Homily For Saturday First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 13th January, 2024

Readings: 1 Sam. 9:1-4.17-19.10:1; Ps. 21; Mark 2:13-17

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE GRACE OF GOD CAN CHANGE THE GREATEST SINNER INTO A SAINT

 

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 a 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, and that is grace. Despite 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 dropped everything and followed Jesus just the same way Peter and Andrew, James and John had also done.

 

Later, when Jesus was dining at Levi’s house, several known sinners and tax collectors were at the table with him and his disciples. This was a real scandal for the scribes and Pharisees. For them, if Jesus 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.

 

With this statement, we are meant to know that Jesus' whole mission is the salvation of souls and redemption of people to wholeness. And the best way to achieve this is by having 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 captured by the things of this sinful world. 

For we heard in our first reading today, how Samuel encountered Saul and before anointing him said: Go up ahead of me to the high place. You are to eat with me today. In the morning I shall take leave of you and tell you all that is in your heart. It was after this encounter that Samuel anointed Saul, for the word of God is something alive and active: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit and can judge the secret emotions and thoughts of every one of us.

 

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 the greatest sinners and make them holy.  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.

 

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 separates 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 B; 12th January, 2024

Readings: 1 Sam.8 4-7.10-22; Ps. 89; Mark 2:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE LORD HAS THE POWER AND AUTHORITY TO RESTORE HUMANITY PARALYZED BY SIN

 

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 this evil. People are running up and down seeking 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 the 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 not be removed; the sickness may be removed, 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 the Israelites in our first reading today, who rejected Samuel and the Kingship authority of God while requesting for human King. And the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for it is not you that they have rejected; they have rejected me from ruling over them.’

 

Dear friends, have we rejected the authority and kingship of God in our lives? Don’t you think that the problem in our world today is a result of our rejection of God and his kingship in our dealings? So, today we are called to be submissive to the Kingly authority of God and not be like the Israelites and the scribes who were enslaved by their pride and desire to maintain their prestige in society. They doubted the power and authority of the Lord and rejected the message of truth. 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. Most families exist only by grace because of the absence of love. How I wish we could invest our time and resources in ensuring love and goodwill in our dealings with one another, believe me, the world will be a temporary 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 pride, greed and selfishness. As we submit to your kingship and authority in faith, forgive us our sins, and heal and restore us once again. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Thursday The First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 11th January, 2024

Readings: 1 Sam. 4:1-11;  Ps. 44;  Mark 1:40-45

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

JESUS IN SOLIDARITY WITH HUMAN SUFFERINGS

 

There is no doubt that the compassionate love of Jesus in solidarity with human sufferings is evident in the scriptures and even in our daily lives.  Little wonder, we have great events in the scriptures that illustrate 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 that the leper had not experienced for a long time due to rejection. Touch is something we all need, but is so often lacking in our relationship with God and one another, and it is even becoming worse with the ugly situation in our society today. But this cannot stop Jesus from reaching out to his children who call on him for healing and restoration.

 

Thus, the leper was despised, feared, shunned and rejected in society, but when he approached Jesus in humility, he became the object of divine attention. We too just like the leper, need 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. Our sinful actions can make us feel rejected and abandoned, but the touch of Jesus will make us whole and objects of Divine attention.

 

More so, the story of this leper is a good example of how sinners can and should appeal to Jesus for cleansing, especially from their 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. But we, should not be like the Israelites in our first reading today, who only remembered God when they needed him. For they have made God a tool to be used only when they need him. That is why when they were defeated in war, the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, came with the ark. And when the ark of the Lord arrived in the camp, all Israel gave a great shout so that the earth resounded. However, they were defeated despite the presence of the Ark of the Lord.

 

Dear friends, we should never take the gift of God’s presence in our lives for granted. We must learn to utilize any encounter we have with the Lord, for it may be our great opportunity to be restored and what is needed is to put our faith in action by saying Lord if you will you can restore me.

 

So, friends, I don’t know what type of leprocious problems you are going through. Are you weighed 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 for Jesus’s help in some part of our life? Let us pause for a moment and imagine Jesus looking at us. How does he see us? What are you saying to us?

 

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 every day 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 innermost being and the challenges we are facing today, come to our aid we pray and cleanse us from all our physical, emotional, economic and spiritual leprosies, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.

Homily For Wednesday of The First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 10th January, 2024

Readings: 1Sam. 3:1-10.19-20; Ps. 40; Mark 1:29-39

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

JESUS TOOK HER BY THE HAND, THE FEVER LEFT HER AND SHE BEGAN TO SERVE

 

As Jesus continued to carry out his mission of preaching he also showed compassion and care for those who were 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 he entered 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. So, Jesus simply raised her up and the fever left her, she immediately began 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. This clearly shows how and why Jesus came down upon us and by taking up our human nature made it possible for him to identify 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.

 

Dear friends, God cares for our well-being, and 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 of 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 serving to God and his community.

 

Therefore, let us learn to trust in the Lord’s power and authority to help us in our struggles, let us learn from the experience of Samuel in our first reading today who was guided by Eli to discern the call of the Lord. Let us learn to say here I am Lord since you called me, for the Lord is always ready and willing to heal and help us in our struggles.

 

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

Homily For Tuesday of The First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 9th January 2024

Readings: 1Sam.1:9-20; Ps. 1Sam 2:4-7; Mark 1:21-28

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

 THE AUTHORITY OF THE LORD JESUS OVER DEMONIC FORCES

 

Oftentimes, when people are to do something serious it is always the case that they will need to back up there activities and messages with authority. And when this is lacking, people may not take their activities and message seriously. Thus, in our Gospel passage today we heard people referring to the authority by which Jesus speaks and carries out his mission. For he spoke and acted with God-given authority.

 

This is even more evident in the manner in which he was able to rebuke the man possessed by an unclean spirit who when he saw Jesus shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!

 

These spirits are malicious beings that might be demons or fallen angels who have followed Satan to rebel against God. They might be as mighty and powerful as Satan, but in the end, none of them were able to rise 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. 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.

 

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, if we want to speak with authority, we must learn to spend time with God, listening to his voice and doing his will. And this is what we see in the life of Hannah in our first reading today, who recognized the power and authority of God to answer her prayers and heal her barrenness. So she went to the temple and poured out her heart to God and she conceived and gave birth to a son, and called him Samuel ‘since’ she said ‘I asked the Lord for him.

 

Hence, today we are called to recognize that the presence of Jesus in the world brings about victory over all our troubles. And 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 tasks, 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 The Feast of The Baptism of The Lord Year B, 8th January, 2024

Readings: Is 55:1-11, Ps. Is. 12:2-6, 1 John 5: 1-9, Mark 1:7-11

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

BAPTISM A MOMENT OF PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH THE HOLY TRINITY

 

Today we celebrate the feast of the Lord’s baptism an event which marks the end of the Christmas season. This feast is not just about the Lord’s baptism, but our 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's 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 their need for repentance.

 

From our readings today, we see how the plan of God for the redemption of humanity was manifested. In our first reading prophet Isaiah invites us to a banquet of the Lord where food and drinks are free and satisfying. A banquet which symbolizes the new covenant God wants to make with humanity, thereby calling us to repentance and faith in God. In the second reading, we heard John stressing the importance of professing our faith in Jesus Christ which is an essential aspect of the rite of Baptism.

 

And in the Gospel, we heard how the true identity of the chosen servant of God was confirmed at the baptism of Jesus 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 shows God's revelation to mankind especially about the mystery of the Trinity and also to reveal Jesus’ true identity 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, and 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 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 them. 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, which our world is constantly offering us through all means of media and social communications.

 

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.

Homily For Sunday, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, 7th January, 2024

Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6, Ps. 72, Eph 3:2-3.5-6, Matt.2:1-12

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE JOURNEY OF THE THREE WISE MEN AND MANIFESTATION OF THE LORD THE LIGHT OF OUR FAITH

 

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Epiphany of our Lord, an occasion where we continue to contemplate and celebrate the mystery of the birth of Jesus. Epiphany was first celebrated in Africa, Egypt precisely, where it was used to replace a pagan feast, where the people celebrate the victory of light over darkness.

 

However, the word “Epiphany” means manifestation or revelation. So it is the solemnity of the manifestation of the Lord the Light of our faith. Thus in our first reading, we heard the prophet Isaiah saying: Arise, shine out, Jerusalem, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord is rising on you, all are assembling and coming towards you. Your sons from far away and your daughters being tenderly carried in the arms.

 

 In our Gospel passage we see how the Wise Men being led by a star journeyed a long distance in search of the newborn king. They were probably sages in search of something more about life, in search of the true light that could point out the path to the true meaning of life. This journey of the Wise Men was bold, courageous and imaginative. Some persons may appear to be foolish even a little crazy. No doubt that they encountered many difficulties and experienced some moments of doubt and danger. Yet despite the difficulties, doubt and dangers they preserved in their search and were joyful when they finally found the baby Jesus.

 

Thus, today the Wise Men find, crying in a manger, the one they have followed as he shone in the sky. They saw, in swaddling clothes, the one they had long awaited as he lay hidden among the stars. Today, the Wise Men gaze in deep wonder at what they see: heaven on earth, earth in heaven, man in God, God in man, one whom the whole universe cannot contain now enclosed in a tiny body. As they look, they believe and do not question anymore, as their symbolic gifts bear witness: incense for God, gold for a king, myrrh for one who is to die.

 

In this journey the light of a star guided them, they did not know where the star was leading them. Hence, their journey was very much a journey of faith, knowing that the star was a means by which a great mystery was to be revealed. The journey of these Wise Men symbolizes our journey of faith and it can serve as a model for us as we struggle on our journey of faith. For the faith of the Wise Men is the first fruit of the belief of the Gentiles, so the Gentiles, who were the last, became the first.

 

The same is our journey, for just as they were guided by the light of a star so we are guided by the light of faith. Little wonder in our second reading we heard St Paul saying: This mystery that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to all, in Jesus Christ, through the Gospel.

 

Dear friends, we can learn something great from these Wise Men. First, their journey was one of searching and questioning, of fear and hope, of pain and joy. It is not an easy journey. Our journey of faith contains all of these elements. Like the Wise Men, we can expect to encounter difficulties and experience doubts. But, we can draw inspiration from their courage and perseverance.

 

Also, we can learn something about Herod. As the Wise Men journeyed through the great city of Bethlehem the star disappeared, they could no longer see it. For them, it was logical to seek the new king in the royal palace, where they believed that wise men were to be found. But to their amazement, the newborn child was not found in the places of power and culture. Hence, King Herod in anger seeks to kill the child.

 

Here, perhaps, we should ask ourselves: is there something of Herod in us? Have we in any way seen God as a sort of rival? Have we been blind to the signs God is offering us or pay deaf ears to his words because we think he is setting limits on our lives and does not allow us to live as we wish?

 

Another thing we can learn from the Wise Men is that, they did not travel alone, they traveled in a little community of three believers. We then, must not try to make the journey of our faith alone, we need to journey with our brothers and sisters in our community. We need to support one another. However, we have one great advantage over these Wise Men. At the start of their journey, they knew nothing about Christ. We already know Christ and have encountered him in faith.

 

Nevertheless, the fact that we have not seen him face-to-face means we have not yet arrived at our final destination. So we are still searching, still journeying to encounter Jesus the light of the world. Thus the journey of faith is the journey of a lifetime. The goal of this journey is to arrive at the heavenly Bethlehem where we can see Jesus and experience his glory.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we celebrate the manifestation of your Son Jesus today, let the light of his presence dispel the darkness in our lives, in our families, societies and so illuminate our paths as we struggle and journey in faith towards achieving our goals and purposes in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.