Thursday, July 3, 2025

 

Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle

(Ephesians 2:19-22; John 20:24-29)

A story about St. Thomas Aquinas may assist in appreciating today’s marvelous gospel passage.  Fellow students told Aquinas that there were pigs flying outside the window.  Thomas went to the window to see what they were talking about.  When the students laughed at his naivete, he declared.  “I would rather believe that pigs can fly than that my brothers would lie to me.”  Unfortunately, Aquinas’ namesake was not so trusting.

Thomas Didymus not only didn’t believe his fellow disciples, he disregarded what Jesus taught and the evidence of the empty tomb.  He might have remembered that Jesus told his disciples he was going beforehand to find places for them in his Father’s house.  Although the empty tomb could not prove Jesus’ resurrection, it does point in that direction.  Thomas, however, prefers skepticism to belief, even when it means breaking faith with his companions.

We should be more discreet.  We do not have to accept everything that people say, but we need not be readily dismissive.  Regarding such fundamental truth such as Jesus’ Resurrection, we must not give way to saying with materialists, “It is impossible.”  Rather we should consider the testimony of the event through the ages, what Jesus said and did, and our own motives - both good and selfish – for believing.  Doing so, we are likely to find solid ground for believing and living in the new creation which the Resurrection heralds.

Friday, January 28, 2022

 Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church

(II Samuel 11:1-4a.5-10a.13-17; Mark 4:26-34)

St. Thomas Aquinas was born into a wealthy family.  When he showed a religious sentiment, his parents thought that he should be an abbot.  But Thomas was not inclined to live as a rich man.  He joined the Dominican Order, a relatively new institution in his day.  The Dominicans were gaining an intellectual reputation.  No doubt this appealed to Thomas’ love of learning. But he was also fascinated with the poverty which the Dominican friars professed.

In his Summa Theologica Thomas writes of Jesus’ poverty.  He begins by saying that one would think Christ should have embraced moderation.  If he was going to redeem all humanity, he should live like the average person.  But, according to Thomas, Christ took on extreme poverty.  For this reason Christ could honestly say, “The Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”  Thomas explains that Christ strove to be poor because he was a preacher.  A preacher must devote himself (or herself) totally to the Word of God.  That is, the preacher cannot be looking after riches.  Just as important, Thomas says that Christ chose material poverty in order to enrich others spiritually.  He showed the world that God blesses those who give up everything for Him.  This blessing, which in the end is complete happiness, is worth much more than gold.

We might say that Thomas Aquinas “could have had it all.”  But he chose to have very little, really just enough to get by.  In the end, however, Thomas received all that we can hope for – eternal life.  Thomas’ aspiration here should be ours as well.  We should not hanker after riches.  We need material things, but we should seek them to the extent that they avail for us the spiritual gifts of love and peace.

Thursday, January 28, 2021

 

Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church

(Hebrews 10;19-25, Mark 4:21-25)

Of all the theologians in history few have left a mark quite as indelible as St. Thomas Aquinas.  He is like the lampstand that Jesus speaks of in today’s gospel.  Set on him, Jesus, the light of the world, is made visible to guide the people.

Thomas was born into a noble Italian family.  There was little doubt that he would become a priest.  But he left behind family influence which would have him become a Benedictine abbot.  He followed the Lord’s calling into the Dominican Order.  There he was tutored by St. Albert the Great. Surpassing the brilliance of his mentor, Thomas became a master teacher in Paris.  His opus magnus, the Summa Theologiae, synthesizes Aristotle and Augustine and other prominent thinkers.  But its first and foremost sourcebook is the Scriptures.  Thomas interprets the Scriptures thoroughly, consistently, and perceptively.

Unfortunately, reading Thomas presents a challenge.  Although his Latin is not intricate, the words in his time often have different meanings than in the classical period or today.  Also, the scholastic format seems redundant and abstract.  But taking pains to read Thomas gives the reader an exalted appreciation of both faith and whom faith reveals, the Lord God.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest

(Hebrews 10:32-39; Mark 4:26-34)

Robert Frost writes in his poem “For Once, Then, Something”:

“Once, when trying with chin against a well-curb,
I discerned, as I thought, beyond the picture,
Through the picture, a something white, uncertain,
Something more of the depths—and then I lost it.”

He might be describing Jesus’ use of parables in the gospel today. As insightful as Frost or even Shakespeare, Jesus mentions a peasant scattering seeds or a mustard seed to give us a glimpse of God’s Kingdom. However, when we attempt to dwell on the image asking questions like, “Is the Kingdom the land or the harvest?” we are likely to let go of the revelation just as Frost loses sight of the thing he sees at the bottom of the well.

Something similar may be said of St. Thomas Aquinas whom we celebrate today. The theologian gave us a view of God more complete than and almost as perceptive as anyone’s in history. In his Summa Theologiae Scripture and philosophy hung together for a moment dissolving doubt in awe. However, its fullness disappeared in time fractured by the incessant queries of modernity. Yet it remains worthwhile to attempt revisioning what Aquinas wrote that we might once again glimpse God in glorious splendor.

Homilette for Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church

(Hebrews 10:11-18; Mark 4:1-20)

St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologiae makes the list of every scholar’s “Great books of Western Civilization.” Its combination of critical philosophical reasoning and acute theological sensitivity has engaged the best of thinkers for over six hundred years. But it is not easy to appreciate St. Thomas’ accomplishment. Partly out of the scholastic method and partly, perhaps, out of humility, Aquinas delivers astounding insights in an economy of words.

A perfect example of Aquinas’ ability to write profoundly and concisely is his application of the Scriptural passage used in today’s passage from the Letter to the Hebrews. Thomas calls the New or Evangelical Law the Holy Spirit’s presence in the hearts of the people Christ saves. For the redeemed, according to Thomas, law does not so much restrict from evil as it propels toward good.

Aquinas not only commented on the Holy Spirit; he also moved with the Spirit’s promptings. Out of apostolic zeal he crisscrossed Europe on foot sharing his wisdom with kings and common people as well as his beloved Dominicans. Besides academic tomes, Thomas composed religious hymns that are still in vogue. According to contemporaries, Thomas was approachable, patient, and kind. Although Thomas was probably not portly as stories have him, there certainly was much about him for us to imitate.

Homilette for March 27, 2008

Thursday in the Octave of Easter

(Luke 24:35-48)

The German Renaissance master Mathis Grünewald portrayed scenes from the gospel on what is called the Isenheim Altarpiece. The paintings of the crucifixion and the resurrection especially stand out. One can hardly imagine a more pathetic figure than Christ tortured on the cross. He is writhing in pain. His body is hideously contorted. Thorns not only pierce his head but are embedded over his skin from a beating with reeds. As atrocious as Jesus looks here, his resurrected body is gloriously resplendent. His skin glows, and his wounds sparkle. There is not a hint of the agony he underwent just two days before.

St. Thomas Aquinas would find the magnificent transformation of Christ’s body entirely appropriate. He writes, according to one commentator, that in the resurrection the incorruptible soul bestows on the body “something glorious or luminous”. The gospel narrative today attests to this transformation. Jesus’ disciples cannot believe what they are seeing as the resurrected Lord stands before them. They mistakenly believe that he is a ghost because the last time they saw him was in the distance hanging on the cross (cf. Luke 23:49).

Aquinas does not relegate such a glorified body solely to Jesus, however. No, he says that everyone who dies with Christ are bound to undergo this same transformation. It will not happen on the day we die but at the resurrection of the dead on the last day. Our bodies will have all the resilience of robust youth whether we die at ninety days or ninety years. This is just another example of how God shows his love for us. It provides us still another reason to love God unreservedly in return.

Homilette for January 28, 2008

Monday, The Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church

(Mark 3:22-20)

Art scholars attribute the genius of Raphael Sanzio to his ability to adapt the technical brilliance of two other celebrated artists of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. He took a pose style of Leonardo for his famous painting of St. Catherine of Alexandria. In Michelangelo’s works Raphael found the kneeling posture which he uses in a painting of Jesus’ deposition from the cross. But no one should consider Raphael a copy-cat. Rather, he forged a unique painting style on his own. Still he was not too proud to draw upon the insights of other masters.

Similarly, St. Thomas Aquinas was anything but proud. He also adapts the wisdom of two supreme masters. As a philosophical resource he relies repeatedly on the learning of Aristotle, “the Philosopher.” And as a theological compass St. Thomas uses the writings of St. Augustine. However, contrary to popular opinion, St. Thomas even more pervasively defers to a third source. Everywhere he cites Scripture. How could he do otherwise? St. Thomas’ title at the University of Paris was Magister in Sacra Pagina, Master of the Sacred Page.

Thomas’ commentaries on various books of the Bible contain a good deal of his theology and spirituality. His masterwork, the Summa Theologiae, likewise provides insights into many, many Scriptural verses as it builds a synthesis of all Catholic doctrine. For example, the Summa elucidates the intriguing concept of “an everlasting (or unpardonable) sin” that we hear of in today’s gospel. After typically making necessary distinctions, St. Thomas declares that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is considered unpardonable because by its nature it removes the elements that lead to repentance – fear of punishment and hope of heaven. But, St. Thomas graciously adds, the sin does not leave its perpetrator completely helpless. God in his mercy and love might still open the way to repentance and forgiveness by extraordinary means.

Homilette for Friday, July 27, 2007

Friday, July 27, 2007

(Exodus 20)

Psychologists today speak often of boundaries. These are limits that allow relationships to develop without undo friction. People need to set boundaries which means to let others know how closely they intend to relate to another. In turn, the other person must respect those boundaries. For example, we may tell a friend from work that he should not call us after 10 p.m. Often boundaries are implied by the nature of a relationship. Teachers should not date their students even when they are both adults.

In the first reading today God sets his boundaries for humans. Not keeping the Sabbath or stealing injures our relationship with the Lord. We should note, however, that observing the Ten Commandments hardly fulfills our responsibilities as Christians. It is not enough that we refrain from worshipping idols; we must also love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is not enough that we do not covet our neighbor’s wife; we must love our neighbor as ourselves. This is why when asked, Jesus did not name any of the Ten Commandments as the greatest.

In writing his moral theology St. Thomas Aquinas did not concentrate on the commandments. He realized that if we are to be happy or, better, if we are to know God, we have to do much more than follow ten rules. No, he said, we have to practice virtue. This is a huge task that might exhaust some of us from the get-go except for the Holy Spirit. God breathes his life into our bones, as it were, so that we might not just avoid evil, but also that might do lots of good

Homilette for Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Tuesday, VIII Week of Ordinary Time

(Sirach 35)

A Dominican theologian was explaining St. Thomas Aquinas’ moral theology to a group of young European families. He went to a blackboard and drew a small box in its corner. He said, “In that square are the commandments.” Then he asked if that is what morality is about. Everyone responded, “Of course.” But the Dominican disagreed. “No,” he said, “God is not much interested in commandments. Then he drew a box covering the rest of the blackboard. “That is freedom,” he said, “that is what interests God. Your task is to teach your children to be free.”

St. Thomas does emphasize the need for law. He teaches that all law -- natural, human, and revealed – has divine origin and is necessary to keep us on track. But law hardly comes to terms with all of morality. So the wise man says in the first reading, “In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD, be not sparing of freewill gifts.” Truly virtuous people go far beyond what the law prescribes in assisting neighbor, in building community, and in praising God.