Homily for Tuesday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 9th August, 2022.

Readings:  Ezekiel 2:8-3:4, Ps.119, Matt. 18:1-5.10.12-14

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LET US LEARN TO BE HUMBLE LIKE LITTLE CHILDREN EVEN IN THE MIDST OF OUR COMPETITIVE AND COMPARATIVE NATURE

Human life and activities are always competitive and comparative in nature, that is why we are often anxious to recognize or be recognized as the strongest, wisest, cleverest, richest. We will always want to know the most beautiful, handsome, most talented and greatest in virtually everything. Little wonder, the most lucrative business and adventures are found among those activities that are competitive such as sports, entertainment and politics because greatness gives more ego to our status.

This competitive and comparative way of life is what the disciples of Jesus displayed in our Gospel passage today, when they asked Jesus, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? For they were curious to know which one of them. But Jesus showed them the way to identify greatness and one who has such quality by offering them two strong images: that of the humble child and a dependent sheep. Here, Jesus surprised his disciples by linking true greatness to that of humility and simplicity of little children and also showed how  children can be the subject of a parable that reveals the vanity and deception found in some great persons. Because children are docile, humble, teachable, loving, forgiven and dependent.

Thus, Jesus explains that in the kingdom of heaven, true greatness is found in humility and children serve as a symbol of humility as they are dependent on adult for everything just as we also are dependent on God. Little children serve as concrete symbol of the simplicity which is a condition for entering the kingdom of heaven. So, in children we found these great virtues of simplicity and humility. Hence, parents should encourage their children to participate in activities where they display these virtues. 

Meanwhile, in the parable about the lost sheep, Jesus presents to us the images of a dependent sheep and a caring and loving shepherd who searches for the wandering sheep. For he invites us to embrace true greatness in humble service to others, especially the weak and the vulnerable, as we imitate God who never abandons anyone even the lost "sinners". This is exactly what prophet Ezekiel demonstrated to his people who are lost as they rebel against God and needed to be brought back to God as we have it in our first reading today, where the Lord made him great by offering him the scroll to eat and then said Son of man, go to the House of Israel and tell them what I have said.’

Dear friends, let us learn to be humble like little children even in the midst of our competitive and comparative nature. For today we are reminded that true greatness is found in humility and in humble service to others. But this is exactly what many of us are lacking. Because most of us are so proud, greed and selfish, as we are deeply attached to the pleasurable things of this passing world which prevents us from seeking true greatness that leads to heavenly kingdom. And as a result many of us are lost sheep, but Jesus the good shepherd is searching for us and guiding us on the path towards reconciliation and redemption, so that we may find the path towards the salvation God has offered to all humanity. 

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

Homily for Monday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 8th August, 2022. The Memorial of St. Dominic

 Readings: Ezek. 1:2-5.24-28; Ps. 149; Matt. 17:22-27

Rev. Fr.  Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

LET US LEARN TO FULFILL OUR CIVIL RESPONSIBILITY JUST LIKE JESUS 

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

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

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

Thus in our first reading today we heard how  the hand of the Lord came upon Ezekiel. And as he looked; a stormy wind blew from the north, a great cloud with light around it, a fire from which flashes of lightning darted, and in the centre a sheen like bronze at the heart of the fire. This signifies the role of Ezekiel in the civil and religious development of his society.

Similar way, we heard about St. Dominic whose memorial we celebrate today. For he helped the faithful to renew their faith and commitment in God and their society through the deepening of their spiritual lives, especially through the use of the rosary as a prayer, which eventually became one of the most popular of all devotions in the Church, through which countless souls have been converted to the Lord, through the intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary.

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

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

Homily for Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 7th August, 2022

 Homily for Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time  Year C, 7th August, 2022

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

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

WILL YOU BE READY WHEN THE LORD SHALL COME?

It is often said that adequate preparation is the secret and foundation of every successful event. This is obvious when we observe how footballers, boxers, athletes, also engineers, doctors and farmers, business men and women devote time and energy in rigorous preparation towards achieving their goals. Then I said to myself, if we can go to this length of rigorous periods of preparation just for things of this passing world, it will be even more demanding when it has to do with preparing for eternal life. 

Therefore, if we can devote such time and energy towards our spiritual life which we often neglected, we will be more awake and prepared for the day of the Lord. This is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today, when he said to his disciples: “Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, wait for him, for happy are those servants if he finds them ready when he comes. Be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” 

Then he used the parable of faithful and wise steward to make this point clearer. And he concluded by saying: when a man has had a great deal given him, a great deal will be demanded of him; when a man has had a great deal given him on trust, even more will be expected of him. Here we have a scenario which illustrate the unexpected approach of the coming of Christ which will be a great surprise to those who are asleep as they will be missing out the heavenly joy and also be deprived of their earthly treasures. But for those that shall be found awake and ready, the Lord’s coming will be a happy day, while for those that are not prepared, it will be very dreadful. Thus our ignorance of the day and time of his coming is the reason for our watchfulness, so we must be awake and ready at all times.

  

Hence, in this passage we have two commands at the beginning and at the end which are not quite the same. The first command is based on God’s coming at an “hour” you do not know and the second have to do with managing the responsibility entrusted to us. For, just like the householder’s ignorance of the time when the thief would come is the reason why he does not watch. Thus, our ignorance of the day and time should be the reason for our watchfulness in order to prevent being robbed. So the image of the thief is chosen to illustrate the unexpected approach of the second coming of Christ which will be a great surprise to those who are not ready as they will be robbed of Heaven and even their earthly treasures.

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

Dear friends, we are called today to be ready. We are called to repentance. We are called to embrace the new life the Lord is offering us. We are called to a life of constant struggle towards perfection in order to embrace the Lord whenever he comes. We should be prepared at all times and be ready to make sacrifices like the faithful and wise stewards. We should be watchful for we know neither the day nor the hour when the Lord will call us Therefore, preparation is the key word. Let us not be deceived when the world suggest to us that the day of death is not coming soon and so forget who we are, and then, the day and time will take us by surprise.

Rather, let us be like those wise servants who are prepared at all times for the coming of the master knowing that this world is passing away. So we need to stay awake and be ready. We need to look into our inner being, our interior life in order to embrace the life of holiness and self-control that will help us to be more prepared for the coming of the Lord. Thus, we must change our disposition especially as regards our attitude towards the things of this passing world in order to embrace more of the things that will lead us to our heavenly kingdom for we are nothing but travelers in this world.

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

Homily for Saturday Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 6th August, 2022. The Feast of Transfiguration of the Lord

 Readings: Dan. 7:9-10.13-14, Ps.97. 2 Peter.1:16-19. Luke 9:28-36

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE REVELATION OF THE TRUE IDENTITY OF JESUS 

Today we celebrate the Feast of Transfiguration of the Lord, the mystery and revelation of the true identity of Jesus. The word “Transfiguration” is the combination of two words ‘trans’ meaning change, and ‘figure’ meaning appearance or the outlook of a body. That is, the change in appearance of Jesus that reveals his true nature as the Divine Son of God, shining forth from his human nature, unveiling that he was not just a Man, but also the great Son of God incarnate in the human flesh. This will help us to understand the true identity of Jesus.

This is important because, to know the true identity of Jesus has always been the desire and quest of most people of his time and even in our time. Most people today still do not really have a grand knowledge of the personality and identify of who Jesus really is and his mission towards the salvation of humanity. So to make known his identity to humanity, Jesus in our Gospel passage today chose three of his disciples Peter, James and John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. 

There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light. Suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Beloved Son listen to him.

So, in this Feast we remember the revelation of Christ as the beloved Son of the Father, the one we are called to trust and listen to in prayer. An event that occur to undermine objections to inevitable event of parousia which calls us to a life of faith and radical transformation. A transformation that 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. 

In this revelation we recall the presence of the two greatest and most renowned figures from the Old Testament, namely Moses and the prophet Elijah. They represent the law and the prophets which bear witness to the personality and identity of Jesus and to crown all, the voice from the cloud which has also been the symbol of God’s presence with His people bearing witness that Jesus is the Beloved Son of God, calling us to listen to him. Little wonder St. Peter in our second reading today tells us that, it was not any cleverly invented myths that we were repeating when they brought us the knowledge of the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; we had seen his majesty for ourselves. 

Peter made us to know that Jesus was honoured and glorified by God the Father, when the Sublime Glory itself spoke to him and said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour.’ He said they heard this themselves, spoken from heaven, when they were with him on the holy mountain. This event also fulfills the vision of Daniel in our first reading, where he said: I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man. He came to the one of great age and was led into his presence. His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty which shall never pass away, nor will his empire ever be destroyed. And the preface of this feast says that Jesus revealed his glory in the presence of chosen witnesses and filled with the greatest splendour that bodily form which he shares with all humanity, that the scandal of the Cross might be removed from the hearts of his disciples.

Dear friends, are we in anyway ignorant of the personality, identity and mission of our Lord Jesus Christ? Have we personally experienced the presence of Jesus in our lives? Have we ever encountered Jesus in such a transformative way that changes our sinful ways of life and build our faith stronger in the Lord? The truth is, we can change our religion, churches, even our pastors, friends, residence, car or our physical appearance: hear, cloth, colour even gender as some people do today. But if we don't have a transfigurative experience that will bring about a change of mind and heart towards loving God and our neighours, we will remain the same and the old experience of unfruitful life will perpetuate itself over and over again. Because, everything absolutely change when we change our mind for good and that is the  essence of today’s feast. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you never ceases to make known to your children the mysteries of your Love for humanity, grant that by listening to the voice of your beloved Son, we may personally experience his love in our lives and merit to become coheirs with him, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. As you begin the day, may God bless you with a sound mind and unwavering faith in him.

Homily for Friday Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 5th August, 2022, Memorial of The Dedication of The Basilica of St. Mary Major

  Readings: Nahum 2:1.3:1-3.6-7, Ps. Deut. 32:35-41, Matt 16:24-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

HAVE YOU REALLY RENOUNCED YOURSELF AND THE EXCESS DESIRE FOR THE  THINGS OF THIS PASSING WORLD?

Reflecting on the continuous hostility, persecutions and the influential powers of the things of this world, I think is time for us to really think twice about our faith as Christians, whether we are actually ready to live out our faith in the midst of these ugly situations in our societies, which is getting tougher everyday. For if we are really willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision towards our discipleship in a personal and radical way.

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today says:  ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life? Here Jesus knowing what awaits us in this world, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level, especially in a situation where our faith and Christian values have been thrown out of caution as a result of secularism, individualism and excess desires for worldly pleasures, thereby neglecting the things that lead us to God.

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

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

For God through prophet Nahum in our first reading today promise us that he will not abandon his faithful people in the darkness of this passing world. For he shall crush the wicked and all those who have oppressed his people. He has promised that he will stand by us in the midst of persecution and suffering. That for a while we might suffer, but in the end, those who remained faithful in him will be victorious while the oppressors will be rejected, crushed and destroyed. Thus, to share the glory of Christ we have to share his suffering, because it is impossible to follow Jesus without accepting the cross nor acknowledging and embracing all that life has to offer us.

So, today as we celebrate the memorial of the dedication of Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, one of the most important of Churches and basilicas dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God, it was told in the Church history and tradition that a Roman patrician named John and his wife made a vow to donate their personal land and wealth as they had no son and heir to continue their family and inherit their legacy. They made the vow to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and they prayed asking for guidance and help in finding the proper site to build a church dedicated to God and to His blessed Mother.

And in the most wonderful and miraculous way, on the fifth day of August, on one of the hills of Rome, the Esquiline Hill on which the Basilica now stands, during the very height of the hot Roman summer, snow falls on the hill and covered the very spot that Mary had marked for this great shrine and Church. And that was why how this great Basilica was built and dedicated to Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Snows, and since then, the Basilica had stood for many centuries as the symbol of the faith that all of humanity has in the Lord through his Mother Mary, and it has become a strong rallying point for devotees and all the faithful, inspiring many to return to faith in God once again.

Dear friends, have you really renounced yourself and the excess desire for the things of this passing world? For we are called today to deny ourselves the pleasurable things of this passing world in order to take up our Cross and for the Lord. It’s time to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully follow Jesus. But  how much are we willing to let go for the sake of following him? Why are we finding it difficult to follow Jesus? What are those habitual desires and possessions that are holding us 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, give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires and as we do this, may the cross of Christ be a shining example in our daily struggles, so as to hold firm in our faith despite all the sufferings and persecutions we may encounter. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily for Thursday Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 4th August, 2022. The Memorial of St John Vianney

 Readings: Jer. 31:31-34; Ps. 51; Matt. 16:13-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND CONVICTION ABOUT THE IDENTITY OF JESUS?

As social beings, we often make friends who we can confide and entrust with our inner most thoughts and plans. But the friendship does not come automatically. There is always a moment when one will want to know if his or her friends can really be trusted, if they truly know and understand who we are and what we represent?

This is the situation between Jesus and his disciples in our Gospel passage today, when Jesus asked them saying: Who do people say the Son of Man is? And they said, ‘Some say he is John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ Then Simon Peter spoke up, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus replied, ‘Simon son of Jonah, you are a happy man! Because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld can never hold out against it. 

Here, we see how Peter expressed his personal conviction about who Jesus is. He did not have to quote any authority, because his response was a clear and sincere knowledge of who he professed Jesus to be. Hence, Jesus stressed 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. 

This is because Peter’s gift of faith comes from his personal response to Jesus. Thus, our faith requires that we give a personal answer to the question: who is Jesus to me personally? For it is not enough to quote the teachings and Catechism of the Church about our faith or the teachings of other theologians and preachers or to respond only from the head but from the heart that is convinced of what it believes on. 

Today most people are following Jesus without knowing who Jesus truly represents. Some people find it very difficult to embrace the teaching of Jesus because they lack the faith and conviction about his personality, even when Jesus has revealed himself to us through his great miracles and teachings. The fact is that, Jesus wants us to develop a divine way of looking at things, he wants us to know him deep down our soul, so that we can profess our faith with deeper meaning and conviction.

This is why he told Simon, 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." This seems to be the fulfilment of the prophecy and promises in our first reading today when the Lord said: Deep within them I will plant my Law, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be their God and they shall be my people. There will be no further need for neighbour to try to teach neighbour, or brother to say to brother, ‘Learn to know the Lord!’ No, they will all know me, the least no less than the greatest since I will forgive their iniquity and never call their sin to mind.

So, the faith given to Peter by God is the rock on which Jesus built his Church. And this royal authority is what Jesus entrusted to His Church through St. Peter and his successors of which our current Pope, Pope Francis is the 265th successor of St. Peter. So let us embrace this faith and cultivate the right disposition of heart towards understanding Jesus and his mission especially our role in his mission, just like St. John Mary Vianney, whose memorial we celebrate today. For he embrace the mission of Christ and through his life of holiness, preaching, prayer and penance he was able to transformed the life of the people of his time.

Dear friends, having heard the teachings and works of Jesus in the scriptures and traditions of the Church, the question remains: who is Jesus to you? What is your personal experience and conviction about the identity of Jesus? How has your knowledge of Jesus help other people to come to faith in Jesus. Today we are called to really examine our conscience to know where we are with regards to our faith as Christians. 

We are called today to develop a divine way of understanding the mysteries of God, but not rejecting them because we do not understand them. We are also called to be convinced of who we are and the need to truly unite together in God and His Church entrusted to St. Peter of which the get of underworld shall not prevail against it. Therefore, let us turn towards God once again with all our hearts and devote our whole lives in seeking to know Him more and more.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, you revealed to St. Peter the true identity of Jesus your son, help us to profess our faith with deeper meaning and conviction. And as we experience the power of your presence, may we through the intercessions of St. John Vianney embrace more deeply your sacred mysteries. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Remain blessed.

Homily For Wednesday eighteenth week in Ordinary Time Year C, 3rd August, 2022

  Readings: Jer. 31:1-7; Ps. Jer. 31: 10-13; Matt. 15:21-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHEN YOU ACCEPT YOUR HUMBLE BACKGROUND IN FAITH GOD WILL ELEVATE YOU TO GREATER HEIGHTS

In our society today, most people hardly accept who they are. Today people spent all their resources and energy trying to convince others of what they are not by seeking their approval. This is not the same with the Canaanite woman in our Gospel passage today, who when approached Jesus pleading for the restoration of her daughter was not discouraged because her request was not granted immediately in reference to her humble background. 

For Jesus said to her  ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman persisted, kneeling at his feet saying. ‘Lord help me.’ Jesus replied, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.

From this little story, it is clear that the woman was not going to give up, but kept pleading, even from her Canaanite background, to the point of Jesus recognizing her great faith. The irony of this passage is that, in Israel Jesus was trying to convince people that he was the Messiah, as he was being challenged to prove it with a sign. But here in Gentile territory he met a woman who was convinced he was the Messiah and he could not discourage her efforts. 

For his apparent attempt to put her off was just a test, of which her great faith was proven by the acceptance of her humble background. She accepted the place of a “dog” as a Gentile in relation to Israelites been the chosen children of God to whom the message and grace of the Messiah came first. Hence she accepted that she may not be able to sit down at the Messiah’s table and eat with the “children,” but she should be allowed to pick up some of the crumbs of unmerited mercy and grace of God for the sake of her daughter. 

Dear friends, we must stop wasting valuable time trying to prove who we are not, let us first in faith accept who we are then, work hard to improve who we want to be in relation to our faith in God. Let our faith in God help us to accept who we are. Whatever we want to do, let us have faith in God and in ourselves, and be determined because, faith, determination and sacrifice are the secrets of any success in life. 

Therefore, tell yourself today that you can get that which you desire, plan for it, work everyday for it, you will begin to see a different face in the things you do. The truth is that people are rewarded in public for things they do for years in private. So, let us learn from the Canaanite woman who accepted who she was and was determined with faith to achieve her dream through humility and persistence.  For the Lord will always intervene in our humble situations in order to elevate us as we heard in our first reading today.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we are often very slow to accept who we are and sometimes because of our humble background we fail to obtain what we desire. As we come to you today in humility and faith like the Canaanites woman, may we obtain your grace and favours. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.