St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

Homily for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ignaz Semmelweis was a doctor in Austria in the 1800s. As he practiced medicine with mothers and their children, he came up with a theory that caused a great deal of controversy among other doctors: he said that germs cause disease. As a young doctor in Vienna, he was distraught that so many mothers who delivered their babies in the hospital either lost their babies or their own lives. These were poor people. The wealthy still had their babies at home and their rate of illness and death was much lower.

 

As he observed procedures at the hospital, Dr. Semmelweis suspected that it was actually the doctors who were spreading infection. The doctors, he observed, never washed their hands before examining a patient – regardless of what they were doing beforehand. [1]

 

Doctors were insulted by Semmelwies’ assertions and his insistence that the doctors wash their hands thoroughly between patients and procedures. Many doctors mocked him even as they followed his directives. But the rate of infections and deaths dropped dramatically, and, to this day, his simple suggestion has become a required practice in the world of medicine.

 

Nonetheless, Dr. Semmelweis was never hailed as a hero in his lifetime. He continued to be questioned, ridiculed and rejected. He became very depressed, aged quickly, and he finished his career at a hospital in Budapest, dying at age 47, a sad and broken man.[2]

 

As God’s faithful people, we have probably experienced the fact that faith can be a very difficult thing to live out in our lives. Truly standing up for our faith can take a toll on us. In sometimes subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle ways, we can face ridicule, rejection, anger, lies, and even abuse when we stand up for our faith and others feel threatened by this.[3]

 

This is nothing new in the course of human history and in the history of our Church. In our Gospel passage today, Jesus uses the parable of the vineyard owner to illustrate how God has continued to send prophets and even His own Son, to tell the truth of His goodness and providence. It seems that someone always steps in attempting to thwart the message of truth they came to bring but, like the vineyard owner, God is very patient and persistent and continues to speak the truth through those who follow Him and have the courage to speak the truth.

 

We see this same kind of patience and persistence in the person of Jesus. The same gentle Jesus who said to the people, “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart (Matthew 11:29).” also “made a whip out of cords” and drove the money changers from the Temple (John 2:15). And the same loving Jesus who said, “Everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God (Luke 12:8-9).”

 

We, too, need to be people who model for others the patience, goodness, and love of God, while still being persistent in the call to speak the truth, especially in the face of rejection and ridicule.

 

As we seek to know the truth of our faith and the courage to live it out in every facet of our lives, let us close with part of a prayer by Pope Clement XI:

 

Lord, I believe in you. Give me a firmer faith.

I hope in you; give me surer hope.

I love you; make me love you more and more.

I adore you as my first Beginning,

and long for you as my last End.

I praise you as my constant Benefactor,

and call upon you as my gracious Protector.

 

Guide me in your wisdom,

restrain me by your justice,

comfort me by your mercy,

defend me by your power.

 

I offer you my thoughts, to be fixed on you;

my words, to have you as their theme;

my actions, to be done according to your will.[4]+

 

[1] Kurt Vonnegut, Commencement Address, Southampton College, circa May 1981

[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignaz_Semmelweis

[3] Inspired by Jay Cormier, “Connections”, October 2002

[4] Pope Clement XI, 1649-1721

Homily for Saturday of the 26th Week in Ordinary Time

It is natural for us to take pride in our work, especially if we believe that we have done a good job. That is exactly what we find the disciples doing in today’s Gospel; they return to Jesus from a successful mission. In their excitement, they tell Him, “even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” He recognizes their success, yet He challenges them to celebrate, not so much in the success of their work, but in the fact that their names are written in heaven.

Our relationship with God should be the deepest source of our joy. It is that relationship that makes our work fruitful, our lives meaningful. That is why Jesus goes on to tell them, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.” The disciples had come to see and hear God’s presence in the person of Jesus; they had received the revelation of His own relationship with God His Father and had let themselves be drawn into that relationship. That is why they can rejoice.

This Gospel passage reminds us that our own sharing in Jesus’ relationship with God is our real treasure and not our accomplishments. It is that gift of sharing in Jesus’ relationship with His Father that allows us to see and hear what many prophets and kings yearned to see and hear, and it is the genuine source of our joy and thanksgiving. Even when our work is done, whether it is due to age, poor health, or lack of opportunity, that gift of sharing in Jesus’ own relationship with His Father endures. +

Homily for the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

The questions people ask often uncover their values, their priorities, and what they think is most important in life. When His disciples asked Jesus the question, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” [Matthew 18:1] it shows their interest in personal status and reputation. In His reply, Jesus both did something and said something. First, He placed the child in front of them and said they needed to become like children just to enter the kingdom of heaven, never mind become the greatest in the kingdom. 

Jesus’ disciples are to become child-like not childish. There’s an important difference. They will be child-like in the sense of totally trusting in a loving Father, and demanding nothing else, including status and standing. Greatness comes to those who make themselves as dependent on God as children are dependent on adults for their care and well-being. Jesus’ answer to His disciples’ question is like a commentary on the first beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” +

Homily for the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin & Doctor of the Church

In this morning's Gospel passage, St. Luke tells how Jesus sent out a large group of His disciples — seventy-two, to be exact — and told them to "ask the master of the harvest to send out more laborers for his harvest."

 

In its many and varied forms, the LORD'S work cannot be done by one person or even a small group of people; it requires a large number of laborers. Since the harvest is abundant and wide-ranging, the more workers, the better. This is an important message for bishops, priests, deacons, religious, and the lay faithful of the Church. Many people are needed to take responsibility for the life of the Church, the work of the LORD.

 

In sending out His disciples ahead of Him, Jesus drew attention to the many difficulties, challenges, and rejections that they would face. He anticipated that some towns would not welcome them, but whether people welcomed them or not, the disciples were to proclaim: "The kingdom of God is at hand for you."

 

Indeed, the LORD is present to all people, whether they receive Him or not. Jesus continues to work in and through those who are ready to be His laborers. We are always in the presence of God's kingdom, God's rule, among us; there is no getting away from it. The issue is how we respond to that presence and the call to share that presence with others. +

 

Homily for the Memorial of St. Jerome, Priest & Doctor of the Church

In our Gospel passage today, three men said they wanted to accompany Jesus and travel about sharing in His work without reflecting on what it would entail. When He asked them to join him right away, two of them wanted to delay following Him, since they had important tasks to do first. Indeed, burying one's father and saying goodbye to one's family were important matters. However, Jesus wanted them to come immediately, leaving all else behind. 

It is difficult to comprehend how the call of Jesus could be so urgent. Following Him is never an easy choice. He asks for commitment and loyalty even greater than what we owe to our blood relatives. Trying to follow the Gospel earnestly can even put us at odds with those closest to us. Like any other challenging Gospel text, today's Gospel passage must be set within the broader context of Jesus' teaching to love one's neighbor as oneself.+

Homily for the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Archangels

Angels are messengers from God that frequently appear in Sacred Scripture. However, only Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are referred to by name.

Michael is seen in Daniel's visions as "The Great Prince" who defends Israel against its enemies. In the Book of Revelation, Michael leads God's armies to final victory over evil. Devotion to Michael is the oldest angelic devotion, finding its origin in the East during the fourth century. The Church in the West began to celebrate a feast honoring Michael and the angels during the fifth century.

Gabriel is also seen in Daniel's visions. Gabriel announces Michael's role in God's plan. Of course, he is best known for his encounter with Mary, who agrees to bear the Messiah.

Raphael's activity is found only in the Old Testament story of Tobit. He guides Tobit's son Tobiah through a series of phenomenal experiences, which lead to a threefold joyous ending: Tobiah's marriage to Sarah, the healing of Tobit's blindness, and the restoration of their family's fortune.+

Homily for Monday of the 26th Week in Ordinary Time

In our Gospel passage today, Jesus, responding to the squabble of His disciples about which of them was the greatest, identifies Himself with the least of society, that is, like a child. In that ancient world and culture, children had no rights, or power, or influence. They were far from what the disciples wanted in their dispute about rank and status.

 

As always, the LORD sides with those who are marginalized by society. He is present in the ordinary citizen as well as the poor and downtrodden, in those who seem to have the least to offer society. Since He can be encountered in such every day and mundane ways, it is easy to miss Him, but He is very much present in those encounters. Of course, we encounter Him in a special way in the Eucharist, but He is no less present in the people we encounter every day of our lives.+

Homily for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A young man was walking down the supermarket aisle picking up a few things he needed when he noticed an old woman staring at him. He thought nothing of it and continued his shopping. When he got to the checkout line, the old woman appeared. He politely let her step in front of him.

"Pardon me," she said. ''I'm sorry to stare at you. It's just that you look so much like my son who died recently."

The young man was filled with compassion for the old woman. "I'm terribly sorry, ma'am. Is there anything I can do for you?"

The old woman smiled. "You know what would make me feel better? My son and I always went shopping together. As I'm leaving, do you think you could say 'Goodbye, Mother'? It would be like my son is here with me one more time."

"I'd be happy to," the young man said.

As the old woman gathered up her bags from the checkout counter, he called out, "Goodbye, Mother!" She smiled and waved back 

The young man then emptied his basket of items and the supermarket cashier totaled up the bill. The total was $140. The young man was stunned.

"Excuse me? That can't be correct. I only have seven or eight things here. It shouldn't be more than $25."

The clerk said, "Your mother said you would be paying for her."[1]

The young man in the story learns a very expensive lesson: simply calling someone “Mother” doesn’t make her your mom. He learns that words are sometimes merely words. Without truth, meaning, integrity, and commitment behind them, words mean absolutely nothing. He learns that words alone cannot create the depth of meaning of a truly loving relationship.

At the same time, our calling ourselves “Christian” and “Disciples of Jesus” means nothing until the way we live our lives becomes a real expression of what it means to be a Christian; of what it means to be a real Disciple of Christ: people who act with compassion, mercy, love, forgiveness, and whose actions are directly connected to their faith in and love for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Discipleship – real discipleship – finds its source not merely in words, but in the depths of our hearts and our souls. Discipleship is the expression of a deep desire to follow the will of God and to serve God as Jesus served us: with selfless humility and, through our words, actions and attitudes, to mirror to others Christ’s love for us.

There are many things that can get in the way of our living out the call of discipleship: human limitations, imperfections, and sinfulness. But the true disciple humbly acknowledges these failures and limitations and continues to work toward the fullest expression of what it means to call oneself a Christian.

In our prayer this week, let us ask God for the graces we need to truly live as Disciples of Christ. May Christ dwell in the depths of our hearts and souls and may we live, learn, and love as His faithful followers.+

 

[1] Cormier, Jay, “Connections,” September, 2002, p. 4.

Homily for Saturday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time

Admiration can be whimsical, here one day and gone the next. Today's Gospel passage refers to a time when all were full of admiration for everything Jesus did. He had just healed a boy who suffered from seizures, and all were amazed at what God had done through Him. But their support would soon fade, and Jesus knew He would suffer the same fate of many prophets before Him. So, at the height of his fame, He said, "The Son of Man is to be handed over to men."

 

Widespread admiration meant little to Jesus. His driving force was to do God's will and to complete His selfless work. He felt compelled to go to Jerusalem, as dangerous as it was, because the people needed to hear His message, even if it led to His death.

 

What motivates us? Our faith calls us to make the priorities of Jesus our own; to be about God the Father's business; to do God's will with whatever opportunities we have. This will bring not just the momentary pleasure of applause but the more profound joy that comes from living the real purpose of our lives.+

Homily for Friday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time

One of the things that make the Gospel of Luke stand out from those of the other Evangelists is that he regularly portrays Jesus at prayer. It was after one such period of prayer that Jesus asked His disciples the two questions that we hear in today’s passage: “Who do the crowds say that I am?” and “Who do you say I am?” 

Both of these were important questions. The first was wide-ranging and easy to answer; the second was much more personal and more challenging. 

When that question is posed to us, it asks each of us to say who Jesus is for each one of us, personally. It is simpler to guess what He means to people in general; it takes a lot more reflection and introspection to say what he means to me personally. But it is the answer to that second question that matters most. Jesus wants us to express our personal faith in Him. He asks us, “What do you believe?” and then He sends us forth to share our belief with others.+