St. Thomas the Apostle Parish

Jesus admonished the Pharisees and the scholars of the Law for placing heavy burdens on people instead of helping them. Their interpretation of Jewish Law was misguided, turning what should have been a path to life into a heavy load for those already facing life's challenges. Jesus did not come to make people feel more guilty. Instead, He offered comfort, saying, "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." (Matthew 11:28-30) At times, the Gospel can feel demanding, but this is meant to help us grow in love within our relationships. We are not to feel completely weighed down by these challenges. God desires for us to experience life in its fullest measure. He presents us with challenges but also provides the Holy Spirit to guide us on our journey toward eternal life.

Experience teaches us that people have different priorities and values. What is essential to one person may be unimportant to someone else, and this can lead to frustration when something we regard as necessary is not taken seriously by others.  For example, the prescribed ritual of washing before meals was more critical to the host than it was to Jesus. This highlighted their conflicting priorities. Certain rituals, like prescribed washings, held less significance for Jesus compared to the values and attitudes of our minds and souls.  Jesus then emphasizes the importance of almsgiving and caring for those living in poverty as a means of purifying one's deepest self. Ultimately, love takes precedence over human-made rituals.  It's crucial to recognize that what we consider vital may not always align with Jesus' values. To truly emulate Him, we must allow Him to shape our perspectives rather than trying to shape Him to fit our own. Our ultimate goal should be to align our priorities with His, as this alignment is essential for spiritual growth and guides us on our journey.

Jesus often seemed frustrated with those who sought signs yet were unwilling to put their faith in the power bestowed upon Him by His Father in heaven. He understood that no sign would truly inspire their faith; they would be entertained by the spectacle of the sign but would ultimately move on to something else, completely missing the power and authority behind it. Jesus referenced the sign of Jonah, explaining how, as a "mere" prophet, Jonah led the Ninevites to repentance. He emphasized that someone far greater than Jonah was among them, but they couldn't recognize Him for who He truly was or comprehend His purpose because He appeared too ordinary. Let us earnestly pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance to help us discern when Jesus's power and presence are at work in the seemingly ordinary moments of our lives. This recognition can open the door to a deeper faith in God's boundless love, unending mercy, and His active presence in our daily lives.

In the story of the ten lepers, St. Luke notes that only one of them realized he had been made “clean.” There is no mention of the other nine being aware of their healing. At what moment did the Samaritan leper come to this realization? Did part of the rag covering him slip, allowing him to see a patch of healthy skin? Did he feel a surge of energy he hadn’t experienced in years? Did he suddenly discover that his arms, hands, legs, and feet were whole again, enabling him to stand straight, walk, run, or grab his walking stick or bag? Did he sense the ugly wounds drying up, the constant stinging subsiding, and the persistent stench disappearing? Or perhaps he noticed that no one was staring at him anymore, that he was no longer the object of scorn or ridicule, and that passersby no longer avoided him. Maybe someone even smiled at him! For the first time in many years, the leper felt physically well. He found himself no longer on the fringes of society but welcomed into it. The now-healed leper realized that his life was filled with possibilities, recognizing that this encounter with Jesus had given him a new lease on life. The moment he realized he was “clean” or healed must have been an extraordinary experience of joy and gratitude. Some people never experience that moment of realization that the grateful leper did; they remain unaware of how much they have received from God. Instead, they mourn what they lack, consumed by disappointment and cynicism. Their self-absorption isolates them from others, trapping them in a cycle of fear, distrust, and hopelessness. However, if we approach life with a sense of faith, there will be many moments when we realize just how much God loves us, even when life is not easy or does not meet our expectations. Each person’s moments of realization will be different, but they are there; we simply need to open our hearts and surrender our wants and desires to the mercy and goodness of God. We pray that our lives may be illuminated by the realization that we have been made “whole” by our loving God—created in God’s image, sustained by God’s forgiveness, and transformed by God’s grace.

Today's Gospel reading is the shortest in the Lectionary, consisting of only two verses. In this passage, we see a brief exchange between Jesus and a woman who was so moved by His teaching that she spontaneously called Jesus' mother blessed for being His mother. However, Jesus expanded the blessing to a larger group, saying, "Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it." In this larger group, Jesus' mother plays a significant role. Mary, a shining example of devotion, heard the word of God and kept it better than anyone else. Her attitude was always, "Let it be done to me according to your word." Mary is blessed not only because of her motherhood but also because she dedicated herself to hearing and doing God's word. Her unwavering commitment to God's teachings inspires us all, encouraging us to follow in her footsteps.

Some people tried to test Jesus by asking Him to show a miracle from heaven to prove that He was working on God's behalf. They didn't realize how God was already present and at work in Jesus' ministry. Jesus said that if He was able to drive out demons by God's power, then it was clear that God was helping Him, even if people didn't understand it. He didn't need to perform a miracle to show that He had authority. Even today, some people are still fascinated by amazing and miraculous events. It is sad to miss how God is with us through the kindness, good deeds, and prayers of others. In our daily lives, it can be easy to overlook these essential truths. On a war memorial in Kilkenny, Ireland, the words of Irish Republican, poet, and journalist Joseph Mary Plunkett are engraved: "I see His blood upon the rose and in the stars the glory of His eyes." He recognized the presence of Jesus in nature. The finest aspects of human nature and relationships can convey the presence and action of God in our lives even more profoundly.

Perseverance is rooted in the conviction that we will ultimately achieve our objectives. In today's Gospel, St. Luke employs the term "persistence" instead of "perseverance," which implies a kind of determined resilience.  This idea resonates with the Jewish cultural value of hospitality, even to those who arrive at inconvenient times. While it may seem unusual to disturb a neighbor at midnight for assistance, Jesus' parable emphasizes that if we are persistent, the door will be opened to us.  This imagery reflects God's willingness to care for us, much like parents provide for their children. According to Jesus, the heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask, which the Gospel writers, especially St. Luke, regard as the greatest gift from God.

Jesus was committed to prayer, even during the busy and stressful times of His life. His dedication to prayer inspired His disciples to seek guidance, prompting them to say, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." They understood that to pray effectively, they would need significant help. Prayer is not merely a human activity; it is an expression of God's work within us, guided by the Holy Spirit. The disciples' request, "Lord, teach us to pray," is itself a form of prayer. In response, Jesus provided them with the Lord's Prayer, which introduces essential principles of prayer. It begins with an act of worship, focusing on God's glory and will before making any requests for our needs. This serves as a model for all our prayers. We begin by honoring God and then entrusting our needs to Him, cultivating in ourselves a sense of reverence and humility.

As we celebrate the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, we are reminded that the Rosary invites us to reflect on the significant mysteries of Jesus' life, death, and Resurrection, thereby deepening our relationship with Him. Additionally, the Joyful Mysteries highlight the life and faith of Mary. St. Luke portrays Mary as a contemplative figure who thoughtfully considers all that occurs in the life of her Son. She exemplifies the mindset and heart we are encouraged to bring to our prayers of the Rosary. In praying the Rosary, we cherish and meditate on the key moments in Jesus' life on earth and His return to God the Father, as well as those of Mary. Mary not only contemplated what God was accomplishing through Jesus' words and actions, but she also surrendered herself to His will, as demonstrated by her response to the angel Gabriel: "May it be done to me according to your word." This spirit of surrender transformed her life and has the potential to transform ours, helping us become the people God created us to be.

In today’s Gospel, a lawyer asks Jesus two important questions. First, he wants to know, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus encourages him to think about the command to love God and love your neighbor. Next, the lawyer asks, “And who is my neighbor?” He may be asking this to justify why he doesn’t treat everyone as his neighbor. In response, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. When we look closely at the parable, we see that it does not directly answer the question, “Who is my neighbor?” Instead, it answers a different question: “Which of these three people acted like a neighbor?” The parable shows what it means to be a true neighbor. Jesus implies that being a neighbor is more important than simply defining who a neighbor is. The main lesson is that everyone is our neighbor. We could also say that the answer to the lawyer’s first question—“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”—is to be a good neighbor. If you want to understand what it means to be a neighbor, look at the Samaritan’s actions. The priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan all see the wounded man on the road. What sets the Samaritan apart is that he chooses to help. The priest and the Levite likely saw the wounded man but focused only on their religious laws, which they thought were more important than showing kindness. Their way of thinking stopped them from helping. In contrast, the Samaritan’s point of view was filled with compassion and mercy. This perspective is similar to how Jesus views others. So, His answer to the lawyer’s first question is: “Be a good neighbor, just like I am.”

Technology brings news to our attention in ways that it was never able to do in the past. With cable TV, the internet, and news alerts on our mobile phones and tablets, we receive news as it happens, literally. Unfortunately, so much of that news is “bad news.” There are times when it seems like we never hear any good news, and our awareness of all the turmoil in our world can cause us to start feeling despair. Sometimes, the response to all the bad news is to simply look to civil authorities to take responsibility for everything that needs to be done. Sometimes, the reaction to all the bad news is to seek only a rational response, instead of a prayerful one. People of faith come in many different varieties: some people simply pray for miracles. Then there are those who “go into the trenches,” so to speak, to get things done, but who do so with a sense of prayer. They pray to God for the strength and wisdom to deal with the problems they are trying to tackle, and they also make their work a prayer. Our Scripture readings today all point to the unity of prayer and service. People like St. Vincent de Paul, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and Dorothy Day, who began the Catholic Worker Movement, were people who believed in the power of God but also believed that God gave them specific gifts, talents, and abilities to bring the grace of God into some severe problems in our world; people who used these gifts to make better the lives of the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed. Their prayers and their actions were tightly interwoven. Indeed, we cannot go through the world as people who right every wrong. But, we can go through life praying for every suffering person and taking action in the part of the world where we live. This week, some of the young people of our parish will begin their final preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. In a few months, when they celebrate their Confirmation, it will be the culmination of their formal catechetical training for the past several years and the beginning of a new commitment to practicing their faith in worship, word, and action. Part of the final preparation for Confirmation always involves service to those in need and a reflection on how this service to the needy is an integral part of the faith life of every Christian. Every Christian needs to make this connection and live it out as much as possible, especially for the teens of our Church. The young people of our Church are not just the future of the Church; they are also the Church of the present time. At every stage of our lives, we are not only called but also given the gifts to bring our lives to prayer and then to go back and make a positive impact on the lives of those with whom we come into contact, especially those most in need. We’re never too young and never too old to answer that call in some way. And God is with us, every step of the way, to guide us, to be with us, and to work through us.This week, let us take at least one opportunity to pray for someone we know who is struggling or suffering and then to reach out, even in a small way, to let them know that we care.

It is natural for us to feel proud of our work, especially when we do it well. The disciples come back happy after a successful mission, excitedly telling Jesus that they were able to cast out demons. Jesus appreciates their success but tells them to focus on something more important. What matters most is that their names are written in heaven.  The greatest joy for them—and for us—is our relationship with God. It is this connection with God that makes our work meaningful. Jesus said, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see." The disciples recognized that God is present in Jesus and believed in His special connection with the Father, feeling part of that relationship. This connection is the true source of their joy after they have done their best.  Sharing in Jesus' relationship with God is our greatest treasure, more valuable than any accomplishments we may have in life. This relationship is what "many prophets and kings wanted to see and hear," and it is the deepest reason we feel joy and gratitude. Even when our working lives end, our connection with God through Jesus continues.

The people of Chorazin and Bethsaida did not understand the importance of Jesus when He was with them. They ignored His ability to heal and didn’t take him seriously. We can be like them because sometimes we miss how God is working in our lives. His presence often shows up in simple, everyday moments. It could be an unexpected kindness from a stranger, a surprise invitation, a kind word when we need encouragement, or someone being generous when we ask for help. Jesus is with us through other people. He says, “Whoever listens to you listens to me.” But we don’t always see His presence, even though He is with us in many ways.  At the end of each day, it can be helpful to reflect on our day and acknowledge how God has been present to us. Taking a moment to say thank you for these experiences can keep us aware of and grateful for His constant and unending presence.

The questions people ask often reveal their values and priorities. When Jesus' disciples asked Him, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" [Matthew 18:1] it revealed their interest in personal standing and prominence. In His reply, Jesus did something and said something. First, He placed the child in front of them. He said they needed to become like children simply to enter the kingdom of heaven, never mind becoming the greatest in the kingdom. Jesus' disciples are to become child-like but not childish. There's a significant difference. They will be child-like in the sense of completely trusting the love of God the Father and demanding nothing else, including status and standing. Greatness comes to those who make themselves as dependent on God as children are dependent on adults for their care and well-being.  Let us pray for a true spirit of humility, recognizing our dependence on God and turning our will over to His divine wisdom and care. 

In today's Gospel passage, three men expressed a desire to join Jesus and accompany Him in His work without considering the implications of such a commitment. When Jesus invited them to follow Him immediately, two of them wanted to postpone their decision, citing important responsibilities they needed to attend to first. They felt burying a father and bidding farewell to family were significant matters. However, Jesus emphasized the urgency of following Him, asking them to leave everything else behind. It can be difficult to grasp why Jesus' call felt so urgent. Choosing to follow Him is always a challenging decision, as He demands a level of commitment and loyalty that surpasses what we owe to our family members. Striving to live according to the Gospel can sometimes put us at odds with those we are closest to. Like other challenging passages in the Bible, today's reading must be understood in the broader context of Jesus' teachings, which emphasize loving our neighbors as ourselves and prioritizing our relationship with God above all else.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, had a different perspective from that of Jesus. On one occasion, their mother asked Him for the two best seats in His kingdom for her sons—one on His right and one on His left. In response, He grounded them in reality by asking if they were willing to drink from the cup of suffering that He must drink. In today's Gospel, James and John's reaction to the Samaritan villagers' refusal of hospitality was one of anger. In their outrage, they sought vengeance. However, Jesus, in His wisdom, rebuked them for their misguided anger and quietly left the village—a powerful demonstration of His teachings in action. St. Luke emphasizes Jesus' mercy towards all, even those who rejected Him. He embodies His own teaching about loving our enemies and doing good to those who hate us. Following the Gospel story we just heard, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, a figure who exemplifies Christlike generosity by helping his traditional enemy in his hour of need. The hero of this parable comes from the same group that refused hospitality to Jesus, highlighting the call for everyone to embrace a spirit of generosity, guided by the Holy Spirit.

In today's Gospel, Jesus explains the two-fold action of angels: "ascending and descending on the Son of Man." They "ascend" to serve God and "descend" to serve us on God’s behalf. This activity was referred to in today's Collect Prayer as we asked God to "graciously grant that our life on earth may be defended by those who watch over us [descending] as they minister perpetually to you in heaven [ascending]." As we contemplate their purpose and activity, we should also allow them to help us learn how to ascend and descend in praising God and serving others. The Archangels' foremost activity is ascending to praise God. Their second activity is descending to us to bestow on us God's help. The Archangel Gabriel brought our Blessed Mother and Zechariah the Word of God, Raphael brought Tobias God's healing and guidance, and Michael defends and protects us.   Let us pray to God, asking for the help of the archangels:   Heavenly King, You have given us archangels to assist us during our pilgrimage on earth. Saint Michael is our protector; [We] ask him to come to [our] aid, fight for all [our] loved ones, and protect us from danger. Saint Gabriel is a messenger of the Good News; [we] ask him to help [us] clearly hear Your voice and to teach [us] the truth. Saint Raphael is the healing angel; [we] ask him to take [our] need for healing and that of everyone [we] know, lift it up to Your throne of grace and deliver us back to the gift of recovery. Help us, O Lord, to realize more fully the reality of archangels and their desire to serve us. Holy angels, pray for us. Amen.[1]   [1] From the website for the Diocese of St. Petersburg  

One thing that makes me feel uncomfortable is when a poor person I meet on the street or at an intersection asks me for money. I think most of us struggle with the issue of whether we are really helping the person or supporting an addiction. I’ve heard all the reasons why we either should or shouldn’t help them, and so I often waffle in what to do.  Some time ago, a friend of mine, Fr. Jim, was in downtown St. Louis, Missouri for dinner. He was dressed in casual clothes, and a homeless person, who was lying on a park bench, sat up and asked him for some change. Fr. Jim had a little extra time and a few singles in his pocket, so he stopped and asked him what his name was. The man was silent and just stared at him. Fr. Jim wondered if he had offended him. Then the man asked, “Who are you?! I’ve been living in this park for over a week; a few people have given me some money, but no one has asked me who I am; I didn’t think I mattered.” Then he said with a smile, “My name is Tom.” Usually, the poor of the world go nameless to those who have the comforts of food and shelter. We pray for the poor… in general, we read about poverty statistics…in general, and we see photos of ‘them’ in the news. But when we actually learn the name of a poor person and a little about them, we think of them differently; we have a certain kind of ‘relationship’ with the person. Fr. Jim says that, while that short conversation with Tom didn’t convert him enough to now give his money away to every homeless person he encounters, Tom’s face and name have given him much more to reflect on each time he hears another message from Jesus about helping the poor. It’s no coincidence that in the parable Jesus gives us the name of the poor person, but not the name of the rich man. Jesus gives importance and dignity to the poor person in the story by telling us that his name is Lazarus.  Before we ‘write off’ the parable as one more story about God’s love for the poor and a warning about the risks of material wealth, note that the parable is not a condemnation of wealth per se. Rather, the parable is asking those who have what they need (and more) whether or not they are sharing what they have. Have we helped in any way to lessen the gap between we who have, and those who have little? We learn that while possessions are not evil in themselves, they must not turn our minds and hearts away from those people in the world who have so little. In the parable, the rich man uses his wealth only for himself, and so it is his complacency that is condemned. We may not think of ourselves as wealthy, but we can still become indifferent toward the poor. The whole story begs the question of whether or not we are even aware of the poor around us and among us.  The parable is left without an ending in that we never find out if the five brothers ever got the message about the consequences of ignoring the poor. And so, we get to write our own ending of what we will do with our lives in light of what just learned about the differences between the short-term riches of this world and the eternal riches of God’s world.  As we prepare to receive Jesus’ Body and Blood, we are challenged by this Gospel to keep asking ourselves what else we might be doing to care for all members of Christ’s Body. 

Today's Gospel recounts a moment when everyone was amazed by Jesus. He had just healed a boy who suffered from seizures, and the crowd was in awe of what God had accomplished through Him. However, Jesus understood that this support would not last. He knew that He would face the same fate as many prophets before Him. Even at the height of His popularity, He stated, "The Son of Man is to be handed over to men." For Jesus, admiration held little value. His primary motivation was to fulfill God's will and complete His selfless mission. Despite the danger, He felt compelled to go to Jerusalem because He believed that the people needed to hear His message, even if it meant His own death. Our faith calls us to adopt Jesus' priorities as our own, to engage in God's work, and to pursue His will with the opportunities we have. This commitment brings not just the fleeting pleasure of applause but the more profound joy that comes from living out the true purpose of our lives.

In today's Gospel, after praying, Jesus asked His disciples two questions: "Who do the crowds say that I am?" and "Who do you say that I am?" The first question was broad and straightforward, while the second was both deeply personal and profoundly challenging.  When faced with this second question, we are invited to reflect on who Jesus is to each of us individually. It is easier to consider what He means to people in general, but it requires much deeper introspection to articulate what He means to me personally. Ultimately, it is our answer to this second question that holds the most significance. Jesus desires us to express our personal faith in Him. He asks us, "What do you believe?" and then sends us out to share our faith with others.