St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

Homily for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Our Scripture readings today may seem to criticize wealth, but they really challenge us to use our resources wisely and for the benefit of others. God does not have a problem with our success. The psalmist of old often prayed that God would “prosper the work of our hands.”

What God really desires is for us to utilize our wealth, our gifts, and the fruitful work of our hands to make a positive impact on the lives of others.

We live in a society where many people are overwhelmed by possessions and busy schedules, where countless individuals pursue more and strive to build new “barns” to store their excess. To be people of faith and true disciples of the Gospel, we must start by emptying ourselves of our material belongings to create space for God to dwell within us. All three of today’s readings warn against the futility of chasing after wealth and celebrity.

The most tragic form of poverty is living a life filled with material things but devoid of a relationship with God. Christ calls us to “think of what is above, not of what is on earth”—to focus on love, forgiveness, compassion, mercy, and gratitude. God has given us this precious and wonderful life to embrace and be embraced by His selfless and affirming love, and to learn how to love one another as God loves us.

Let us pray that we may use our earthly wealth and treasures in ways that will help us in our journey toward the real and everlasting treasure of heaven.

Homily for Saturday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time

The execution of John the Baptist demonstrates the misuse of power that has been a recurring issue throughout human history. In the time of Jesus, Galilee was governed by Herod Antipas. While he was ultimately under the authority of the Roman Emperor, he had significant freedom to exercise his power as he saw fit, provided he adhered to Roman laws. In this particular case, Herod abused his authority by commanding the death of an innocent man.

Those who misuse their power eventually lose their authority. In this context, John the Baptist lacked power; he was imprisoned by Herod. Nevertheless, he held a greater moral authority grounded in his relationship with God. This empowered John to speak truthfully to those in positions of power and to challenge King Herod for breaching Jewish law. For his bravery in speaking out, John faced imprisonment and ultimately execution.

John’s martyrdom serves as a precursor to that of Jesus. While Jesus was on the Cross, He also lacked earthly power. As St. Paul notes, “He was crucified in weakness.” Yet, in that moment, He possessed tremendous authority: the authority derived from a life of integrity and righteousness, the authority of God’s faithful Son. This was notably acknowledged by the centurion overseeing the Crucifixion.

Even with little or no power, we can still have authority in a spiritual sense. Like John the Baptist, we are called to be people of the Word, allowing God to influence our values, attitudes, and all aspects of our lives.

Homily for the Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori

When Jesus returned to His home in Nazareth, the people recognized Him as the son of Joseph, the carpenter. They knew His mother, Mary, and His brothers and sisters. He was one of them, a working man like them. Yet, in many ways, He was not like them at all. The people of Nazareth were astonished by His wisdom and miraculous powers, and they struggled to understand where He got them. They were perplexed by Him.

Jesus was both ordinary and extraordinary. He was like us in every way, except for sin. He was fully human and fully divine, and within Him, the wisdom and power of God were at work. St. John expressed this clearly at the beginning of his Gospel when he said that the Word became flesh. Jesus was "flesh" like all of us—a son of a carpenter from a specific place in Galilee who lived at a particular time in history. This emphasis on His humanity helps us feel understood since He experienced the same struggles and joys that we do. Yet, this man uniquely revealed God. This is the "scandal" of the Incarnation that troubled the people of Nazareth.

The son of the carpenter, the son of Mary, is with us today as the Risen Lord, present in the familiar and ordinary. He told His disciples, "Whoever receives you receives me," "Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me," and "Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me."

The sacred and the temporal are not so far apart; we encounter the holy in the temporal and the divine in the human. This realization should inspire us, as it reminds us that we are always on holy ground and that God is present in every human interaction and experience.
 

Homily for the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola

One of the realities of life on earth is that, throughout our lives, we encounter both good and bad people, as well as virtue and vice. This reality can sometimes be challenging to accept, and we may wonder why God allows it.

Jesus illustrates a shared experience among the people by comparing the act of bringing a full net of fish ashore and separating the good fish from the bad to the work of angels who will do the same at the end of time.

Let us pray for patience and hope, trusting that God will separate the good from the bad when that time comes. In the face of life's challenges, let us strive to do everything we can to enter the Kingdom of God.

Homily for Wednesday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time

Sometimes, we come across something valuable, even when we're not actively looking for it. A precious gift or a significant person can enter our lives without us trying to make it happen. It may be a sudden realization or insight that appears when we are relaxing and not focused on anything in particular.

In the first parable from today's Gospel, a day laborer discovers a treasure while working in someone else's field. He decides to sell all he has to purchase that field and obtain the unexpected treasure.

In the second parable, a wealthy merchant is on a quest for the finest pearl and eventually finds it. He is willing to sell everything he owns to acquire it.

Jesus compares the kingdom of God to these two human experiences. Sometimes, God blesses us when we least expect it. Other times, we must actively seek God and put in the effort to find Him. Jesus encourages us to persist in our search, to keep seeking, asking, and knocking, just as the wealthy merchant did. When God blesses us, we must be prepared to give up whatever is necessary to receive and hold onto the gift of the kingdom.

Homily for the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

The Gospel reading for today may evoke some empathy for Martha. She is diligently preparing a meal for Jesus and His guests. Still, when she expresses frustration that her sister Mary isn't assisting her, Jesus replies that Mary has chosen the better part, one that will not be taken away from her. This response might seem unfair to Martha at first.

Other biblical narratives demonstrate that Jesus values hard work in serving others. For instance, in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, He tells of the Samaritan who showed mercy and compassion as he attended to the wounded man. The Book of Ecclesiastes reminds us, "There is a time for everything, and a time for every purpose under heaven," highlighting that there are moments for action and moments for rest.

During Jesus' visit to Mary and Martha, He emphasized the importance of stepping back from their tasks to listen to His words. Mary understood that during this particular visit, Jesus valued the act of listening more than the busyness of preparing and serving food. She was more in tune with what the Lord desired than Martha was. While the Lord encourages us to work for Him, He also wants us to take the time to hear Him. True wisdom involves knowing when to be active in serving the Lord and when to pause, listen to His voice, and reflect on His words.

Homily for Monday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time

In today's Gospel passage, we hear two parables that serve as metaphors for the ministry of Jesus on Earth. His work in Galilee is compared to the growth of a mustard seed and the action of yeast; both begin very small and may seem insignificant at first.

At that point in time, Jesus' work had been carried out quietly and without great spectacle. However, these parables suggest that from these humble beginnings, something profoundly significant will emerge. Just as the tiny mustard seed grows into a tree large enough for birds to nest in its branches, and just as a small amount of yeast leavens three measures of wheat flour, Jesus' ministry is destined to flourish.

Unremarkable beginnings can lead to extraordinary outcomes when it comes to the work of the Lord. We need to understand that, with the grace of God and our efforts, even the simple gifts we have to offer can positively impact the world around us, no matter how small our contributions may seem. God can work wonders through our smallest efforts if we approach them with love and devotion to Him. The Lord calls us to plant good seeds and trust that He will do the rest.

Homily for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary TIme

Today's readings remind us that our prayers arise from the belief in receiving goodness from Our Lord, even if we sometimes pray for fear of punishment. In the First Reading, the Lord sends angels to investigate Sodom and Gomorrah, and Abraham, concerned for his cousin Lot, questions God's justice in punishing the righteous alongside the wicked. The Lord promises to spare the cities for the sake of the righteous, but ultimately, He destroys them. However, He rescues Lot's family, showing that goodness was still acknowledged amidst judgment.

The Second Reading contrasts this by highlighting how Jesus bore the weight of sin and faced destruction on the Cross, bearing the consequences for others. In Baptism, we experience a symbolic death and rise to new life, representing liberation from sin, much like Jesus' physical sacrifice.

In today's Gospel, Our Lord illustrates His love and commitment through the example of friendship and persistence. The friend seeking assistance emphasizes the importance of relying on God, who is both a friend and a loving Father. We can confidently pray to God for our needs, trusting that He will provide in His way and in His time. 

St. Thérèse of Lisieux highlights this through her prayer for Henri Pranzini, a triple murderer sentenced to death who showed absolutely no remorse. Concerned for his eternal fate, Thérèse prayed for his repentance. At his execution, Pranzini showed a change of heart, asking for a crucifix and kissing it three times. The story of his change from a lack of remorse and Thérèse's prayer for him exemplifies the transformative power of prayer and divine mercy.

As you reflect on today's Scriptures and their message about prayer, take a moment to ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify the intention that is most important to you right now.

Consider your motivations for asking for this intention. Be open to changing it if you feel that God is calling you to do so, especially if it will benefit others.

Jesus teaches us that anyone who asks will receive, anyone who seeks will find, and to anyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Keeping this in mind helps us to persevere in our prayers.

Homily for the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Parable of the Weeds Among the Wheat illustrates the differing perspectives of the farmer and his servants. When weeds appeared among the wheat, the servants desired to remove them immediately to keep the field pure. However, the farmer advised them to let both the wheat and the weeds grow together until the harvest, when they could be separated. He demonstrated patience, knowing that he would eventually obtain pure wheat without any weeds.

In this parable, Jesus conveys a message about the Church and the individual disciples that comprise it. He acknowledges that the Church will consist of both good and evil until the end of time, when all that is not of God will be removed.

Individually, we embody a mix of light and darkness until we are fully transformed into the likeness of God's Son in the afterlife. While we strive to reflect God's image in our lives, we must recognize that sin will always be part of our earthly existence.

Like the farmer, the Lord is patient with us; we, too, need to practice patience with ourselves and others. This is not an endorsement of complacency, but rather an acknowledgment that we are all works in progress. Being a 'work in progress' is hopeful because God has started a good work in our lives. Even if it is not completed in this life, God will bring His work to completion in eternity—a promise that fills us with hope and reassurance.

Homily for the Feast of Saint James, Apostle

The Gospel passage today highlights the human tendency to seek status and importance. In this case, the mother of two of Jesus' disciples desires recognition for her sons. This tendency can stem from pride, whether for ourselves or for those we love. The offense taken by the other Apostles serves as another example of our desire to appear significant in the eyes of others.

We can observe this tendency in various areas, such as the media, government, and other fields, where individuals strive to appear more important and influential than their peers.

Jesus's teaching in this story is clear: the desire for status has no place in the lives of His disciples. To truly follow Him, they must be willing to endure suffering, just as He did. They are called to serve others rather than seek to be served. Humility and prioritizing others above ourselves are the keys to true greatness—the kind of greatness we are all called to achieve. This greatness reflects being created in the image of God, following His ways, and ultimately returning home to our Father at the end of our lives, bringing with us only the fruits of our actions on earth.