St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

Homily for Saturday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time

There is a stark contrast between those who sought to destroy Jesus and Jesus himself, who came not to destroy but to heal. From the very start of his ministry, some wanted Jesus dead. Despite this, Jesus always aimed to bring life to others and to share in God’s own life. We hear, "a bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench." His mission inspires hope and instills a sense of life and purpose in us.

The bruised reed and the smoldering wick refer to those broken in body and spirit. Breaking a bruised reed and extinguishing a smoldering wick is very easy. Those who are broken physically or spiritually are extremely vulnerable. Jesus is sensitive to those who are vulnerable. He can restore the bruised reed and ignite the smoldering wick into a living flame.

Homily for Friday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time

Religious leaders in Jesus’ day were more concerned with following precise religious practices than understanding their origins and spiritual meanings. Because of this, they often clashed with Jesus and distrusted Him.

One Sabbath, Jesus, and His hungry disciples walked through a field and started picking and eating heads of grain because they were hungry. The Pharisees, who had a strict interpretation of the Sabbath rules, saw this as a violation of the laws against labor on the Sabbath.

Jesus didn't go against the traditions; He made sure to follow the rules. However, He also pointed out that the strict interpretation of the Pharisees was not in line with the Scriptures nor the spirit of the Law. According to Jesus, the Sabbath should be celebrated by more than following specific detailed rituals, and people are more important than temple rituals. Therefore, what the disciples did was justified in the name of life.

In our worship and in following the will and law of the Lord, let us always remember that our practice of the faith is not just about fulfilling requirements, but about celebrating and living out the love of the Lord.

Homily for Thursday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time

There is an Arabian fable about a traveler who came upon a fox that had lost its legs. The traveler wondered how the poor creature managed to survive. Then, a tiger approached with meat in its mouth. The tiger ate its fill of the game and left the rest for the wounded fox.

The next day, the traveler watched God feed the fox through the same tiger. Marveling at God's generosity to a lowly animal, the man thought, "I too shall rest in the corner of the forest with full trust that the LORD will provide me with all I need."

The man rested by a tree in the woods for many days waiting, but nothing happened. Starving, the man was at death's door when he heard an angel's voice call to him: "Oh, you fool! Open your eyes to the truth. Do not imitate the disabled fox, but embrace the example of the tiger!"

Jesus calls us to take on the "yoke," the "burden," of the tiger, to imitate Christ's example of selfless service and compassion to the hungry, the needy, and the challenged in our forests, to be "eagles' wings" for the weary and despairing, the lost and struggling we meet on our journey.

The "yoke" of the Gospel of Jesus is "easy" in the joy it brings to the generous heart; it is made "light" by the love of God that such selfless compassion reflects in our own lives and the lives we touch.

Let us pray that we may learn from Jesus' humility of heart and generosity of spirit. By His grace, may we imitate His selflessness in the compassion and love we extend to people experiencing poverty, the lost, and the struggling.[1]

 

[1] Cormier, Jay, Connections, Advent 2006, p. 5

Homily for Wednesday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time

Close relationships with family and friends are among the things we value most, along with health and life. Relationships and friendships are priceless; without them, we could hardly get through life.

In a significant moment, Jesus revealed the most crucial relationship in His life: His relationship with His heavenly Father. He spoke in terms of mutual knowing: "No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him." This relationship has a profound and unique intimacy but is not a closed circle.

We all receive an invitation into this relationship of trust and love between Jesus and His Father in heaven. He shows us the Father and shares that bond with us. They invite us all into their mutual relationship, a relationship that fosters and protects. Our Psalm response says that God will not abandon us; the Father and the Son bring us into their shared love so that we can reflect that love to others. In response, our spirits must be receptive as a child rather than closed with the self-assurance of the learned.

Homily for Tuesday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time

The warnings to Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum prompt us to question the reality and purpose of miracles. The residents of these lakeside towns in northwest Galilee witnessed numerous miraculous signs and healings by Jesus but remained unmoved by His message. In response, Jesus, with prophetic anger, criticized their hardened hearts. His miracles were intended to inspire conversion, a new perspective, and lifestyle, turning people away from selfishness and toward caring for those in need. His healings demonstrated His love for suffering humanity rather than serving as a spectacle for His own glory. The healings aimed to illustrate God's desire for us to form a healthy, wholesome community.

Centuries earlier, Moses confronted Pharaoh, warning of impending plagues in Egypt. Like Jesus, Moses did not use his miraculous power for personal glory and, in fact, had to flee for his life into the desert.

Although raised in the luxury of Pharaoh's palace, Moses exhibited a strong sense of justice as a young man. His aversion to oppression and mistreatment, as well as his refusal to stand by idly when witnessing abuse, illustrate a commitment to justice that would prepare him for his role as a liberator in later years.

We, too, are called to be liberators, serving those in greatest need and assisting them in living as God's children in freedom. This is not merely a call but a responsibility that we must embrace. Let us pray, therefore, for the desire and courage to aid those in greatest need.

Homily for the Memorial of Saint Bonaventure

Our Gospel passage today completes a significant sermon—the Missionary Discourse—spoken by Jesus to those who would continue His work. Today's Scriptures remind us that following the will of God can be challenging and even disruptive of peace. Jesus says, "I have come not to bring peace, but the sword."

In saying this, Jesus refers to the suffering and conflict in our lives. We may remember Simeon's "blessing" and words to Mary as she held the infant Jesus in her arms: "This child is destined to be the fall and the rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted." And there are many documented incidents in which God's people were oppressed because of racial bias and nationalistic envy.

Much like politics, disagreements about religion can stir trouble in families. What the Lord gives is not "peace at any price" but a unique peace from staying close to Jesus. If there is conflict within our family, let it be for the sake of personal conscience and not from any dominating or judgmental spirit. We are called to be sincere, not authoritarian. Jesus wants us to welcome people and be thankful for what others may offer us. Even such a simple gift as a cup of cold water will be noted in the Book of Life to one's credit.

Homily for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A little boy wrote a letter to God, asking Him for $1,000 to help his family buy food and clothing. His dad was out of work, and his mom was ill. Things were really tight. He addressed the envelope "God," put his return address and a stamp on it and dropped it in the mailbox.

The letter was intercepted by the local postmaster. She was so moved by the boy's selfless gesture and concern for his family that she forwarded his letter to the president. The president was so touched by the little boy's sincerity and concern for his family that he told his secretary to send the boy $500.

Upon receiving the money, the boy wrote the following thank-you letter: "Dear God, Thank you for the money. Next time, please send it to me directly. I noticed you sent it through Washington, D.C., and they deducted $500 for taxes."

Thomas Merton wrote that a child only begins to become an
adult when the child realizes they are not the center of the
universe. Christ calls us to embrace such moments of growth - precious moments when we manage to put aside our own needs,
problems, and wants for the sake of the more critical needs of
another; rare moments when we realize that we are not the center
of the world but a part of a world much more significant than ourselves,
that we are connected to everyone through the dignity we all share
as sons and daughters of God; holy moments when our disappointments and hurts at what life has handed us are transformed into gratitude to God for the gift of life itself.

As Jesus sends us forth to do the work of discipleship, may He open our hearts and minds to such moments of growth and selflessness, enabling us to be disciples of His compassion and healing along our journey to the dwelling place of God.

Homily for Saturday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time

Jesus tells us that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without God's knowledge. He tells us that God watches over the life and death of even the smallest creatures with great love and care. So, how much more is God watching over us?

Despite our vast numbers, Jesus affirms God's individual concern for each of us. This reassurance is not just a comforting thought but a call to action. God invites us into a personal relationship with Him and also into a communal relationship with Him as the Church, the Body of Christ on earth.

God's care for us is not just a general concern but a meticulous attention to the details of our lives. Jesus assures us of this, saying, "There is no need to be afraid." This is the kind of relationship Jesus Himself had with His Father. He knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Father was concerned about the details of His life. As a result, He entrusted Himself to the Father, even when His enemies seemed to have triumphed over Him.

Jesus tells us that we can have the same relationship with the Father. He invites us to share in His relationship with the Father, with and in the unity of the Holy Spirit.

Homily for Friday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time

In today's Gospel passage, Jesus is candid about the kind of welcome we may receive when we share our faith. The response may be hostile, and that may even come from those to whom we are the closest. However, Jesus tells us that we will not be alone in facing this kind of rejection; The Holy Spirit will be present to give us guidance and support.

Contemporary society is perhaps less hostile to the faith than when Jesus commissioned the first disciples. Yet, Gospel values are often rejected in today's culture. Some people interpret those values as a threat, especially to human freedom. 

Today, as in the time of the first disciples, we are in need of the Holy Spirit to bear witness to the LORD and His mission. The Holy Spirit is our source of inspiration, guiding us in our faith and strengthening our resolve. The Church's dependence on the Holy Spirit is unwavering, and His inspiration is as accessible to us now as It was in the earliest days of the Church.

Homily for the Memorial of St.Benedict

Jesus is the fullest revelation possible of God’s tender and merciful love for humankind. Yet, He experienced people rejecting this love, refusing to respond meaningfully.

When He sends out His disciples in today’s Gospel, Jesus warns them to expect the same. They are to proclaim the Good News that the kingdom of God is at hand, the reign of God’s life-giving love, but they will face those who will not welcome them or listen to what they have to say. This response is not to prevent them from their mission of proclaiming God’s loving presence by what they say and do, just as it did not prevent Jesus when He suffered the ultimate rejection on the Cross. He even announced the same Good News as the Risen Lord to those who had turned away from Him and rejected Him.

As followers of Jesus Christ, it is important for us to show the loving presence of God, no matter how others react to us. When we are not welcomed, we should ask ourselves: Are they rejecting the message or the way it is being communicated? Everything we say and do in the name of the Lord should reflect God's mercies.