Homily For Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 1st October, 2023. The Solemnity of Our Lady Queen & Patroness of Nigeria

Readings: Is.11:1-10, Ps.72, Eph. 2:13-22, Matt.2:13-14.19-23

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

BECOMING THAT GOOD LEADER MY COUNTRY NIGERIA NEEDS

 

Pondering, on the struggles, fears, tears, disappointments and betrayals that people are passing through every day just to survive in this world, especially in our country Nigeria. How some people have lost hope in themselves and even in everything they do as a result of a few individuals who out of greediness for power and wealth have frustrated the progress of our country. For there is no doubt that the root of all the problems in our world today is the love of power. For people are ready to do anything to be in power and to retain that power.

 

 This is what we see in the life of Herod in our Gospel passage today, where the Holy family of Jesus had to flee to Egypt because Herod planned to kill an innocent child for the sake of retaining his power. This ugly attitude is not far from us today, especially in our country Nigeria which is in a state of distress because of love of power and greediness among the people in power and even the common citizens.

 

The fact remains that the elements of good and bad seem inherent in the human person, little wonder the world involves both good and bad mixed. This will help us to understand the reason for the corruption, greediness, immoral and social decadence in our country today. So as we are celebrating our country Nigeria at 63 since our independence, we thank God who has made it possible for us to witness the day.

 

But today’s celebration should plunge us into deep reflection about the ugly condition of this country. We need to ask ourselves, what have we done right? What have we done wrong? How can we do better and what will the future of this country be like? This is because our country Nigeria needs a radical transformation from greed and selfishness to love and goodwill in a sacrificial way.

 

This is because the rate of corruption and greediness in this country is so appalling. People are never tired of acquiring and embezzling public funds for their own selfish gain. This shows that we have failed in our responsibility at different levels where we find ourselves. For we have failed to give that taste of love, joy, goodwill,  integrity, honesty, holiness, and compassion to our tasteless and corrupt families, societies and our country Nigeria. As a result of this life has become short, brutal and hopeless, with no money in circulation, no fuel,  no light, no food, no water, no good roads and the cost of living so high.

 

Dear Friends, why have we failed to be the salt and light of this nation?  Why have we chosen to mingle with darkness? Why have we chosen to remain silent and lose the sweet taste of love and goodwill God has given us? Is it the case that Christians are not involved in making policies in our societies and the implementations of those policies? I don’t think so,  for I know we are involved, but we have forgotten who we are, so we have been thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men of darkness and lawlessness.

 

The truth is that we need a radical transformation. A transformation that will bring about a new outfit that makes one a new person, with a new life, a new mind and a new way of doing things. And this is possible only when we understand the shortness of this life, the emptiness of this passing world and the danger of greediness, then we will be able to do things the right way and then our country Nigeria will be great again.

 

This country will be transformed only when the power of love and goodwill supersedes the love of power and when everyone understands that leadership is sacrificial and crucial to every human development. A situation where justice and faithfulness become the habit of every one of us in this country. Hence, all we need is good leaders who are not hypocrites. Leaders who will be truly servants of the people at all levels of leadership beginning from the self to the family, to societies and our country.

 

So, can I be such a leader in my family, in my society and my country? If my answer is yes. Then, we can begin to experience that peaceful coexistence and blessings that prophet Isaiah mentioned in our first reading and so bring the hostility going on in our country to the end just like St. Paul said in our second reading that we shall no longer be strangers in our own country but true citizens with the saints not just here in our country Nigeria but also in the kingdom of God.

 

LET US PRAY:  Lord God, out of selfishness and greediness we have committed a lot of crimes and injustice against one another, grant that through the intercession of Our Lady Queen and Patroness of Nigeria, we may resolve to have genuine love and goodwill in carrying out our activities in our country as you guide and direct us to learn how to do the right thing always by letting the power of love to transform the ugly situation in our country. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy New Month, I wish you a blessed Independence Day celebration.

Homily For Saturday Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 30th September, 2023. The Memorial of St. Jerome

Readings: Zech. 2:1-5.10-11; Ps. 31; Luke 9:43-45

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

WHY WE SHOULD OFTEN THINK  ABOUT THE REALITY OF DEATH

 

As customary in our seminary, every 2nd November some persons are selected to visit the cemetery. On one occasion, I was privileged to be among the people to visit a cemetery at Oke Are in Ibadan. On our way to the cemetery which is located on a hill in the heart of Ibadan, passing through the market and streets all I could see were people struggling, buying and selling, fighting and cursing each other. I saw a lot of beggars, sick and poor people, among these people were the rich, the educated, as well as their leaders both traditional and political. It was indeed an interesting community.

 

But getting to the cemetery I saw in a wall the names and dates of so many men and women who had passed on from this interesting community. Then I asked myself in my deep reflection, where are all these people whose names are listed on this wall? Were they like us before? Are we going to be like them later? Where will all of us in this beautiful community be in the next hundred years? The answers to these questions are difficult to understand because we don’t think about the inevitable event of death

 

This is not different from what Jesus is reminding his disciples in our Gospel passage today, where after his great miracles, when everyone was full of admiration for all he did, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘For your part, you must have these words constantly in your mind: that the Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men.’ But they did not understand him. Just like prophet Zechariah in our first reading today who said: “Raising my eyes, I saw a vision. It was this: there was a man with a measuring line in his hand. I asked him, ‘Where are you going?’ He said, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to find out her breadth and her length”

 

Dear friends, today we are reminded about the true reality of life, that we all are going to die one day and the dust of our flesh and bones will return to the earth while our Spirit retires to God knowing that we will account for how we lived this life. We are going to give back to God the gift of life he has given us because our life is a temporal assignment.

 

So, why not start living this life according to the present reality since we do not know how and when we are going to account for it? Why not accept joyfully who we are now as we work hard to be better tomorrow? Remember, everything is in the hands of God, we brought nothing into this world and we are taking nothing out of it. So why not pay attention to the Word of God reminding us of this reality?

 

Little wonder St. Jerome whose memorial we celebrate today says: that ignorance of the scripture is ignorant of Christ. Hence today, we can recall his great contributions to the Church and the Christian faithful, especially for his compilation of the Latin translation of the Greek Bible. Jerome experienced all sorts of worldly pleasures as a young student of philosophy. But later his conscience led him to conversion into the Christian faith as he renounced all of his past sinful ways of life and devoted himself deeply into the study of the Scriptures, from which comes all his great works we still study today.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, our life is meaningless without you. Through the interception of St. Jerome, grant that we may realize the shortness of this life and so prepare to give account on how we have lived our lives in this world. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Do have a blessed weekend

Homily For Friday Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 29th September, 2023. The Feast of Saints. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels

Readings:  Daniel 7:9-10.13-15, Ps. 138, John: 47-51

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

ARCHANGELS, GOD'S MOST POWERFUL INSTRUMENT FOR SAFEGUARDING THE HUMAN SOUL

 

For us to be fruitful in our given vocation as Christians, there is the need for us to build a personal relationship with God and building this relationship is not as difficult as some people think, because God desires to have such a relationship with us and this he often manifested through the instrument of angels and Archangels. Little wonder we celebrate today the three great Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael who are God’s most powerful instrument for safeguarding the human soul.

 

In these Archangels, we have a powerful link to God, especially in our constant struggle and the spiritual battle for the sake of our souls. This Archangels are categorized based on their responsibilities. Archangel Michael is known as the Prince and defender of the heavenly hosts. He defends us in battle and helps us to be humble, so that we may not fall into pride, ambition, greed and vanity like the devil who he defeated and sent away from heaven so that we can remain firm in our commitment to serving the Lord.

 

Archangel Gabriel is known as the Messenger of God. He helps us to have faith in God through his Words so that we may always hope in God. While Archangel Raphael is known for the manifestation of the healing and mercy of God, especially for the soul corrupted by sin. This shows us the extent God can go for the sake of humanity. The fact is that God loves us so much and it is not about our love for him, but his love for us.  This is manifested in the life of Jesus who loves us personally and desires to share in our daily struggles through the angels and Archangels.

 

All The Lord demands from us is to acknowledge his presence in our lives and cooperate with his grace, and when such a relationship is established our lives will change for good just like Nathaniel in our Gospel passage, who acknowledged that Jesus is the Son of God, of which Jesus commended him for his faith and goes on to tell him that he shall see great things in heaven including the angels ascending and descending in the presence of God. Likewise, Daniel in our first reading, who saw a mission of one coming on the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man. A thousand thousand waited on him, ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him.

 

Dear friends, what is our experience of angels and Archangels? Is there any occasion where we can say that we have personally encountered or experienced the presence of an angel? What is our relationship with our guardian angels? If none we should desire to have one through our daily activities. For today we are reminded that God through the Archangels manifests his power and presence in human activities. So we are called to always cooperate with the will of God as directed by his angels and Archangels who minister to us. We are called to build a personal relationship with God through his Archangels, who are there to defend, guide and heal our souls from sin and death.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you often send your  Archangels to guide and direct our affairs in life. Through their faithful direction and protection, may our life advance boldly along the path of salvation, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Thursday Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 28th September, 2023

Readings: Haggai 1:1-8; Ps. 149; Luke 9:7-9

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE BEHAVIOUR AND CHARACTER OF A GUILTY CONSCIENCE

 

Oftentimes, we hear people expressing the phrase: guilty conscience, which is used to express the ugly condition of human conscience which is that part of our life that tells us whether what we are doing is right or wrong. For if you have a guilty conscience, you feel guilty about something because you know it was wrong. But if you have a clear conscience, you do not feel guilty because you know you have done nothing wrong.

 

This is the situation Herod finds himself in our Gospel passage today who out of pride and selfishness had killed John the Baptist thinking that by that he could silence the voice of truth, but when he heard of the great works of Jesus and could not comprehend it, he perceived that John the Baptist, the voice of truth had returned to life again, when he said: John? I beheaded him. So who is this I hear such reports about?’ And he was anxious to see Jesus. A situation that shows the behaviour and character of a guilty conscience.

 

Here, we see how the guilty conscience of Herod made him to shiver concerning the personality of Jesus in relation to John the Baptist. This is what happens to us whenever we try to take the role of God in our relationship with others or treat other people badly. And this ugly attitude is what a lot of people are practicing today and as a result, many people are suffering the consequences of a guilty conscience.

 

This is because most of us are so much attached to worldly things. We have let our pride, our ego and our selfish desires to blindfold us from the true realities of life. Little wonder, the Lord in our first reading said: Reflect carefully how things have gone for you. You have sown much and harvested little; you eat but never have enough, drink but never have your fill, and put on clothes but do not feel warm.

 

Dear friends, have you offended God or other people and you have a guilty conscience about it? What are the things that make us have a guilty conscience? What is the essence of our existence in this world at the expense of injustice to other people? What does God really require from us in this life? Do you know that without God everything in life is vanity vanishing?

 

Therefore, let us not be carried away by the beauty of the things of this passing world by hurting other people, for nothing lasts forever. Hence we should remain steadfast in our faith in God, who has called us to love him and to love one another. Let us remain faithful to Christ’s mission and be committed wholeheartedly to what God has called us to do.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we have come to you with our guilty conscience, for we are so much attached to things of this passing world, with little or no attention to your teachings. Help us to realise that without you life and all we have is nothing but vanity. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Wednesday Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 27th September, 2023. The Memorial of St. Vincent De Paul

Readings: Ezra 9:5-9; Ps.Tobit 13; Luke 9:1-6

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

TAKE NOTHING FOR THE JOURNEY

 

The way things are going in our world today, we need to think twice about our faith as Christians, and whether we are actually ready to live out our faith in the midst of a hostile environment. Because the hostility, persecution and influential power of things in this world are not stopping soon, rather, it is getting tougher. Therefore, if we are really willing to live out our Christian faith and obligations towards the mission of Christ, then we need to make a radical decision towards our discipleship in a personal and radical way.

 

This is what Jesus is teaching his disciples in our Gospel passage today, when he called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. He said to them, ‘Take nothing for the journey: neither staff, nor haversack, nor bread, nor money; and let none of you take a spare tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there; and when you leave, let it be from there. As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave their town shake the dust from your feet as a sign to them.’

 

Here, Jesus does not directly intend to cause tensions and divisions but he wants to expose the sacrificial nature of the mission. Hence, Jesus demands a total commitment towards the journey of discipleship once begun or has not begun at all. Because following Jesus demands the sacrifice of all that we have. For none of us can become his disciple if we do not give up our excess desire for worldly pleasures and possessions.

 

We must learn to pay our unreserved loyalty and allegiance to Jesus over all other competing loyalties in our lives including family, self-interest, and possessions, just like Ezra in our first reading who addressing the situation of his people said: My God, I am ashamed, I blush to lift my face to you, my God. For our crimes have increased until they are higher than our heads, and our sin has piled up to heaven. But now, suddenly, the Lord our God by his favour has left us a remnant and granted us a refuge in his holy place.

 

Dear friends, we are called today to make a radical decision to sincerely and faithfully carry out the mission of Christ entrusted to us. But how much are we willing to let go for the sake of the mission of Christ? Why are we finding it difficult to follow Jesus?  What are the habitual desires and possessions that are holding us for making this radical decision today? It is time for us to let them go in order to focus more on the mission Christ has entrusted to us.

 

Therefore, let us follow the examples of all those who had given their time, effort and even lives for the salvation of many souls just like St. Vincent De Paul whose memorial we celebrate today for he sacrificed his life to help the poor and through the virtue of charity conquered most of his oppositions and those of the poor around him.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, today we are called to a sacrificial journey of Christ's mission. Because our excess desire for the pleasurable things of this passing world has weakened our hearts towards our mission, give us courage and grace to let go of our ugly desires, so as to hold firm in our faith despite losing people and things that are dear to us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.

Homily For Tuesday Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 26th September, 2023

Readings: Ezra 6:7-8.12.14-20; Ps.122; Luke 8:19-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

HOW TO BELONG TO THE TRUE FAMILY OF JESUS

 

One of the psychological and spiritual needs of the human person is the sense of belonging, this need is just like the need for food, clothes and shelter. The feeling of belonging is fundamental to our sense of happiness and well-being, for it gives value to life and helps us in coping with some painful emotions as it improves our motivation. Hence, we often want to belong and identify with one another, to our friends and families, to our culture and from one association and group to another.

 

However, one of the common and safest place to belong is our families, especially when it is rooted in the family of God. So today in our Gospel passage, Jesus speaks about belonging to his family and his relationship with members of his family. For when he was told that his mother and brothers were standing outside and want to see him’. He said : my mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.’

 

Here, Jesus speaks of two ways the people around him could be identified as members of his family. Firstly he talks about those who belong to the family of his birth that is, his mother, father and relations. Then his other family which is made up of those who do the will of God.

 

This family he says, is his true family where doing the will of God is the only way of belonging to this family. This is not to say that Jesus is rejecting his biological family; to do so would contradict his own teaching about loving one's parents and loving one's neighbours. However, Jesus is using this opportunity to emphasize that our relationship with God is more important and should be based on our total commitment to doing the will of God through him.

 

Surprisingly, Mary the mother of Jesus belongs to both sides of the family, for she gave birth to Jesus and also was the first to do the will of God when she said, “Let it be done unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). For this reason she is the first disciple of Jesus and a model for all Christians.

 

Thus, to be a Christian or a disciple is to enter into the family of Jesus and embrace a new relationship with God and with one another and this is the most important place to belong. All other bonds, including those of blood, should be considered secondary. Because, belonging to God is fundamental to our basic relationships, prior to all human relations.

 

For we belong first to God before belonging to our families, after which we all go back to God where we ultimately belong, which will be determined by how we have done the will of God here on earth. And our first reading we heard how the chosen people of God through the help of King Cyrus and Darius. Rebuild the Temple that was destroyed out of disobedience. And now they came back as one family to joyfully dedicate this Temple of God.

 

Dear friends, where do we ultimately and truly belong? Do you belong to the true family of Jesus? As Christians, we claim to belong to God, do our attitudes and decisions show that we truly belong to God? Do we not often commit ourselves to things contrary to the faith we professed in God? So, today we are made to know that doing the will of God is the ultimate way of belonging to the true family of Jesus. Therefore, we are called to do the will of God always in order to truly belong to that true family of Jesus where love of God and love of neighbour unite us together.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, we truly belong to you, give us the grace to always do your will and as we carry out your activities today, grant success to the works of our hands, through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Monday Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 25th September, 2023

Reading: Ezra 1:1-6; Ps. 126; Luke 8:16-18

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

BE THAT PURIFYING LIGHT THAT ILLUMINES THE DARKNESS OF THIS PASSING WORLD

 

Light is a very familiar word in the scriptures, light is a symbol that represents awareness, knowledge, and understanding. Light clarifies, Illuminates, Inspires, defeats darkness, shines fully and freely, it guides, stimulates and motivates, provokes action, irritates those who like darkness, confirms truth, purifies, exposes sin, warms and assures us of safety and also facilitates progress.

 

Little wonder, Jesus in our Gospel passage today said: No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed. No, he puts it on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in. For nothing is hidden but it will be made clear, nothing secret but it will be known and brought to light.

 

So, as people who have been purified by the light of Christ through our baptism, we are entrusted with the mission of illuminating the darkness around us. For during our baptism, we were given a candle light which we are to keep brightly burning as a flame of faith in our hearts as we journey with others towards our heavenly kingdom. This, therefore, clearly defines our role in the mission of Christ, which is to illuminate the darkness and reflect the glory of God in the darkness of the passing world.

 

Hence, every Christian is called by God to influence the world positively through the light of our faith, just like Cyrus king of Persia in our first reading, who was the light that illuminated the darkness in the midst of the people of Israel who are in the darkness of exiles. For he ordered the people to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple of God and to free them from the darkness of exiles and slavery brought the light of hope to the people and illuminated the darkness of sin and wickedness.

 

Dear friends, the focus of today’s message is that all of us are called to positively influence the lives of humanity through our attitude and character which should be like that of purifying light. Where there is darkness we should let the light of Christ illuminate. Where pride, selfishness, corruption and greed have brought darkness, let the light of our good attitude and character illuminate it once again. Where sin and immorality have made humanity filthy and ugly, let our light of holiness purify and wash us clean. Therefore, we must not let our lights be hidden under the darkness of the passing world, rather we must let it shine anywhere we find ourselves.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we struggle every day to truly carry out the mission entrusted to us, give us the grace and courage to dedicate ourselves, our time, our energy and our effort to become the true light that illuminates our families, society and the world filled with the darkness of sin and evil. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you a fruitful week.