FrNikola

St. Thomas the Apostle

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In today’s Gospel we see a shaken Thomas, often branded as the doubting Thomas, receiving special attention from Our Lord in order to help him persevere in his vocation as one of the Twelve apostles. John reminds us that Thomas was not present the first time the Risen Jesus appeared to the disciples on the evening of his Resurrection, the moment in John’s account where Jesus gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit in order to empower them in their ministry of reconciliation (see John 20:19-23 and Divine Mercy Sunday). Our Lord knew Thomas was not going to be there; for some reason he waited–for Thomas he must have perceived that the time was not right. Maybe Thomas was out in a dark night like Peter after denying Jesus three times, or Judas after casting the money he’d been payed for betraying Our Lord at the Pharisees’ feet. The last thing we’d heard from Thomas in John’s Gospel was that resignation to following Jesus back to Jerusalem in order to die with him (John 11:16). Peter came back, Judas committed suicide, and, thanks be to God, Thomas came back too, but from his reaction to the disciples’ news he was still in a vulnerable state.

In Jesus’ first appearance in John’s account (John 20:19-23), he told the disciples that there was peace between him and them: all was forgiven. When he re-appears in today’s Gospel, he repeats the same words of reconciliation. Could they have been this time for Thomas, who was having a serious crisis of faith? Jesus offered the opportunity to be reconciled with him by offering the exact proof that Thomas had demanded in order to believe: to touch the wounds of his Risen friend with his own hands. That’s not faith–that’s demanding proof out of a lack of faith. With that merciful gesture on Jesus’ part whatever blockage in Thomas’ heart was swept away: not only did he acknowledge Jesus as his friend, but as his Lord and God. They were reconciled. In the end tradition tells us that Thomas made it as far as India in his apostolic ministry before being martyred as a great witness to the faith.

Sometimes we have a timetable that we want to put Our Lord on in order to address a crisis of faith. He chooses the time and the way to reveal himself, and it’s often at an unexpected moment or in an unexpected wait. In today’s Gospel he says we’re blessed even more for not having the incredible “proof” that Thomas received. Let’s ask St. Thomas to intercede for us today and help us to growth in our faith.

Readings: Ephesians 2:19–22; Psalm 117:1bc, 2; John 20:24–29.

13th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday

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In today’s Gospel we’re reminded that sometimes we get stuck in life, or see our friends stuck, and no one can go it alone. How many times have we helped our friends or been helped by them in one of those moments? In today’s Gospel the paralytic is stuck both physically and spiritually. Sin drains us and paralyzes us to the point that we can’t get out of it alone. One of the saddest things of being a sinner is that sense of being alone and helpless. As believers, following Christ’s example, we try to help everyone who is stuck in life, especially our friends, but also by being a friend to the friendless when they really need someone. Sin also isolates, and sometimes the sinners themselves try to isolate themselves from others, but they can only get so far before they get stuck.

Jesus teaches us today to bring them to him, because he’s the only friend who can help us definitively get unstuck. The scribes and the crowds couldn’t believe that a man could be an instrument of forgiveness, since God alone forgives sins. They didn’t know yet that Jesus was God, but he himself in referring to himself as the Son of Man alludes to what we experience today in priests and bishops as ministers of the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick: God has given them the authority to spiritually heal on his behalf and as his istruments. Through these sacred ministers the sick and sinners are brought to Jesus to receive healing, spiritual, physical, or both, and the grace to face their trials in faith and trust.

If you’re struggling with illness, spiritual or physical, seek out Our Lord in the sacraments and don’t be afraid to ask your friends for help. If you’re blessed with good spiritual health, ask Our Lord to be that friend with the tact, prudence, and wisdom to bring those paralytics in you life to him.

Readings: Genesis 22:1b–19; Psalm 115:1–6, 8–9; Matthew 9:1–8.

13th Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday

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In today’s Gospel we see that debasement engenders debasement, that fear engenders fear, and that both are an obstacle in the spiritual life. The demons, fallen angels, already condemned for making a radical choice against God, are “slumming”: amusing themselves by tormenting two poor souls–the men they are possessing–and attacking anyone who draws near. When Our Lord approaches them they know they’re busted, but they don’t care–they’re already convicted. Until the Last Judgement at the end of history they’ll try to get as many kicks as they can without getting caught. When Our Lord permits them to go into the herd of swine–angels lowered to enjoying being pigs–they take one last “joy ride” before being driven off. We have to be on guard as well against “slumming” in the spiritual life, because it will gradually make us indifferent to God’s goodness and mercy and set us on a downward spiral.

The swineherds pass from one fear to another: from keeping their distance from two crazy demoniacs to seeing a Jewish man (if they were Jewish, they wouldn’t be tending pigs, since they’re unclean animals) casting out demons into their swine and seeing their whole flocked wiped out. When they return to town they can only give witness to terror, so it’s no surprise that the locals are also gripped by terror and beg its source–Jesus–to leave. The grace of God has passed them by.

Let’s ask Our Lord today to help us identify any downward spirals we’re on in the spiritual life. For us, it’s not too late to overcome debasement and fear.

Readings: Genesis 21:5, 8–20a; Psalm 34:7–8, 10–13; Matthew 8:28–34.

13th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday

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In today’s Gospel the disciples ask themselves what sort of “man” Jesus is with the power to calm storms. When God chose to become flesh he also chose to be a teacher; if we consider the story of God’s wrath in today’s First Reading it’s no surprise that he wouldn’t immediately reveal himself as God–they’d be more terrified of him than the storm. It was a gradual process. If the disciples at this point had completely understood him to be God, they’d not have been afraid. After the Resurrection there was little room for doubt, and even then they doubted.

We are taught about Our Lord throughout our life of faith, but he is also within us, revealing himself gradually to the degree he thinks we’re ready. We’re often not as ready as he wants us to be, and that rocks our boat. In faith, little by little, we’ll gain a deeper understanding of him if we trust in him.

When our boat is rocking today let’s ask him to help us grow in faith.

Readings: Genesis 19:15–29; Psalm 26:2–3, 9–12; Matthew 8:23–27.

Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul

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In today’s solemnity we are celebrating two living stones who stood firm. St. Peter encouraged believers under fire to “Come to him [Jesus]that living stone, rejected by men but in God’s mind chosen and precious; and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5).  Jesus gave Peter a special mission in today’s Gospel: “you are the rock on which I will build my Church”: He was a living stone who put out the nets for a catch after a long fishless night. He was the first one to tell Christ he didn’t know what he was getting into by inviting him to follow him, but Christ promised he’d be a fisher of men, and after all the trials and suffering, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, in the First Reading we see the whole Church praying for him after he was imprisoned.

St. Paul was so in awe of Peter’s special mission in the Church that he called him Kephas (Aramaic for Rock), and told the Christians to come after the apostles to build on that foundation: “you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple of the Lord” (Ephesians 2:19-22). Saul was a living stone, but he was set on the wrong foundation, persecuting Christians, and the downfall was soon in coming. When he stopped kicking at Christ’s goad, putting all his talents at the service of the special mission that Christ gave him, he laid the foundation for generations of Christians, even to this day.

We are called to be those living stones who build upon the bedrock of the Church, to form that spiritual edifice, to build up the Church. Nobody says it will be easy. It won’t. Peter told Jesus “depart from me”: he did not feel up to the task. Jesus said “I have prayed for you, and when you come back to yourself, strengthen your brethren.” Paul told the Christians at Corinth that it was with “fear and trembling” that he preached the Gospel to them, but as he reminds Timothy in the Second Reading today, “the Lord stood by me and gave me power.” The Holy Spirit is the protagonist, we are just the instruments, he transforms us into living stones, if we let him. Let’s ask for the grace today through the intercession of Sts. Peter and Paul to be living stones in the Church.

Readings: Acts 12:1–11; Psalm 34:2–9; 2 Timothy 4:6–8, 17–18; Matthew 16:13–19.