Homily for Tuesday Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 16th August, 2022

 Readings: Ezek.28:1-10, Deut.33:18-19-22, Matt. 19:16-22

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE MATERIAL RICHES OF THIS PASSING WORLD 

The rate in which people illegally acquires and attached to material things of this passing world is so alarming and this has serious consequences towards the well-being of the common man in the societies. Though, material possessions 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 says:  “I tell you solemnly, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven”. When the disciples heard this they were astonished. And they said, “Who can be saved, then?” Jesus gazed at them and said “For men this is impossible; for God everything is possible”.

Here, Jesus tells his disciples about the need to live a life of detachment. For they saw how the rich young man was so sad when Jesus demanded that he should share his possessions with others in order to acquire treasures in heaven by following him. Thus, there is need for us to be prune from our excess love for material possession, because, for a camel to enter through a narrow gate, it must kneel in order for its load to be taken off. We too must learn how to be humbled and detached ourselves from excess attachment to material things of this passing world. 

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. And prophet Ezekiel in our first reading warns us concerning the issue of pride, for most of us like the people of Tyre who because of their possessions are being swollen with pride, seeing ourselves as gods, while we are nothing but a mere instrument in God’s hands. 

Dear friends, what is your attitude towards the material things of this passing world? How has the material things of this passing world distracted us from God?  Are we still detached to material things of this passing world? How willing are we towards detaching and sharing what we possess with others especially the poor? For this 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 in the riches of this passing world. Though material possessions are gifts from God and he alone gives us the right to have them. However, 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.

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 pride, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily for Monday Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 15th August, 2022. Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 Readings:  Rev .11:19;12:1-6.10, Ps. 45, 1Cor. 15:20-27, Luke 1:39-56

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION ABOUT LIFE AFTER DEATH 

Following the ugly events we hear and experience in our world today especially the killings, hatred, betrayals, greed, social and economic injustice all over the world, there is this constant fear of what becomes of us when we die. Where are we going when we die? Is death the end of life? Is there another life after death? 

The answer to these questions is found in today’s solemnity: The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The solemnity where we celebrate the mystery of the assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary body and soul into heaven. An event which shows the triumph of life over death and good over evil. For since Christ’s divine body did not undergo corruption, it follows that his mother’s body, which forever contains a cell component of his Divinity would not be allowed to experience corruption, but would be taken into heaven and be reunited with Christ. For as we know, a particle of God, is God entirety. And the Psalmist says: that you will not leave my soul among the dead, nor let your Holy one know decay (Ps. 16.10). 

Thus, on 1 November, 1950, Pope Pius XII proclaimed as Dogma that the Virgin Mary “having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory”. This truth of faith as known by Tradition, was affirmed by the Fathers of the Church, and was an important aspect in the veneration of the Mother of Christ. This Dogma appears as an act of praise and exaltation of God’s grace in the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It also emerges for the honour of her Son Jesus and for the joy and exultation of the entire Church.

Little wonder, our readings today help us to understand better this mystery. For in our first reading we heard of the revelation of the victorious power of God, who through a woman has overcome the evil that threatened to destroy humanity. Telling us that the salvation, victory, power and the kingdom have now been won for us by our God, for the authority of his Christ has come.

And St. Paul in our second reading made us to know that Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep. For death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one man. Just as all men die in Adam, so all men will be brought to life in Christ. Meanwhile, in our Gospel passage, we heard Mary’s glorification of God’s power and victory, for God through Christ has remembered his mercy for humanity as he had promised to Abraham and all his descendants for ever.

Therefore, through this Mary’s Assumption into Heaven, we understand better that even though our daily lives may be marked by trials, persecutions and difficulties, our death is not the end, but the entrance into life that knows no death for we are made to share in God’s Heavenly Kingdom. So, the Assumption reminds us that Mary’s life, like that of every Christian, is a journey of following, following Jesus, a journey that has a very precise destination, a future already marked out, for our complete victory over sin and death, in order for us to be in full communion with God.

Dear friends, how can this solemnity of the Assumption of Mary help us on our journey towards our heavenly kingdom? How has this solemnity helped us to answer the question about life after death? What message is God passing to us in this solemnity? In this solemnity of Assumption, we find the message of faith and hope, that in God there is room for humanity, God is humanity’s true home and in us there is also room for God. Hence, Pope Benedict XVI says that One thing is certain, that is, our hope in God: that God expects us, God waits for us, we do not go out into a void, we are expected, God is expecting us. 

God is expecting humanity, for as we pass to the other side of life, we will find the goodness of our Blessed Mother, we will find our loved ones, we will find eternal Love Christ our Saviour. For he is waiting for us, since we are made to share in his glory. And this is our greatest joy and the great hope that is born from this solemnity. This reality makes us victorious over death and the evil of this world. Therefore, we should not be afraid for God has made us victorious over sin and death in order to share in Christ glory. Let us then entrust our Christian journey to Mary's Motherly intercession since she is the consolation and hope of the people still on this journey of faith. 

LET US PRAY, Heavenly Father, we thank you, for knowing how fragile our lives are in this passing world, so you gave us the message of faith and hope through the mystery of the Assumption of Mary. As we celebrate this mystery, may we be filled with the joy of your kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful week 

Homily for Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 14th August, 2022

 Readings: Jer. 38:4-6.8-10; Ps.40; Heb. 12:1-4; Luke 12:49-53

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

THE WORD OF GOD IS A  FIRE OF TRUTH AND A SWORD OF DIVISION

Reflecting on the ugly situation in our societies today especially the hostility, brutality, persecution and the influential power of the things of this world that we face everyday. 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 these ugly situations. 

The fact remains that, if we are really willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision towards expressing our faith in a personal and radical way. For these days, it is not enough to say am a Christian, we must convincingly and radically practice our faith by following the example of our Lord Jesus who made us to know that the word of God is a fire of truth and a sword of division.

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today, takes his discourse on discipleship to a radical and difficult level when he said: I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already. Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law’. 

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 which comes as a fire and a sword. This is evident 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 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 choices 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. This is so because, the Word of God is a fire of truth and a sword of division which purifies and separate us from the ugly situations and sinful things of this passing world that often separate us from God.

However, in the Gospel, 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 God or against God, to be united with God or be separated, to say yes to God or no to God, to accept the word of truth or to reject it. Hence, he states that the cost of discipleship extends to a point of one even losing his life. Because, following Jesus demands the sacrifice of all that one has. 

And none of us can become his true disciple if we do not give up our excess desire for worldly pleasures and possession, and pay our unreserved loyalty and allegiance to God over all other competing loyalties in our lives including family, self-interest, and possessions. Hence we are advised in our second reading today to throw off everything that hinders us, especially those sins that we clings so easily, and keep running steadily in the race we have started, while looking to Jesus as the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Let us think of the way he stood such opposition from sinners on the cross, so that we will not give up or give in to fears. Because, in the fight against sin, we have not yet resisted to the point of shedding our blood. 

This is what we heard in the life of prophet Jeremiah in our first reading today. For Jeremiah was a man who loved his people and stood for the truth and conversion of his people. He was the conscience and spokes person for the weak in his society. For this reason he was accused of being a troublemaker and lived with constant threats to his life. That is why we heard them saying: Let Jeremiah be put to death: he is unquestionably disheartening the remaining soldiers in the city, and all the people too. So they threw him into a water cistern. Thanks to Ebed-melech who God used to save him.

 

Dear friends, what is your attitude towards the Word of God? How has the Word of God purified your soul from the ugly attitudes for the sinful things of this passing world? Are you passing through the pains of the sword of division? Are you a victim of truth like Jeremiah? Are you in a position like Ebed-melech to save those who are victims of truth. Are you running away from these fire of truth and sword of division? Are you experiencing rejection and hostility in your family, societies, friends and colleagues as a result of the Words of truth?

Today we are called to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully live out our Christian faith and morals. We are called to embrace the sword of division that comes from the truth of the Gospel. We are called to let the fire of God’s word purify our hearts and souls. 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 Jesus? What is that habitual sinful 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: Lord God, the excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world have weakened our hearts towards you. As we embrace your Word as fire of truth and sword of division, give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly sinful desires and attitudes, so as to hold firm in our faith despite losing people and things that are so dear to us. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful Sunday celebration.

Homily for Saturday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 13th August, 2022.

  Readings: Ezek. 18:1-10,13,30-32; Ps. 51; Matt. 19:13-15

Rev. Fr.  Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

REPENT AND LIVE, FOR EVERY SOUL SHALL BEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF IT’S ACTIONS

Most of the time, we often find it difficult to understand the way God operates, especially as regards to his relationship with humanity. This is because humanity have failed to understand how God’s mercy and justice are applicable in our relationship with him and with one another. Little wonder, today in our first reading, prophet Ezekiel demonstrate to us how God’s mercy and justice will be a standard for judging humanity. 

Here, he began by asking: why do you keep repeating this proverb in the land of Israel: “The fathers have eaten unripe grapes; and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? For there will no longer be any reason to repeat this proverb in Israel. Since all life belongs to God; the father’s life and the son’s life, both alike belong to him. The man who has sinned, he is the one who shall die.

So we are made to know that those who fall into sin and wickedness, they will be judged by those same sins they committed, and if found wanting, they will be condemned because of them. And if anyone has a son prone to violence and bloodshed, then this son shall certainly not live; having committed all the appalling crimes he will have to die, and his blood be on his own head.

On the other hand the upright man will be blessed for he is law-abiding and honest; he does not eat on the mountains or raise his eyes to the idols of the House of Israel, does not seduce his neighbour’s wife or sleep with a woman during her periods. He oppresses no one, returns pledges, never steals, gives his own bread to the hungry, his clothes to the naked. He never charges usury on loans, takes no interest, abstains from evil, gives honest judgement between man and man, for the Lord will judge each one by what he or she does.

Remember, that when the upright man renounces his integrity to commit sin and dies because of this, he dies because of the evil that he himself has committed, and this is God’s justice in action. But when the sinner renounces sin to become law-abiding, honest and holy, he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins; he shall certainly live; he shall not die, this is God’s mercy in action. For we cannot separate God’s mercy and justice, because they are one and the same. The fact remains that, God is not interested in our past sinful ways, but in our present state of life. 

Hence, everyone has to bear the consequences of his or her actions. So is time for us to repent and renounce all our sins, avoid all occasions of sin. Shake off all the sins we have committed against God and against one another. It is time to make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit as the psalmist of today says. Thus, we have to be vigilant always and strive to be righteous before God and man. 

Dear friends, today, we have to make a fundamental choice to live a holy life and never to return to our sinful ways of life. We must struggle everyday to grow in righteousness and never give up no matter the situation we are passing through. We must learn to live a holy life and sacrifice in humility and innocent of hearts just like little children. 

Little wonder Jesus said in our Gospel passage: ‘Let the little children alone, and do not stop them coming to me; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.’ So, Jesus appreciate it when in childlike humility we make the fundamental option to serve him and to sacrifice for the good of others for we are called to taste and see that the Lord is good. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we struggle everyday towards holiness and perfection, may we be guided by the Holy Spirit and strive to remain on the path of righteousness and never to go back to our sinful and ugly ways of life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a peaceful weekend.

Homily for Friday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 12th August, 2022.

   Readings: Ezekiel 16:1-15.60-63, Is. 12:2-6, Matt. 19:3-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DEALING WITH THE CONTROVERSIES OF DIVORCE IN MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIFE

The idea of secularism and individualism in our society today has placed in the minds of the youths a distorted image of what marriage and family life entails and truly represents 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 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, Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, 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.’ 

Addressing the issue of divorce, Jesus said ‘It was because you were so unteachable that’s why Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. Now I say this to you: the man who divorces his wife, except for unchastity, marries another, is guilty of adultery. And he who marries a divorced wife commits adultery.  

 Here Jesus emphasized on the real intention of God about marriage and celibacy, that they are two forms of life that help us to value human sexuality as gift from God. He ruled out divorce by placing men and women on the same level; no longer could a man opt to divorce his wife, except for extreme unchastity. 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 youth’s 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.

Meanwhile, today prophet Ezekiel in our first reading reminds us that right from conception God gave us life, at birth he protected us, then we were stark naked, he spread the corner of his cloak over us to cover our nakedness. Now we are old enough for love, he showed us love and adorned us with beauty, ornaments, silver and gold and than he made a covenant with us to be our Groom and we, his lovely bride. 

But we abandoned and divorced him, by trusting on our own beauty and gifts which he has given us and using them to play harlot and lavished our harlotries on things of this passing world that take us away from God’s purpose of us. Yet God still remembers the covenant he made with us, he is not ashamed to forgive us. All he wants is for us to come back to him now that we are still alive for he is a merciful and faithful husband who loves us his bride. 

Dear friends, today we are called to embrace the will of God and his teaching concerning family life and the issue of divorce. We should not let the trending ideas of disordered personalities in our world mislead us. Rather, we should value and respect the sanctity of marriage. We should hold on to the true meaning of marriage which have to do with love, commitment, trust, sacrifice and partnership of a whole life time. 

Little wonder marriage  according to canon 1055 is defined as the "covenant by which a man and woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life and which is ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring", and which "has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament between the baptized. 

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 Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 11th August, 2022. The Memorial of St. Clare of Assisi

 Homily for Thursday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 11th August, 2022. The Memorial of St. Clare of Assisi 

Readings: Ezekiel 12:1-12, Ps.78, Matt. 18:21-19:1

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

EXPERIENCING GOD’S INFINITE MERCY WHILE DEALING WITH HUMANITY’S UNFORGIVEN ATTITUDE 

In Gospel of Matthew 6:12, we have the prayer our Lord Jesus gave us as a pattern of all prayers and as a fundamental principle of Christian life. In this prayer there is a portion that point out something so important. This portion says “forgive us our trespasses as we for give those who trespassed against us” By this pray we are making a covenant and commitment that will be a standard by which we are going to be judged as regards our relationship with others and with God. But often times we are not conscious of this principles especially when we have to face the difficult moment of forgiving a grievous offense.

Thus, Peter one of the disciples of Jesus being conscious of this fact, asked Jesus in our Gospel passage today saying: ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy times seven. And he practicalized his answer with an example of a servant who owed his master a great debt that he and his generation cannot pay. But when he pleads for mercy, the master forgave him all the debts. However, this same servant found a fellow servant who owed him as little as one hundred denarii, he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him and even when he pleaded for mercy, instead of forgiving him, he puts him in prison according to the norms of the law until he had paid his debt. 

This unforgiven servant did to his fellow servant what the master could have done to him, but did not. When the master heard how he treated his fellow servant, he said to him: “You wicked servant! I have forgiven you all your debt because you appealed to me. Were you not bound then to have pity on your fellow-servant just as I had pity on you? And, angry, the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debts.” Jesus then said, this is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’ For God will apply the principle he has given us in our Lord’s Prayer, which will automatically put us where we properly belongs based on how we have related with other.

In this story, we see the extreme estimate of the debt the servant owed his master, ten thousand talents, even if him and his family had to work their whole life, they would never have been able to pay that debt. Because a denarius is a day's wage for a common workingman. While a talent is 6,000 denarii, or 20 years of daily wages. That means he would need to work 6,000 days to earn one talent and we are talking about ten thousand talents. So, that’s a huge amount compared to hundred denarii his fellow servant owed him, in fact, there was no comparison between the two debtors at all. However, this will exposed to us the ugly attitude of unforgiveness and also help us to understand that our debt before God is so huge and countless for we cannot be able to pay them. 

Dear friends, having experienced the infinite mercy of God, how are we dealing with our unforgiven attitude?  Are there people we have vowed not to forgive? Have people hurt us so much that we can’t forgive them? Have we offended people and cannot be humble enough to ask for their forgiveness? Do we think that our sins are so huge for God to forgive? Are we finding it difficult to forgive those who have offended us? 

There is no doubt that forgiven a grievous offense can be very difficult, but when this is done, it is like recovery a lost treasure that contains: joy, peace, freedom and healing. And today Jesus is asking us to learn how to forgive others always and unconditionally from our hearts, so that God will also forgive us always and unconditionally. For we heard the Lord in our first reading today saying through prophet Ezekiel: Son of man, you are living with that set of rebels who have eyes and never see, ears and never hear, for they are a set of rebels, they will surely go into exile, into banishment.

Therefore, we must never refuse to forgive or reject an offer of reconciliation in our relationship with God and with our fellow human beings and if this becomes difficult, bring it to Jesus in prayer as you contemplate his patience, humility and mercy just like St. Clare of Assisi, whose memorial we celebrate today. She was a woman of great faith and humility, who was known for her great piety, love for God and humble service to the poor. And together with other women dedicated themselves to God’s service through prayer and holiness as they founded the religious order of the Poor Clares, as a group inspired by the life of St. Francis of Assisi.

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, today you have made us to realize how unlimited you mercy is, as you exposed how huge our debts are in comparison with the little debts of forgiveness others owe us. As we make it a habit to forgive from the debt of our hearts all those who have offended us, may we through the intercessions of St. Clare discover and experience the hidden treasures that forgiveness brings. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace filled day.

Homily for Wednesday Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 10th August, 2022. Feast of St. Lawrence

 Readings: 2 Cor 9:6-10, Ps.112, John 12:24-26

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

YIELDING A RICH HEAVENLY HARVEST REQUIRES DYING TO SINFUL THINGS OF THIS PASSING WORLD 

The way people are so much engrossed with acquiring the things of this passing world at the detriment of things that edifice the soul, makes me to wonder if we are actually learning anything from the lives of those who have passed away from this world. Have we really taken time to reflect on where all of us and the beautiful things of this world will be in the next ten, twenty, forty, eighty and hundred years for those who are strong? I believe the answer to this question will leave a deep silence in our soul as it exposed the foolishness of human greed and selfishness.

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today tells us that unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest. For anyone who loves his life loses it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for the eternal life.

Here, Jesus is telling us that the only way to save our lives is by total detachment from the things of this passing world. That we must sacrifice the pleasurable things of this world for the sake of the heavenly kingdom, because they are not going to follow us when the time comes for us to leave this world. For attachment to things of this world is nothing but a distraction from the things of heaven. 

Therefore, what are the things I value so much that needs to die in order for me to live more fully in Christ? Because like a wheat grain we must sacrifice by dying to the things of this world in order to yield fruit that will sustain us for eternity. Hence, we need to ask ourselves today, what does God requires from us in this world? Why are we in this world and where are we going for this world?  

Dear friends, all that the Lord wants from us is to serve him, to love him and to love our neighbours as well. So, we must learn to die to the sinful things of this passing world. For Jesus says in our Gospel, If a man serves me, he must follow me, wherever I am, my servant will be there too. For if anyone serves me, my Father will honour him. 

This is exactly what St. Lawrence whose memorial we celebrate today did. For Lawrence was one of the deacons of Rome and as such was greatly involved in the many important decisions and works in the very heart of the Church in Rome. During persecution, St. Lawrence was confronted by the Roman prefect through Emperor Valerian, who demanded that he surrender all the properties and material wealth of the Church. 

Lawrence assembling before the Emperor, all the poor the infirm, the sick and the destitute, and presented all of them before the Roman prefect as the true property and wealth of the Church. Then, the Emperor was filled with anger, he ordered that Lawrence should be arrested, imprisoned, and eventually was martyred by being roasted alive on a gridiron, which was made even hotter by the anger of the prefects. 

As they where burning him, he joked and asked his torturers to turn him over since he was "done" enough on that side. The deacon cheerfully offered himself to the Lord Jesus. Tradition has it that all of Rome became Christian as a result of the faithful life, and the death, of this one humble deacon, who let the seed of his life to die in order to yield rich Heavenly harvest.

Today the life of St. Lawrence is a great encouragement to us, calling us to the sacrificial life of love for God, the poor and the Church. And St. Paul in our first reading today tells us about the great rewards awaiting all those who had been generous in giving and loving the poor and the needy. For the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide us with all the seed we need and make the harvest of our good deeds a larger one, just like St. Lawrence  who showed us great example by his great generosity, love, genuine concern for the poor and the Church.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, Today, we saw in St. Lawrence a great example of how to live, and how to die faithfully to the Gospel. As we reflect on his life, may we come to love you the more and strive to detach ourselves from the negative influence of pleasurable things of this passing world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.