St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

Homily for Monday of the 5th Week of Lent

“Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.”

Our psalm today is one of those passages we often hear in Scripture. It sounds comforting, but we must ask ourselves if we truly take it to heart. When it feels like our prayers are not being answered – or at least not in the way we hope – do we fall into despair, or do we remember the words of the great psalmist? Do we trust that God's love and grace are with us, regardless of our circumstances in this life? This trust (or at least this hope) is what defines the faithful people of God.

May we strive to believe that God is with us at every step – in both good times and bad. As we walk alongside Him, He will guide us to the everlasting peace and joy of heaven.

Homily for the 5th Sunday of Lent

The aftermath of adultery is often a significant theme in novels or movies, but today,  it also appears in Sacred Scripture. 

In today's scene, the Scribes and Pharisees bring a woman caught in adultery before Jesus, demanding His judgment according to the law of Moses, which commands stoning for such acts. In reality, they are not seeking justice; they hope to trap Jesus between upholding the law and showing mercy.

Instead of immediately confronting the woman, Jesus bends down and writes in the dust, looking away from her, demonstrating respect and humility. When pressed for an answer, He tells the crowd, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." This challenges them to reflect on their sinfulness.

Silence falls as people realize their own guilt. They leave one by one until only the woman remains. Jesus forgives her, saying, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more." 

This moment embodies the sacrament of reconciliation, reminding us that it's not just about confessing our sins but also about receiving God's forgiveness and being called to a better life, a life of love, compassion, and understanding. Like the woman, we all have our faults, and the gift of reconciliation offers us a chance for healing and renewal.

Homily for Saturday of the 4th Week of Lent

We often believe we want the truth, but when Jesus proclaimed the Gospel, it was more than people expected. The reign of God that Jesus spoke of was rooted in a kind of justice and reconciliation that could be intimidating. It threatened the cocoons people created for themselves and shattered their self-centered approach to the world.

To those who truly understood Jesus, His teachings were not comforting or joyful. They saw Him as a dangerous firebrand, an idealistic radical who seemed oblivious to the complexities of reality.

The Gospel of Jesus is not one of comfort, especially for comfortable people. It is not a Gospel of peace for those at war with themselves or others, nor a Gospel of love for those solely focused on themselves.

Jesus taught us to love our enemies, pray for them, invite those experiencing poverty to our tables, forgive endlessly, seek the lowest place, and take up our cross and follow Him. These radical teachings challenge comfortable and complacent lifestyles and threaten the values that the world often holds dear.

Let us have the courage and humility to look deep within our hearts and souls, to seek to understand Jesus's Gospel message, and to turn to Him for the support, help, and guidance we need to follow in His ways.

Homily for Friday of the 4th Week of Lent

In today's Gospel, we are reminded that we often become so focused on searching for God in places where we expect or hope to find Him that we fail to recognize His presence right in our midst. We may believe God only reveals Himself to us during specific times, situations, or religious practices.

However, the truth is that God is with us at all times, even in the ordinary aspects of our lives. He is present in the kindness and love we show to others and in the kindness and love we receive. He is also present in the daily events we experience and in the many blessings that sustain our lives.

Let us pray for the awareness to recognize God's presence in every moment, circumstance, and action of our lives so that our lives may reflect that presence more fully.

Homily for Thursday of the 4th Week of Lent

Today's readings remind us that God never gives up on us, even when we fail to follow His will. His love is unwavering, and He continually seeks to guide us toward the true path to His kingdom. Knowledge of this should fill us with hope and strengthen our faith. 

While we often focus on the concept of God's wrath, it's crucial to remember that God deeply desires us to be part of His kingdom and actively participate in His plan for the Earth. Our role is not just significant but essential to His divine plan. Unfortunately, we don't always respond to His call.

Let us not underestimate the power of prayer. Through prayer, we open our hearts and minds to hear God's message and live out our purpose with faith and wisdom. May we strive to become the people God intends us to be, guided by His wisdom and grace.

Homily for Wednesday of the 4th Week of Lent

In today's Gospel passage, Jesus emphasizes that His purpose is not to follow His own will but rather the will of the One who sent Him—His Father. The entirety of Jesus' life was guided by the Father's will, which is for all people to find life through faith in Him. Chapter 3 of John's Gospel states, "God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." God desires life, so Jesus proclaims, "I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly."

This same view of God is reflected in today's first reading from the prophet Isaiah. Just as a mother cherishes the child in her womb and nurtures that life, so does God cherish us and work to bring us to the fullness of life.

God guides us to springs of living water. When we pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done," we ask for a culture of life to prevail over a culture of death. We also commit ourselves to fulfilling God's will by protecting life, nurturing it in others, and helping everyone live fully human lives that are shaped by the Holy Spirit and lead to eternal life in heaven.

Homily for Tuesday of the 4th Week of Lent

In today's Gospel reading, we see Jesus criticized by hypocritical individuals for performing a miracle on the Sabbath. This is not the only instance in which people questioned Jesus' goodness and faithfulness while overly and rigidly interpreting the law. They were so focused on the literal meaning of the law that they failed to recognize the greatness and goodness of Jesus' actions.

We can often become preoccupied with the letter of the law and overlook the most important aspects of God's commandments: to love God and love our neighbor.

Let us pray that we may be filled with the spirit of God's law and strive to be messengers of His love and kindness in our world.

Homily for Monday of the 4th Week of Lent

In our Gospel passage, we learn about a court official who approached Jesus to help cure his seriously ill son. Many people had already sought Jesus' assistance in the villages He visited. Initially, Jesus seemed to refuse the official's request, but the official persisted, saying, "Sir, come down before my child dies." Jesus granted his request, but not in the way the man had anticipated. He simply said, "Your son will live." The man believed Jesus' words and returned home. On the way, he discovered that his prayer had been answered.

When we pray to the Lord for help, we might feel our prayers go unanswered. We may not receive the response we were hoping for, but we must persevere in prayer, just like the royal official in the Gospel. We must trust the Lord's promises and carry them in our hearts. Like the royal official, we will find that the Lord answers our prayers, even if it's not in the way we envision.

Homily for Laetare Sunday (4th Sunday of Lent)

Today is Laetare Sunday, which means "rejoice." We are halfway through Lent, and the Church invites us to find joy.

Joy is a feeling we get when we have something good, like winning a sports championship or getting something we want. However, this joy does not last. It fades when we lose, wear out, or tire of that good thing.

Christian joy is different. It comes from what truly satisfies our hearts. This joy does not change; it can never wear out or go away. The source of this joy is God's loving attention. God always thinks about each of us. He knows and loves us completely. This kind of love is demonstrated today in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

Two details of the parable highlight this message. The younger son wastes his inheritance but eventually returns home. St. Luke tells us, "While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him… He ran to his son." It's as if the father scanned the horizon every day, waiting and hoping for his lost son to return. As soon as he sees him, he rushes to him.

God always hopes that we will come to Him. He watches over us not to punish us when we "mess up" but to embrace us and shower us with His grace. His unconditional love is the source of Christian joy.

The older son learns about the celebration and refuses to join the party. What does the father do? St. Luke says, "His father came out and pleaded with him…" God takes the first step in our lives. He reaches out to us.

Again, God knows, loves, and pays attention to us. Remembering this and living according to it is the key to Christian joy.

Today, God invites us to renew our experience of Christian joy. Many of us find that life's troubles can hide our joy. If this is true for you, consider refreshing your friendship with Christ, who is the source of joy.

A simple way to do this is to talk about the blessings God has given you. Sharing good things God has done helps us focus on Him. If we make it a point to discuss God daily—with friends, family, or colleagues—it becomes easier to remember His goodness and love, which are the source of our joy. We can also inspire others to recall God's blessings.

In today's Mass, let us ask God to increase our faith so we can shine brightly, no matter the challenges in life. Let us also ask Him to give courage to anyone who has forgotten His goodness and is afraid to return home.

Homily for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Lent

In the Gospel reading, Jesus shares a parable about a Pharisee who prides himself on his pious lifestyle. He boasts about his fasting and tithing while looking down on the humble tax collector. However, regardless of how well we live, we cannot claim any special approval from God.

We all face challenges with excessive self-worth and pride from time to time. Jesus warns us to be cautious of pride, even when we have achieved something significant. He stated, "When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obligated to do.'"

The good news is that we don't need to earn God's favor through our accomplishments. God has already blessed us by giving us His Son. In response, we serve God by humbly fulfilling His will. Our service to the Lord pales in comparison to His faithful service to us.