Homily For Saturday Third Week of Easter Year B, 20th April, 2024

 
Readings: Acts. 9:31-42; Ps.116; John 6:60-69

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

WILL YOU ALSO WAKE AWAY WHEN THE ARTICLES OF OUR FAITH SEEM DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND?

Every day of our lives we make choices that we think are good for us. But sometimes some choices are very difficult to make. However, the root of any choice we make in life comes from the fundamental option we have made as human person. Our fundamental option is the option we make for or against God, to love or to be selfish, to be good or evil, to be holy or sinful. This option has a way of influencing any other choices we make in life. 

Today, in our Gospel passage, we heard how people reacted when faced with hard choices on account of the teachings of Jesus. For as he ends the discourse on the Bread of Life he said to them: whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life… For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. So, hearing this hard teaching, many of his disciples decided to walk away. Then Jesus asked the twelve: will you also go away? Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we know that you are the Holy One of God. 

Following these responses, we can see how important it is for us to make the fundamental option for God if we really want to follow him. As we heard that most of the followers of Jesus left him behind after he spoke of himself as the Bread of Life. Thus, many of them refused to believe in such hard truth and teaching. This may be a result of their ignorance, impatience and inability to accommodate difficult moments and realities that are beyond them.

Dear friends, every day we are called to make this fundamental option between God the Creator and the creatures who have made themselves gods. For this is the reality of our faith in Christ, so, the Christian faith which we have is not something we should take for granted, as we may often find it difficult to remain faithful especially when we are confronted with arguments and realities that are opposite and in contrast to our faith. Yet, at the same time, we are called to continue to be faithful and dedicate ourselves completely in obedience to the teachings of Christ.

Thus, when the articles of our faith or our life situations seem difficult, we are called to come to Jesus. We are called to believe in him who came from above and bears testimony of heavenly things. We are called like the apostles to say Lord to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life. We are to bear witness to these things through the power of the Holy Spirit, knowing that our choice for God is a choice for love, and a life of love is a sacrificial life neither easy nor comfortable. 

Therefore, inspired by the faith and courage of St Peter, who in our first reading today did great miraculous works in the name of Jesus, let us bear witness to the faith we have found in Jesus, by identifying ourselves with him who is the bread of life, full of love and goodness, as we live a life of holiness and building a good relationship with others like Dorcas in our first reading who was never tired of doing good.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, our hope is all in you when in difficult moments of decision-making regarding our faith in you, give us the grace and courage like St. Peter to bear authentic witness to the faith we have found in Christ Jesus, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.

Homily For Friday Third Week of Easter Year B, 19th April 2024

Readings: Acts. 9:1-20; Ps.117; John 6:52-59

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

LORD GIVE US THE GRACE OF ENCOUNTER THAT LEADS TO TRUE CONVERSION

 

Every day is an opportunity to encounter God through different events that occur in our lives. I don't know if you have ever had an experience that made you realize the emptiness of this life, a kind of experience that turns pride into humility, sinfulness into righteousness, an experience that changes your perspective about things or people.

 

This is the kind of experience that Saul had with Jesus in our first reading today, that made him realize the emptiness of his life and how wrong he was, fighting against God’s people. For Saul was a young and zealous Pharisee who was deeply involved in the persecutions of early Christians. He was present at the moment when St. Stephen was martyred and stoned to death. Saul was also a leading figure among the Sanhedrin in their attempt to destroy the Church and the followers of Christ, for he went from place to place and carried out violent attacks against the followers of Christ until he encountered the Lord on his way to Damascus.

 

This very experience brought true conversion in his life and changed his perspective about Christians. This encounter gave him a new identity, changing his name from Saul to Paul. A name indicating his new mission. A mission he so carried out with all his zeal and passion that he is regarded as one of the apostles and today his works still speak about the effect of his encounter with Jesus. 

 

This goes on to affirm the hard teaching of Jesus in our Gospel passage today, where he was talking about having life in him. For himself draws life from the Father, and he said, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. So whoever eats his flesh and drinks his blood will draw life from him. This new life is what Saul experienced when he encountered him and was converted and entrusted with the mission of converting the pagans.

 

Dear friends, as we heard about the conversion of St Paul, we are called to reflect on our conversion. Today like St. Paul, we are called to reflect on our personal experience with God. How have we personally experienced God? When was your spiritual turning point? Do we have a personal conviction about God that is not based on what people told us of him?  Remember that under our baptism, we are called to share in the same mission and call that St. Paul himself had received from the Lord. So, in case we have not personally experienced the Lord, all we need to do is to sincerely seek God in those common events in our lives and we will realize how much God is willing to reveal himself to us.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we really need to have a personal encounter with your presence in our lives. As we reflect on the encounter and conversion of St. Paul, may we experience your presence in a unique way and through this experience discover our purpose and mission in life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Do have a blessed day.

Homily For Thursday Third Week of Easter Year B, 18th April, 2024

Readings: Acts. 8:26-40; Ps.66; John 6:44-51

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

LORD GIVE US THE GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING 

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is understanding. It is the second gift of the Holy Spirit, behind wisdom. Through understanding, we gain a certitude about our beliefs that moves beyond faith. It enables one to see more deeply into the mysteries of the faith and judge with certainty all created things. The essential quality of this gift is penetrating intuition. For this gift does not only assist in penetrating revealed truths but also natural realities that are related to the supernatural end. 

Thus, understanding is not so much the fruit of studies, but the loving desire and penetrating intuition towards understanding all the Father has revealed. This is exactly what happened to Philip while explaining the scriptures to the Ethiopian Eunuch in our first reading today. For when he heard him reading the book of the prophet Isaiah, he asked him, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ the Eunuch replied: ‘How can I understand unless I have someone to guide me?’ 

Here, the Eunuch seeks the gift of understanding which Philip has already received at Pentecost and with the help of this gift he was able to explain the scriptures to him. This is because, the mysteries of God’s revelation have been made known to him and with the Spirit’s prompting, these mysteries can be penetrated and understood by humanity.

 The fact remains, that God created us for friendship and this gift enables us to know of his love, mercy, glory, and power which moves our hearts to love and live as adopted sons and daughters of God. Little wonder, Jesus in our Gospel passage today said: No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me, for it is written in the prophets: They will all be taught by God and will hear the teaching of the Father, and learn from it.

Dear friends, we must desire to have the gift of Understanding, we need to ask God for this gift of understanding, for it helps us to penetrate the truths of faith, and operates in several ways: disclosing the hidden meaning of Sacred Scripture; revealing the significance of symbols and figures. It gives us deeper insight into the meaning of our faith and the moral teachings which serve as standards for human actions. This gift imparts a sense of confidence and certainty in our belief. It helps us grasp the reality of heaven our beatific vision.

It is a gift that is really lacking in our lives not just as Christians but as individuals living in societies full of confusion and lack of sense of direction. But, how can we acquire the gift of understanding? How can the gift of understanding help us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our faith in relation to our struggles with the ugly situations in our world today? The answer is simple, we must learn, just like the Ethiopian Eunuch to cultivate the habit of listening to the Holy Spirit who never ceases to speak to us deep down in our conscience.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. As we listen to your words today, give us the gift of understanding so that we can grasp the meaning of the truths of our faith in relation to our struggles with the ugly situations in our world today. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.

Homily For Wednesday Third Week of Easter Year B, 17th April, 2024

  Readings: Acts. 8:1-8; Ps.66; John 6:35-40

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE WISHES TO SATISFY OUR THIRSTY AND STAVING SOULS

What can ever satisfy the human hunger and thirst for peace, wholeness righteousness, love and joy? These are the things we search for every day of our lives. But we seem to have little or no answer. This is because we have often failed to listen to God’s words calling us and directing us towards the path of truth which he has revealed through his son our Lord Jesus Christ, who has been speaking to us in our Gospel since his resurrection. 

Thus, today Jesus continues with his teaching on the bread of life, he seeks to draw those who listened to him into a profound relationship with himself. He asks them to believe in his wonderful promises of eternal life. In the same way, he invites us to partake in an indestructible life, to share in the very life of God. Jesus wants us to know that he is the food of our souls. Our souls are really starving due to sins, and indeed thirsty for holiness, love, peace and purity. In Jesus alone can staving and empty souls find their strength and satisfaction. For in him, there is fullness of life. 

The fact remains that Jesus is the bread of life which came down from heaven. And he wants us to commit our souls into his hands. Thus, whenever we experience anything of spiritual hunger and thirst, we must come to Jesus and be satisfied. This is what was lacking in the life of Saul, who in our first reading today worked for the destruction of the Church after he had witnessed and endured the stoning and death of Stephen. So, he went from house to house arresting both men and women and sending them to prison.  But those who had escaped from him went from place to place preaching the Good News of peace, love holiness and salvation.

Dear friends, like Saul, are we weighed down by sorrows in conscience or staving in affections and love, especially in this difficult moment in human history and thereby acting in ignorance? Or are we like the disciples who even in the midst of persecution remained faithful in witnessing the love they have found in Jesus? Whatever the situation may be for us now, we must know that Jesus is always ready to relieve and restore us whenever we come to him in faith, for in him alone shall we find lasting satisfaction, peace and love both now and for eternity.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, oftentimes we are thirsty and hungry down within our souls, through the intercession of St Anselm, may we find in the Words of Jesus that satisfactions which our souls so desired and by so doing find eternal life. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Wishing you the best of God’s favour and blessings.

Homily For Tuesday Third Week of Easter Year B, i6th April 2024

 

Readings: Acts. 7:51-8:1; Ps.31; John 6:30-35

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

COME TO JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE AND YOU WILL NEVER BE HUNGRY

The ugly situation in our societies, country and the world at large can make someone completely lose hope in humanity and even in God. Today people are confused, they don’t even know what to believe or who to trust anymore. The questions that come to mind are: To whom shall we run to? What shall we do? Any hope for a better tomorrow? What signs are there for us to see in order to be assured of a better and brighter future for humanity? This present disposition can be likened to the disposition of the people in our Gospel passage today.

Here, the Jews who had witnessed the great miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fishes, when confronted with the hard teaching about the person of Jesus, asked Jesus for a sign to prove that he is the Messiah, a sign like the manna which their forefathers ate in the desert. They said to Jesus that God gave them bread from the heavens to eat. For the Jews, the manna was God’s gift from heaven. So they wanted such a miraculous sign again.

However, Jesus made it clear to the crowd that it was God rather than Moses who provided the manna for the Israelites. Also, he identified himself as the true bread of life that comes from God. That he himself is God’s divine intervention in our world. He is the gift of God to the world. So he told them solemnly: “I AM the bread of life.”  Using the word “I AM”, he strongly identifies himself with God, a statement that recalls the name God revealed to Moses in the burning bush (Exod 3:14). Jesus goes on to say: “Whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” 

Thus, the true manna, the true bread from heaven is the Word of God, which is Jesus and this Word is what he teaches us to believe in. Today this Word is now addressed to us and we shall do well to pay attention to it because with the events going on in the world today, we too can find ourselves in an ugly situation. A situation where we may no longer have faith in God and start doubting his existence as we are now scared of losing our lives, our health, our wealth or even our loved ones as a result of war, kidnapping, terrorism and inflation. The worst of it is not knowing what to believe anymore, especially in the way our society has been structured, people no longer know their left from their right. 

Dear friends, I don’t know what you are passing through now. Does it seem as if all hope is lost and there is no opportunity again for you? Are you confused about your faith? Jesus says: I AM the bread of life, blessed is the one who does not lose faith in him. For he is waiting for us at the Eucharist, where he feeds us spiritually. Therefore, be courageous, do not be afraid. Be patient, do not lose heart for the Lord will surely come to save us.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, whenever we come to Jesus and bond ourselves closely to him, we are actually identifying ourselves with You, may we constantly embrace Your love for us in the Eucharist as You feed us daily with the bread of life through Your Word. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.

Homily For Monday Third Week of Easter Year B, 15th April, 2024

Readings: Acts. 6:8-15; Ps.119; John 6:22-29

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

LORD GIVE US THE GRACE TO BEAR AUTHENTIC WITNESS LIKE STEPHEN

 

In every human heart, there is a secret garden which God has made uniquely for himself and that garden is our conscience. However, God is always at the gate of this garden knocking, but we pretend not to hear him. The truth is that every day God gives us the grace to experience him and bear witness, he makes himself present in us but we often ignore him or pretend we do not perceive his presence.

 

This was the attitude of the men who sought to kill Stephen out of jealousy in our first reading today, where we heard the account of St. Stephen, one of the first deacons who full of grace and power bears witness to the risen Lord before the people. He worked many miracles and great signs among the people. But some group of men felt so infuriated and ground their teeth at him since they could not withstand his wisdom. Nevertheless, Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. This he witnessed before them and they saw his face like that of an angel. 

 

Dear friends, this was possible because Stephen opened completely the door of his heart and found God, he witnessed him with his life. We too have been given the grace to bear authentic witness to the faith we have found in Jesus who tells us in our Gospel passage today, to believe in him and work for the food which endures to eternal life, the kind of food the Son of Man is offering us.  That is the eternal food of love, compassion, mercy, kindness, peace and salvation.

 

These were the food that Stephen had received from the Lord when he opened the door of his heart and these same food he offered to the members of the Sanhedrin but they cannot comprehend or withstand it. Therefore, Jesus is calling us to work for this kind of food that comes from the heart of a person who has personally encountered him, the risen Lord.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, as we open our hearts to embrace the eternal food of love, compassion, mercy, kindness, peace and salvation which You offer to humanity, give us the grace and courage to bear authentic witness of Your goodness in the world, especially at this moment when humanity needs You the most. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. As the week begins, be strong, be hopeful and stay safe for God is still in control.

Homily For Third Sunday of Easter Year B, 14th April, 2024 (HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY)

Readings: Acts.3:13-15.17-19; Ps.4; 1John 2:1-5; 24:35-48

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

OUR TASK AND MISSION IS TO PREACH REPENTANCE, FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND THE RESURRECTION OF THE BODY.

 

At the final article of the Apostles’ Creed which we profess every Sunday and solemnities. We do say: “I believe… in the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.”

But the questions that come to mind are: do we truly believe in what we profess? Do we understand what we mean by repentance, forgiveness of sins and resurrection of the body? Have we in any way experienced any of these events in our lives personally? Do we have any evidence to back up this article of faith which we have come to embrace? Can we categorically defend this article of faith before anyone who wishes to know more about it? The answer to these questions is blowing in the wind.

 

But in order to ensure that the answer to these questions is not blowing in the wind for those who have made the fundamental option for God, Jesus demonstrated to his disciples, in their Easter encounter, that he had physically and bodily risen from the dead and reaffirmed all the things he had told them before his crucifixion about repentance, forgiveness and resurrection as we have it in our Gospel passage today, when he said: “Peace be with you!’ In a state of alarm and fright, they thought they were seeing a ghost. But he said, ‘Why are you so troubled, and why are these doubts rising in your hearts? Look at my hands and feet; yes, it is I indeed. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.’ And as he said this he showed them his hands and feet.

 

Their joy was so great that they still could not believe it, and they stood there dumbfounded; so he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes.

He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.

 

This same message of repentance and forgiveness is what St. Peter proclaimed and witnessed in our first reading after he and John were confronted by the chief priests and the elders for curing a crippled bagger at the temple. Here Peter after condemning the people for the part they played in the death of Jesus, has to excuse them on the grounds that they acted in ignorance. Then in their presence, he proclaimed the resurrection and urged them to repent, for if they do their sins will be forgiven. Similarly, we heard St John in our second reading telling us to stop sinning, but if anyone should sin, we have an advocate with the Father, that is Jesus Christ, who is the sacrifice that takes our sins away, for when anyone does obey what his commandments say, God’s love comes to perfection in him.

 

Dear friends, our task and mission is to preach repentance, forgiveness and resurrection. But how can we preach what we have not experienced or believed? So, there is a need for us to repent of our sins so that we can experience forgiveness and there will be no forgiveness of sin if there is no belief in the resurrection of the body. So the questions that come to mind are: do we believe in the grace of repentance, forgiveness and resurrection? How will the dead rise? What form will the rise take? Who will rise? And how?

 

The answer to these questions is clearly stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) nos 997-999, which tells us that the Church through revelation has come to know and teaches us that in death,  that is, the separation of the soul from the body, the human body decays and the soul goes to meet God while awaiting its reunion with its glorified body. For God, in his almighty power, will definitively grant incorruptible life to our bodies by reuniting them with our souls, through the power of Jesus’ Resurrection.

 

But, who will rise? All the dead will rise, “those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment. How will this be? Christ is raised with his own body: for he said: “See my hands and my feet, that it is I” After this he did not return to an earthly life. So, in him, “all of us will rise again with our own bodies which we now bear,” but Christ “will change our lowly bodies to be like his glorious body,”

 

Meanwhile, some people will ask, “How will the dead be raised? With what kind of body will they take?” Jesus says: What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body which is to be, but a bare kernel. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable.  The dead will be raised imperishable. For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality. (1Cor15:35-53).

 

Therefore, we have to truly believe and witness this article of faith. But, it is not enough to believe in it, we have to experience it, but experience is not enough, we have to live by it every day of our lives. Living by it is not enough we have to preach it to the whole world. This is the only way it can make an impact in our lives, in our families and societies and so become the principle that guides all our decisions, our actions and choices in life.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we journey with you, especially at this difficult moment in human history, may your presence strengthen our faith and constantly renew our hope, give us the grace and courage to dedicate ourselves, our time, and energy in knowing and serving you, as you fill our heart with the Joy of your kingdom.  We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Happy Mother’s Day to all our mother