St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

Homily for the Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions

Jesus confronted His critics for disregarding God's commandments while insisting on adherence to human rules. He acknowledged that the religious customs of His time did not always align with God's will, as revealed in the Scriptures and more completely by Jesus Himself.

The Church must always be vigilant to ensure that its traditions are in line with God's Word to us, especially as spoken by Jesus. From time to time, our Church must renew itself, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to purify its traditions so that they correspond more closely to the true spirit of the Gospel. We can view the Council of Vatican II as a significant effort to do exactly that.

In our personal lives, we can also fall into traditional patterns that do not align with the essence of God's message to us through the Scriptures. Our personal traditions, whether they be religious or broader in scope, always require reform in the light of the Gospel. We must continue to listen to the Word of the LORD anew and seek the assistance of the Holy Spirit in doing so.

Homily for the Memorial of St. Agatha, Virgin & Martyr

Today's Gospel passage highlights how Jesus was incredibly popular among the ordinary people of Galilee. He attracted the sick and broken because God's healing power was clearly at work through Him. People begged Him to let them touch even the tassel on His cloak, just like the woman who was healed of her flow of blood. People were hurrying to bring their sick to Him. People experiencing poverty and need were especially desperate to get to Him and make contact with Him.

In our own lives, it is often in our brokenness and weakness that we seek out the Lord with the greatest sense of urgency. Something happens to us that makes us vulnerable and unable to manage things independently.

It is these experiences when we come face to face with our frailties that bring home our need for the Lord and our dependence on Him. Often, the darker and more painful experiences of life open us up to the Lord.

When St. Paul struggled with his "thorn in the flesh," he heard the Risen Lord say, "My power is made perfect in weakness." Our various experiences of weakness can be like gateways through which we reach out to the Lord, and the Lord comes to us.

Homily for the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A man from India named Sundar converted to Christianity and stayed in India to bear witness to Jesus. Late one day, he was traveling on foot high in the Himalayas with a Buddhist monk. It was freezing and nearly dark. The monk warned they would freeze to death if they did not reach the monastery before dark.

As they passed by a steep cliff, they heard a cry for help. Deep down in the ravine, a man had fallen and broken his leg. The monk warned Sundar, "Do not stop. God brought him to his fate. He must work it out by himself. That is the tradition. Let us hurry on before we perish."

But Sundar replied, "It is my tradition that God put me here to help my brother: I cannot abandon him." So the monk set off through the snow, which had started to fall heavily.

Sundar climbed down to the man, hoisted him on his back, and started the long, dangerous climb out of the ravine. He found the path and headed toward the monastery in the heavy snow and darkness. The man seemed to grow heavier as they traveled, and sweat began to pour forth from Sundar's body.

Finally, Sundar saw the lights of the monastery. Just then, he fell over something in the snow. He uncovered it and found the body of the monk with whom he had been traveling. He died from the cold only steps from the monastery, while the heat generated by his burden kept Sundar alive. The words of Jesus immediately came to his mind: "For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it." He understood what Jesus meant and was glad he decided to risk losing his life for another.

Years later, when Sundar had his own disciples, they asked him, "Master, what is life's most difficult task?" And he replied, "To have no burden to carry." [1]

Today’s readings speak of burdens, of having things to do. Everyone in our readings has some purpose or task they are about. In the Book of Job, the speaker is lamenting his life's labors. St. Paul speaks of the burden of preaching the Gospel that has been "imposed" on him. Finally, we see Jesus laboring for the health and salvation of others.

Our readings speak of weary people. Even Jesus goes off for rest and prayer after preaching and healing all day, and when his disciples tell him, "Everyone is looking for you," He responds wearily, "Let us go… that I may preach. For this purpose have I come."

Anything worthwhile in life can take a lot of effort and can be hard. But if we understand why we are doing it and what we will have at the end of our labors, this keeps us going. 

We are called to labor in spreading the Good News of God’s kingdom to others. It is daunting, especially when people don't want to hear it. Without seeing much in the way of results, it can seem burdensome. But it is for this purpose that we have come to where we are today. It is for this purpose that we celebrate Mass, that we call ourselves Catholic and Christian, that we live.

Burdens often point to that which we value most in life. As we contemplate today's readings and the burdens we carry, let us be mindful of the call that God has given to each of us to preach the Gospel of love and life. May we accept this burden with excitement and with our hearts set on fulfilling the purpose for which we have come into the world.

[1] Bausch, William J., A World of Stories for Preachers and Teachers, Twenty-third Publications, Mystic. CT, 1999, pp. 323-324.

 

Homily for the 4th Sunday of Advent

Several years ago, journalist Maura Rossi wrote an article on Anne Donaghue, a Georgetown University graduate volunteering at Covenant House in New York City. The purpose of this house is to provide shelter for homeless runaways.

Every night at about ten o'clock, Anne and another volunteer would put gallons of hot chocolate and bags of sandwiches in the Covenant House van. For the next couple of hours, they would tour the city's toughest areas and offer free sandwiches and hot chocolate to the runaways working on the street.

What did the volunteers hope to accomplish on these nightly excursions? Anne answered that question, saying, "We're out there because we know that a lot of kids haven't tried Covenant House yet. Most have never heard of us."

Anne said that they accomplished something else, too. They showed these kids that someone cares and is out there who is neither buying nor selling them. Referring to her first year as a volunteer, Anne said, "I was very depressed. What kind of God would let kids suffer so much? Finally, it got through to me: God is not going to come down and show us His love; we have to let God's love work through us."

Anne's story is a good one, and her last two comments say it all. First, she says, "God is not going to come down and show us His love." She's right; God has already done that in the person of Jesus. That's what Advent is all about. It's preparing to celebrate this great mystery of what God has already done for us by living among us as a human being.

Second, Anne says, "We have to let God's love work through us." Again, she is right. When Jesus ascended to His Father, He commissioned us to continue His work. Just as the Father worked through Jesus during His life on earth, so He works through us in our life on earth. We are to be channels of God's grace to others, just as Jesus was.

Anne was doing that as she drove her van: she was serving as a channel of God's grace to many needy young people. She was doing what Mary was doing in today's Gospel reading. She was saying "yes" to God's invitation to be a vehicle of love in today's world.

And we do what Mary and Anne did. We do this as a parish in our ministries to the needy in our neighborhood and world, in our visitations to the sick and the elderly, in our providing education to our youth, in our teaching the faith tour youth through CCD and our parish school, in our gathering together each week as a community of faith. These are just some ways we are channels of God's grace. We are God's presence to one another through prayer, worship, work, and socializing.

Christmas is when we introduce our young people and those who have not been exposed to Christ to the great mystery that Jesus brought God down to us. But we cannot stop there. If we do, we've told only half our Christmas story. We must teach them why Jesus brought God down to us. It was to show us that we, too, must bring God to others.

Let us pray for an awareness of the many ways God seeks to work through us each day. May we be open to the will of God in our lives, that we may be channels of God's peace and love in the world, and, through our willingness to be instruments of the LORD, may we help to make the world a better place.

 

Homily for Saturday of the 3rd Week of Advent

Naming a child can sometimes lead to disagreements within families. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to naming their children, but ultimately, the parents get to decide.

Zechariah and Elizabeth's relatives and neighbors expected them to name their son "Zechariah" after his father, following traditional customs. However, Zechariah and Elizabeth believed that God had a different name in mind for their child.

During this period, conventional practices were set aside as God was doing something new. This child was going to be unlike any other child, and people wondered what he would grow up to become.

John the Baptist had a significant role to play in preparing people for the coming of someone greater than himself, someone who would be known as Emmanuel, which means "God is with us." God was working in a new way, forging a new agreement with humanity. This incredible gift is what we celebrate during Christmas, and it should always fill us with joy and gratitude.

Homily for Friday of the 3rd Week of Advent

In today's Gospel reading, we heard Mary's beautiful response to her cousin Elizabeth's acknowledgment of her as the Mother of our LORD. This prayer, known as the Magnificat, is a daily proclamation in the official Evening Prayer of the Church across the world.

Mary's response is filled with joy and jubilation as she recognizes the lowly, those who may be looked down upon by others, as being favored by God. She speaks of the reversal of human fortunes and the fulfillment of God's promises in the Old Testament.

Mary's response praises God and acknowledges God's presence and providence in the lives of all those who inhabit the earth.

May we also recognize God's presence in our lives and respond with praise for God, sharing that presence with all whom we encounter.

Homily for Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Advent

Zechariah received good news from the angel Gabriel that his wife Elizabeth, who had been unable to have children, would soon give birth to a special son. This son would have the calling of preparing the people for the LORD. However, Zechariah had a hard time believing this wonderful news.

Sometimes, we too find it difficult to believe good news because we are surrounded by bad news. We may struggle to believe the Good News that comes from God, or we may believe it in general but not for ourselves specifically.

At this time of year, we celebrate the Good News that God has become Emmanuel, God-with-us, through the birth of Jesus, Mary's son. This is Good News for all of us as a people and as individuals. Christ is with us in every aspect of our lives, surrounding us with His love and guidance. Let us embrace this Good News with joy during this special time of year.

Homily for Monday of the 3rd Week of Advent

The Gospel of Matthew differs from the other Gospels in that it doesn't tell us about the Annunciation to Mary. However, it does contain an account of an angel's message to Joseph.

In Luke's Gospel, the angel tells Mary, "Do not be afraid." In Matthew's Gospel, the angel tells Joseph the same thing: "Do not be afraid."

God was doing something unprecedented and significant in the lives of Mary and Joseph, something crucial for humanity's redemption. The conception of Jesus was a miraculous demonstration of God's grace that understandably stirred doubts in the hearts of Mary and Joseph, who were the most affected. Both of them needed assurance to confront the challenge ahead of them.

In times of change, transition, and challenge, we all require the same reassurance: "Do not be afraid." May we have faith in God's presence, in Emmanuel - God is with us - just as Mary and Joseph did, and in doing so, may we become willing participants in God's plan for us.

Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Advent

A woman in a Bible Study group told a story about how she had recently gone down into her basement and made an interesting discovery. Some potatoes had sprouted in the darkest corner of the room. At first, she didn’t understand how they could have gotten enough light to sprout. But then she noticed that she had hung large copper kettle from a rafter above the potatoes. She had kept the kettle so well-polished that it reflected the sun’s rays coming through the window onto the potatoes and enabled them to sprout.

As she reflected further upon this incident, she saw it as a metaphor for her role in spreading the message of Jesus to others. She was not a brilliant theologian or scripture scholar but she did pray, she did worship, she did seek to know God. And in the way she lived her life, she could see where she, like the copper kettle, could reflect the light of Christ’s love even to those who seemed to live in darkness.

This story of the copper kettle fits in well with our readings for today’s Mass. Isaiah the prophet says, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.”

That same Spirit of the Lord God came upon the woman, and she felt the same call to bring the glad tidings of Jesus to those who did not see God in their lives.

Her story also fits in well with today’s second reading, where St. Paul tells us not to “quench the Spirit.” The woman didn’t seek to quench God’s spirit. Instead, she hoped to share the love of God with all those she met. She wanted her life to be a reflection of the life and love she received from God.

Finally, the story fits in well with today’s Gospel, which recalls for us the preaching of John the Baptist. John went into the desert in his youth to ponder the Word of God. He then came forth from the desert to preach God’s Word to the people, saying, “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, make straight the way of the Lord!”

The story of John the Baptist and the story of the woman with the copper kettle are both Advent stories. They are stories of individuals who found Christ by pondering the Word of God. They are stories of individuals who shared their discoveries with others so that they, too, could find Christ.

All of us here in this church today are called to do the same thing. The Spirit of the Lord is upon us, too. We, too, have been anointed to bring glad tidings to the poor and the downtrodden and to those who have chosen other paths and to those who live in darkness. Through our baptism and confirmation, we received the same calling they did and so, we too must proclaim God’s Word to others.

There are lots of ways that we can do this. We can do this in our homes to our relatives and our friends by the way we live and by sharing with them in prayer. We can proclaim Christ in the kinds of Christmas cards and greetings that we send to others; greetings that proclaim the birth of Christ. We can proclaim Christ to our friends and relatives who have fallen away from the faith by inviting them to join us at Mass on Christmas Day or even during the Advent season.

We’re invited to do all of these things and more. We have been invited to find Christ in our lives so that we can help others to find Christ as well. We’ve been invited to become a light in the darkness of our world just as the woman in our story and John the Baptist were. This is Christ’s own personal message and invitation to us in today’s readings. Now, it’s up to us to respond.

Homily for Friday of the 2nd Week of Advent

Jesus was a keen observer of people and often used everyday images drawn from people's daily lives to talk about the kingdom of God. In today's Gospel, He observed children at play in the marketplaces. Sometimes, the children played joyfully, pretending to play pipes while others danced to the music. Other times, their games reflected the sorrows of life, perhaps from having witnessed the death of an elderly family member. Some children sang dirges while others lamented and cried in response. However, some children refused to play at all. They wouldn't dance when the music played nor mourn when dirges were sung.

The unresponsive children reminded Jesus of certain grim and unresponsive adults. They showed no signs of mourning in response to John the Baptist's stern message, nor did they dance in response to Jesus' more cheerful message. They disregarded John, labeling him as possessed, and Jesus as a glutton and a drunkard.

Interestingly, Jesus identified His ministry with the piper and the dance. His life and message are good news — the Good News of God’s love for us.

God invites us to align ourselves with the “music” of Jesus, the “music” of His Spirit in our lives. We strive to attune ourselves to the LORD's rhythm and melody and let it influence everything we say and do. This is our Advent calling as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus.