FR REMI HOMILIES/REFLECTIONS AND SERMONS

Homily for the 7th Day in the Octave of Christmas 1 JN 2:18-21; Jn.1:1-18 Beloved in Christ, on this seventh day of the Octave of Christmas and the last day, we are given a mystery. The mystery of the “Word.” It is a language that is veiled and yet revealing at the same time. It presents Jesus to us as the “Word.” He is the Word who takes on flesh and is eternal, from “the beginning with God.”  The passage goes on to say that the Word was God and that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The term “Word,” given to Jesus in this passage, is a translation of the Greek word “Logos.” Logos means “plan,” “reason,” “logic.” It is understood also as the spoken word. This reveals to us that God “spoke” from eternity His perfect plan of salvation and this wisdom spoken is a Person, his Divine Son. Thus, when the Son “speaks” and when He is “spoken” by the Father, all things come to be. Hence, the beginning of John’s gospel reveals to us that the action of God creating all things and ultimat

Homily for the Feast of the Holy Family Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6, 12-14; Matt 2:13-15, 19-23 Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Holy Mother church puts before us a model for our respective and common families: "The Holy Family of Nazareth" which consists of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.  The name “The Holy Family” does not mean that they did not have problems. Just as every family has to face problems and overcome them, or to put it another way, has to carry a cross, so also The Holy Family had to carry crosses. Their many crosses come to mind as we read the Scriptures. We can easily imagine how misunderstood both Mary and Joseph must have been when Mary conceived Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Their story would never be believed. Even Mary herself had it very rough early in the pregnancy when Joseph was planning to divorce her before the angel intervened in a dream. When the time for Jesus’ delivery came it took place in an animals’ shelter since Bethlehem was already s

Homily for the 5th day within the octave of Christmas 1 John 2:3-11; Luke 2: 22-35 In the first reading, St. John instructs us that the only condition upon which we can claim the knowledge of God is by fidelity to his commandments. He says: "Now by this we may be sure that we know him, if we obey his commandments. Whoever says, I have come to know him but does not obey his commandments is a list and truth does not exist in such a person" (1Jn 2:3-4).  In this context, St. John uses the term 'know' to refer not to the 'intellectual' or 'doctrinal' knowledge of God but rather to the intimate relationship with Jesus that is founded on love. What is this new commadment by which everyone will come to know you as my disciples?: "Love one another as I have loved you" ( John 13: 34-35). This becomes the new standard and paradigm for judgement.  Beloved in Christ, how intimate is your relationship with Jesus whom you assert to know? Is it only intelle

Homily for the Feast of the Holy Innocents (Martyrs) 1 John 1:5; 2:2; Matt 2:13-18 Dearest Friends in Christ, today, being the fourth day of the Octave of Christmas, we celebrate the feast of the martyrdom of the Holy Innocents, a similar witness to the one we received on December 26, the Feast of the Martyrdom of Saint Stephen.  Here, out of envy and hatred, Herod had countless innocent children killed in an attempt to eliminate Jesus, the newborn King.  The evangelist Matthew composes the story parallels that of Moses, thus, establishing the role of Jesus as the new leader, the one who is to guide God’s people into freedom and salvation.  Imagine the grief that filled the town of Bethlehem and its vicinity as the soldiers went through killing those innocent children. Imagine the pains and the feelings of the parents watching their children been helplessly killed.  On the one hand, it is shocking to know that God permitted this. But on the other hand, on a level of deep faith, we are

Homily for the Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist. 1 John 1:1-4; John 20:2-8 Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, today being the third day of the Octave of Christmas, is dedicated to Saint John, the disciple whom Jesus loved the most.  Saint John stood by the cross with Mary. He was the one who believed when he saw the empty tomb. He was chosen to remain with the Christian community for a long time as a witness of God’s love.  Saint John is particularly important to honor during Christmas because much of what we know about Jesus comes from him. He wrote one of the four gospels and various letters in the bible.  John was a witness to the Eternal Son of the Father taking on flesh for us to see. As we honor Saint John, it is good to look at Christmas from his perspective.  He pondered the great mystery of the Incarnation of God throughout his life. He pondered the reality that this man whom he came to know personally and intimately existed from before time and was a member of

Homily for the Feast of St. Stephen, first Martyr (26th December 2022) Acts 6:8-10, 7:54-59; Mt.10:17-22 WITNESSING TO CHRIST  Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, it is indeed a shocking contrast. Yesterday, we celebrated the joyous birth of Jesus, the Savior of the world. Today we honor the first Christian martyr, Saint Stephen.  Yesterday, the world was fixated on a humble and precious infant lying in a manger. Today, we stand by as witnesses to the blood that was shed by Saint Stephen for professing his faith in this little child.  Stephen, a deacon of the early church, bored witness to his faith in God. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus and called his people to conversion and faith. The forgiveness that he offered to those who killed him reflect the forgiveness offered by Jesus himself to those who crucified him. The feast of Saint Stephen, known as the proto-martyr, the first witness and martyr, reminds us of the high price we pay as we place

Homily for Saturday of the 4th week of Advent  2 Sam 7:1-5, 8-11,16; Lk 1:67-79 In the first reading of today's liturgy, we can hear David informing prophet Nathan that he wants to build a house for the lord. Nathan gave his consent at first: "Go,  do all that you have in mind; for the Lord is with you" (2 Sam 7:3). However, later that same night, the word of the Lord came to Nathan: "Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord... I wi make you a house ...your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me; your throne shall be established forever" (2 Sam 7:4-5, 11, 16). Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, this prophecy refers to the kingdom of the Messiah. In the Gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel said to Mary: "You will conceive and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus...the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom, there will be no end" (Lk 1:31

Homily for Friday of the 4Week of Advent  Malachi 3: 1-4; 4:5-6; Lk.1:57-66 Dearest friends in Christ, as we draw closer to Christmas, we continue with the story of Zachariah. We recall how God blessed him and Elizabeth with this miraculous pregnancy at old age after being barren. The Angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah in the temple to reveal this glorious event, but Zechariah received it with disbelief. Hence, he was struck mute until the day of his son’s birth.  Today’s Gospel reveals God's intervention in the distress, disgrace, shame and agony of Elizabeth and Zachariah, and how Zechariah untied the knot of his disbelief.  It began by telling us: "Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord has shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her" (LK 1:57-58).  God removed the veil of shame from the eyes of Elizabeth and Zachariah. She said: "This is what the Lord has done for me when h

Homily for Thursday of the 4th week of Advent 1Samuel 1:24-28; LK 1:46-56 Dearest friends in Christ, the liturgy of the word presents to us today, two great personalities (Hannah and Mary) that instruct us on the essence of gratitude. The need for us to be appreciative and thankful to God for his benevolence in our lives. The need for us to be faithful to our promises before God, for he is always faithful. The need for us to render praise and glory to God at all times for his greatness in our lives.  In the first reading of today, Hannah fulfilled the promise she made to the Lord. We are told: "when Hannah had weaned the infant Samuel...she brought him to the temple of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was with them... She said to Eli 'Oh, my Lord! As you live, my Lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your prsence, praying to the Lord. For the child I prayed; and the Lord had granted me the petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord; as long as

Homily for Wednesday of the 4th week of Advent Song of songs 2:8-14; Luke 1:39-45 In the liturgy of the word today, the first reading is taken from the song of songs. The Song of Songs is also called the" Song of Solomon", or "the Canticle of Canticles". It is predominantly love poetry or a poem in praise of love.  It gives us the picture of Marriage as a good representation of the symbol of love. The bride says: "The voice of my beloved!... My beloved speaks to me: Arise, my love, my fair one...let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely" (Song 2:8-14). Beloved in Christ, the love between husband and wife is the symbol of love between God and the people of God. To Israel, God says: "Your Maker is your husband, the Lord God of host is his name; the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer...For Lord had called you like a wife forsaken and grieved in Spirit, like the wife of a man's youth when she is cas

Homily for Tuesday of the 4th week of Advent  Isaiah 7, 10-14; Luke 1:26-38 King Ahaz reigned over Jerusalem. He was a bad king and unfaithful to God. When the kingdoms of Syria and the kingdom of Israel respectively besieged Jerusalem, the Lord gave him into the hands of the king of Syria, who defeated them and tookany as captives ( 2kings 16:2; 2chron 28:5).  We are told that in the state of pepexity Ahaz tolurned to Assyria for alliance rather than put his trust and fidelity in God. Prophet Iasiah, persuaded him to try the Lord God for with him abides their salvation but Ahaz refused. For the Lord God would give a sign of his fidelity if he asked for it (Isaiah 7:10). But Ahaz retorted, "I will not ask, I will not put the Lord to the test" (Isaiah 7:12).  This may seemingly appear to be a pious response but in truth it was an absolute rejectionbof divine intervention. He did not submit to God's plan but placed his trust in Assyria. Isaiah told him, the Lord God will gi

Homily for Monday of the 4th week of Advent Judges 13:2-7, 24-25; LK 1:5-25 The first reading of today begins by informing us of the circumstances surrounding the birth of Sampson.  We are told: "There was a certain man of Zorah... Whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren... And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said, 'although you are barren, having borne no children, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor is to come on his head for the boy shall be a Nazarite to God from birth. It is he who shall deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines" (Judges 13:2-5). Obviously, Samson had a special mission or performance. He was to wage almost a single-handed war against the philistines who raided some part of the territories of the Israelites.  God gave him the strength to fulfill this mission.  "The boy grew,  and the Lord blessed him. The spirit of the Lord began to stir him in Maheneth-dan, between Zorah and Esthta-old" (Judges 13:24-25). Fr

Homily for the 4th Sunday of Advent year A  Isaiah 7:10-14; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24 Today, the Word of God  teaches us that God comes to us in various ways that surprise and challenge us. We must be prepared to let go of our desire to control the future, and accept the way of God with humility and courage. In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah spoke to King Ahaz concerning God’s plan for his people during the turbulent time prior to the collapse of Judah and the exile. Ahaz had allied himself with the powerful King of Assyria in order to save his own skin. He had sought to strengthen his power base through astute alliances! It was classic political expediency and opportunism. It was like the kind of politics we often observe, especially at the rise and the fall of a certain powerbroker in recent days. Isaiah, though, went against the grain of survival politics. He was more concerned about fidelity to God’s covenant and integrity with Israel’s heritage, which would have been co

Homily for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Advent Genesis 49:2, 8-10; Matthew 1:1-17. Today begins the second part of Advent. In the First Reading, Jacob gathered his children before he died and foretold the destiny of his sons. Jacob presented Judah, his fourth son to his other brothers as their head  and leader. While the blessing of Jacob, rendered as a canticle has been touted as a literary composition in defense of the political preeminence of Judah among the twelve tribes, it does not diminish the significance of these words as a prayer of a father for a son. Judah eventually became a powerful tribe and it would not be out of place that Jacob's words and blessings made this possible. From Jacob's blessings, the tribe of Judah had a mission to perform. It was to give the world the Messiah. Each one of us has a mission to perform as Christians, it is to give our brothers and sisters our Lord Jesus Christ. From Jacob's blessings, fathers and mothers should learn to bless rat

Homily for Friday of the 3rd week of Advent Isaiah 16:1-3a,6-8; John 5:33-36. Prophet Isaiah tells us in the First Reading: "Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed" (Isa.56:1). For God's salvation to come into our hearts we must keep justice and do righteousness and we shall be blessed for keeping these injunctions. In practising justice and righteousness, we become like Christ who in today's Gospel  informed the Jews to bear witness to the truth like John the Baptist did. John's testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ is a contrast to the regular effort of Jesus' adversaries to discredit Him. The question for us today in what way are we testifying to Jesus? There are those who by their lifestyle in professing their faith in Jesus provide  reason not to believe than to believe in the Christian faith. As Christians, we are called to bear witness to Christ by letting our light to shine before men, that they

Homily for Wednesday of the 3rd week of Advent  Isaiah 45:6-8, 18:21-25; Luke 7:19-23 Isaiah in the first reading of today declared: "Shower, Oh heavens,  from above, and let the skies rain down in righteousness; let the earth open, that the salvation may spring up and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also" (Isa 45:8). The rain had always been seen as a great blessing; it washes away all first; it brings coolness and refreshes; it helps trees to grow and produce fruits.  The benefits of rain to the earth are enormous.  Brothers and sisters in Christ, the prayer of Isaiah using the image of the rain spells out the spiritual benefits the inhabitants of the earth shall amass if the showers of God's blessings and graces are poured from the heavens above.  Hence, let us pray that our prayers in this season of Advent may be heard and that God may pour down the rain of peace, joy,  love, and goodwill upon our world and families. As God blesses the world, may he also bless

Homily for Tuesday of the 3rd week of Advent Zephaniah 3:1-2,9-13; Matthew 21:28-32 In the first reading of today, the prophet Zephaniah addresses the rebelliousness of the inhabitant of Jerusalem to God. He declared: "Ah, soiled, defiled, oppressing city! It has listened to no voice; it has accepted no correction. It has not trusted in the Lord; it has not drawn near to its God" (Zeph 3:1-2).  Friends in Christ, sin is a rebellion against God. It is a defilement or pollution. A sinner does not listen to the voice of God. He does not trust in God nor does he draw close to God. He rejects God and remains answerable to himself alone.  Beloved in Christ, the season of Advent continues to remind us of the coming of the saviour, Jesus Christ, who will renew the face of the earth. He will effect a new speech in the hearts of the people (Zeph 3:9); that which will enable them in service to be in concordance with God.  Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, how disposed are you to t

Homily for Monday of the 3rd week of Advent Number 24:2-7, 15-17; Matthew 21:23-27  In the first reading of today, we are told that while the Israelites were en route to the promised land, at Moab, Balak, the king of the Moabites, sent Balaam, a pagan diviner, to curse them. However,  instead of laying a curse on them, Balaam blessed them.  Balaam declared: "How fair are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, Israel! Like palm groves that stretch far away, like gardens beside a river, like aloes that the Lord had planted, like cedar trees beside the waters. Water shall flow from his buckets, and his seeds shall have abundant water, his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted" (Num 24:5-7). "A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel" (Num 24:17). The church fathers have interpreted this passage as a messianic prophecy, considering the Davidic origin and scepter which signals authority and power. Hence,  Jesus has