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 St. Thomas belongs to that
class of Tertiaries who have grasped the true spirit of their Seraphic
Father. It is a spirit of deep-seated piety and of contempt for the world,
as well as of unswerving fidelity to Holy Church practiced in an exceptional
degree and sealed with one's blood.
His father was a knight.
Thomas was born in London in 1480. Having been a very devout youth, he
became a lawyer. His services were constantly in demand, but nevertheless he
always found time to attend holy Mass daily and to perform other pious
practices.
As the father of a family,
he was concerned that his children should be reared in the fear of God. He
became famous for his book entitled _Utopia_. By means of his "Kingdom of
Nowhere" he scourged in fine satire the evils that were eating their way
into the Church and the State.
Through Henry VIII he became
attached to the royal court and was finally appointed Lord High Chancellor.
The time had now arrived in which the Tertiary was to manifest how sincerely
he had grasped the spirit of the Saint of Assisi. As was to be expected,
even as a statesman Thomas More continued to make his accustomed religious
practices. He set aside every Friday as a day of introspection. His charity
was without limit.
He experienced special
delight in serving the priest at holy Mass, and he received holy Communion
daily. He was told, by way of reproach, that it was unbecoming for a layman
with so much work to do and so many distractions to communicate daily. But
he replied: "You are advancing the very reasons for the need of frequent
holy Communion. If I am distracted, holy Communion helps me to become
recollected. If opportunities are offered me each day to offend my God, I
arm myself anew each day for the combat by the reception of the Eucharist.
If I am in special need of light and prudence in order to discharge my
burdensome duties, I draw nigh to my Savior and seek counsel and light from
Him."
But it was not long before
his doom was sealed. Blinded by unholy passions, King Henry divorced his
lawful wife and married Anne Boleyn, a lady in waiting at the court. When
Rome justly condemned his adulterous act, the king severed his connections
with Rome and set himself up as the head of the Church in England. Whoever
disapproved of his conduct was doomed to die.
The first person who opposed
the king was his loyal chancellor, Thomas More. He was cast into prison.
There he wrote a pamphlet entitled _Death Endured for the Faith Need Cause
No Fear_. When his wife endeavored to persuade him to give up his opposition
and prolong his life, he asked her just how long she believed he would still
live. She answered, "At least twenty years." "Indeed!" said Thomas More.
"Had you said a few thousand years, that might make a difference. But surely
even he would be a poor merchant who would run the risk of losing an
eternity for the sake of a thousand years." He was beheaded on July 6, 1535.
Pope Leo XIII beatified this
great Tertiary, and Pope Pius XI canonized him on May 19, 1935.
ON LOYALTY TO CHRIST
1.
Remain loyal to Christ by the way you live. Christ, however, "began to do"
(Acts 1:1), and then He went out to teach. Thomas More, His faithful
servant, acted in like manner. His whole conduct showed that he belonged to
Christ. He often remarked: "There are many people who purchase hell at so
great an effort that one-half of it would be sufficient to win heaven." --
Manifest to the world by a good Catholic life that you belong to Christ.
2. Be loyal to Christ by your love for the Blessed Sacrament. Faith taught
Thomas to behold in the Sacred Host Him who said: "This is My Body!" It was,
therefore, his greatest delight and duty to attend the holy Sacrifice daily,
to serve the priests of Christ, and to receive Christ in holy Communion. --
Can this also be said of you?
3. Be loyal to Christ by your loyalty to
the Church. She is the living Christ and loved by Him even unto death (Eph
5:25). St. Thomas refused to swerve a finger's breadth in his loyalty to his
Church even though his fidelity brought him prison and death. -- Beg St.
Thomas for like fidelity, and you will share with him a like reward.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
Almighty and eternal God, grant us, we beseech Thee, that we who celebrate
the festival of Thy Holy martyr Thomas, may through his intercession, be
firmly established in our love for Thee. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
from:
The Franciscan
Book of Saints, ed. by Marion Habig, ofm., © 1959 Franciscan Herald
Press
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