27/06/2025
'If Only We Knew': Bishop Onah's Homily at Corpus Christi Awakens Our Understanding of the Eucharistic Mystery
In the sacred stillness of St. Theresa’s Cathedral, a masterpiece of architectural grandeur, the air was thick with reverence, inviting all who entered to pause and reflect. The soft glow of flickering candle flames illuminated the space, creating a sanctuary of warmth amidst the solemnity.
In this sacred space, a divine whisper, on Sunday 22nd June, 2025 (Solemnity of Corpus Christi), echoed through the faithful, one that resonated not just in sound, but in the very essence of faith. Most Rev. Godfrey Igwebuike Onah stood before the cathedral’s marble pulpit, a striking figure of grace and authority. His presence commanded attention, yet his demeanor was imbued with a tenderness that invited all to listen closely. As he began to speak, his voice, rich and resonant, filled the cathedral, intertwining with the sacred atmosphere, carrying the weight of truth and love in every syllable.
Titled "If Only We Knew," his homily unfurled like a delicate tapestry, woven with threads of hope and challenge. Beneath the simplicity of the title lay a profound invitation; an urgent call to transcend the familiar veils of ritual and tradition. He urged the faithful to open their eyes to the living, breathing presence of Christ in the Eucharist, emphasizing that this sacred act was not merely a remembrance, but an intimate encounter with the divine. As he spoke passionately about the transformative power of the Eucharist, the faithful felt a stirring deep within their hearts, a pull towards a deeper understanding of their faith.
With each word, Bishop Onah painted vivid images of communion, where the body and blood of Christ became a source of nourishment for the soul, connecting the faithful and echoing the beauty of unity and love. He painted a picture of Passion and Resurrection; a story that doesn’t end on Easter Sunday but continues in every tabernacle and monstrance. “The Church,” he said, “reminds us that Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil and Sunday, are not isolated moments. They are the heartbeat of the same divine story, one that beats in the Eucharist.” His voice grew softer, almost reverent, as he spoke of the sacred mystery: the actual, real presence of Jesus Christ; Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, hidden in bread and wine.
“If only we knew,” he continued, his words like a gentle but insistent wind stirring the hearts of those present, “if only we truly knew what we hold in our hands, what we receive at every Mass...” His voice cracked with emotion, as if recalling a divine secret too sacred for words, yet desperate to be revealed.
He recounted the biblical scene of Jesus’ challenge in John 6, where many turned away because they cannot grasp the mystery of flesh and blood. Many, he said, left Jesus that day, not because His was a hard saying, but because they refused to believe. And without explaining the mystery, Jesus continued, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will have eternal life,” and that He would raise them up on the last day. For those who endured this strong teaching, Jesus offered to reveal the mystery in Mathew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20, where He answered practically how He can give us his flesh.
In that moment, the homily took on a thought-provoking quality, like a divine drama unfolding in every Catholic heart. The Eucharist, he explained, is not merely a symbol but the very essence of Christ’s sacrifice, perpetuated across centuries and continents, from the Last Supper to every Altar worldwide.
As the homily deepened, Bishop Onah confronted a painful reality. “Some of us Catholics, including priests,” he said, “treat the Eucharist with carelessness, levity, recklessness, and faithlessness; distracted by song, distracted by self-importance, indifferent to the divine miracle. “Some priests and faithful,” he said, “approach the Eucharist as if it were just another ritual—forgetting that in that moment, heaven and earth embrace in divine worship.”
His voice grew firm, yet compassionate, as he addressed the spiritual danger lurking in complacency. “In the name of adoration,” he continued, “some draw attention to themselves, acting as if they are supermen of God. But the Holy Mass of a newly ordained priest is the same in worth and value as that of Pope Leo in Vatican, because both are presided over by Jesus Christ, who is both Priest and Victim on the Cross and on the Altar.” He paused, emphasizing the divine equality of sacred sacrifice, whether in the humble chapel or the grand basilica. “If only we knew,” he lamented, “the sacredness of this divine act.”
He then pointed to the first reading, the biblical figure Melchizedek—the mysterious priest-king who appeared before Moses’ priesthood was established, and blessed Abraham. Nobody knew his tribe or parents; he was a priest before the Law of Moses, offering bread and wine; foreshadowing the eternal priesthood of Christ.
“Jesus,” he said, “from the tribe of Judah, took up this priesthood from the order of Melchizedek, an eternal priesthood, ‘You are a priest forever, a Priest like Melchizedek of old,’” quoting the psalm of the day. “In the Old Covenant, sacrifice was blood; Melchizedek offered bread and wine. Jesus, while bringing to a perfect completion, the sacrifice of old, offers his blood, commanding us to do this in memory of Him through bread and wine.” Therefore, as Priests in the order of Melchizedek,” the Fr Bishop warned, “we must remember that this is a life on the cross—a life of sacrifice, of service, of pouring out oneself as Christ did.”
Then, turning to every Christian, Bishop Onah emphasized that through baptism and the Holy Eucharist, we share in this divine blood covenant—the blood of Christ flowing within us, sealing us in eternal relationship with God. “What other covenant,” he asked passionately, “do we need from our priests? The Eucharist is the divine sign, the divine seal, our eternal bond with Christ and with one another.”
He described how Jesus, through miracles like turning water into wine and multiplying bread, foreshadowed the greatest miracle: the transforming of bread into His Body and wine into His Blood. “This is the greatest miracle we talk about—the very heart of our faith, the source and summit of our Christian life, a divine miracle so profound that it defies natural law and beckons us into divine mystery.” he said. “Our faith begins and ends in the Eucharist, circling us in divine love and divine life.” For more clarification on this, his voice softened but carried a powerful truth: "Every act of worship, every prayer, every human service begins from the Eucharist and leads back to it. We launch out into the world to evangelize, but always return to this divine feast—until Christ comes again."
However, Bishop Onah voiced concern about the realities facing Christians today. He spoke of the violence and fears gripping Nigeria—last Sunday alone, eleven people were murdered after Mass in Ikpakpara, with others falling victim in Mgbuji and Aboh Ehamufu. The world is hearing of the killings in Benue and elsewhere. Yet, he reminded the faithful: "We are not giving up." Because in the Eucharist—the real presence of Christ—we find strength and hope to continue serving, loving, and forgiving.
He urged the faithful in strong terms, to approach the Eucharist with reverence and humility. “Some treat this divine gift like a common ritual,” he warned. “But in truth, it is Jesus Himself, alive and present, offering Himself anew for us. Our attitude must reflect awe, love, and deep faith.”
He then drew a powerful picture of preparation for this divine encounter. In the Gospel of John, it was a young boy who offered his bread and fish, as what was available. Jesus, in turn, provided Himself in the Eucharist. “What is your contribution,” the bishop asked, “to participate fully in this divine celebration?” He explained that Eucharistia—thanksgiving—is making oneself part of what is offered. He reflected, “What do I, as a priest or Christian, place inside that chalice; inside that pattern, that allows God to transform me into the Body and Blood of Christ?”
He quoted Archbishop Fulton Sheen: “If as a Christian, you eat at the table of the Body and Blood of Christ and brings nothing; no sacrifice, no offering, you are like a parasite in the body of Christ.” He emphasized that it’s not just about money or material offerings, but about placing your life on the altar, being willing to be transformed into the mystical body of Christ. “Are we truly ready,” he asked, “to offer ourselves along with bread and wine?” Because in that act of surrender, we become more and more part of His divine life.
In that moment, a divine whisper echoed, urging all present to deepen their faith, to see with eyes of belief, to reverence with hearts of love, and to live in the hope of eternal life. Bishop Onah solemnly declared, with a profound reflection: “If only we knew the depth of this divine gift, if only we truly believed in the Eucharist, we would live every day in gratitude, adoration, and self-sacrificing love.”
Teclus Ike Ugwueze
