St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

Homily for Wednesday of Holy Week

The early Church was aware that Jesus was betrayed by one of His closest associates. Although it was uncomfortable for them, they didn't try to hide the fact that Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus' disciples, betrayed Him.

The Gospel tells us that when Jesus announced that one of those sharing at the table with Him would betray Him, everyone present was “greatly distressed.” Being betrayed by someone you trust is very distressing for the one betrayed and for all those associated with Him.

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

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

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

Homily for Tuesday of Holy Week

In the final days of Jesus' life, people responded to Him in different ways. While Judas betrayed Him, the beloved disciple sat close to him, even leaning on his chest. In the opening chapter of the Gospel, the Evangelist describes Jesus as being "upon the chest of the Father," which suggests a close relationship. The beloved disciple seems to have had a similar relationship with Jesus and is an example to follow.

The beloved disciple is not given a name in the Gospel, as we are all invited to identify with him. We can look to him as a model for discipleship and strive to imitate him. We are called to have the same kind of relationship with Jesus as the beloved disciple had, which is why Jesus said, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; remain in my love." We can share in Jesus' special relationship with his Father in heaven.

This is something to reflect on during Holy Week.

Homily for Monday of Holy Week

During the final week of His life, most people who saw Jesus were hostile to Him. However, six days before the feast of Passover, a family that He loved invited Jesus to their table, where He experienced great kindness. One member of that family, Mary, went to great expense to render Him a thoughtful service. She anointed His feet with expensive perfume and dried them with her hair. Later in the same Gospel, Jesus will wash the feet of His followers.

Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anticipated Jesus's servant-gesture and offered Him generous, loving service, exactly as Jesus would do for His disciples and us. Jesus interpreted her generous act as preparing Him for His death and burial.

At the beginning of the last week of His life, Jesus welcomed this act of kindness from Mary of Bethany. What she did for Him, we are called to do for each other. During our own life journeys, we may encounter people who make things difficult for us. Yet, we will also come across people like Mary who support us on our journey. Hopefully, we can do for others what Mary did for Jesus - a kind and generous gesture in an often-hostile world.

Homily for Saturday of the 5th Week of Lent

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

This Gospel is relevant to our lives today as we see men and women who dare to speak the truth to power. Anyone who takes God's call to be His prophets seriously is required to 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 are opposed to these fundamental principles.

However, the promise of the Resurrection is for those who dare to take up the cause of justice and reconciliation. These are the people who proclaim that God has redeemed His people.

Let us pray for the courage and strength to speak the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our words, actions, and in our very lives.

Homily for Friday of the 5th Week of Lent

Both Jeremiah, from today's first reading, and Jesus faced persecution for challenging those who prioritized rituals and rules over people. These individuals were not inherently bad, but their devotion to laws had become so rigid that they no longer reflected God's mercy.

When religious rules are applied rigidly, they can become like idols and be misused as a means to judge every action. Certain religious followers may find 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 become more Christ-like and are confident that our lives are fulfilling the purpose that God intended.

Homily for Thursday of the 5th Week of Lent

Jesus's words have a deep-rooted significance that goes back to Abraham's time and even further back to the beginning of time. When Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I AM," He was identifying Himself as God, the one who always exists.

The Gospel of John presents Jesus as more than just a fulfillment of Abraham's faith and hope. John sees Jesus as one with God before the creation of the universe. John understands that God led Israel's history forward to the day when the eternal Word became human as Jesus, the Son of Mary

For Christians, Jesus is the Lord of our history. His plans will remain unfulfilled until all nations are united as one faith and family. St. Paul echoes this sentiment when he says that through baptism in Christ, we have all become one. There is no longer division based on origin, wealth, or social status. All those who are one in Christ are descendants of Abraham and inherit all that was promised to him and his offspring.

Homily for Wednesday of the 5th Week of Lent

Jesus said, "The truth will set you free," and later in John's Gospel, He declared, "I am the truth." He is a source of genuine freedom for His followers. Jesus 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 that 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 freedom to love and give of ourselves to others, just as Jesus gave of Himself to us. That is the freedom we pray for in these final weeks of Lent.

Homily for the Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The traditional artistic depiction of St. Joseph, the father of Jesus, is that of an old man, more like Jesus’ grandfather than His father. However, the Spanish artist El Greco painted St. Joseph as a vigorous young man with Jesus holding onto his legs, portraying him as a strong, trustworthy, and protective figure. This is much closer to the portrayal of St. Joseph in the Gospels than the usual elderly depiction of him.

Today's Gospel suggests that although St. Joseph was protective of his young Son, he sometimes struggled to understand Him. After searching anxiously for Jesus with Mary, Joseph finally found Him in the Temple, only to be told by Jesus that He must be busy with His Father’s affairs.

St. Joseph realized that his young Son had someone else in His life whom He called "Father." Clearly, his Son had a stronger loyalty to this "Father" than to His earthly parents. St. Joseph learned that he had to allow his Son to pursue a greater purpose, even if it wasn't the one he had in mind for Jesus. As a result, St. Joseph serves as an inspiration and a reference point for all parents who must work through the difficult task of learning to “let go” of their children.

Homily for Monday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time

In the biblical account of the adulterous woman brought before Jesus by the Pharisees, they suggested that she should be stoned to death as punishment for her moral failure. However, Jesus did not agree with this approach. He recognized that the situation was much more complex than the Pharisees' simplistic solution allowed for. The Gospel reading highlights that Jesus had a different way of dealing with moral failure that was more compassionate and understanding.

The individuals who presented the woman to Jesus had a limited view of her, only focusing on her recent past. However, without ignoring her sin, Jesus had a more compassionate perspective, taking into consideration her entire life story instead of just one aspect. By seeing the complete picture of her life, he recognized that she had a promising future that those who brought her to him would have denied her from experiencing.

When the Lord looks at us, He sees the entire picture and doesn't become fixated on just one or two details. He hears the full story of our lives. The Lord understands that our story is still unfinished and will only be complete when He transforms our humble bodies into the image of His glorious body.

Homily for the 5th Sunday of Lent

Here in New England and many other parts of the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada, it is currently "sugaring season." This season lasts for about six weeks, from late February through mid-April, during which maple trees are "tapped" for their sap.

During the period known as the "sap run," the frozen sap inside the maple tree begins to thaw and circulate, causing pressure to build up within the tree. When the pressure within the tree reaches a certain level, the sap will flow out from any new wound or injury on the tree.

Farmers and producers collect the crystal-clear sap and boil it in an evaporator over a blazing hot fire. Only water is removed, and nothing is added. The sap becomes more concentrated until it becomes maple syrup.

Maple syrup, which is often paired with pancakes or French toast, is a parable of what it means to love as God loves us. By allowing our self-centeredness to be boiled away, we can transform our lives in the grace and peace of God.

May we have the faith of a grain of wheat, which dies to itself to bear fruit in God's harvest of justice and forgiveness. May we also embrace the faith of a spring maple tree, willing to give ourselves for the sake of others as Christ gave himself up for us. In doing so, we will allow ourselves to be transformed by the life and love of the Risen Christ.