St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

Homily for the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel, John has been arrested by Herod, and, in response to this treatment, Jesus makes himself scarce, withdrawing to Nazareth.

In other places in the Gospels, we’ve seen this tendency of Jesus to withdraw and seek refuge in another place in the face of difficult situations. One time, evading unruly crowds, he escapes on a boat across the Sea of Galilee. From hostile Pharisees in the temple, who take up stones to kill him, Jesus hides and then slips away. Some might feel a little uneasy watching Jesus withdraw repeatedly from tough situations, perhaps wondering if He isn’t simply avoiding them.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus withdraws to Nazareth, where He spent his childhood. In the face of Herod’s threats, He has gone home. Some may think He would be glad to be home. Perhaps. But, for people, "going home," once they’ve moved away, can be complex. 

Home is where we come into contact with our personal history, and ourselves. Jesus has gone home; He has returned to Himself, and to that place where He is able to see most clearly the truth about Himself. This may sound like self-absorption or escapism. But, as we follow the path of his withdrawal, we see that, soon after He arrived home, He left and traveled to Capernaum, not simply to visit but, according to the Gospel, to live. This was a place where, according to the Gospel, "people lived in darkness" in a "land overshadowed by death". Jesus' move is looking less like a withdrawal and more like an engagement with the very evil, we thought He was avoiding.

He is, in fact, actively confronting evil. Jesus took to the streets, proclaiming boldly: "Reform your lives! The kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

Then He approaches Simon and Andrew, fishermen on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, saying: "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men!" A little further down the shore, He approaches two other strangers, saying: "Follow me!" Incredibly, all four men leave their nets and follow the impassioned stranger!

Jesus is beginning His public ministry. But before He initiated the kingdom of heaven on the shores of Galilee, He went through a process: He withdrew from the noise and contention of the world; He went home; experienced and acknowledged the truth about Himself and was moved to associate himself with those who live in darkness; in the shadow of death, and only then does the voice of the Messiah burst upon our ears, as he cries out with confidence, "The kingdom of God is here!"

A lesson for us in today’s Scriptures is that, if we could come home to ourselves; if we could embrace, the way Jesus did, the truth about ourselves, that we are, all of us destined to die; if we could let ourselves be identified with the rest of the human race all huddled together: one mortal body overshadowed by death, then there would arise from our hearts the cry: "Save us, Lord, from this body of death!" And having prayed this prayer, we would have ears to hear Jesus’ voice proclaiming: "The kingdom of God is here! The reign of death is ended!" and, hearing Jesus' voice, we ourselves, would be given new voices. We would become fishers of men and women gathering to ourselves all who seem so different from us, even our enemies, and recognizing them as our own brothers and sisters in that kingdom where every tear is wiped away and death is no more.

Homily for the Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

St. Mark strongly suggests that many people did not understand Jesus during His public ministry, not even His family. A recurring question, in one form or another, is, "Who then is this?"

 

In today's notably brief Gospel reading, it is clear that even Jesus' relatives do not understand Him or what He is doing. When the demands placed on Jesus prevent Him from eating properly, St. Mark tells us that His relatives try to take charge of Him, convinced that "He is out of His mind." They would soon learn that He would not allow His relatives to control Him.

 

Jesus was doing His heavenly Father's work, and part of that work was to form a new family—a family of disciples, brothers and sisters of Jesus, sons and daughters of the Father. Jesus' own family, His relatives, would have to learn to accept that.

 

All of us are members of that new family; we are all the result of Jesus' work, a work that people struggled to understand at the time. For those of us who are part of this new family, the question "Who then is this?" remains relevant. We are always striving to know the Son of God more fully, whose brothers and sisters we have become.

Homily for Friday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time

What may at first seem like an insignificant line in today’s Gospel actually deserves our attention. It comes right after Jesus calls those He chose, stating, "And they came to Him."

 

Jesus called the Twelve whom He wanted as His Apostles, and they came to Him.

 

Every day, Jesus calls us; He is always reaching out to us. Do we respond when He calls? Are we even aware of when and how He calls us?

 

In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus tells us that He calls us through people who need help with basic necessities, such as food, water, clothing, and shelter. He is present in those who are sick and need our compassion and care, as well as in the stranger, those who are imprisoned, especially those who suffer from oppression.

 

Do we recognize Jesus in these individuals? Do we hear His call through them? Do we reach out to Him by serving these people? We should, because Jesus made it clear many times that He can be found and served through people like these.

Homily for the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

Decisions and actions that threaten human life are influenced by many factors: feeling afraid, unsupported, pressured, angry, or alone. These emotions can lead some people to make choices that endanger not only the lives of others but also their own.

 

Consider a college student who has conceived a child in her womb. She feels pressure to choose between her future plans and the life within her own body.

 

Consider expectant parents who have just learned that their baby may have a serious disability. Our culture and laws allow and even encourage them to consider ending the child’s life to prevent the baby from suffering or struggling.

 

The disagreement between those who are "Pro-Life" and those who are "Pro-Choice" stirs up strong feelings on both sides. Still, we are called to love both unborn children and their parents—even when they're considering abortion—by offering real support to help people in difficult pregnancy situations welcome their children both before and after birth.

 

Let us pray for the wisdom, compassion, and commitment required to make real change in society’s respect for all human life, from the moment of conception to its natural death.

Homily for the Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

Jesus, as we have just heard, proclaims that works of love and mercy may—and should—be done on the Sabbath. He Himself does God’s work on the Sabbath by healing a man’s withered hand in the synagogue. Yet, irrationally, some religious and political leaders began to plot together to destroy Jesus for doing something they considered sinful. This story takes place in only the third chapter of Mark’s Gospel, but it points ahead to the end of the Gospel story. Jesus was crucified because He was dedicated to doing God’s work among the poor and the marginalized—and put that work ahead of the letter of the law.

 

Jesus’ life shows us that good works do not always bring their appropriate reward in this life. It is a strange paradox, but one that is often true: good can provoke an evil response from some people. The goodness of some brings out the evil in others. Yet, Jesus teaches us that goodness is its own reward. He Himself persisted in the good work that His Father gave Him to do, regardless of the harsh response of the authorities.

 

Hopefully, we strive to be faithful to what is right and good, not because of any praise it might bring us, but because it is what God asks us to do. Let us pray that we may persist in being faithful to our calling to share in the work of Jesus by bringing compassion, healing, and life to others, regardless of the cost.

Homily for Tuesday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time

The Pharisees criticized Jesus' disciples for picking and eating heads of grain on the Sabbath, believing this act constituted work and was therefore prohibited. The Pharisees were deeply committed to upholding the religious laws and traditions passed down over generations. As a result, they were often quick to judge any actions they perceived as violating those laws. They assumed they fully understood what God expected of people on the Sabbath, but in reality, they did not understand the true intention behind it.

 

Although they considered themselves experts on the subject, the Pharisees had important lessons to learn from Jesus and His perspective on the Sabbath. Jesus challenged their narrow interpretation by reminding them of God's mercy and compassion. He pointed out that the Sabbath was made to benefit people, not to burden them with excessive rules. His teaching revealed a deeper understanding of God's heart, emphasizing love and grace over rigid legalism.

 

In our faith journey, we all have much to learn from the Lord. Just as the Pharisees needed to be open to Jesus' teaching, we, too, are called to listen for God's voice in our lives. He continues to speak to us and wants to teach and enlighten us through His Word. When we approach the Scriptures with openness and humility, we allow God to correct our misunderstandings and lead us into greater truth.

 

As learners, we should come to the Word not as experts, but with a willingness to invite the Lord to enlighten us and guide us further in our quest for complete truth. By placing our trust in God and remaining teachable, we can grow in wisdom and better reflect His love and character in our daily lives.

Homily for Monday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time

Wine played a vital role at wedding celebrations in Jesus’ time, marking the beginning of a marriage and symbolizing joy, abundance, and God’s blessing on the couple. This is clear from the story of the Wedding Feast at Cana, which comes before today’s Gospel reading. At Cana, Jesus performed his first public miracle by turning water into wine, saving the hosts from embarrassment and bringing joy to the celebration. When Jesus later referred to Himself as the bridegroom, He compared His presence in the world to new wine, signifying the arrival of something wonderfully new and transformative.

The new wine, representing the Lord’s loving presence and life-giving action, needs new wineskins to contain and share it. In biblical times, new wine was placed in fresh wineskins so it could ferment and expand; using old, brittle wineskins would cause them to burst, resulting in the loss of both the wine and the skin. In a similar way, the love and grace that Jesus brings cannot be contained in rigid, unchanging hearts. While the Lord’s love is a free gift, it also calls us to ongoing personal transformation, urging us to continually renew our lives so His love can truly shape us.

With new wine comes the need for new wineskins: we must continually shed our old habits, attitudes, and limitations, making room for God’s grace to work within us. This ongoing renewal allows us to grow in faith, hope, and love, always moving closer to God and allowing His presence to transform every aspect of our lives.

Homily for the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

All of us have mirrors in our homes, and most of us look into a mirror more than once a day—some of us look in the mirror several times a day—but we all look into a mirror to see ourselves. We want to know how we look because we will be seen by others.

 

Descriptions of John the Baptist suggest that he really didn’t care how he looked. To many, he looked like a madman. He wore camel hair for clothing; he’s described as dirty, unkempt, unshaven, and with wild hair. Maybe a mirror would have helped him, but his focus was never on himself—instead, it was on proclaiming that the Savior was coming. His focus was on looking for the Holy Spirit to descend upon someone, marking them as the Messiah.

As we visit the scene of the Baptism of Jesus by John at the Jordan River, we are invited to place ourselves in that moment, to imagine the sights and sounds along the riverbank. Picture the anticipation in the crowd, the gentle flow of the water, and the sense of sacredness as John immerses Jesus in the waters of the Jordan. In that powerful moment, the Holy Spirit descends not just for Jesus but as a promise to all who would follow.

 

We’re called to remember that the Holy Spirit also came down upon us on the day of our Baptism. For most of us, there was no visible sign—a dove did not land somewhere, the heavens did not open—yet something profound took place. Even if we didn’t perceive it with our physical senses, the gift was real, settling deep within our souls. That spiritual reality continues to shape us, even if we remain unaware of its daily influence.

 

John the Baptist was so in sync with God’s message that he could see the Holy Spirit at work when it descended upon Jesus like a dove. His spiritual vision allowed him to recognize God’s presence in ways others could not. In the same way, we are called to cultivate a spiritual awareness, to look beyond appearances and recognize the quiet movements of the Holy Spirit in our own lives.

 

As God’s people—those baptized in water and anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit, those anointed like Jesus as priest, prophet, and king—each of us is called not simply to passively wait to hear the voice of God, but to actively seek God’s plan as John the Baptist did. This means living with expectation, listening in prayer, and being ready to respond when God calls, no matter how subtle or unexpected the invitation.

 

The more we seek God’s plan, the more we can begin to see the Holy Spirit at work in others and in ourselves. Looking into that spiritual mirror, we begin to notice the image of God reflecting back at us—sometimes clearly, sometimes dimly, but always there. Although we probably won’t see a dove, we will recognize the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in ourselves and others: in changed hearts, in a growing desire to avoid sin, in a deepening prayer life, and in a genuine urge to serve and love others. It’s then that we truly mirror the love of Christ to the world.

Homily for the Memorial of St. Anthony

Today's Gospel illustrates how Jesus wants us to share His message—with openness, compassion, and a willingness to reach beyond our comfort zones. He dined with many, including sinners, tax collectors, and others whom society considered less acceptable than law-abiding Pharisees. This was a radical act at the time, challenging religious and social norms and expectations. By breaking bread with sinners, He likely shared God’s Word with them—God’s healing and merciful message. Jesus showed that no one is beyond the reach of God’s love. Defending His actions, He said, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” His words remind us that God’s invitation is not limited to a select few.

 

Jesus reveals a Father who does not withhold His living Word or grace from us, even when we feel unworthy. No matter our past mistakes or shortcomings, God’s love remains steadfast. The Lord continues to speak words of love and light into the darkest and most troubled parts of our lives, bringing hope and comfort when we need it most. He offers us the Bread of His Word to satisfy our deepest hunger and waits for us to take and eat, inviting us into a relationship that nourishes our souls and brings lasting fulfillment.

 

We are called to reflect God’s mercy and to invite everyone to the Lord’s Table, not just those who seem to conform to the ideal of Christian living. ALL are called, especially sinners, because God’s love knows no boundaries. Our role is not to judge who is worthy, but to extend the same welcome that Jesus offered to all. God’s grace and mercy are not rewards for perfection; instead, they are essential as we strive to be perfect, just as our heavenly Father is perfect. Through His mercy, we find the strength to grow in faith and love, helping others to experience the transformative power of God’s embrace.

Homily for Friday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time

In our Gospel reading today, we encounter the well-known story of Jesus healing the paralyzed man on the mat. The scene is filled with anticipation as the man's friends, driven by hope and determination, lower him through the roof to reach Jesus. While the man's healing is significant, it is part of a larger narrative: the forgiveness of sins. This healing shows the doubters and critics that Jesus has the authority to forgive sins—a radical claim that challenged the religious leaders of his time. As we see in many healing stories, it is through their faith that people receive healing and forgiveness. This is not simply a reward; their faith opens them to God's healing power, which is always present and available to us.

 

The main focus of this story is not just the healing of the body but the transformation of our souls through God's forgiveness of our sins and the restoration of our relationships with God and one another. The courage and faith of the paralyzed man's friends are central—they went to great lengths, overcoming obstacles and social pressure, because they truly believed Jesus could heal him. Their faith not only brought physical healing to their friend but also brought them all closer to God. Their example reminds us of the power of community and intercessory prayer in our own spiritual journeys.

 

Let us pray for the kind of faith that moves us to action—faith that brings us and those we love closer to God's healing power. May we have the courage to reach out, support one another, and trust that God's grace is always at work in our lives.