Posts

Homily For The Solemnity Of Ss. Peter And Paul, Year A.

-
Image
  Acts 12:1-11; Psalm 33:2-9; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18; Matthew 16:13-19 .   “FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH ! ”   By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide. ·        Today, the church celebrates the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. These two great men are commonly referred to as the fathers or foundations of our Christian faith. While St. Peter is known as the Apostle to the Jews, St. Paul, on the other hand, is known as the Apostle to the Gentiles. ·        On the writings, teachings and ministries of these two great stands our Catholic faith. They both laboured tirelessly to the point of shedding their blood for the faith. That is why our vestments today are red - the symbol of martyrdom. ·        The readings of today point to the fact that both Peter and Paul could not be said to be early comers to faith. St. Peter was originally a fisherman. St Paul was busy persecuting Christian...
Post a Comment
Read more

Homily For The 12th Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A.

-
Image
Jeremiah 20:10-13; Psalm 69:7-9.13.16.32-34; Romans 5:12-15, Matthew 10:26-33. “DO NOT BE AFRAID!” By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide. ·        Today the church celebrates the 12 th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A. The readings of today call us to develop unreserved confidence in God, knowing that if the Lord walks with us, there is nothing to be afraid of. No harm will ever befall us, and we will surely reach our destination. No wonder scriptures say, “If God is for us, who can be against us” (Rom. 8:31). ·        When we are told not to be afraid, to be fearless, sometimes it sounds easier said than done. When we are confronted with real-life issues, it takes the grace of God for many not to shiver and give up. St. Peter, in the episode of walking on the water, did so at the beginning. Even with Jesus reassuring him not to be afraid, when the reality of life dawned on him, he began to doubt and thus began to sink (M...
Post a Comment
Read more

Homily For The 11th Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A.

-
Image
  Exodus 19:2-6; Psalm 100:1-3.5; Romans 5:6-11, Matthew 9:36-10:8. “TRUST AND OBEY!” By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide. ·        Reflecting on this Sunday’s readings, I cannot help but cast my mind to the popular hymn number 61 of the Catholic Hymn Book. The whole hymn speaks to me personally and also summarises the whole lesson of this Sunday’s reading. ·        The first stanza of that hymn says it all, “when we walk with the Lord in the light of his word, what a glory he sheds on our way! While we do his good will, he abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey”. ·        Dearly beloved in Christ, the Lord invites us today to develop a blind trust in the power of his word and to obey all that he has commanded us to do. God loves us so much that he cannot mislead us. ·        In the first reading ( Exodus 19:2-6), we recount the e...
Post a Comment
Read more

Homily for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi), Year A

-
Image
Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16; Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, John 6:51-58. “THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST: THE FOOD FOR THE JOURNEY By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide. ·        Today, the church celebrates the solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ. The source and summit of our Christian life. We celebrate Christ’s gift of his body and blood to us as real food and real drink (John 6:55). ·        This gift of God to us through his son is not just symbolic but real. On the night before he suffered, he took the bread and chalice and gave thanks to God, blessed, and gave it to his disciples and by extension to us as his body and blood, which is a specific instruction to do this always in memory of him. ·        It is the love of God that inspires this gift. This love does not end in the sacrifice of his son for the redemption of mankind but in the daily gift of himself to u...
Post a Comment
Read more

Homily For the Solemnity Of the Most Holy Trinity, Year A.

-
Image
Exodus 34:4-6.8-9; Psalm: Daniel 3:52-55; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13, John 3:16-18. “THE BLESSED TRINITY: THE UNITY OF LOVE AND PEACE By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide. ·        Today, the church celebrates the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. The Unity of the three persons in one God. Three persons yet one God, one Holy and indivisible God. The unity of peace and love. In celebrating this solemnity, we celebrate the love that exists between these Persons, not three gods. ·        Our common catechism teaches us that God is a mystery and a supernatural being with supernatural powers. This seems to suggest that natural beings cannot easily and completely understand the supernatural being. The finite cannot completely and does not possess the ability to unravel the mystery of the infinite God. This can be said too of the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. If we completely know God or understand the ways of God, then H...
Post a Comment
Read more

Homily For Pentecost Sunday, Year A.

-
Image
Acts 2:1-11; Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31. 34; 1 Corinthians 12:3-7. 12-13, John 20:19-23. “THE HOLY SPIRIT: GIFT THAT LEADS TO FRUITS By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide. ·        Today, the church celebrates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the church. The fulfilment of Jesus' promise to send us the advocate who will teach us the complete truth (Jn. 6:13). This very promise assures us that all the promises God has made to us will be fulfilled in our lives. ·        The outpouring of the Holy Spirit today is not the beginning of the church, but the universal inauguration of the church to preach even to the ends of the earth. To move from the local Church of Jerusalem to a more universal church where everyone is included, both Jews and Gentiles alike. ·        Today, the church receives the auction to function. To break loose from the bondage of fear and uncertainty that had held her ca...
Post a Comment
Read more

Homily For The 7TH Sunday Of Easter, Year A.

-
Image
Acts 1:12-14; Psalm 27:1, 4, 7-8; 1 Peter 4:13-16, John 17:1-11. “THE PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY!” By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide. ·        Today, the church celebrates the seventh Sunday of Easter. The last Sunday before the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This Sunday is special because Jesus discusses his parting wishes with his disciples and prays for the church he was leaving behind. ·        Dearly beloved in Christ, it is not coincidental that last Sunday, Jesus promised his disciples a parting gift, which is the Holy Spirit, and today he prays specifically for the church and the leadership of the church he was leaving behind so that they may be strongly united and guided. ·        This is exactly what we see in the unity of the College of Apostles in the first reading (Acts 1:12-14). Having witnessed the ascension of Christ into Heaven, they remained united in pray...
Post a Comment
Read more