Homily For Monday The Octave of Easter, 1st April, 2024 (Happy New Month)

Readings: Acts.2:14.22-33; Ps. 16; Matt. 28:8-15
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia 
GALILEE A PLACE OF ENCOUNTER WITH THE RISEN LORD 

Yesterday we heard of the good news of his resurrection, but we have yet to encounter him. So today being a special day, is no doubt a day of encounter, a day we are called to leave the empty tomb of sorrow and go to Galilee, a place of personal encounter with the risen Lord. For we heard in our Gospel passage today how the women who came to the tomb early in the morning ran with fear and great joy. 

They had just encountered the Lord who invited them to go and tell their brothers that they must leave for Galilee, there, they would see him. This invitation is very symbolic for all Christians because it is an invitation to a place of encounter with our risen Lord. It is the first instruction of the Lord to his disciples. All who believe in the Lord are invited to be part of this invitation to Galilee, for it is a moment when all doubt is cleared, all fear is gone and all hope is fulfilled. 

Dear friends, this same invitation is given to us today. But where is Galilee? Galilee is a fertile, mountainous region in northern Israel. It is most notable for being the home of our Lord Jesus Christ. More specifically, the Lower part of the mountain of Galilee is where Jesus grew up and spent the better part of his earthly life and ministry. 

But Galilee is much more than these. It is any place of encounter, especially deep within our hearts, where we can find the Lord Jesus so often, because the risen Lord is no longer bound by time or space. Galilee can also be our neighbourhood, our family, any place of prayer, any place we find the poor and the needy, the sick or anywhere we find ourselves aware of the presence of Jesus. 

Therefore, let us like the disciples leave behind the empty tomb of sorrow, pain, fear and uncertainty of the things of this passing world and journey towards Galilee to encounter the risen Lord with joy and praises of alleluia in our hearts. For we heard in our first reading how Peter and the other disciples after their encounter with the risen Lord expressed their experience with him to the people. We also are called to do the same after our encounter with him today at the Galilee. 

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, as we journey towards Galilee in expectation to encounter you personally, amidst the pains and sorrows of this life, may the joy of your presence known no bounds in our lives, you who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Do remain blessed. 

Homily For The Solemnity of Easter Sunday, 31st March, 2024

Readings: Acts.10:34.37-43; Ps. 118; 2Cor 3:1-4; John 20:1-9

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

THE JOY OF THE RISEN LORD AND THE NEW LIFE OF GRACE

 

For over forty days we have journeyed with our Lord Jesus, we listened to him speaking of his mission to redeem humanity. Like his first disciples we experienced his love, healing and compassion, we believed in him even when we lack the full knowledge of his mission.

 

On Ash Wednesday as customary, we put on ashes in penitent for our sins. We fasted and abstained from food and other things and we did great charitable works all this forty days. On Palm Sunday, we shouted Hosanna!! Hosanna!! Filio David, on Holy Thursday we dine with the Lord, though with divided minds as he told us about the betrayal and his passion. On Good Friday, Jesus was taken away from us, in our presence, he was judged, and condemned and we cried out crucify him!! Crucify him!!, he was indeed crucified on account of our sins.

 

In sorrows and agonies we were scattered and hopelessly went back to Emmaus by our ugly ways of life. But for some like Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, we wondered in great silence on Holy Saturday, what must have happened to the mission of Christ, in fear and hope we waited patiently in all night vigil meditating on the words of God in search of an answer to the mystery of the salvation of humanity promised to us by Jesus.

 

Behold at this point, the voice of an angel singing: Exult!!, let them Exult!!, the host of heaven, Exult!!, let Angel ministers of God Exult, let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud our might King’s triumph!  Be glad let earth be glad for the stone has been taken away from the tomb, our Lord has risen, Jesus is risen, light has triumph over darkness. What a glorious day, a day of victory, a day when the salvation of humanity is won, a day of personal encounter of the risen Lord.

 

Let us then celebrate the Lord’s victory. let us like Mary Magdalene, Peter and John run towards the empty tomb with open heart to encounter Christ, who had died and is risen in order to renew us and remove from our hearts the guilty of sin and death, so that we can embrace his divine and eternal life.

 

Dear friends, this is the fundamental core of our Christian faith; this is the victory that transforms us and unites us with our Lord. Hence, if Jesus is risen, and is alive, who will ever be able to separate us from him? Who will ever be able to deprive us the love of him, who has conquered hatred and overcomes death?

 

Therefore, I don't know what has been your experience in this world, I don't know how you woke up today, I don't know what troubles you mind. I don’t know what is your expectations today. But all I know is that today is another gift of God to humanity, a day of joy, a day of victory and a new life of grace. I am excited, hopeful and am going to live it with all joy, not trying to change things that I could not change or try to fix things that do not want to be fixed. I will not let the ugly situation in my life, my family in our world today or any ugly event of the past distract me today or steal my joy. I will focus on the blessings that comes with the joy of the risen Lord. I will embrace the new life of grace he is offering us today.

 

Friends, Christ has come to give us new life, a new life of grace, a new life of peace, a new life of hope, a new life of courage, a new life of joy and purity of heart. This is the fundamental principles of our Christian faith; this is the victory that transforms us and unites us with our Lord. Hence, if Jesus is risen, and is alive, who will ever be able to separate us from him? Who will ever be able to deprive us of the love of him who has conquered hatred and overcome death by showing us the path of sacrificial love.

 

Yes, Jesus loves us with a deep and everlasting love. For today he has paid all our debts to God; he supplies all our daily spiritual needs; he sympathizes with us in all our troubles; he bears with all our infirmities, and will not reject us because of our weaknesses. He regards us as part of himself:  We share in the glory that he has received from his Father. These are the privileges of all true Christians who are called to the heavenly kingdom. So today, Jesus is teaching us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not just about the ritual or ceremonious fasting or feasting. But is about building a personal relationship with God who loves us personally and unconditionally. God who has offered us a new life of grace.

 

So, let us join the angels to sing a new song to God for his sacrificial love forus. Let us thank God for the grace of new life he is offering us today. Let us sing and say:

You are the source of our new life;

In your light we see light,

You show to us your goodness;

You bid us taste and see

We come to you; we bless you Lord;

We glorify your name!

We praise you Lord; we worship you

We thank you for your gift of New Life.

(New Life! New Life, You came to bring us new life,

New life, New life, we find such Joy in your abundant Life.

 

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, today the victory of our salvation is won, as we experience the Lord May the joy of the risen Lord fill our hearts today and always. Happy Easter to you and your house hold.

Homily For Holy Saturday of Easter Vigil, 31st, 2024

 

Readings: Gen 1:1-22; 22:1-18; Ex.14:15-15:1; Is 54:5-14; 55:1:11; Bar 3:9:9-15.33-4:4; Ez36:16-17.18-28;Ps. 51; Rom. 6:3-11; Ps. 118; Mk. 16:1-7

 

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

 CELEBRATING THE LORD'S VICTORY OVER SIN AND DEATH

 

Today we celebrate Easter Vigil, which is the peak of the entire liturgy which began on Holy Thursday. It is a night which is regarded as the mother of all Holy vigils, since it is the night when the Church awaits in prayer the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, who has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. He descended into the dead to visit those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, in order to free from sorrow the captives who are captured by the sin and death of our forefathers Adam and Eve. And to restore them not to their first earthly paradise. but to enthrone them into his heavenly kingdom where they are not forbidden to eat from the tree that was only a symbol of life, but rather, to behold him, who is life itself.

 

Thus, the liturgy of this night takes us through the journey along the paths of sacred Scriptures beginning with the account of creation to resurrection. Telling us that the creation story is itself a prophecy that is fulfilled in the person of Christ. It is not just information about an account of the process of the origins of things, but rather a pointer towards the true beginning of our being and the fulfilment of God’s plan for humanity.

 

Now the liturgy is divided into four parts, beginning with the blessings of the fire and the preparation of the Paschal Candle as we wait on the Lord, the liturgy of the word after the Easter exsultet, followed by baptismal renewal and celebration, then the Eucharistic celebration where we encounter the risen Lord at breaking of bread. The central message of this liturgical event is God’s victory over sin and death. An event that transforms our Sorrowful hearts into glorious joy as Jesus fulfils God’s plan for humanity.

 

Dear friends, our disposition today should be that of great joy and hope in the resurrection of Christ who has conquered our sins and death. Therefore, let us celebrate this victory with joy despite the hardships, the sufferings and the problems we encounter especially with the ugly situation in our world today. Let this great joy and hope that is rooted in the resurrection of the Lord help us to conquer all fears and worries, for we are victorious by the power of Christ’s victory.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, as we greatly anticipate your resurrection with joy and hope, may you fill our hearts now and always with the joy of your presence, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

Easter Sunday to you all.

Homily For Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion, 29th March, 2024

Readings: Is. 52:13-53:12; Ps. 31; Heb. 4:14-16.5:7-9; John:18:1-19:42

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

 IT IS FINISHED, THE SACRIFICIAL LOVE OF CHRIST FOR SINFUL HUMANITY IS ACCOMPLISHED

 

Today, we celebrate the passion of Christ which constitutes the climax of the revelation of God’s love for humanity. In this celebration we recall how the Lord was condemned to carry the sins of humanity on his Cross, enduring all the insults, torture, pains and struggles on the way to Calvary.

 

The anguish of the Lord’s Passion cannot fail to move even the most hardened hearts to pity and remorse, yet we call this most sorrowful day, Good Friday despite all the terrible events and circumstances Jesus had to pass through. But we will appreciate the “Good” about the Friday when we do not just focus our attention on what happened, but on what was accomplished for humanity, that is, the price paid for the salvation of humanity. For this Friday the Lord Jesus says I thirst…, it is finished. Today, all his pains and agonies were now finished, it had indeed ended on the Cross. No one to drag, betray or accuse him of anything anymore.

 

But, what is good about this Friday is that all our shame, disgrace, pains and agonies are now ended on the Cross of Christ. What is good about this Friday is that humanity has died to sin in order the rise to righteousness. What is good about this Friday, is that human hope which was lost to sin is restored. What is good about this Friday is that humanity has received mercy and forgiveness. What is good about this Friday is that the human body is constrained while the soul is elevated. What is good about this Friday is that the enemy the devil is conquered on the Cross.

 

This Friday is good because human pride is conquered by the humility of Christ. This Friday is good because human wickedness, greed, hatred, selfishness corruption and betrayal are conquered by love, sacrificial love and charity that flows from the heart of Jesus.  Thus, what is good about this Friday is that God has accomplished his plan for our salvation. This makes the event of Good Friday a very important aspect of the Easter Triduum, beginning from yesterday’s Holy Thursday celebration of the Last Supper and continuing with the Saturday Vigil and the Resurrection of the Lord at Easter, making the whole events one great celebration of the Holy Mass.

 

The event of Good Friday liturgy of Christ’s Passion is not simply a commemoration of an important event that happened in the past, but a prayerful experience that makes Christ’s sacrifice present and operative in the lives of his children. An event where Christ fought for humanity and won our salvation on the cross, calling us to embrace his love for us. On the cross, he says: I thirst…, it is finished. This means that all pains and agonies were now finished, the goal has now been accomplished, not of a futile end, but of a fulfilled mission.

 

Dear friends, today, this Friday, Jesus dies on the cross and lies in the tomb, an event that is so permeated by human sadness that leads to silence meditation and prayer. Therefore, let us pause awhile to contemplate his anguish, his disfigured face: the face of a Man of sorrows, who took upon himself the burden of all our mortal anguish. By so doing, we too, like the women of Jerusalem, like Simon of Cyrene, like the good thief, like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus who were present at the crucifixion of Jesus.

 

Let us beat our breasts, recalling what happened, and so see how his face is reflecting in that of every person who is humiliated and offended, sick and suffering, abandoned and despised, especially during this period that the world is passing through a turbulent moment as a result of the inflation caused by war, human greediness, selfishness, wickedness, terrorism and other sinful actions, which have brought a lot of troubles and fear in the hearts of people.

 

Let us know that we are not alone in our daily struggles against sin and other ugly actions which stand as the crosses we have to bear in this life. For Jesus is in fact, carrying his Cross together with us. He is suffering also with us for he has made all our sufferings, pains and struggles his own. He has carried away our burden of sins. Therefore, let us spend some time today to reflect on our Lord’s Passion and suffering, his great love for us and how important we need to change our ugly ways of life and resolve by God’s grace not to go on with our sinful ways, knowing that they separate us from the love of God.

 

Today, Jesus sacrificed everything for our sake. What are we sacrificing for him? What are we sacrificing for his Church, what are we sacrificing for humanity? What are we sacrificing for our families? What are you sacrificing for your wife, your husband, your children, your father and your mother, your boss in the office and those working for you? What are we sacrificing for the sake of peace in our homes, our offices, our colleagues in the office and marketplaces?  Brethren, the “good” about this Friday is the sacrificial love of Christ for humanity, which we are called to reciprocate in our neighbours. Therefore, let us go out there and offer this sacrificial love to all those we encounter today and always.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, for the sake of your sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and the whole world. Help us to reciprocate this mercy to all those we encounter in our journey of life. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace-filled celebration of the Lord’s passion.

Homily For Holy Thursday Year B, 28th March, 2024

Readings: Ex: 12:1-8,11-14; Ps. 115; 1Cor. 11:23-26; John:13:1-15

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

CELEBRATING THE MYSTERY OF OUR FAITH

The events of Holy Thursday mark the beginning of the Sacred Paschal Triduum of the passion and resurrection of the Lord which is the peak of the entire liturgical year. These events begin with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper after the Chrism Mass in the morning, which reaches its peak at the Easter Vigil and ends with  Sunday evening prayer. 

This shows that today’s celebration is truly very significant, for in it some of the core elements of our faith are established. Beginning with the Lord giving us his own Most Precious Body and Blood in the Eucharist. Where the bread and wine turned into this Body and Blood. Here, as the Eternal High Priest of all, at the Last Supper, Jesus offers his own Body and Blood in the form of bread and wine, as the beginning of the very first Sacrifice of the Mass, lifted as an offering to God the Father, which turns into the essence and substance of his own Body and Blood offered on the Altar at the Cross of Calvary on Good Friday, where this Sacrifice of the Mass is accomplished. By this singular event, the Lord Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist established the institution of Holy Priesthood and made his disciples share in his High Priest function and service.

So, the Mass of Holy Thursday evening shows deep signs of the mystery of God's love. The Gospel especially, links all these events with the concrete reality of our lives. Though it says little about the Paschal mystery, passion and the Eucharist, instead its focus is on Jesus, our Lord and Master, who gets down on his knees, lays down the clothes of his glory, wraps around his waist the towel of humility and makes himself a servant and washes the disciples' dirty feet. A sign of his service and love which unveils the mystery of his love for humanity. 

This act of cleansing offers his disciples the gift of purity, the capacity to dine with the Lord. Thus, this gift becomes a model, the duty for them to do the same for one another. Here, Jesus teaches us that it is in this spirit of purity, love and service of our brothers and sisters that we can practice the outstanding characteristic of Christian discipleship. 

Dear friends, we are encouraged to spend these three days of Easter Triduum to deepen our faith and love for God. We are called to dedicate ourselves once more to the Lord. We are called to make good use of this time to reflect on how blessed we are to have been loved by God, so much so that He was willing to go through all the troubles and sufferings for our sake. Therefore, let us spend this time to reflect deeply on our personal relationship with God and discern carefully how we can begin to live our lives more faithfully and in humble service to God and humanity, just the way our Lord Jesus has shown us and his disciples today.

LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, We all have been recipients of your love and service in our lives, thanks for the gift of the people whom you have used to bring us close to God. Help us be of humble service to others, especially in this difficult moment when people are suffering, sick and dying as a result of human greediness, selfishness and inflation. May the efforts of your children who are deeply involved in the restoration of peace and stability in our families societies and the world at large not be in vain. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Please remember to pray for me and all the priests today.

Homily For Wednesday of Holy Week Year B, 27th March, 2024

Readings: Is.50:4-9; Ps. 69; Matt. 26:14-25

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

DO NOT BE A TRAITOR LIKE JUDAS

What is the price of a traitor, what are the motives of a traitor? What are the consequences and repercussions of a traitorous act? The answer to these questions can be found in the life of Judas. In the Gospel passage today, Judas went to the chief priests to make a deal for handing Jesus over to them for 30 pieces of silver, the poor amount of wages paid to the shepherd. This was the amount Judas betrayed his master, an amount that he too, will throw back to the priests after realizing what evil he has done. 

This act of betrayal as predicted by Jesus before his disciples is in fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah in our first reading about the suffering Servant of God, to Whom the Lord had chosen to bear the punishments and sufferings due to our sins, that he might suffer them all instead of us. And yet, he would neither protest nor grumble against this, as it was by his desire and will that he had taken up his Cross and suffered for our sake. ‘But alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!’ 

Dear friends, 30 pieces of silver were the wages of Judas for his traitorous act. But Judas is not alone in this ugly and traitorous attitude. We can imagine what people are doing for money in our world today. Perhaps we too, have betrayed and handed Jesus and our friends and neighbours over more than once. We have often broken bread with Jesus, but later betrayed him for money, out of ambition, greed, anger, hatred, revenge or even become violent because of our own personal selfish gain. There is no doubt that the devil tempted Judas just as he had tempted us in various ways, and we have fallen just as Judas had fallen. For when we sin, no matter how grievous or small, we are still betraying the Lord. 

Therefore, let us watch it carefully during this Holy Season and indeed always not to involved in any traitorous act against God or anyone at all. If we are already involved in any, this is a period to reconsider and reconcile with them and so come back to the Lord with tears of repentance and resolve not to go back to such evil acts again as we apologize and make restitution. And in case anyone who had betrayed us should come back and ask for mercy, we must find a place in our heart to forgive, just the way Jesus has given us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we enter into the great mystery of Easter Triduum beginning tomorrow, give us grace to journey with you in holiness, may you also forgive us for often being a traitor against you, your Church, our families, friends and our societies at large. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a grace-filled day.

Homily For Tuesday Holy Week Year B, 26th March, 2024

Readings: Is.49:1-6; Ps.71; John 13:21-33.36-38

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

ARE YOU A BETRAYAL AND DENIAL OF GOD’S GRACE AND LOVE?

 

Today being the third day of Holy Week, the readings are selected to help us focus our attention on the upcoming celebrations of the Easter Triduum when we are going to enter into the most sacred moments in the history of our salvation. In our first reading, we heard of the suffering servant of God, the light of the nations who shall come forth as the Saviour sent by God. He will therefore bring hope to the people of God who are suffering and oppressed. An event which played out in the life of Jesus.

 

Consequently, the Gospel passage today, presents the moment when Jesus the Saviour sent by God was troubled in spirit on account of the passion he has to pass through as a result of the ugly attitudes of humanity as played out in the lives of his very disciples. Hence he declared, ‘I tell you most solemnly, one of you will betray me.’ Here, Jesus is talking about the betrayal of Judas and the announcement of Peter’s denial as well. These two events place before us the terrible action of his two disciples which will lead to his arrest and condemnation. With this pronouncement, Judas became aware that Jesus knew about his plans. But this does not change his mind and decision to betray him. So from that moment, Satan entered him and he separated himself and left the presence of Jesus and his disciples.

 

Dear FRIENDS, are you a betrayal and denial of God’s grace and love? Today we hear how the ugly attitude of the human person of betrayal and denial led to the capture and torture of Jesus. Today it is Judas, at the house of Caiaphas and the Cross it will be Peter’s turn while every day we do the same, if not worse. But, unlike Judas, who plotted his betrayal over a price. Peter's denial of Jesus comes from his weakness and lack of courage to withstand evil. Oftentimes, in different places and circumstances, it will be our turn to either be betrayed, denied or betray, deny other people. Whatever the case, we must know that it is not simply Jesus and his love that we have betrayed, we have betrayed ourselves.

 

The fact remains that, our attitudes and selfishness sometimes are like that of Judas. Our sins against God and our neighbours are betrayals of our commitments and promises we made to either God or our neighbours. This is why we must be careful in order not to end up falling into temptation like Judas who fell into this temptation because of money and personal benefit, ending up committing a great sin against his very master and friends. 

 

Therefore, this Holy Week we must have an examination of conscience on how often we have betrayed one another. We must reconcile with those we have betrayed in any way as we resolve by God’s grace never to engage in such an ugly attitude. This we do by allowing our Christian faith and virtues to shine brightly in the midst of all the darkness of betrayal and denial as we look up to Jesus our Lord and Saviour, especially in these dark and difficult moments in our world where people do all sorts of evil things to one another.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, give us the grace and courage this Holy Season not to deny or betray you or our neighbour, for without your grace there is no sin we may not commit against You or our neighbour today. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful day.