St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

Homily for the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

There is a tale about a group of nuns living in a monastery. Satan wanted to lead them into darkness, but he couldn't overpower them. So, he decided to trick them. He disguised himself as the Risen Jesus, and his demons pretended to be angels of light.

One night, while the nuns were waiting for Jesus to return, a bright light lit up the darkness outside. Satan and his group approached, chanting a psalm: "O gates, lift high your heads; grow higher, ancient doors. Let him enter, the King of Glory!" Excitedly, the nuns opened the church door and sang back, "Who is the King of Glory?"

With arms wide open, Satan shouted, "I am the King of Glory!" and all the demons pretending to be angels repeated, "He is the King of Glory!" But when the nuns saw Satan, they quickly shut the door. They wouldn't let him in because he had no nail marks on his hands; he showed no wounds of love.

Kings are typically recognized by their crowns and elaborate attire. But Jesus, when He suffered, didn't look like a king. His place of pain was a hill called Golgotha; His throne was a wooden cross; His crown was made of sharp thorns. The only people around Him were two thieves, and soldiers were casting lots for His clothes, while others mocked Him. He did not appear royal at all.

The Bible tells us that at first, both thieves insulted Jesus. These men had done many bad things and had ended up hanging on their crosses as punishment. They were at their lowest point, crying out in pain. But while Jesus was dying, He did not complain. Instead, He prayed for those who were hurting Him, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

It's strange how two people can hear the same words but react in different ways. One thief kept mocking Jesus, while the other spoke differently. He said, "We are getting what we deserve, but this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Just moments earlier, he had mocked Jesus, but now he was asking to be part of Jesus's kingdom. He wasn't thinking of an earthly kingdom because Jesus would soon die. He must have been imagining a kingdom that lasts forever, a special place that only the King of kings can offer.

This was an amazing moment! The thief was the first to see that Jesus's wounds were wounds of love. He looked at Jesus and recognized the real King of Glory. Jesus must have felt joy when this lost man finally turned to Him just before dying.

Max Lucado, a writer, describes this moment beautifully. He says, "At this point, Jesus performs the greatest miracle of the Cross. Greater than the earthquake. Greater than the tearing of the temple curtain. Greater than the darkness covering the earth. He performs the miracle of forgiveness. A sin-soaked criminal is received by a blood-stained Savior," and he is made clean by Jesus's wounds of love.

When the King of Glory comes, with love shining through all His wounds, will He see His reflection in us? Will He find our wounds changed by His love, just like the good thief?

Let us pray that, like the good thief, we will turn to Jesus Christ, see His glory, and be changed by His loving care.

Homily for th Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

Today's Gospel passage takes place when the Sadducees, Pharisees, and chief priests had grown frustrated with Jesus and His message. They wanted to kill Him, but they hesitated because they knew He had the support of the people.

The questions they asked Jesus were meant to trap Him and provoke Him into blasphemy, giving them a reason to put Him to death. Their intentions were self-serving, hidden beneath what might have appeared to be innocent questioning.

In a similar way, we often come to Jesus with our own agendas. We typically seek specific outcomes, a desired change, or help with struggles in our lives or faith that we find challenging. Sometimes, without even realizing it, our agendas can contradict Jesus' message.

Whatever we pray for, we must do so with a genuinely open heart, mind, and soul. We should strive to set aside our own desires to align more closely with God's will.

Homily for the Memorial of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary

Today, the Church celebrates the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who devoted herself to following God's plan for her life from an early age. Her unwavering faith and commitment led God to choose her as a living temple—a vessel through which He could uniquely embody Himself. Mary's openness to divine inspiration enabled her to become a dwelling place for God's Son, Jesus, in a real, physical sense.

In today's Gospel passage, Jesus speaks of those who "do the will of [His] Father in heaven." Mary perfectly exemplifies this as the first and most complete response to God's call. Her lifelong dedication to His will made her a fitting vessel through which the Son of God entered the world.

We, too, are called to fulfill God's will, becoming temples of the Lord and carrying His presence to others. As St. Paul wrote, "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"

On this day, we ask for Mary's intercession, praying that we may continually strive to do the Father's will. In doing so, we, too, can become living temples of the living God, with His Spirit dwelling within us.

Homily for Thursday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary TIme

In today's Gospel passage, we find Jesus deeply saddened because Jerusalem did not welcome Him and failed to recognize the work of God the Father through Him. As a consequence, the Holy City will suffer for denying Him. In His pain of rejection, Jesus sheds real tears. His mission was to reveal God's welcoming love for all people, but many rejected the Good News He was eager to share with them.

In this particular passage, Jesus appears helpless in the face of such rejection. He weeps over the consequences of human stubbornness. Although He came to Jerusalem to seek and save the lost, He did not impose His hope on the people.

May we recognize the work of God in the ministry of Jesus and in those around us. May we answer His call to continue His mission with our lives.

Homily for Wednesday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

Today's parable addresses the expectation that God's kingdom would soon arrive. Jesus' followers were often distracted by thoughts about the future. In response, Jesus shared this parable to redirect their attention back to the present.

Worrying excessively about the future can distract us from what is essential in the present. What truly matters is how we generously and courageously utilize the gifts and resources that the Lord has given us to help those around us right now. This is the perspective that the Lord encourages us to adopt. The servant who hid his gold coin in a handkerchief out of fear of losing it did not embrace this approach to life. While using our gifts and resources may lead to mistakes or failures, it's essential to remember that it's better to fail than to be paralyzed by fear and inaction.

Homily for Tuesday of the 33rd Week in Ordinary Time

Saint Teresa of Calcutta often said that God does not call us to be successful, but to be faithful. Each of us has the option to respond in a meaningful way to God's love. The importance of our efforts is not measured by their scale or impact, but by the sincerity of our commitment to share that love with others.

In today's Gospel, Jesus recognizes the compassion and integrity of the despised tax collector, Zacchaeus, transforming the life of the man who climbed the sycamore tree. Christ calls us in the same way: He invites us to respond to God's love in whatever capacity we can, and to encourage others to do the same. Together, we can turn the darkness around us into the light of God's peace, love, and justice.

Homily for the Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious

In the healing story we just heard from our Gospel passage, the blind man's perseverance in prayer stands out. When he called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me," those around Jesus told him to be quiet. However, he shouted even louder, "Son of David, have pity on me!" His determination remained strong, despite the intolerance of others. He teaches us the importance of persistence in our prayers.

The blind man's plea was rooted in his deep desire to see with his physical eyes again. Our most sincere prayers to the Lord often arise from the needs we carry within our hearts and souls. By expressing these needs to God, we invite Him to respond to our requests, just as Jesus responded to the blind man's call.

Homily for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary TIme

Our first reading from the Book of Malachi and our Gospel passage from St. Luke today both discuss the end times, highlighting how people should anticipate various disasters and judgment.

Many people use these passages, along with others, to predict when the end of the world will occur. They often promote the idea of a vengeful God who will return in anger to punish those who did not follow His will.

In reality, these Scripture passages reveal that this world is imperfect and incomplete. True happiness and joy stem from our hope and expectation for the Kingdom of God that is to come.

The great disasters that Jesus predicted in St. Luke’s Gospel occurred in the years following His death and continue to happen. They will always be part of our existence as long as the world remains.

These passages do not offer a secret key to satisfy our curiosity about the end times or our ultimate destiny as human beings and children of God. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense to waste our time worrying about these matters or trying to predict when they will happen.

Instead, we should focus on following the great commandments that Jesus gave us: to love God above all things and to love our neighbor as ourselves. 

We should strive to model our lives after the Apostles, the early followers of Jesus, the saints, and even ordinary people today who have wholeheartedly embraced the Gospel call to love, show mercy, and serve those most in need.

Some people overlook the message in today’s Scripture passages—that God desires us to live with Him in Paradise. God is a loving God who wants His children to experience His justice and healing in this life and the next. He longs to reward us for our perseverance in faith and for acting with love and compassion, despite the challenges and tragedies we face in the world.

Our faithfulness to God and our commitment to stewardship enrich not only our lives but also the lives of others. It brings the love, power, and richness of God’s life to ourselves and to all those we encounter. 

Let us pray this week for the courage, strength, and dedication to be active participants in God’s plan for His people.

Homily for Saturday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time

The parable of the widow and the unjust judge teaches us an essential lesson about persistence and faith. The widow's determination, despite being repeatedly rejected by a judge who neither feared God nor respected others, is truly inspiring. She did not lose hope; instead, she kept fighting for her cause, believing it was just. Jesus presents her as a shining example of faith in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, serving as a beacon of inspiration for all of us.

Towards the end of the parable, Jesus poses a profound question that continues to resonate today: "When the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?" The answer to this question depends not on God's faithfulness— which is always certain— but rather on our own. We must strive to maintain our faith during difficult times through prayer, just as the widow did. Prayer, our primary means of nurturing our faith, offers reassurance and comfort, even when the odds seem against us.

Homily for Friday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary TIme

The Gospel reminds us of the danger of becoming so consumed by our daily routines that we forget what truly matters. While it is essential to eat, drink, read, write, buy, sell, plant, build, and nurture our relationships, these activities alone cannot fulfill us.

There is a more profound purpose to our lives that extends beyond the mundane. Jesus referred to this as the "day of the Son of Man," a reality that is both imminent and eternal, one that should fill us with awe and reverence. The Lord is present in our daily lives, even in the most ordinary moments. We need to be aware of His presence and actively seek Him out. After all, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we can experience His presence in our lives today.

Therefore, let us not become so preoccupied with our daily activities that we neglect our spiritual lives. Instead, let us keep the Lord at the center of our lives; in doing so, we will discover true fulfillment and purpose—a source of hope and motivation to guide us through our daily routines.