St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

Homily for Thursday of the 1st Week of Lent

Jesus encourages us to be seekers: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” So, what are we supposed to seek, and what should we ask for? The simple answer is that we should seek the Lord and His will for our lives. The Gospels mention many seekers, and Zacchaeus is a notable example. His story reminds us that the Lord we seek is always seeking us, too. While dining with Zacchaeus, Jesus described Himself as the Son of Man, who came to seek out and save the lost.

 

Because we can never fully find the Lord in this life, we will always be seeking Him as long as we are on this earth. Our journey toward the Lord is ongoing, and we never completely reach our destination. Like Abraham, we are continually setting out on a journey in response to the Lord’s call. As Saint Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians, we must strain “forward to what lies ahead” and press on toward our ultimate goal: the Lord.

 

Jesus assures us in the Gospel that if we remain faithful in our search for the Lord and in the journey it brings, we will receive good things from God. By seeking the Lord, we open ourselves to His many gifts and blessings.

Homily for Wednesday of the 1st Week of Lent

Today's Psalm response comes from one of my favorites, Psalm 51. At times, during the Sacrament of Reconciliation, I assign the recitation of this Psalm as a form of penance. Psalm 51, also known as the Miserere, is a heartfelt plea for mercy, forgiveness, and spiritual renewal. Its words express deep sorrow and a longing to be made whole once again. For many, including myself, these verses capture the essence of what it means to come before God honestly, seeking not just pardon but real transformation.

While Psalm 51 reflects on humanity's sinful nature, it is ultimately a Psalm of hope. It reassures us that a truly repentant heart will never be ignored by God. The Psalm conveys the message that a person can be cleansed of their sins and made anew in the deepest parts of their souls. The language of the Psalm paints a vivid picture of a soul yearning to be washed clean. This longing for inner renewal speaks to everyone who has ever felt burdened by guilt and desired a fresh start. It reminds us that God's grace is always available, no matter how far we may have strayed.

Moreover, it stresses that nothing can merit God's forgiveness more than a genuinely contrite and humble spirit. No offering or action, no matter how grand, can earn God's merciful attention more than a sincere expression of remorse for our sins.

 

Homily for Tuesday of the 1st Week of Lent

Our reading from the book of Isaiah reminds us of the profound truth that when God speaks, His Word fulfills its purpose without fail. Just as rain and snow water the earth and make it fruitful, so too does God’s Word nourish our souls and bring about transformation in our lives. This powerful message, never returning to Him empty, is a testament to His divine power and unfailing faithfulness. As we are blessed with life and grace, we are called not only to receive God’s love and mercy, but also to become channels of that love to those around us—comforting, encouraging, and uplifting others. By doing so, we participate in God's ongoing work on earth, sowing seeds of hope and presenting Him with the fruits of our faith and service.

May this Lenten season, a sacred time of reflection and spiritual growth, deepen our understanding of our role as ambassadors of God's love. Let us embrace this opportunity to renew our commitment to prayer, fasting, and acts of charity, following Christ’s example with humility and dedication. May the Spirit guide us in recognizing the countless ways God blesses us each day, and inspire us to offer back to Him everything He has given us—our time, talents, and hearts—as we strive to be His faithful messengers in the world, sharing His love with everyone we meet.

Homily for Monday of the 1st Week of Lent

In today's Gospel reading from Matthew, we are reminded that serving those in greatest need is, in fact, serving Jesus Himself. This message calls us to look beyond appearances and circumstances, to truly see in each person the presence of Christ among us. Whether someone is rich or poor, strong or weak, independent or vulnerable, we must seek to see the presence of Jesus in all those we encounter.

 

When we reach out to help, comfort, or accompany those who are struggling, lonely, or marginalized, we are not just performing a duty—we are encountering Jesus in those we serve. Likewise, when we find ourselves in need and receive kindness from others, we experience God’s love through their care. These moments of giving and receiving are sacred opportunities to grow in compassion and deepen our relationship with Jesus.

 

Today, let us open our eyes and hearts to recognize the Lord in everyone we meet. May we respond with generosity, patience, and respect, honoring the dignity of each person as a living reflection of Christ’s presence among us.

Homily for the 1st Sunday of Lent

In the movie The Fellowship of the Ring, the first of three films based on the classic Tolkien trilogy, The Lord of the Rings. There is a good wizard who provides a bit of wisdom that is helpful as we start our Lenten journey.

 

In the movie, the young hobbit Frodo Baggins finds himself in possession of a ring that once belonged to the Dark Lord. The magic ring, which contains all kinds of “cruelty, malice, and the will to dominate all life,” gives its possessor indescribable power. The Dark Lord seeks the return of the powerful ring for his own evil plan to enslave the world. The Dark Lord kills and destroys everyone and everything in his path as he searches for the ring.

 

Frodo is now unexpectedly thrust into a struggle for the very survival of the world. Frodo’s friend, the good wizard Gandalf, explains that the ring must be destroyed in the fiery pits of the mountains of Mordor, where the ring was originally forged. And so, Frodo, Gandalf, and their band of hobbits, dwarves, elves, and human warriors begin the perilous journey to Mordor, relentlessly pursued by the Dark Lord and his followers.

 

At one point in their long journey, after yet another narrow escape, the discouraged Frodo laments to Gandalf, “I wish the ring had never come to me… I wish none of this had happened.”

 

The kind old wizard replies, “So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

 

Obviously, the movie is a work of fantasy, but it also speaks to the very real struggle between good and evil, a part of the human experience. The wisdom of Gandalf is very real as well.

 

Like Frodo and his companions, and like Jesus in his encounter with Satan in the desert, our lives are journeys that constantly call us to decide “what we are to do with the time we are given.”

 

In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo must fight the temptation to possess the ring of evil himself rather than destroy it in order that good might triumph in the world. In our Gospel reading today, Jesus must decide between the choices given him by the tempter – personal profit, comfort, and fame – and the hard work to which God the Father has called him. [1]

 

Likewise, life presents each of us with the same kind of choices. These choices can be very hard to make and, at times, unrelenting. The choice always comes down to working hard to live the values that dwell deep in our hearts and souls, or forsake those values and for things of far less worth and permanence. [2]

 

The season of Lent calls us to embrace God’s spirit of truth so that we may make the choices that will lead us to the promised kingdom of heaven; that we may see through all the obstacles and illusions of this world and see clearly the kingdom that God has prepared for us.

 

[1] Tolkien, J.R.R., The Fellowship of the Ring, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA, 1954.

[2] Cormier, Jay, Editor, Connections, MediaWorks, Londonderry, NH, February 2002, p. 3.

Homily for Saturday after Ash Wednesday

In today’s Gospel passage, the scribes and Pharisees questioned Jesus’ disciples about why they were eating with tax collectors and sinners. They believed that associating with such people posed a risk, as it could lead to moral contamination and a decline in their own integrity. They thought it was better to distance themselves from those considered sinful.

 

However, Jesus was not worried about being tainted by others’ sins. He understood that His goodness, which reflects the goodness of the Father within Him, would instead transform and uplift those He encountered. The Lord is never diminished by our failings; instead, we are enriched by His holiness.

 

This is why the Lord does not separate Himself from us, even when we distance ourselves from Him because of our actions or inactions. He is always ready to sit with us, share a meal with us, and engage in communion with us. In our moments of weakness, we can draw strength from Him, and in our many failings, we can find His goodness and love.

Homily for Friday after Ash Wenesday

Many people—children and adults alike—often express fear when discussing the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This fear can come from various sources, but it usually centers on concerns about rejection or harsh judgment. Individuals may worry that the priest will think less of them or that God is angry with them. Some may even fear their own self-judgment.

 

However, it’s important to understand that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is about mercy—not anger. It emphasizes God’s mercy and His desire for us to be close to Him. When we distance ourselves from God through sin, all we need to do is turn to Him with genuine remorse. God will always welcome us back with open arms.

 

As we enter Lent, let’s strive to be humble in heart and open ourselves to God’s constant and loving mercy.

Homily for Thursday After Ash Wednesday

In our reading from the Book of Deuteronomy, we receive the message to "Choose life" by loving and following God. Our lives here on earth involve a constant struggle to balance our desire for a good life, our material needs, and our spiritual growth in our relationship with God. Achieving balance is essential.

Today's readings encourage us to seek the good things of the Lord above all else. In pursuing these, we discover true happiness and fulfillment. While meeting our needs in this life is important, we must put God and our need for Him first in everything we do.

Let us pray during this Lenten season to always put God first in our lives and allow our love for God to guide our thoughts and actions.

 

Homily for Ash Wednesday

The theme of returning is prominent in the Ash Wednesday readings, especially in the reading from the Book of Joel: “Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart... Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God.”

However, such a return must be genuine, according to the prophet. It requires the heartfelt acknowledgment of our grief over our separation from God. Simply tearing our exterior garments, a traditional expression of mourning, is not enough.

Scripture also warns against allowing our hearts to grow hard, as happened to many who wandered through the desert with Moses. Their faith and trust eroded in the face of difficult circumstances. The danger to our faith and spiritual lives is that a hardened heart fails to feel its grief, recognize its separation, or experience a desire to return to God.

We should offer a prayer of repentance, as echoed in today’s psalm: “A clean heart create in me, O God; renew in me a steadfast spirit.” Anyone who has experienced separation from a loved one—be it a spouse, family member, or friend—knows how challenging it can be to decide to return to the relationship, to reconcile, and to seek forgiveness for the wrongs that have strained it. “I’m not going to be the one to make the first move,” we often find ourselves saying. And, filled with the pride that has hardened our hearts, we deny ourselves the true treasure of returning: reconciliation.

When God is the loved one, though, the situation is different. With God, there is always an invitation for reconciliation because God’s principal desire is for our love. With boundless grace and mercy, God continually invites us to return to relationship, telling us, “Now is the acceptable time.” God doesn’t want us to wait. “Yet even now,” God says, “return to me with your whole heart.”

In truth, any separation in a relationship provides an opportunity for self-examination, fostering absolute honesty about our intentions when making decisions, and acknowledging our tendency to prioritize our needs above those of others. With hearts open to God, we must ask ourselves, “What aspects of my life and my attitude need to be recreated in line with gospel values?”

For each of us—especially those whose hearts have been hardened by pain, suffering, grief, loss, or deep disappointment—the liturgical year offers a time when we, as a community and as individuals, can reflect on our lives and our hearts and accept God’s loving invitation to be created anew. The symbolism of ashes is especially significant in this process of new creation. The ancient Jewish tradition noted in Scripture regarded ashes as a sign of repentance, a symbol of what once was, now being no more.

Today, with the symbol of ashes prominently displayed on our foreheads, we are visibly reminded that, by returning our hearts to God through repentance and God’s generous forgiveness, we can be reconciled to the God who loves us. So on this Ash Wednesday, as we enter the season of Lent—a period of spiritual recovery through returning and repentance—it is also important to reflect on the words of the prophet Isaiah: “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength.’”

Homily for Tuesday of the 6th Week in Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus appears annoyed and frustrated with His disciples. Despite everything they have witnessed during their time with Him, they do not seem to grasp who He is. Moreover, He realizes that not only do they fail to understand Him, but they will also eventually abandon Him. Yet, these very disciples will begin what is, so far, a 2,000-year tradition of passing on the faith.

 

In the closing chapter of Mark’s Gospel, a young man sitting in the tomb tells Mary Magdalene and Salome, “Do not be amazed! You seek Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified. He has been raised; He is not here. Behold the place where they laid Him. But go and tell His disciples and Peter, He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him, as He told you.”

 

Despite their shortcomings, Jesus meets with them again in Galilee to renew their calling. The Gospel shows that Jesus remains faithful to us, even when we struggle to be faithful to Him. He goes ahead of us into every situation we face, calling us from our failures back to begin again.