Homily For Wednesday of the First Week of Lent Year A, 1st March, 2023 (HAPPY NEW MONTH)

Readings: Jonah 3:1-10, Ps.51, Luke 11:29-32

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

INTERPRETING THE SIGNS OF OUR TIME

 

Oftentimes, when we reflect on our struggle with the ugly situations in our lives, our families, societies and the world at large, we sincerely wish that God should give you a sign from heaven as a way of showing us some definitive guidance or direction towards addressing the situation. When this signs are not fourth coming we feel bad and begin to question God or even doubt his presence in our lives just the way must people in our country feels today because of the results of the election.  This was also the disposition of the crowd in our Gospel passage today.

 

Where we heard how those who were listening to Jesus were anxious to know what signs to look out for when the End Times come. But Jesus said to them: “the only sign that will be given is the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. Hence, Jesus states that no sign will be given except the sign of Jonah. The “sign of Jonah” in this passage refers to Jesus’ Crucifixion, his death, his three days in the tomb and his Resurrection.  Just the way Jonah was three days in the belly of the whale. 

 

Thus, Jesus in this Gospel was making reference to our first reading, where because of the preaching of prophet Jonah, the whole city of Nineveh went into great mourning and repentance before God. Everyone from the King, who issued the order to the whole city and its people to repent from their sins, right down to the lowest among the people, all humbled themselves, tore their clothes and wore sackcloth as a sign of penance.

 

The point here is that  Jesus’ death and resurrection is the sign that will be given.  We should seek nothing other than this sacred mystery of our faith. This is the sign and actions that the Lord Jesus is talking about when he addressed the people who doubted him and demanded miraculous wonders and signs from him.

 

So, here Jesus strongly condemns those seeking for signs because he wants us to seek him through the gift of faith rooted in the mystery of his death and resurrection. For every question, problem, struggle and confusion in our lives can be addressed when we enter into the great mystery of our redemption. So, seeking a sign other than this would be wrong, in that, it would be a way of saying that the death and resurrection of Jesus is not enough sign for us.

 

Dear Friends, the paschal mystery of Christ is the only sign we need. Therefore, as we embrace the activities of this Holy season of Lent, Jesus is calling us to repentance for sins make us blind in such a manner that we will continue to seek for signs even when things are clear and obvious in our lives.  But the questions we need to ask ourselves are: what signs are we seeing around us today? How can we interpret the signs of this times, the signs that tell us that this world is passing away? Do these signs make us to dread the second coming of the Lord or do we joyfully embrace it in anticipation?

 

Hence, Jesus is warning us today not to waste our time seeking for signs, rather we should be prepared, we should remain firm in faith. He reminds us that he is the only sign that can be given to humanity. Therefore, we should not join the crowds to look for signs especially this times of trial in our country, rather we should seek for wisdom to make things right by turning your eyes to the central mystery of our faith, that is the life, death and resurrection of Christ, where every question can be answered and every grace is obtained. Let us not give up,  we must surly be victorious.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you are the sign that we seek,  as we embrace your word today give us the grace to recognize that in Paschal mystery of Christ we find the true sign we desired and so obtain the answer and directions to our daily struggles. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed month.

Homily For Tuesday of the First Week of Lent Year A, 28th February, 2023

Readings: Is. 55:10-11, Ps.34, Matt. 6:7-15

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

LEARN TO FOLLOW THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF PRAYER

 

One of the three traditional dimensions of Lenten season is prayer. This is important because it is the means by which we communicate with our God. So we are called today to reflect on the meaning and right principles to prayer as we progress through this season of Lent.

 

Little wonder, in our Gospel passage today, Jesus knowing how important the act of prayer is to humanity, taught his disciples the principle and pattern of all prayers when he said: “Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we also have forgiven all who trespassed against us. And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from evil one”.

 

Here, Jesus knowing that prayer is an essential part of our faith through which we grow in our relationship with God, gave us seven principles that should guide all our prayers. This prayer contain series of statements and petitions in which we affirm our relationship with God, with the people around us and with the world in general. In it contains a statement of faith, obligations and commitment as the foundation through which these seven principles are fulfilled.

 

The first principle is to acknowledge God as “Our Father”. This is a call for unity that requires faith, obligation and commitment. Here we acknowledge God not just as my Father, but as Our Father and the ‘Our’ includes every single person who lives or has ever lived on this earth. The second principle calls us to reverence the name of the Lord as we say: “Hallowed be thy name “ yes, God’s name is holy no matter what we say or think of him. However, we make this prayer for our sake more than for his sake. Because from the holiness of his name comes the root of our faith and strength, so we are praying that God’s name be held in deepest respect by people everywhere.

 

The third principle calls us to have the vision of God’s kingdom, hence we pray saying: “Your kingdom come”, that is, we pray that humanity should consciously and willingly embrace the love and kingship of God which he is offering us. The forth principle invites us to dispose ourselves to embrace the will of God as we pray saying: “Your will be done on earth, as in heaven”. This is very important for it helps us to discern and be disposed to pray and live in accordance with the will of God.

 

The fifth principle calls us to learn how to be contented with what we have and reject all forms of selfishness and greed as we say: “Give us today our daily bread,” of which God surely provides. The sixth principle calls us to make an examination of conscience and to seek reconciliation knowing how weak we are, hence we pray saying: “And forgive us our trespasses, as we have forgiven those who trespassed against us”. Here we make serious commitment and obligation, asking that the condition for God’s forgiveness of our sins should based on our readiness to forgive those who have offended us.

 

Finally the seventh principle calls us to have total confidence in God’s providence, protection and guidance as we pray saying: “And do not put us to the test, but save us from evil”. So here we acknowledge our weaknesses and our total dependence on God’s help against all the evil forces of this world.

 

Dear friends, there is need for us to learn to follow the fundamental principles of prayer. Though,  I have no doubt that we know how to say Our Lords Prayer, but knowing it is not enough, we have to pray it devotedly, but praying it is not enough, we have to believe in what we pray for, but believing is not enough, we must put it into practice in our daily lives. This is because, often time we treat prayer wrongly when we consider prayer as a means to only achieve what we desired, without considering what God desires for us. Some of us spend lots of time reciting the prayers and yet we do not often mean what we say because we have wrong disposition born from unforgiving heart which must be redirected before we can get a positive response from God.

 

Therefore, it’s time for us to embrace these seven principles and change our perspective and wrong disposition towards prayers. It is time for us to spend more quality moment in prayer and be connected with God. We must make our prayers to be meaningful and genuine from our hearts. It is time for us to  improve the quality of our prayer life by imitating Jesus, who always prayed to his heavenly Father at every possible opportunities.  We must continue to pray for our country with the right disposition while applying these fundamental principles.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, in prayer we build a strong relationship with you, teach us how to pray more devotedly, for we really do not know how to pray as we ought, as we present our country Nigeria before you. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you God’s favour and blessings.

Homily For Monday of the First Week of Lent Year A, 27th February, 2023

Readings: Lev. 19:1-2.11-18; Ps.19; Matt. 25:31-46

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

THE JUDGEMENT DAY, THE TIME FOR GREAT SEPARATION

 

As we continued with our Lenten journey, we are called today to look to the future with more insight into the ultimate goal of humanity, which is eternal life. In fact, this is evident in our Gospel passage today in which we heard of the account of the events of Last Judgment, when all of creation shall be judged by the Lord Jesus himself, as he returns to the world as a triumphant King and judge humanity based on our actions, deeds and faith. Then will be time for great separation, when the good will be separated from the bad, holy from sinful, righteous from evil, sheep from goats of which their deeds will reveal our true identity.

 

Thus, the Lord will say to the righteous and those who have extended their love, care and affection for the needy, the poor and the afflicted, “well done, Come you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.”

 

But the wicked and the sinful he will say “go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you never gave me food; I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink; I was a stranger and you never made me welcome, naked and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me.”

 

For they were judged by their refusal to follow the example of Christ our Lord, especially in his love, care and compassion towards one another. But had chosen to remained selfish, greedy, corrupt and wicked. Hence we are called to look towards the parousia, when all those who embraced Christ will be raised, having overcome all the hostile forces of this passing world and that will be a judgement day, the time for great separation.

 

Dear friends, no doubt that we are living in a world full of greed and selfish people, who are swallowed in values of egoism and materialism, with uncontrollable desires for pleasure. We are called today to embrace the teachings of Christ who has called us to live a life of love, care and compassion for one another. We are called to look into the future with an eye of hope and faith. Little wonder we are reminded in our first reading about the commandments of God, which calls us to live a life of holiness, integrity, honesty and love.

 

Therefore, as we journey through this Lenten season, let us turn toward our Lord Jesus following his teaching. Remember, following him means carrying our own cross, forgetting our self, and faithfully obeying his commandment of sacrificial love. For it is by the blood of his cross, that Jesus reveals his sacrificial love, not in saving his life, but in offering it as a ransom for our salvation. Thus, trying to do away with the cross in our lives deprives our souls of these true love and loyalty to Christ our Lord who today wants to reign supreme in our hearts and souls.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we journey through this Lenten season, amidst the hostile forces and evil of this passing world, may we be victorious in all our struggles and endeavours. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful week.

HOMILY FOR FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR A

Readings: Gen. 2:7-9; 3:1-7; Ps. 51; Rom. 5:12-19; Matt. 4:1-11.

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia  

                                                                                               

COME LET US RETURN TO GOD AND OBTAIN THE GRACE TO OVERCOME THE SINFUL THINGS OF THIS PASSING WORLD

 

Today is a special day because it is the first Sunday of the Holy Season of Lent. Lenten season is a period set aside by the Church for the renewal and rediscovery of oneself, given the daily struggle against sin and temptations which darkens our spiritual life. So Lenten season is another chance for us to reconnect to God, to be reconciled with Him and to find our place once again in God’s  loving grace. It is a time for us to turn away from the excesses of worldly desires and greed, from so many temptations we find in the world, and focus our attention instead on God.

 

Hence the Church is offering us the opportunity during this Holy season to reflect on who we are, our mission and our purpose in this world.  The Holy season of Lent is a moment of deep reflection, a season that prepares us for that great event of Easter. It is a season when listening to the Word of God leads us to develop some inner attitude that helps us becoming more aware of our Christian obligations. It is a period when the Church invites us to enter into a journey of repentance and penance that will lead us to reconciliation, forgiveness and restoration.

 

This Lenten journey is marked in a special way by three traditional dimensions that is: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These three traditional dimensions were demonstrated by Jesus in our Gospel reading today. Where Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit, was led to pray and fast for forty days in the wilderness and there he was tempted by the devil, just the way Adam and Eve where tempted by the devil.

 

We can recall that in the beginning of time, God created everything all good and perfect, and He made the first man, Adam and his companion, Eve, to live in the wonderful Garden of Eden. This means that mankind, all of us were actually meant to live with God in the fullness of God’s grace and love, to enjoy the wonders of God’s providence and blessings forever. However, this was not to be because we fell into sin as we were unable to resist the temptations to sin, which the devil, disguised as a snake, brought upon Adam and Eve as we heard in our first reading.

 

Here we see how Satan first approached Eve and tempted her with the temptation of desire, the desire for the forbidden knowledge that God has expressly forbidden for man to have. That is, eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And Satan being very cunny, convinced them that the fruit of the tree did not seem to be harmful, and how eating from the tree would bestow great knowledge upon them and made them to be like God. Through this temptation, Satan planted the seeds of pride and greed in the hearts of humanity.

 

So Jesus, who has come to redirect the hearts of humanity back to God, was also tempted by the devil during his forty days prayer and fasting in order to distract him from his mission. Here Jesus was tempted to doubt God's care and providence like the Israelites deed, to gain power through false worship and test God's protection. These forty days recall Israel's forty years ugly experience in the wilderness because of disobedience.

 

Hence, these forty days of Lent, the Church calls us to spend gracious time with God through prayers and fasting, so that, we can obtain the grace to overcome the sins and temptations we encounter everyday of our lives. Observing how Jesus responded to these temptations, can help us in our own spiritual battles against the human endless desire for power, fame, money and pleasure. This story also shows how the devil can use the Scriptures for his evil purposes. Telling us to be careful because the Scriptures can be wrongly interpreted and used for selfish motives.

 

Therefore, we are called to imitate Jesus in prayer. For through prayer we make room for God in our lives and express our desire to enter into a deep friendship with the Lord. So, it is important for us to spend more time with God just like Jesus, bearing in mind that we cannot live by bread alone, we need the spiritual food of God's Word. Thus, we are called to withdraw from the world in order to encounter God and truly profess our faith in him. 

 

This is what St. Paul in our second reading today calls us to do. We are to imitate Christ who resisted all the efforts of Satan to tempt him and prevent him from fulfilling his mission. Christ is indeed the New Adam who has come to show us that it is indeed possible for us to overcome sin and the temptations to sin, as he himself resisted the three temptations of the devil. But many of us continued to sin because, we do not have enough faith in God, and the devil knows this very well.

 

Dear friends, God is calling us in this Holy season of Lent, to come back to him. The world has taken us far away from him; it's time to come back. Sin has separated us from God; it's time to reconcile with him. Greediness, slot, unforgiveness, love of power and money, over ambition, unhealthy friendship have separated us from God; it’s time to come back to him. It is time to say am sorry Lord, am sorry for having deviated from you. It’s time to let go of hurtful feelings, malice and the bitterness in our hearts. It’s time to say yes to God and no to all the distracting things of this world.

 

It’s time to love, it’s time to share with one another, it’s time to bear with one another's failings. What is stopping us from embracing this opportunity? Is it fear of the future? Or fear of failure or death?

Fear not, for the Psalmist tells us that God will create a pure heart in us and put a steadfast spirit within us. Thus, God is calling us to repentance; he is offering us a new life. He is offering us the opportunity to gain our life back and obtain the grace to overcome sin and temptations. Don't miss this opportunity; don't let it pass you by.

 

LET US PRAY: Almighty God, as we return to you and embrace the events of this Holy season, give us the right disposition to embrace grace of this season and fill our hearts with joy, peace and love. And for those who find it difficult to live the Christian life, may they learn to draw strength and grace from Jesus so to resist the devil and all of his empty shows. We ask this through Christ our Lord. wishing you a fruitful Lenten season.

Homily For Saturday after Ash Wednesday, 25th February, 2023

Readings: Is. 58:9-14, Ps. 86,  Luke 5:27-32

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

ARE YOU A PUBLIC SINNER IN NEED OF GOD’S MERCY? COME FOLLOW THE LORD JESUS

 

Jesus who on account of his mission to save humanity had to make choices of people who will be his instruments of evangelizing in the world. No doubt Jesus had been calling people from different works of life to be part of his mission, but today’s call and choice of Levi, also known as Matthew, a man identified with sinners because of the nature of his work as a tax collector, was quite strange to some people.

 

Little wonder in in our Gospel passage today, when Jesus called Levi to follow him, he obeyed, leaving everything behind and followed him. No doubt the call of Levi differs from the call of the other apostles, because Levi was a tax collector a profession that is labeled to be sinful, since the collectors extort excess taxes from the people for personal profit, thereby enriching themselves at the expense of their fellow citizens. They are thus held in great contempt.

 

However, to follow Jesus, Levi must abandon his ugly but lucrative job. By so doing, he needs to also cuts himself off from his old network of friends. So, it seems likely that, in a spirit of joy, Levi invites Jesus and his disciples to a great feast in his house and his fellow task collectors were present. But the Pharisees felt bad and offended when they saw Jesus sharing a meal with such kind of people regarded as "sinners". So, they complained to his disciples, but Jesus had to correct this notion when he said: "It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance. 

 

Here we heard the inner most desire of Jesus for sinful humanity in need of salvation. The call of Levi is like the call of each of us, a choice that demonstrates Jesus' desire for sinners to repent. For all he desires is mercy and not sacrifices, repentance and not pride. Jesus is calling us to repentance, he is inviting us to make a fundamental choice for God just like Levi, who though sinner, rose up and followed Jesus at his call for repentance, we too are to respond to this invitation without delay. Let Levi be an inspiration and hope for all sinners.

 

Dear friends, the task collectors were seen as dirty, unworthy, wicked, corrupt and evil people who were generally shunned by the rest of the society. The Pharisees looked down on them and they severely criticized Jesus for eat in the house of Levi. But they failed to realize that just like the tax collectors, they themselves were sinners in need of God’s mercy.

 

The truth is that, all of us are sinners who have been privileged to have such a loving, caring, compassionate and merciful God, who is always willing to embrace us and to heal us from our afflictions of sin. For we are sinners who have been called to a new existence with God, to embrace a new life filled with God’s grace and free from the corruption of sin. Because God despises our sins, but not we sinners. And he has promised us through prophet Isaiah in our first reading, that if we do away with the yoke of sin, the clenched fist, the wicked word, if we give our bread to the hungry, and relief to the oppressed, then our light will rise in the darkness, and our shadows become like noon.

 

Therefore, as Christians during this season of Lent, we should draw ourselves closer to God by asking ourselves how are we responding to God's call for repentance? How are we relating with those we judge to be sinners, what efforts are we making to convert sinners. Remember, we are all invited to follow Jesus along the way of salvation and not to condemn or judge anyone.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, despite our sinfulness, you called and chose us to be instrument of your salvation to all humanity. Through the intercession of St Matthew, give us the grace to make good choices that will help us to respond positively to your call for repentance and evangelization especially as we cast our votes today. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have fruitful and peaceful elections.

Homily For Friday After Ash Wednesday Year A, 24th February, 2023

Readings: Is. 58:1-9, Ps. 51,  Matt. 9:14-15

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF FASTING?

 

One of the spiritual exercises during this season of Lent is fasting. That is, the willful refrainment from eating for a period of time as a means of getting our minds focused on to God our creator while realizing the reality that our lives are not self-sufficient. Fasting helps us realize just how fragile we are and how much we depend on things beyond ourselves. Fasting is not just about putting on sackcloths and ashes on oneself as were customary in the past to show repentance and regret, but more importantly, fasting must be accompanied with a change of heart from within and not just the outside.

 

Hence, today  prophet Isaiah in our first reading tells us to fast with the right intention and purpose, and not just fasting but also all other sorts of observances and practices during this Lenten season. It is important that we have the right disposition and direction as we move along through this time of purification and repentance. This Lenten season is a good time for us to reorientate ourselves and our lives, as we seek to redress our sins and our past wicked ways of life, and embrace once again God’s love and his mercy.  For that is the kind of fasting that pleases God and yields positive results.

 

 Thus, in our Gospel passage today, the disciples of John the Baptist criticized Jesus and his disciples for not fasting as the Law of Moses has prescribed fasting on certain days as customs which they observed with great passion and zeal. The Pharisees fasted and did all that because they wanted to be praised for what they have done and they liked it when others looked up to them for their piety and commitment. But Jesus tells his disciples that they should not fast with such intention, rather fasting must be for a purpose and should be done at the proper time. He said to them: Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of mourning as long as the bridegroom is still with them. But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

 

This is because, Jesus is the groom and as long as he is around, it would be inappropriate for his disciples to fast. However, a time will come when the groom will no longer be with them, then they will surely fast, telling us that fasting should be done at the right time for the right reasons. Moreover, being in relationship with Jesus is more important, because, what the bridegroom is to the bride, that what Jesus is to the souls of all who believe in him. So Jesus is teaching us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not a matter of ritual or ceremonious fasting or feasting. But is about building a personal relationship with God who loves us personally and unconditionally and  this is the purpose of fasting.

 

Dear friends, the purpose of fasting is for us to deny ourselves some pleasurable things of this world in order to be closer to God and  communicate properly with God.  So, we have to make the best use of this Lenten season by turning ourselves and our whole being towards God through fasting. We should not let ourselves be distracted by vanity of the things of this passing world. For this is a time we are called to humble ourselves before God and refrain from all the corrupt ways of life, pride, greed and over ambition which leads us to sin and death. This type of fasting is what pleases God and yields positive results. Therefore, through our fasting let us sincerely repent from our sins and make the best use of this opportunity that God has given to us.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we deny ourselves the pleasurable things of this world through fasting, may we open up our hearts to you and sincerely reject all our sinful habits and so embrace the life of holiness. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Thursday After Ash Wednesday Year A, 23rd February, 2023

Readings: Deut. 30:16-20; Ps. 1;  Luke 9:22-25

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

I SET BEFORE YOU LIFE AND DEATH, CHOOSE LIFE THAT YOU MAY LIVE

 

The continuous hostility, persecutions and the influential powers of the things of this world can make 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 are not stopping soon, for it is getting tougher everyday. Thus, if we are really willing to live up to our Christian faith and obligations, then we need to make a radical decision towards our discipleship in a personal and radical way.

 

Hence, concerning this radical decision, we are called in our first reading today, to make choices between life and death, blessing or curse. And we are encouraged to choose life, so that we may live in the love of the Lord our God, obeying his voice and  following him; for in him consists the true meaning of life. Therefore, we are to choose that one path that leads to life, while rejecting those that leads to evil and death.

 

In a similar way, this same choice was presented by the Lord Jesus to his disciples in our Gospel passage today, as he revealed to them what he would have to endure for the salvation of humanity, how he is to be betrayed and made to suffer, crucified and die on the Cross, the most painful and humiliating death. At the end he said that those who believe in him should take up their crosses daily and follow him. That though they may lose their lives physically in the eyes of the world but, they will gain it in the eternal glory that is to come.

 

Dear friends, Jesus is also presenting the same choice to us, for we have to choose between enjoying all that this world has to offer us, all the materialistic pursuits and excess desire for the pleasurable things around us, all the pursuits for excess  money, possessions and wealth, the accumulation of vain fame and glory which in reality are separating us from God and Jesus is calling us to turn away from these worldly things and embrace the way of the Cross that teaches us to love, to sacrifice, to embrace peace, to share with one another for in it we attain holiness of life.

 

Therefore, we are called today to deny ourselves the pleasurable things of this passing world in order to take up our Cross and follow the Lord. It’s time to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully follow Jesus. But how much are we willing to sacrifice 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? Thus, it is time to come to God with all our hearts, for tomorrow maybe too late.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we decide to journey with Jesus today, help us to make the right choice by embracing the way that leads to life, while rejecting our excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world which have weakened our hearts towards you. May the cross of Christ be for us 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.