ultimate treasure and how we can acquire it. 

So, in the Gospel passage today, Jesus used two parables to describe to the people that the kingdom of God is the greatest and ultimate treasure anyone can and should acquire. He said to them: the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field. Again he said, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.

Here, the parables describe the kingdom of God as the ultimate treasure that cannot be compared to anything whatsoever we have in this world. Though the kingdom is open for all but not all can be suitable to dwell in it, only those who on the judgement day are found suitable can be admitted into the kingdom. Using these parables Jesus explains what the kingdom of heaven is like and what we need to do in order to acquire it. The essence of these parables is to remind us that the kingdom of heaven is so precious and great, that it is worth more than our entire life and our worldly possessions and treasures.

Therefore, we must do all that it takes to ensure that we acquire it, losing it over the temporal pleasure, joy, glory, fame, power and influence of the things of this passing world will be complete foolishness. For none of them last forever and what good is it for us to gain the whole world but loses our soul out of God’s kingdom. Hence, for the sake of this kingdom the Lord in our first reading said: I will make you a bronze wall fortified against this people. They will fight against you but they will not overcome you, because I am with you to save you and to deliver you.

Dear friends, what is our ultimate treasure in this life? How many of us are paying attention to the ultimate heavenly treasure? How many of us thinks and search for this ultimate treasure of our souls? How many of us desires to personally discover God in our life? How I wish we will understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of losing our soul out of greediness for the things of this passing world. Then, we will sincerely desire to experience God personally, because in him lies the  greatest and ultimate treasure of life. And discovering God personally in our lives is the greatest treasure anyone can ever have.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the world is full of distractions from false treasures, give us a wise and discerning hearts in order to give up all our attachment to worldly possessions in pursue of the heavenly and ultimate treasure of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily for Tuesday Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 26th July, 2022. The Memorial of SS. Joachim and Anne

 Readings: Jer.14:17-22, P 78, Matt 13:36-43

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

ARE YOU AMONG THE GOOD SEEDS OF GOD’S KINGDOM OR THE WEEDS OF THIS PASSING WORLD? 

For the past few days now we have been listening to Jesus telling us about the kingdom of God and the need for us to prepare to embrace it. In most of the occasions Jesus used parables to communicate the important of this message. Having listened to him carefully, his disciples in our Gospel passage today asked him to explain the parable of the wheat and the darnel and he said:

 “The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them, the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that provoke offences and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Listen, anyone who has ears!”

What is most important in this message is for us to “Listen carefully”. This is because the world as we know is coming to an end, for the day of reckoning is very close at hand. This could be the first trumpet might as well be the last. For it is obvious from the signs we are seeing around us today. How can we interpret the signs of this times, the signs that tell us that this world is passing away. 

Many are suffering and many more will have to suffer from greediness of others. Many have died and may more will have to die. Many are perishing in sin, many more will have to perish if we refuse to repent from sin and greediness. Little wonder we heard prophet Jeremiah in our first reading saying: “Tears flood my eyes night and day, unceasingly, since a crushing blow falls on the daughter of my people, a most grievous injury. If I go into the countryside, there lie men killed by the sword; if I go into the city, I see people sick with hunger”.

Dear friends, does these signs make us to be afraid of the second coming of the Lord or do we joyfully awaits its coming? Because the explanation of this parable gives us an account of what will happen on the day of reckoning. And today, we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are with regards to our vocation as Christians. Are we among the good seeds of God’s kingdom or the weeds of this passing world? For what will be our lot if the Lord calls us today? Will we be among the virtuous who will shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father? Or among those that will be thrown out of his kingdom and sent into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth? 

The answer to this question is available in our consciences and if we listen carefully now we will hear, for things are not the way they used to be, we all have to face the reality now. Everyday is a golden opportunity, today may be the only opportunity for us to change our sinful ways of life and embrace God completely, just like SS. Joachim and Anne the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose memorial we celebrate today. For they were entrusted with the task of nurturing and bringing up Mary as a great instrument for God’s salvation for humanity. They stand as a model of what good parenting should be 

LET US PRAY:  Heavenly Father, as we listen carefully to your word, let the groans of your children come before you. And through the intercessions of SS. Joachim and Anne, help us to embrace your word and be prepared to embrace your kingdom on the day of reckoning, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.