Fr. Thom's Homilies

          Today we celebrate the last Sunday of ordinary time and the last Sunday of the liturgical year before beginning a new liturgical year next Sunday with the first Sunday of Advent.  And so, as a way to crown the liturgical year, so to speak, we also celebrate today the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.           Let’s face it, as Americans we probably have some difficulty in getting excited about this solemnity.  We chafe at the notion of a king.  After all our country was founded in defiance of a king.  In general, we have a very negative understanding of monarchy.  We associate it immediately with corruption and dictatorship.  We automatically think of a king as a tyrant.  This is our own particular cultural and political background.  And yet, each of us (I would be willing to bet) likes the story of a good king , a king...

          We know that each year in these waning weeks of Ordinary Time, the readings become much more apocalyptic in tone: preparing us for end things, end times, and the coming of Christ again in glory.  I suppose we could look at these readings and try to scare ourselves into holiness, but I’m really not sure that’s the best approach.           Of course, it isn’t only the second coming of Christ that we should be concerned about, as though we could pull off just one more “cram session” before that fateful day of reckoning.  No, it is also the daily coming of Christ into our lives that we need to look to and prepare for.  We’ll have some more of this in just three short weeks when we begin the season of Advent: a time of preparation as we remember the first coming of Christ, and yes, with an eye to His second coming, but especially watchful for the various comings of Christ...

          “Hypocrite.”  We wince at this word, and for good reason.  It is not a likeable word; it is not a likeable thing.  While Jesus doesn’t use this specific word in the Gospel passage from Matthew today, He does use it in other places, and He is certainly pointing to the concept of hypocrisy in this passage.  “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses” – in other words, Jesus respectfully recognizes their office.  “Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you” – Jesus even endorses their message, insofar as they are calling God’s people to faithfulness to the covenant God established with their ancestors.  “But do not follow their example ” – Ah!  Here it is.  Without having to say the word, Jesus tells us that there are some in this world who say one thing and do another, and that we should not follow their example.  They are hypocrites. ...