St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

Homily for Holy Thursday

The main sign or trait of a Christian should be selfless love. This is because Christ works through every Christian person, and His most important trait is love.

For Christ, love isn’t just about feeling good or having good intentions; it’s about giving yourself to others. Love involves action and sacrifice and can sometimes be difficult or painful. He shows this through His suffering and death. If this is what love means for Christ, it is also what love means for us as Christians. If we want to follow Him and be part of God’s family, we must try to follow His example. He said, "I have given you a model to follow so that as I have done for you, you should also do."

We come together today because we believe in Jesus and want to follow Him. We want to improve our own lives and the lives of those around us. Sometimes, we forget how simple this can be. Christ’s way to change the world and improve our lives is through selfless love; it’s like washing each other’s feet, in a way. If we follow that idea, everything else will come together for us and our community.

As we take Holy Communion today, our Lord will renew His promise to us. He will cleanse our hearts and fill us with His strength. How should we respond? What does He want us to do? He wants us to be like Him in our thoughts and actions.

Many of us can think of someone suffering or losing hope, someone who needs to feel that God knows and loves them.

So, imitating Jesus could be as simple as visiting a sick relative. It might mean inviting someone who has stopped coming to church to join us for Mass, or it might be about starting to forgive someone we have been upset with.

If we ask the Holy Spirit for help, He will show us many ideas and opportunities. Is there a better way to celebrate this Holy Triduum? Is there anything that would please our Lord more? Let us ask Jesus for the strength to be His true disciples and to love more like Him. Let’s also promise that from now until Easter Sunday and beyond, we will try to do for someone else what He has done for us.

Homily for Wednesday of Holy Week

The early Church recognized that Jesus was betrayed by one of His closest associates. Although this was uncomfortable for them, they did not try to hide the fact that Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus' disciples, was the betrayer.

The Gospel tells us that when Jesus revealed that one of those sharing the table with Him would betray Him, everyone present was “greatly distressed.” Being betrayed by someone you trust is extremely painful for both the one betrayed and those connected to him.

Many of us may have experienced betrayal from people we consider close. Perhaps we confided in someone, and they used that sensitive information against us.

This week reminds us that betrayal does not have to be the end of the story. God the Father had the final word by raising His Son from the dead, bringing good out of the evil of betrayal and the other trials Jesus faced.

Divine Providence can also bring good from the negative experiences we sometimes endure at the hands of others. The Passion of Jesus reminds us that God can work in life-giving ways, even after the darkest moments.

Homily for Tuesday of Holy Week

In the final days of Jesus' life, people responded to Him in various ways. While Judas betrayed Him, the beloved disciple stayed close, even leaning on His chest. In the opening chapter of the Gospel, the Evangelist describes Jesus as being "upon the chest of the Father," suggesting a deep and intimate relationship. The beloved disciple seems to have shared a similar bond with Jesus and serves as an example for us to follow.

The beloved disciple is not named in the Gospel, inviting each of us to identify with him. We can look to him as a model of discipleship and strive to imitate his example. We are called to cultivate the same type of relationship with Jesus that the beloved disciple had. This is illustrated in Jesus' words: "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain in my love." By doing so, we can share in Jesus' unique relationship with His Father in heaven.

Homily for Monday of Holy Week

In the last week of His life, Jesus faced hostility from many people. However, six days before Passover, a family He loved invited Him to dinner, showing Him kindness. One family member, Mary, anointed Jesus's feet with expensive perfume and dried them with her hair, offering a thoughtful service. This act was seen by Jesus as preparation for His death and burial. It also exemplified the loving service He would later show His disciples. 

Despite the challenges we face in life, we will hopefully encounter supportive people like Mary. We are encouraged to offer kindness to others, just as Mary did for Jesus, giving them support and encouragement in our sometimes hostile world.

Homily for Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion

Crucifixion is regarded as one of the most horrific ways to die. Scourging, which often preceded crucifixion, was also a tormenting experience; it was not uncommon for a person to die during this stage of punishment.

These horrifying scenes may lead one to question why Jesus willingly endured such suffering. The answers to this question can generally be summarized in three main points.

First, Jesus wanted His death to demonstrate what He often told His disciples: "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."

Second, Jesus intended His death to serve as an invitation to follow His command to His disciples, "Love one another as I love you."

Finally, Jesus aimed for His death to reveal that life includes suffering. He stated, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me."

While we hope not to suffer for suffering's sake, we do need to make sacrifices throughout our lives to make the right choices. Sacrifice inherently involves some degree of suffering.

As we reflect on our lives this Holy Week, considering God's call and the sacrifices it may require, let us remember the supreme sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. We should seek God's courage to act as we ought and the wisdom to recognize that our sacrifices for the betterment of the world are insignificant compared to the gifts God has given us and the ultimate gift we will receive in the everlasting Kingdom of Heaven.

Homily for Saturday of the 5th Week of Lent

In today's Gospel passage, the Sanhedrin conclude that Jesus' message of justice and compassion has become too much for them. To justify their actions, they create a "prophecy" to eliminate Jesus.

This Gospel is relevant to our lives today as we witness men and women who dare to speak the truth to those in power. Anyone who takes seriously God's call to be His prophet must be prepared for ridicule, isolation, rejection, and even death. These are the costs of proclaiming God's compassion, forgiveness, and justice to societies and institutions that oppose these fundamental principles.

However, the promise of the Resurrection is for those who courageously advocate justice and reconciliation. These individuals proclaim that God has redeemed His people.

Let us pray for the courage and strength to proclaim the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through our words, deeds, and our very lives.

Homily for Friday of the 5th Week of Lent

Jesus faced persecution for challenging those who prioritized rituals and rules over people. The individuals enforcing these rules were not inherently bad, but their rigid devotion to the laws distorted their reflection of God's mercy.

When religious rules are applied too rigidly, they can become idols, misused as a way to judge every action. Some religious followers may find a false security in fixed, unchangeable rules.

Jesus teaches us that the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbors. By following these commandments, we align ourselves more closely with Christ and gain confidence that our lives are fulfilling God's purpose for us.

Homily for Thursday of the 5th Week of Lent

The promises to Abraham look to the future, imagining a time when all nations come together as if they are family, like descendants of Abraham. This connection doesn't come from bloodlines but from sharing faith and ideals. It calls for faith in a promised land for everyone, a shared journey to salvation, equal access to Earth's resources, and respect for the dignity of every person. These promises encourage us to think big, respond openly, and aspire to the ideal of one world and one people, as the family of God.

Jesus' words go back to the time of Abraham and even to the moment before creation. When He says, “Before Abraham came to be, I AM,” He is saying He is Yahweh. This name is sacred to Israel and means “He who is always present.”

In St. John’s message, Jesus goes beyond Abraham’s faith. He is one with God, who had plans for Abraham before creation. Jesus is the Word of God and He guides our history. His plans will be fully realized when everyone is united. In his letter to the Galatians, St. Paul tells us that through baptism into Christ, we are all one, no matter our background or status. We also inherit the promises made to Abraham so long ago.

Homily for Wednesday of the 5th Week of Lent

Jesus said, "The truth will set you free." Later in John's Gospel, He declared, "I am the truth." He is the source of genuine freedom for His followers. Jesus also stated, "If the Son frees you, then you will be truly free." By staying close to Him, we can experience what St. Paul calls "the glorious freedom of the children of God."

Our relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit, who He pours into our hearts, enables us to live according to God's will in ways that align with our best selves. True freedom means having the ability to love and give ourselves to others, just as Jesus gave Himself to us. This is the freedom we pray for during these final days of Lent.

Homily for Tuesday of the 5th Week of Lent

"O LORD, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you."

Today's psalm response begins with a heartfelt plea for God to hear the psalmist's prayer and reminds us that the psalmists always listened to the people's cries. 

Ultimately, the psalm reassures us that God hears our prayers, especially during our struggles, and helps us avoid succumbing to our trials.

Furthermore, this part of the prayer alludes to the end times and reinforces our belief that, regardless of what we experience in this life, joy and salvation await us in the next. 

Let us always trust that God hears our prayers and has offered us His pledge of eternal life.