St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

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.

Homily for Thursday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time

"You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink."  This proverb is believed to be one of the oldest and continuously used in the English-speaking world, first appearing in writing in 1175. It highlights a profound reality: we can guide people toward the truth, but we cannot force them to hear, see, or believe it.

One could argue that Jesus referenced this idea regarding some of the prophets and righteous people of His time, as He quoted the prophet Isaiah in today's gospel passage. Jesus used parables as a means to help people recognize and understand the Truth He came to share.

Each of us has areas in our lives where we might be blind or deaf to essential messages—even those that matter greatly to us. The reasons for this blindness or deafness vary from person to person.

Let us acknowledge our limitations in perceiving the message and presence of Jesus in our lives. We should ask the Holy Spirit to help us hear, see, and believe in the Truth.

Homily for Wednesday of the 16th Week in Ordinary Time

The Parable of the Sower is one of Jesus' best-known stories. What makes it particularly remarkable is that it is the only parable He went on to explain to His disciples.

In this parable, the different types of soil represent various human responses to God's message. We are reminded that while God's Word is powerful, it requires our active response to be effective. We must open ourselves to the Word for it to bear fruit in our lives.

The parable identifies several obstacles that can hinder our full engagement with God's Word. One obstacle is a lack of understanding; we need to know who Jesus is and what He has said and done in order to respond appropriately. 

Another challenge is our tendency to keep God at a distance, which hinders His Word from taking root in our hearts. Additionally, we can become overly preoccupied with the complexities and pleasures of earthly life, allowing them to dominate our focus.

In His later interpretation of the Parable of the Sower, Jesus displays a practical understanding of these barriers to His presence and His Word. However, this practical perspective should not lead us to discouragement. The message of the Gospel is that God's perseverance is more powerful than any obstacle we face. When Jesus' disciples asked Him the rather cynical question, "Who then can be saved?" He replied, "For human beings, this is impossible, but for God, all things are possible."