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Homily For The 24th Sunday In Ordinary Time Year B.

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Isaiah 50:5-9; Psalm 116:1-6.8-9; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35. “WHO ARE YOU?” By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide ·        It is not something new for us as Nigerians to see two people arguing or quarreling and throwing tantrums at each other and making statements like “Do you know who I am?”, “do you know who my father is?” “Do you know who my husband is?”. Statements like these set the tone for today’s reflection.  ·        On this 24 th  Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, we are reminded that we live in a world where people are constantly seeking self-recognition and identity. The worst thing you can do to someone is not to acknowledge his/her rank or status in society or academic qualifications. ·        Today Jesus wants us to reflect on what our identity is. Who are we and what are we called to be? The question “Who are you?” is a personal. Who are you in the church and who are you at the office? Who are you in your family and who are you in the marketplace? If you are a different p
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Homily For The 23rd Sunday In Ordinary Time Year B.

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Isaiah 35:4-7; Psalm 146:6-10; James 2:1-5; Mark 7:31-37. “BE STRONG, FEAR NOT!” By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide ·        Among the many things Pope Saint John Paul will be remembered fondly for, is his constant message to the church in his sermons and  catechesis  is the bold statement: “Do not be afraid!” (Is. 41:10). This was altered severally during his papacy and that forms the theme for our Sunday reflection today. ·        On this 23 rd  Sunday in ordinary time year B, amidst the  crisis and hard times is currently besieging our world and country today, what  another message  can be most appropriate? Students are beginning to go back to school and parents are worried about where and how to get their school fees, students are concerned about how to make good grades in their new classes. As citizens of Nigeria, there is so much going on the political space - intrigues and blackmails, the church has not also been spared of attacks and dents in recent times; especially since the
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Homily For The 22nd Sunday In Ordinary Time Year B.

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Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; Psalm 14:2-5; James 1:17-18,21-22,27; Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23. “KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD!” By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide   ·        In my major seminary days, at some point it became a cliché for those in charge of our formation to always remind seminarians that the only secret to a successful formation is to keep the seminary rules and regulations. They reminded us that, “If you keep the rules of the seminary, the seminary will keep you” ·        On this 22 nd  Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, God is telling us that if we keep his commandments, he will keep us as his children. We cannot hold on to God like a pinch of salt and expect him to carry us like a bag of rice. If we take God seriously, he will take us seriously too. ·        Unfortunately, we live in an era where people shop for the religious values they will keep and the ones they will outrightly ignore. These kinds of people are called the “cafeteria Christians”. They do not want to be challen
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Homily For The 21st Sunday In Ordinary Time Year B.

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Joshua 24:1-2.15-18; Psalm 34:1-2.15-22; Ephesians 5:21-32; John 6:60-69. “THE CROSSROAD OF CHOICES!” By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide   ·        Today the church celebrates the 21 st  Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B. It is often said that one of the distinctive abilities of a human being is the ability to make an informed choice and follow that choice to a logical conclusion. People deliberately refrain from making choices, to such, it is said that even the refusal to make choices is a choice. ·        Today, just like other realities of life, we are confronted with the demand to make choices for ourselves and the matters of our faith and destiny. From the commandments of God, we know that good choices bring rewards while bad choices bring punishments hence, we must choose wisely when we come to the crossroads of choices. ·        In the first reading (Joshua 24:1-2.15-18), Joshua makes a courageous choice to serve the Lord with his household while encouraging the people of Israel t
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Homily For The 20th Sunday In Ordinary Time Year B.

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Proverb 9:1-6; Psalm 34:1-2.9-14; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58. “THE EUCHARIST: FOOD FOR THE WISE!” By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide   ·        On this 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, Jesus invites us to a deeper reflection on the Holy Eucharist. The Eucharist is the food for the wise. Jesus made a solemn promise to us that anyone who eats his flesh and drinks his blood will live forever. ·        In the first reading ( Proverb 9:1-6) , the author of the book of Proverbs tells us that it is the wise who understand God's gift of the Eucharist to the church. Wisdom invites us to come and eat bread and wine. That bread and wine is a prefiguration of the Holy Eucharist. ·      While it is wise to eat bread and drink wine, there is also an invitation to holiness. We must remember that the Eucharist is a spiritual food, anyone who approaches the altar of the Eucharist must be prepared and purified. We must always walk in the way of insight. ·        Saint Paul in the second re
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