Homily For Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 15th January, 2023

Readings: Is. 49:3.5-6; Ps. 40, 1Cor. 1:1-3; John 1:29-34

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE CALL TO HOLINESS TOWARDS THE MISSION OF FOLLOW JESUS THE LAMB OF GOD

 

Today is the second Sunday in Ordinary Time of the Liturgical year A, which begins immediately after we celebrated the Baptism of the Lord last Monday. The beauty of this season lies in the fact that,  it invites us to live our ordinary life as a journey of holiness, faith and friendship with Jesus in order to continually discover our vocation and mission which is rooted in Christ’s own mission. Hence, our readings today present to us a call to encounter and follow the Lord, which points out the mission of the Church in proclaiming the word of God and our part in this mission.

 

Thus, in our Gospel passage we heard how God has called us through John the Baptist, to follow Christ, the Lamb of God and Saviour of the world. This is clear when John the Baptist in our Gospel, saw Jesus passing by and declared: this is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. For this is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me.  ‘I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God.’

 

Here he is pointing out the essence of Jesus’ mission, telling us about the great Servant of God, whose mission was to bring sinners back to God as we heard in our first reading through prophet Isaiah saying: ‘It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel; I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Considering this great task of Jesus, John introduced him as the Lamb of God and not the Lion of God and also described the Holy Spirit as a dove, not a hawk which is more powerful. why? Because, the Lamb is the most gentle, harmless and loving creature of God while the dove is a gentle bird, a symbol of peace and goodwill.  So this images tell us about the person of Jesus and the approach by which he will carry out his mission. Consequently, Jesus, the gentle Lamb of God, gently died for our sins, so that we could live in joy and freedom of God’s children, teaching us to do the same in our relationship with one another.

 

Thus, how to effectively carryout this vocation and mission is what St. Paul spoke about in our second reading as he addressed the Church and the faithful in Corinth and indeed to all of us Christians, who have been called to follow Christ and have been sanctified and blessed to be God’s chosen people, who are reunited and brought together from the world to bear the fruit of love and holiness of life. Hence, St. Paul addressed us as: the holy people of Jesus Christ, who are called to take their place among all the saints everywhere who pray to our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Therefore, he reminded us that we are called to holiness everyday of our lives especially in this ordinary time. He made us to know that we are not meant to defile our bodies through any forms of ugly attitudes such as fornication: for the body is meant for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.  For God who raised the Lord from the dead, will by his power raise us up too. Hence, we must keep away from any forms of defilement such as: adultery, fornication and impure thoughts. Because, all the other sins are committed outside the body; but to fornicate is to sin against our own body. And our body, as we know, is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in us to help us in our vocation and mission this year.

 

Dear friends, today we are called to holiness towards the mission of following Christ the Lamb of God, for there are so many things that are distracting us from our mission and vocation, and are leading us into sin and we are so much attached to them because the world has sexualized almost everything around us. The television, the internet, the music, movies, cartoons, even our social and religious activities are corrupted by this sexualization motives.

 

This of course, drive and tempt us to commit the sins of adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism and masturbation. Because we have lost the virtue of self-control towards our sexuality, which of course is the cause of the increase in rape, incest, divorce and all forms of gander transformation going on in our society today. The main point here is for us not to indulge in sins that will ruin our souls.

 

Therefore, as the year unfolds, we are all challenged to live a holy life as the Lord has taught us. And as we carryout our mission, we are called to follow the way of the Lamb. That is, we are to be the most gentle, harmless and loving children of God. We must be a symbol of peace, compassion and goodwill. We are not to force people to believe in God by the use of intimidation or force, and neither should we use any forms of tricks or false persuasions. Rather, we should be more selfless and forgiving in our interactions with one another, putting aside our pride, ego and selfish desires, knowing that the grace of God is always sufficient for us.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God,  as we struggle everyday to do your will and respond positively in the mission and vocation entrusted to us, give us the grace to be responsible with our sexuality, especially in this time when the world as lost the true meaning and value of human sexuality, and as a result so many lives and families are being destroyed. Help us we pray to find joy, courage and solace in your saving grace as you guide us through the year. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed Sunday celebration.

Homily For Saturday First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 14th January, 2023

Readings: Heb.4:12-16, Ps. 19, Mark 2:13-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

IN JESUS THERE IS MERCY AND GRACE TO PARDON SINNERS LIKE LEVI

 

The mission of Jesus is often misunderstood by people who feel that they should be the one to dictate to God what to do. But Jesus will always surprise them and use them to set good example for the rest of us. This is evident in our Gospel passage today, which presents to us the call of Levi who was a tax collector, a presumably public sinner. As Jesus passed by, he said to Levi, “Follow Me.” This is a present tense command which is a call for Levi to leave his old way of life behind and to begin a new life of following him.

 

But why would Jesus have any interest for a man like this? There is only one word that can answer this question, that is, grace. In spite of his ugly occupation; his ugly lifestyle; his failures; and his sins; Jesus loved Levi and he called him to a new life. The fact remains that, Jesus never condemned anyone nor does he judge people by their past behaviour. He is only interested in what they can be now and in the future. There and then, Levi drops everything and goes after Jesus just the same way Peter and Andrew, James and John had also done.

 

Later, when Jesus is dining at Levi’s house, several known sinners and tax collectors were at table with him and his disciples. This  was a real scandal for the scribes and Pharisees. For them, if Jesus really was a Rabbi he would have had nothing to do with such people. But Jesus replied: It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous but sinners. Hence, Jesus' whole mission is the salvation of souls and redemption of people to wholeness. And the best way to achieve this is by having a direct contact with them. But we are often not present where people are most in need of hearing God’s message. Sometimes, we tend to side with the Pharisees and feel we should keep away from sinful and ‘immoral’ people.

 

Dear friends, we need to learn that the Gospel message can most effectively be communicated to those who have lost touch with God and the meaning of life by reaching out to them. We should not be afraid to reach out to people, especially those who have been capture by the things of this sinful world. For we heard in our first reading today that, the word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts of everyone.

 

Hence, Jesus calling Levi to follow him shows that with God there is great mercy to pardon the greatest sinners. There is grace to change greatest sinners, and make them holy.  And this is a great sign of hope for anyone who thinks that God has abandoned him or her because of sin or past ugly ways of life. God is not interested in our past ugly and sinful ways of life. Rather he is interested in what he can make out of us now and in the future if we give up our sinful ways of life.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, your love and compassion for humanity is so great, even in our sinful and ugly ways of life, you never abandoned us. So Lord, when sin separate us from you, may your grace and providence bring us back. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 13th January, 2023

Readings: Heb.4:1-5.11, Ps. 78, Mark 2:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

SINS MAY BE PARDONED YET SICKNESS REMAINS, SICKNESS MAY BE HEALED YET SIN REMAINS, BUT FOR JESUS, HEALING IS HOLISTIC FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FAITH

 

The sin and evil going on in the world are putting our faith to the test and most people are giving in to this scheme because they lack the strong will to withstand the suffering, sickness and problems that befall us as a result of these evil actions. People are running ups and down seeking for solutions. while the evil ones are taking advantage of the ugly situation to destroy the faith of the people. In fact, one may begin to wonder if there is still hope for the restoration of humanity from this ugly situation. But the fact remains that God is able and willing to heal and restore humanity once again.

 

This is evident in our Gospel passage today, when some people brought to him a paralytic stretched out on a bed. And seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven.’ But some scribes doubted his authority to forgive sins, and Jesus knowing what was in their minds said: ‘Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts? Now, which of these is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ he said to the paralytic, ‘get up, and pick up your bed and go off home.’ And the man got up and went home.

 

Here we see the power and authority of Jesus towards the restoration of paralytic man carried by his friends. A gesture that signifies the restoration of humanity paralyzed by sins and evil. So Jesus will always begin by forgiving our sins, for sin seems to be the root of the sickness. But sin may be pardoned, yet the sickness remains; the sickness may be healed, yet the sin not pardoned. But for Jesus, healing is holistic for those who have faith in God. However, this is what the scribes and the Pharisees failed to understand as they doubted and opposed the power and authority of Jesus just like some of us often do. And those who behave like this, the Lord says, that they will never enter his rest as we heard in our first reading today.

 

Dear friends, today we are called not to be like the scribes who were enslaved by their pride and desire to maintain their prestige in the society. They doubted the power and authority of Jesus and rejected the message of truth. Of which Jesus rebuked them, showing us that truly he has power and authority not just to heal and forgive us but to restore us and all humanity back to our formal glory.

 

Therefore, we are also called to imitate the great faith and love of the friends of the paralytic, the love and faith that radiate from the innermost being of those who exercise it. Let us like them, learn to love and help one another. Because the absence of love is the cause of all the problems in our world today. For most families exist only by grace because of the absence of love. How I wish we can invest our time and resources in ensuring love and goodwill in our dealings with one another, believe me, the world will be a temporal home for everyone.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we are paralyzed by the sins and evil we are committing against you and the world you created out of our pride, greed and selfishness. As we come to you in faith, forgive us our sins, heal and restore us once again. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Thursday First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 12th January, 2023

Readings: Heb.3:7-14, Ps. 95, Mark 1:40-45

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

JESUS IS ALWAYS WILLING AND READY TO HELP US

In the scriptures and even in our daily lives there is no doubt that the compassionate love of Jesus in solidarity with human sufferings is evident.  Little wonder, we have great events in the scriptures that illustrates the compassionate concern of Jesus in the struggles of humanity and how he wishes to set us free from the shackles of our troubles.

 

This is evident in the occasion of our Gospel passage today, where a leper, came up and bowed low in front of Jesus and said to him, if you will, you can make me clean. Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I will! Be clean!’ And immediately his leprosy was cured at once.

 

Here, the touching of Jesus is very significant since no ordinary person would dare to touch a leper. We can think of the inner healing that must have resulted from the touch of Jesus, that moment of physical contact which the leper had not experienced for a long time due to rejection. Touch is something we all need, but are so often lacking in our relationship with God and one another, and it is even becoming worst in our societies today following the effect of social and physical distancing during corona virus pandemic. But this cannot stop Jesus from reaching out to his children who call on him for healing and restoration.

 

Thus, this leper was despised, feared, shunned and rejected in the society, but when he approached Jesus in humility, he becomes the object of divine attention. We too just like the leper, are in need of healing, including the healing that comes from the touch of Jesus, all we need is to approach Jesus in humility and we will become a person of divine attention.

 

More so, the story of this leper is a good example of how we sinners can and should appeal to Jesus for cleansing especially from our sins. We should come in faith knowing that God is always willing to cleanse every sinner who comes to Him. So, let us sincerely turn to God once again with all of our hearts and with all of our strength, just like the leper who came to Jesus with faith, knowing that he could heal him and make him better.

 

This is what all of us must have as well, a strong and genuine faith in God. If only we would listen to him today; and do not harden our hearts as we heard in our first reading today, who knows, today may be our great opportunity to be restored and what is needed is to put our faith in action and say Lord if you will you can restore me.

 

Dear friends, I don’t know what type of leprocious problems you are passing through? Are you weigh down by sin or sickness? Are you feeling helpless and rejected? Or do we know people who are helpless and need some help? Do we feel the need of Jesus’s help in some part of our life? Let us pause for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at us. How does he sees us? What are you saying to him and what is he saying to you?

 

Brethren, Jesus in solidarity with human sufferings, wishes to set us free from sickness, troubles, challenges and manipulations from the evil ones. He desires to be with us as we struggle everyday to overcome the challenges in our lives, in our families, society and the world at large. Therefore, we should not be afraid to approach Jesus for healing and restoration, all we need is an active faith like the leper in our Gospel passage today.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, humanity is in deep darkness caused by different forms of leprosies and only you can heal and restore us. For you know our inner most being and the challenges we are facing today, come to our aid we pray and cleanse us from all our physical, emotional, economical and spiritual leprosies, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Wednesday First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 11th January, 2023

 Readings: Heb.2:14-18, Ps. 105, Mark 1:29-39

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE LORD REALLY CARES FOR OUR WELL BEING

 

As Jesus continued to carryout his mission of preaching he also showed compassion and care for those who are passing through difficulties. This shows the love and mercy of God for humanity. Little wonder in our Gospel passage today, when Jesus returned from preaching in the synagogue to Simon Peter's house, behold Peter's mother-in-law was sick with fever.

 

This is not a minor sickness in the ancient world. A fever was not only debilitating for a short while, but was often a symptom of a condition that would lead to death. Thus, our first reading today clearly described how and why the coming of  Jesus and by taking up our human nature made it possible for him to identified himself with the struggles of humanity as he embraced us with his love, compassion and care. For he came to heal us from our sins and from all the afflictions we encounter.

 

So, when Jesus approached Peter’s mother-in-law, he simply raised her up and the fever left her. And she immediately begins to serve them, something she was unable to do because of her illness.  Thus, she was able to render her service to the first Christian communities. She was healed and restored with new strength so that she may again rise and take up her proper place in the community of God’s people.

 

Dear friends, God really cares for our well being, his always ready to help us in our struggles so that we can be well disposed to serve him. Hence, whenever we are sick both physically or spiritually and are cured from this sickness, it is tempting to sit back and accept people’s good wishes and congratulations. These should not be our attitudes, we should rather learn from Peter’s mother-in-law that healing is not just to make us well but to enable us to become active again in rendering service to God and his community.

 

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, we are really sick in need of your healing and compassion. As we struggle everyday to serve you and humanity, heal all our illnesses and give us grace to get up and become more active again in order to render more quality services to you and to our communities. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.

Homily For Tuesday First Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 10th January, 2023

Readings: Heb.2:5-12, Ps. 8, Mark 1:21-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

LEARN TO CARRYOUT YOUR CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITIES WITH AUTHORITY AND POWER LIKE JESUS

 

Oftentimes, whenever we want to communicate something important, it is always the case that we need to back up such activities or message with authority. And when this is lacking, people may not take our activities and message seriously. Thus, in our Gospel passage today we heard people making reference to the authority by which Jesus speaks and carried out his mission. For he spoke and acted with God-given authority.

 

This is even more evidence with the manner in which he was able to rebuke the man possessed by unclean spirit. These spirits are malicious beings that might be demons or fallen angels who have followed Satan to rebel against God. They might be mighty and powerful, as Satan, but in the end, none of them were able to rise up against God. For God alone is the source of all power and authority.

 

So Jesus being the Son of God wants to show us that he has been given all the power and authority over the evil ones. And through him we have been given all authority and power over those spirits. This is what we heard in our first reading today telling us that God has given dominion over all things to man, and not to any of the Angels.

 

Dear friends, it is obvious to everyone that Jesus had authority, his authority does not come from his position in life or from worldly power. Rather, his authority comes from his relationship with God his Father. He listened to his voice and spoke his words. Therefore, we must learn to carryout our Christian responsibilities with authority and power just like Jesus. And if we want to speak with authority, we must learn to spend time with God, listening to his voice and doing his will.

 

Hence, today we are called to recognize that the presence of Jesus in the world brings about victory over the evil ones. The unclean spirit recognized Jesus as the power of God. His power over demons is a direct defeat of the evil one while the restoration of the possessed man signifies the inauguration of God's kingdom in the world. Now, Jesus has given us the gift of his presence in the person of the Holy Spirit, which God has bestowed on us in our baptism. In this gift resides the power and authority to evangelize the world and to confront evil and overcome it.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in a world full of evil and intimidation, we need your authority once again to speak and stand for what is right and just. As we struggle with our daily task, may we be courageous, knowing that the same Jesus who delivered the possessed man can heal our fears, anxieties and worries for his presence sets us free from evil manipulations, he who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Remember, the power to overcome resides in you. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Monday After Epiphany The Feast of The Baptism of The Lord Year A, 9th January, 2023

Readings: Is 42:1-4.6-7; Ps. 29; Matt. 3:13-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE SIGNIFICANT OF BAPTISM IN OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH AND MISSION

 

Today we celebrate the feast of the Lord’s baptism an event which marks the end of Christmas season. This feast is not just about the Lord’s baptism, but our own baptism as well and the renewing of its grace in our lives. The celebration of the baptism of Jesus reminds us of our identity and mission as Christ faithful. The feast reminds us of who we are and our commitment to God on the day we were baptized. This feast reminds us that Jesus received baptism not because he needs it, rather, it is to identify himself with his people, who, as a result of John's preaching, are now aware of their sins and of their need for repentance.

 

Little wonder in the Gospel,  we heard how the true identity of Jesus was confirmed at his baptism where God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and power and his voice was heard saying: “This is My beloved Son with Whom I am well pleased." This is a confirmation of the word of God through prophet Isaiah in our first reading who said: thus says the Lord: Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have endowed him with my spirit that he may bring true justice to the nations.

 

This shows God's revelation to mankind especially about the mystery of the Trinity and also to reveal Jesus’ true identity and mission, stressing on the important of professing our faith in Jesus Christ which is an essential aspect of the rite of Baptism. This symbolizes the new covenant God wants to make with humanity, thereby calling us to repentance and faith in him. So this is the  significant of baptism in our Christian faith and mission.

 

Thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church CCC 1279 emphasizes that by our  baptism, we become adoptive sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, members of his Church, heirs of heaven and temples of the Holy Spirit. We become incorporated into the Church, the Body of Christ, and made  sharers in the priesthood of Christ. Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other Sacraments (CCC 1213). 

 

Hence, let us come and receive the immortality that flows from baptism through the testimonies of water, Spirit and Blood which bear witness to the love of God for humanity.  For we are told by one ancient author, that, this is the water that is linked to the Spirit, the water that irrigates Paradise, makes the earth fertile, gives growth to plants, and brings forth living creatures.

 

In short, this is the water by which a man receives new birth and life, the water in which even Christ was baptized, the water into which the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove. And whoever goes down into these waters of rebirth with faith renounces the devil and pledges himself to Christ. He comes up from baptism throws off his servitude and becomes an adopted son of God and a co-heir with Christ, resplendent as the sun and purified.

 

Therefore, the baptism of Jesus reminds us of our mission that is, to experience the presence of God within us and share it with others, to acknowledge our own dignity as God’s children, to live as children of God in thought, word and action, to lead a holy and transparent Christian life and not to desecrate our bodies with impurity, injustice, intolerance, jealousy or hatred in order to grow daily in intimacy with God and be co-creators in building up of his Kingdom on earth. Hence, every baptism is a moment of decision, a moment of identification with the people of God, a moment of approval, a moment of conviction, a moment of certainties and assurance, a moment of equipment and indeed a moment of personal encounter with the Trinity.

 

Dear friends, today is a special day for us to remember the graces we have received at baptism in order to renew it. We can recall that on the day of our baptism,  we were anointed with the Oil of Catechumens, the sign of Christ's gentle strength, to fight against evil. Blessed water was poured over us, an effective sign of interior purification through the gift of the Holy Spirit. We were then anointed with Chrism to show that we were thus consecrated in the image of Jesus. A white cloth was placed on our forehead as a sign of purity.

 

Also the candle lighted from the Paschal Candle was given to us as a symbol of the light of Faith which our parents and godparents must have continually safeguarded and nourished with the life-giving grace of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, this is another day for us to renew our baptismal promises, consecrating ourselves to the Holy Trinity and rejecting Satan and all his empty promises.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift and grace of baptism. As we celebrate today’s feast may we rediscover in a new way the beauty of  our baptism and so be filled with the grace and joy of Christ’s presence, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. God bless you.