Homily #090622 ( 05min) Play – St. Thomas More patron saint of politicians made made decisions based on what was good for others without concern for himself.

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Homily #090622m ( 09min) Play – It may not be long before we may be forced to choose between our lives and our faith – Sts John Fisher and Thomas More both gave their lives defending the indissolubility of marriage and the Primacy of St Peter.  Sts John Fisher and Thomas More… Pray for us.
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Homily #100622 ( 09min) Play – “We went in search of the head of St. Thomas More which is reputed to be in the city of Canterbury…and we found the markings on the floor of an Anglican Church…”
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THE KING’S GOOD SERVANT BUT GOD’S FIRST…

St. Thomas More, a Franciscan Tertiary, has been named the patron for lawyers and politicians.  This holy and wholly Catholic man was a husband and father in addition to being a lawyer and became Lord Chancellor of England so much was he respected and regarded in his own time. He was beheaded in witness of the Truths of the Faith in 1535.

Blessed Pope John Paul II would write of him: “Precisely because of the witness which he bore, even at the price of his life, to the primacy of truth over power, Saint Thomas More is venerated as an imperishable example of moral integrity. And even outside the Church, particularly among those with responsibility for the destinies of peoples, he is acknowledged as a source of inspiration for a political system which has as its supreme goal the service of the human person.”

Sir Thomas More would not compromise on two tenets of the Catholic faith: the primacy of the papacy and the dignity of marriage.  When imprisoned before his martyrdom, he would write. The following are just a few quotes from these writings, particularly from a book called “A Dialogue of Comfort against Tribulation”:

We shall consider tribulation a gracious gift from God, a gift that He specially gives His special friends…if God does not send it, people need to seek out and put upon themselves by penance, a thing that helps purge our past sins; a think that preserves us from sins that we would otherwise commit; a thing that causes us to attach less importance to the world; a thin that incites us to draw closer to God; a thing that greatly diminishes our pains in purgatory; a thing that greatly increases our final reward in Heaven…if we reflect on these things and remember them well, we shall not murmur or complain in a time of tribulation. Instead we shall first of all take our pain patiently and see it as something of worth.  And then we shall realize that God has sent if for our own good and so be moved to thank God for it.  As a consequence, our grace shall increase and God shall give us the comfort of realizing that He is, in the midst of our trouble, always close.

I find, then, that one great part f the terror of the nights is the fault of faintheartedness: that fearful and feeble disposition, that is, which causes some people to be afraid where there is no need to be afraid. The fault of faintheartedness first causes people in tribulation to become impatient.  The fault of faintheartedness, or a timed spirit, also often prevents people from doing many good things which, if they acquired a strong spirit by trusting in God’s help, they would be well able to do. The devil, however not only puts them in a state of cowardice but also makes them take it as humility to think themselves unfit for an incapable of many a good thing that God has given them the opportunity and has made them well suited to do. Such folks need to lift up their hearts and call upon God.  All this fear comes by scheming of the devil.

St. Thomas More, pray for us!  Help us to never compromise on the Truths of the faith, no matter the cost.

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We may not look at our pleasures to go to heaven in featherbeds; it is not the way, for our Lord Himself went thither with great pain, and by many tribulations, which was the path wherein He walked thither, and the servant may not look to be in better case than his Master.

+St. Thomas More (Third Order Franciscan), feast day is June 22nd

The Saint wrote this words knowing he would be beheaded in a few days:

Christ knew that many people would be filled with terror when faced with the threat of being tortured and He wanted to encourage them with the example of His own pain, His own sadness, His own incomparable humiliation and fear.

It seems that Christ is making use of His own agony to speak to those who find themselves in such a situation. Be brace, He seems to say: “You who are feeble and weak do not give up hope.  You are terrified and depressed, worn down by exhaustion and the dread of torture. Be confident, I have overcome the world and yet I was even much more afraid and appalled, since my suffering grew in proportion with the fearful knowledge of what was causing it. Look how I go before you along this path that is beset with so many fears.  Take hold of the edge of My cloak and you will feel flowing from it the power that will not allow your heart’s blood to be contaminated with useless fears and anxieties.

It will hearten you and raise your spirits, especially when you remember that you are following closely in My footsteps. I am faithful, and will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength, but give you the necessary grace to be able to bear the test; and it will fill you with gladness when you remember that this transient tribulation you are asked to bear will become a cargo of immense glory.”

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St. Thomas More, Martyr and Third Order Franciscan (Feast is June 22nd), often meditated on the Passion of Christ and in a special way on Christ’s agony in the garden.

St. Thomas More’s writings and example has also strengthened Christians faced with great difficulties and tribulations.  The saint was strengthened by the contemplation of Christ’s Passion as he awaited decapitation and martyrdom for being true to his Faith.  And it can help us to be strong in the face of the difficulties, both great and small, that we encounter in our ordinary daily lives.

While he was in prison this saint wrote: Christ knew that many people would be filled with terror when faced with the threat of being tortured, and He wanted to encourage them with the example of His own pain, His own sadness, His own incomparable humiliation and fear.

It seems that Christ is making use of His own agony to speak to those who find themselves in such a situation: Be brave, He seems to say, you who are feeble and weak; do not give up hope. You are terrified and depressed, worn down by exhaustion and the dread of torture. Be confident, I have overcome the world and yet was even much more afraid and appalled, once My suffering grew in proportion with the fearful knowledge of what was causing it.  Look how I go before you along this path that is beset with so many fears.  Take hold of the edge of My cloak and you will feel flowing from it the power that will not allow your heart’s blood to be contaminated with useless fears and anxieties.

It will hearten you and raise your spirits, especially when you remember that you are following closely in My footsteps.  I am faithful, and will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength, but give you the necessary grace to be able to bear the test; and it will fill you with gladness when you remember that this transient tribulation you are asked to bear will become a cargo of immense glory.

The saint wrote in these terms knowing he was to be beheaded in a few day’s time. Let us remember these words in our own times of tribulation.

The post St. Thomas More first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Sir Thomas More would not compromise on two tenets of the Catholic faith: the primacy of the papacy and the dignity of marriage.  When imprisoned before his martyrdom, he would write. The following are just a few quotes from these writings, particularly from a book called “A Dialogue of Comfort against Tribulation”:

We shall consider tribulation a gracious gift from God, a gift that He specially gives His special friends…if God does not send it, people need to seek out and put upon themselves by penance, a thing that helps purge our past sins; a think that preserves us from sins that we would otherwise commit; a thing that causes us to attach less importance to the world; a thin that incites us to draw closer to God; a thing that greatly diminishes our pains in purgatory; a thing that greatly increases our final reward in Heaven…if we reflect on these things and remember them well, we shall not murmur or complain in a time of tribulation. Instead we shall first of all take our pain patiently and see it as something of worth.  And then we shall realize that God has sent if for our own good and so be moved to thank God for it.  As a consequence, our grace shall increase and God shall give us the comfort of realizing that He is, in the midst of our trouble, always close.

I find, then, that one great part f the terror of the nights is the fault of faintheartedness: that fearful and feeble disposition, that is, which causes some people to be afraid where there is no need to be afraid. The fault of faintheartedness first causes people in tribulation to become impatient.  The fault of faintheartedness, or a timed spirit, also often prevents people from doing many good things which, if they acquired a strong spirit by trusting in God’s help, they would be well able to do. The devil, however not only puts them in a state of cowardice but also makes them take it as humility to think themselves unfit for an incapable of many a good thing that God has given them the opportunity and has made them well suited to do. Such folks need to lift up their hearts and call upon God.  All this fear comes by scheming of the devil.

St. Thomas More, pray for us!  Help us to never compromise on the Truths of the faith, no matter the cost.

The post St. Thomas More: Franciscan Martyr first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #150622b ( 08min) Play – This homily reflection was given by Fr. Elias on events surrounding the Martyrdom of Saints John Fisher (Bishop) and Thomas More (Chancellor).
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Mass: Monday 12th Week of Ordinary Time – Wkdy – F rm: OF
Readings: 
1st: gen 12:1-9
Resp: psa 33:12-13, 18-19, 20, 22
Gsp: mat 7:1-5

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