St. Thomas More, God’s Servant First – Jun 22 – Homily – Fr Michael

 

Fr. Michael M. Gauvreau, FI gives the homily on Jun 22, 2026, presenting St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More as models of fidelity who refused to support King Henry VIII's divorce and break from the Church, choosing martyrdom over compromise.

St. John Fisher, born in 1468, and St. Thomas More, born around 1478, were both highly educated at Cambridge and Oxford and defended the Catholic faith through their writings. Fisher, a bishop and later cardinal, had taught King Henry VIII, while More, a lawyer, statesman, and Third Order Franciscan who became Chancellor of England, helped the king compose a book on the sacraments that earned him the papal title Defender of the Faith. When Henry VIII sought to divorce Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn, rejected papal authority, and declared himself head of the Church in England, both saints refused to sign the required oath despite their friendship with the king. Fisher was among the few bishops who openly opposed him; More resigned his office to avoid signing, yet was still imprisoned. They endured harsh conditions in the Tower of London, rejected pleas from family to compromise, and were executed for their fidelity. More's final words, "I die the king's great servant, but God's first," and his calm humor on the scaffold exemplified their constancy. The homily urges the faithful to seek the same graces of steadfast faith, willing to live or die as martyrs for Christ.

Pope John Paul II – Martyrdom proclaims Church holiness through death-fidelity to God's moral law – https://airmaria.com/go/fJvn95
Pope John Paul II – Susanna exemplifies Old Testament fidelity to God's law, accepting death – https://airmaria.com/go/vWY689
Acts 5:29 - Obey God rather than men - https://airmaria.com/go/WdS67V
Matthew 10:28 - Fear not those killing the body - https://airmaria.com/go/mYFM5N
John 15:20 - Persecution follows faithful servants - https://airmaria.com/go/VHxBf2
CCC 2473 - Martyrdom as supreme faith witness - https://airmaria.com/go/LVKehg
CCC 882 - Pope possesses full Church authority - https://airmaria.com/go/HteEV3

00:00 - Saints as Examples for Living the Faith
00:20 - Births and Early Upbringings
00:56 - Education and Defense of the Faith
01:29 - Friendship with King Henry VIII
03:06 - King's Rebellion and Their Opposition
04:58 - Resignation, Tower of London, and Suffering
06:24 - Temptations to Recant and Constancy in Faith
07:35 - Martyrdom, Humor, and Final Words
09:08 - Conclusion: Praying for Their Graces

Ave Maria!

Mass: John Fisher & Thomas More - Opt Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=688
Readings: Monday 12th Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/062226.cfm
1st: 2 Kings 17:5-8, 13-15, 18 - Fall of the Northern Kingdom
Resp: Psalms 60:3, 4-5, 12-13 - Prayer for Help against the Foe
Gsp: Matthew 7:1-5 - Judging Others

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1093&r=1631

Also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RKyAq8irQk