Overview:

The Memorial of Sts. Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

A Reflection for the Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Those sown among thorns are another sort.
They are the people who hear the word, 
but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, 
and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. (Mk 4:18-19)

Find today’s readings here.

Worldly anxiety. The lure of riches. Craving for other things.

These are the things to avoid, Jesus suggests in today’s Gospel, if we want to hear—truly hear—the Word.

Oh, is that all?

I imagine myself walking, as I sometimes do, to daily Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. From America’s office, I head east to Fifth Avenue, where the new JPMorgan Chase Tower looms above. To my right is Lululemon, to my left, Arc’teryx. As I turn north toward St. Patrick’s, I see an office building in the distance, with protesters and police out front: behold Trump Tower. 

Riches, things, anxiety. Check, check, check.

How is one supposed to hear the Word under these conditions? Better to be with the disciples in today’s reading: on the shores of the lake, listening to Jesus’ parable, with nothing to disturb them. 

Which is, of course, ridiculous. Surely, many of the disciples were distracted that day: worrying, coveting, craving. 

And it is just as ridiculous to think that Jesus can’t be heard in the middle of the city. This is the promise of our faith, symbolized by the spires of St. Patrick’s. God’s voice will not be drowned out.

So here is my new mantra, when the other voices threaten: riches, things, anxiety. 

It’s all just noise. Time to listen for the signal.

Tim Reidy joined America’s staff in October 2006 and served as online editor for several years before moving into his current role as the deputy editor in chief. Tim oversees America’s newsroom, directing its daily news coverage as well as working with the editorial leadership team to plan each print issue. Tim also edits the magazine’s Ideas section, where he contributes book reviews and essays. Before joining America, he worked at the Hartford Courant, a newspaper in Connecticut, and Commonweal magazine. In addition to writing for America, he has contributed to The New York Times, the Columbia Journalism Review and the Princeton Alumni Weekly. He has been interviewed about the Catholic Church on WNYC in New York, ABC, Bloomberg TV and other media outlets. Tim also serves on the board of directors of Jesuit Refugee Service USA. He lives in Bronxville, N.Y., with his wife and two children.