Category Archives: Sunday Homily

Ezekiel 33:7-9/Psalms 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9/Romans 13:8-10/Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20 “Towards a Christ-centred Approach to Conflict Resolution” During my retreat with my classmates in preparation for our priestly ordination, the retreat director exhorted us to focus more on what would be going on at the Mass and to ensure that we never got distracted by thoughts of […]

Jeremiah 20:7-9; Psalm 63; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:21-27   Fr. Thomas Oyode  “The Christian Vocation of Suffering and Cross”  Today’s readings invite us to reflect on Christian suffering. They remind us that suffering and the Cross are constitutive of our Christian character in such way that we are to bear in mind that while Christ […]

Isaiah 56:1, 6-7; Psalm 65; Romans 11:13-15, 29-32; Matthew 15:21-28 Fr. Thomas Oyode  “The Canaanite Woman and Universality of Salvation” Today’s gospel reading (Matthew 15:21-28) presents to us an episode of Jesus’ encounter with the Canaanite woman. The fact that Matthew mentions the woman’s ethnicity is significant for our reflection on the gospel passage. The […]

The Divine presence 1Kings 19:9, 11-13; Psalm 84; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:22-33 The Divine presence is often manifested in prayer and power.  In the gospel, Jesus demonstrated power over natural forces by calming the wind and walking on water. After which, he went into the hills by himself to pray. In the first reading, God […]

  Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; Psalm 97; 2 Peter 1:16-19; Luke 9:28-36 Fr. Thomas Oyode “JESUS: THE FULLNESS OF GOD’S REVELATION” Today’s gospel reading (Mark 9:2-10) tells that Jesus was on a hike with his closest of disciples, Peter, James, and John as they went up the mountain to pray. This was six days after Peter […]

1Kings 3:5, 7-12; Psalm 118; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52  Heaven our greatest treasure Today’s gospel presents us with three parables about the kingdom of heaven. Many people no longer believe in the reality of heaven and hell. Some make joke of this reality, either to teach basic lessons or to make caricature of the end-time […]

Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai KINGDOM GROWTH Jesus preached about the kingdom and its proximity during the course of his earthly ministry. He used different images and parables to speak to the people about the kingdom. Today’s gospel presents us with three such parables: The Parable of the Weeds (Matt. 13:24–30); the Parable of the Mustard Seed […]

The Conditions of the Hearts and their Spiritual Results ISAIAH 55:10-11/PSALMS 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14/ROMANS 8:18-23/ MATTHEW 13:1-23 The first reading and the gospel reading of today present us with the themes of seed and sower. In the first reading Isaiah says that both rain and snow water the earth and cause the seeds to […]

HUMILITY AND REST Zechariah 9:9-10; Psalm 145; Romans 8:9, 11-13; Matthew 11:25-30 Rev. Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai Today’s readings present us with two basic themes – humility and rest. The first reading is a prophecy about the Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The Lord entered Jerusalem in victory and in humility. How many victorious persons are […]

WORTHY DISCIPLESHIP Rev. Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai All the readings today present us with some criteria for worthy discipleship. Who is a disciple? The New Ratio no. 61 says a “disciple is one whom the Lord has called to stay with him, to follow him, and to become a missionary of the Gospel”. Every baptized Christian […]