Homily (Reflection) for the Memorial
of Saint Thomas Aquinas, P.D., (28th January, 2017) on the Gospel
and the Memorial
(Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
(I))
Heb 11:1-2.8-19;
Lk 1:69-75 (R. cf. v.68);
Mk 4:35-41.
Tommaso d'Aquino (1225 – 7 March 1274) otherwise known
as Saint Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican friar and a Catholic priest
who was an immensely influential philosopher, theologian and jurist in the
tradition of scholasticism, within which he is also known as the “Doctor Angelicus”
and “Doctor Communis”. Unlike many currents in the Church of the time, Thomas
embraced several ideas put forward by Aristotle—whom he called “the Philosopher”—and
attempted to synthesize Aristotelian philosophy with the principles of Christianity.
Saint Thomas best known works are the Summa Theologica and the Summa contra
Gentiles. His commentaries on
Sacred Scripture and on Aristotle also form an important part of his
body of work. He is also distinguished for his eucharistic hymns, which form part
of the Church's liturgy. Saint Thomas Aquinas is a Doctor of the
Church[1].
Topic: Wake Him up.
In the psalm we read that God does neither sleep nor slumber,
(cf. Ps 121:3, 4) unlike the watchmen
of Israel whom the prophet describes as blind, and without knowledge; dumb dogs
who cannot bark; dreamers who are lying down, and lovers of sleep, cf. Is 56:10. But in today’s gospel, while
crossing to the other side in a boat with His disciples, “A great windstorm
arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being
swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion ....” (Mk 4:37-38a). When they woke Him He
calmed the wind and the sea and queried: “Why are you afraid? Have you still no
faith?” (Mk 4:40). The controversy whether
God sleeps or not will not be of any benefit to us in this homily.
At different points in one’s life it looks as if God is no
longer aware of what is happening in the world or has suddenly become
uninterested. Sometimes one might even be tempted to question whether He still
exist and is still God.
Although things might have gone contrary to your expectations
but do not turn to either right or left. What you really need is to wake Jesus
up. When those in the boat with Jesus woke Him up they were filled with great
awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea
obey him?” cf. Mk 4:41. So what are
you waiting for? That trouble comes one’s way does not mean that God is far
from him or her. Wake Him up. If you wake Him up through prayer after the example
of Saint Thomas Aquinas who was a man of prayer, you will certainly be filled
with even greater awe.
Bible Reading: Ps 125; Eph 3:20-21.
Thought for today: It is still the same Jesus.
Let us pray: God, open our eyes to see your hand
at work – Amen.
Saint Thomas Aquinas – Pray for us.
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