Father Anthony de Mello, S.J. shares a well-known Zen parable about a monastery and a cat. A community of monks lived together in a monastery. Every day, they gathered...
Homilies, Year A 2025-2026
THE WORLD AWAITS YOU IN THE DARK: 5TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A ON FEBRUARY 8, 2026 (R. 1: Isaiah 58:7-10; Psalm 112:4-5, 6-7, 8-9; R. 2: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Gospel: Matthew 5:13-16) FR EMMANUEL OCHIGBO
Jesus is still on the mountain. Remember, last Sunday, he sat down and began to describe the kind of people who belong to the Kingdom: poor in spirit, meek, merciful...
Homilies, Year A 2025-2026
HE SAT DOWN AND BEGAN TO TEACH: 4TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A ON FEBRUARY 01, 2026 (R. 1: Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13; Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10; R. 2: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12a) FR EMMANUEL INEDU OCHIGBO
Last Sunday, we watched Jesus walk along the Sea of Galilee and interrupt ordinary lives. Fishermen were casting nets, doing what they had always done, when Jesus said...
Homilies, Year A 2025-2026
THE WORD IS NOT DISTANT: 3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A ON JANUARY 25, 2026 (R. 1: Isaiah 8: 23- 9: 3; Psalm 27: 1, 4, 13- 14; R. 2: 1 Corinthians 1: 10- 13, 17; Gospel: Matthew 4: 12- 23) FR EMMANUEL INEDU OCHIGBO
When car alarms were first invented, they did exactly what they were meant to do. The moment one went off, people stopped walking. Heads turned. Windows opened...
Homilies, Year A 2025-2026
NAMED, CLAIMED AND SENT: 2ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A ON JANUARY 18, 2026 (R. 1: Isaiah 49: 3, 5-6; Psalm 40: 2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10; R. 2: 1 Corinthians 1: 1-3; Gospel: John 1: 29-34) FR EMMANUEL INEDU OCHIGBO
I live about 10 minutes away from an international airport. Most times, my alarm goes off and I wake up before the first flight of the day. But on my days off, I seep...
Homilies, Year A 2025-2026
BUT WHY?THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD YEAR A ON JANUARY 11, 2026 (R. 1: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Psalm 29:1-4, 3, 9-10; R. 2: Acts. 10:34-38; Gospel: Matthew 3:13-17)FR EMMANUEL INEDU OCHIGBO
Every great story has a moment that makes us stop and say, “Why would he do that?”The Baptism of the Lord is one of those moments. Jesus walks a long road from Galilee...
Homilies, Year A 2025-2026
NOW OUR TURN: THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD YEAR A ON JANUARY 4, 2026 (R. 1: Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13; R. 2: Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12) FR EMMANUEL INEDU OCHIGBO
Every year on the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, we hear a familiar story: a star, wise men from the East, a dangerous king, and a child lying in poverty. But if we...
Homilies, Year A 2025-2026
THE STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO: THE FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY OF NAZARETH (JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH) YEAR A ON DECEMBER 28, 2025 (R. 1: Sirach 3: 2- 6, 12- 14; Psalm 128: 1- 5; R. 2: Colossians 3: 12- 21; Gospel: Matthew 2: 13- 15, 19- 23) FR EMMANUEL INEDU OCHIGBO
A few weeks ago, during a family workshop, I asked couples to bring a favorite family photo. One Marine brought a photo of his family on the beach, his kids smiling, his...
Homilies, Year A 2025-2026
JESUS ANCESTRY DOT COM: THE NATIVITY OF THE LORD (CHRISTMAS VIGIL MASS) 2025 (Isaiah 62:1-5; Ps 89:4-5, 16-17, 27, 29; Acts 13:16-17, 22-25; Matthew 1:1-25) FR EMMANUEL INEDU OCHIGBO
Tonight’s Gospel passage from Matthew is what I like to call JESUS ANCESTRY DOT COM, AKA, Jesus’ Family Tree; the Book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of...
Homilies, Year A 2025-2026
CAUTION: GOD AT WORK!!! 4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT YEAR A ON DECEMBER 21, 2025 (R. 1: Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalm 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6; R. 2: Romans 1:1-7; Gospel: Matthew 1:18-24) FR EMMANUEL INEDU OCHIGBO
Every year, during the seasons of Advent and Christmas, I find myself explaining to people that I was not born on Christmas Day. Because my name is Emmanuel, some people...