St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

Homily for Wednesday of the 4th Week of Lent

In today's Gospel passage, Jesus emphasizes that His purpose is not to follow His own will but rather the will of the One who sent Him—His Father. The entirety of Jesus' life was guided by the Father's will, which is for all people to find life through faith in Him. Chapter 3 of John's Gospel states, "God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." God desires life, so Jesus proclaims, "I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."

This same view of God is reflected in today's first reading from the prophet Isaiah. Just as a mother cherishes the child in her womb and nurtures that life, so does God cherish us and work to bring us to the fullness of life.

God guides us to springs of living water. When we pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done," we ask for a culture of life to prevail over a culture of death. We also commit ourselves to fulfilling God's will by protecting life, nurturing it in others, and helping everyone live fully human lives that are shaped by the Holy Spirit and lead to eternal life in heaven.

Homily for Tuesday of the 4th Week of Lent

In today's Gospel reading, we see Jesus criticized by hypocritical individuals for performing a miracle on the Sabbath. This is not the only instance in which people questioned Jesus' goodness and faithfulness while overly and rigidly interpreting the law. They were so focused on the literal meaning of the law that they failed to recognize the greatness and goodness of Jesus' actions.

We can often become preoccupied with the letter of the law and overlook the most important aspects of God's commandments: to love God and love our neighbor.

Let us pray that we may be filled with the spirit of God's law and strive to be messengers of His love and kindness in our world.

Homily for Monday of the 4th Week of Lent

In our Gospel passage, we learn about a court official who approached Jesus to help cure his seriously ill son. Many people had already sought Jesus' assistance in the villages He visited. Initially, Jesus seemed to refuse the official's request, but the official persisted, saying, "Sir, come down before my child dies." Jesus granted his request, but not in the way the man had anticipated. He simply said, "Your son will live." The man believed Jesus' words and returned home. On the way, he discovered that his prayer had been answered.

When we pray to the Lord for help, we might feel our prayers go unanswered. We may not receive the response we were hoping for, but we must persevere in prayer, just like the royal official in the Gospel. We must trust the Lord's promises and carry them in our hearts. Like the royal official, we will find that the Lord answers our prayers, even if it's not in the way we envision.

Homily for Laetare Sunday (4th Sunday of Lent)

Today is Laetare Sunday, which means "rejoice." We are halfway through Lent, and the Church invites us to find joy.

Joy is a feeling we get when we have something good, like winning a sports championship or getting something we want. However, this joy does not last. It fades when we lose, wear out, or tire of that good thing.

Christian joy is different. It comes from what truly satisfies our hearts. This joy does not change; it can never wear out or go away. The source of this joy is God's loving attention. God always thinks about each of us. He knows and loves us completely. This kind of love is demonstrated today in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

Two details of the parable highlight this message. The younger son wastes his inheritance but eventually returns home. St. Luke tells us, "While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him… He ran to his son." It's as if the father scanned the horizon every day, waiting and hoping for his lost son to return. As soon as he sees him, he rushes to him.

God always hopes that we will come to Him. He watches over us not to punish us when we "mess up" but to embrace us and shower us with His grace. His unconditional love is the source of Christian joy.

The older son learns about the celebration and refuses to join the party. What does the father do? St. Luke says, "His father came out and pleaded with him…" God takes the first step in our lives. He reaches out to us.

Again, God knows, loves, and pays attention to us. Remembering this and living according to it is the key to Christian joy.

Today, God invites us to renew our experience of Christian joy. Many of us find that life's troubles can hide our joy. If this is true for you, consider refreshing your friendship with Christ, who is the source of joy.

A simple way to do this is to talk about the blessings God has given you. Sharing good things God has done helps us focus on Him. If we make it a point to discuss God daily—with friends, family, or colleagues—it becomes easier to remember His goodness and love, which are the source of our joy. We can also inspire others to recall God's blessings.

In today's Mass, let us ask God to increase our faith so we can shine brightly, no matter the challenges in life. Let us also ask Him to give courage to anyone who has forgotten His goodness and is afraid to return home.

Homily for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent

In the Gospel reading, Jesus shares a parable about a Pharisee who prides himself on his pious lifestyle. He boasts about his fasting and tithing while looking down on the humble tax collector. However, regardless of how well we live, we cannot claim any special approval from God.

We all face challenges with excessive self-worth and pride from time to time. Jesus warns us to be cautious of pride, even when we have achieved something significant. He stated, "When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obligated to do.'"

The good news is that we don't need to earn God's favor through our accomplishments. God has already blessed us by giving us His Son. In response, we serve God by humbly fulfilling His will. Our service to the Lord pales in comparison to His faithful service to us.

Homily for Friday of the 3rd Week of Lent

The Scribes are often depicted as opponents of Jesus; however, in today's encounter, they find common ground. Jesus tells the Scribe, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." They agree on the two great commandments of the Law. The first commandment instructs us to love God, while the second commands us to love our neighbor. The highest form of love is reserved for God.

The two commandments differ in the intensity of love required. We must love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Only God deserves our absolute love. To love God in this manner means to be enveloped in God's love for humanity, which naturally leads us to the second commandment: loving our neighbor. This love for our neighbor directly reflects God's pure and total love for us.

Homily for Thursday of the 3rd Week of Lent

Some people who witnessed Jesus casting out a demon from a mute man believed that He did it through the power of Satan rather than recognizing it as God's power at work in Him. This was a significant misjudgment. In response, Jesus proclaimed that it was through the power of God that He healed people.

Sometimes, we fail to see God's work among us, especially when it happens through those we may not always agree with. God blesses us in various ways, yet we often overlook these gifts. Instead of concentrating on what we lack or what is wrong in our lives, we should recognize and express gratitude for the blessings God has given us.

We should pray for the ability to see as Jesus sees. He recognized God's work in creation, the sower, the vineyard, the flowers of the field, and the birds of the air. Jesus also saw God's presence in people others had dismissed due to their imperfections and faults. He teaches us to look with eyes of generosity, hope, and mercy. When we do this, we will feel inspired to give thanks in all circumstances, just as St. Paul encouraged us to do.

Homily for Wednesday of the 3rd Week of Lent

Throughout His ministry, Jesus used powerful imagery to emphasize what is essential in life. In all three synoptic Gospels, He compared His ministry to new wine, stating that this new wine required new wineskins; otherwise, the skins would burst. This metaphor suggests that a new approach is necessary rather than sticking to traditional methods.

At the same time, Jesus deeply respected tradition, especially His Jewish heritage and the Scriptures that nourished and inspired Him. In the Sermon on the Mount, He declared that He had come not to abolish the Law and the prophets but to fulfill them. Jesus did not intend to start from scratch; He valued Jewish tradition immensely and aimed to enhance it, bringing forth greater richness and fullness. His goal was to renew Israel's tradition rather than discard it.

Jesus' approach indicates that we should neither abandon our religious traditions nor idolize them as absolute rules and dogmas. Instead, the renewal process involves honoring the best aspects of our tradition, allowing its rich potential to be fully realized, and being open to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to guide us in new directions.

Homily for the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Today, we celebrate the Annunciation of the Lord—the moment Mary learned of God's call for her to become the mother of His Son. 
This was a frightening time for Mary; she was visited by an angel and faced the possibility of damaging her reputation and Joseph's in the eyes of those who might accuse them of wrongdoing. 
Yet, despite her fears, she responded to God's call with all her heart, soul, mind, and body. 
Let us pray that Mary's example of selflessly surrendering her own will to that of God will inspire us to pursue God wholeheartedly, even when it is difficult, unpopular, or puts us at odds with those around us.

Homily for Monday of the 3rd Week of Lent

In our Gospel passage, Jesus confronts a limited view of God held by His fellow Nazoreans, who believed that God belonged solely to the Israelites. When Jesus reminded them of instances in Scripture where God seemed to favor pagans over the Jewish people, they felt resentment and drove Him away. This rejection in Nazareth foreshadowed the more violent rejection He would face in Jerusalem.

Jesus aimed to expand the people's narrow understanding of God. He wanted them to recognize, as St. Peter later stated, that "God has no favorites." Jesus sought to convey that God's generosity and inclusiveness extend beyond their imagination. He consistently attempted to demonstrate that there is so much more to God than they comprehended.

Jesus' vision of God remains a challenge for us today, but it is still "Good News" for all who are open and willing to receive it.