Homily on the Solemnity of St. Thomas of Canterbury, secondary Patron of the Diocese of Northampton and Patron of the English Secular Clergy
29 December 2012
Dear brothers and sisters,
Hold on to the Scriptures to which we have just listened. From Paul's second letter to
Timothy, "You are well aware, then, that anybody who tries to live in devotion to Christ is certain to be attacked." And from the Gospel of Matthew, "If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me." For they are words reflected in the life and death of St. Thomas of Canterbury, and they are words which we are asked to reflect in our own lives.
Here in the Cathedral are the statues of the two patrons of our Diocese and our Cathedral,
Mary Immaculate whom we celebrated on 8 December, and Thomas Becket, St. Thomas of Canterbury whose Solemnity we celebrate today, four days after the great Feast of the
Nativity of The Lord. There have been four days and four feasts, three of them feasts of martyrs - St. Stephen, the Holy Innocents and St. Thomas.
St. Thomas' statue is somewhat gruesome with a sword piercing his head. Under the altar in the chapel in Bishop's House there is a painting of Thomas' martyrdom in Canterbury
Cathedral with four knights of the realm assaulting him and murdering him as he made his way to join the monks for vespers.
What is the connection with the Diocese if Northampton. Why is the Cathedral dedicated to him as well as the Immaculate Conception?
Born into a well-to-do family, Thomas studied in England and in France. He became a cleric and Archdeacon to Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury who introduced him to King
Henry II. They became great friends. They enjoyed the good life and Henry appointed
Thomas Chancellor. When Archbishop Theobald died, Henry approached the Pope for his approval to appoint Thomas as Archbishop. Though a cleric, Thomas was not a priest, and he had to be ordained priest one day and archbishop the next! It was Henry's hope that he and Thomas would draw all the power of the Church under the king's authority.
But Thomas' ordination led to a moment of conversion. He sought to protect the rights of the Church and religious freedom. He would not collaborate with Henry and was brought to trial before a great council in Northampton Castle on 8 October 1164. Convicted of the charges, Thomas stormed out of the trial and fled to the continent. While in exile, he excommunicated the bishops of London and Salisbury. Later there was a reconciliation with Henry and he returned to England but refused to lift the excommunication because he judged that his fellow bishops had nor repented. This led to his murder. Later Henry II did penance and the four knights went into exile.
When Thomas was murdered, he was found to be wearing a hair shirt. He was buried in
Canterbury Cathedral and a great devotion grew up with many miracles attributed to him.
Two years after his death, the Pope canonised him.

St. Thomas of Canterbury is a saint for today. T. S. Elliott's play, "Murder in the Cathedral" highlights the conflict of spiritual and temporal power, and Thomas Becket's road to sanctity, and the temptation of ordinary men and women to avoid the way of sacrifice and justice.
St. Thomas of Canterbury was given the grace to respond to God's word and he did so with all his heart and soul and strength and mind. Through his intercession may all of us and especially we diocesan clergy whose patron he is have a conversion of heart in this
Year of Faith and live without fear what we proclaim with our lips.