Thomas More was born
in London to a wealthy family in the year 1478. With his father being a
successful lawyer, Thomas gained a great respect for law while still a youth.
When he came of age, he followed in his father’s footsteps and made his
profession in law as well. Young Thomas portrayed all the quality aspects of a
fine lawyer: precise, shrewd, skillful, cautious, theatrical, persuasive, and
practical.[1]
In addition, Thomas was also cheerful and humorous, quality traits that
acquired numerous friends in his social life. Around the year 1504, Thomas came
into contact with a Carthusian monastery, which influenced Thomas’ way of life
in such a way that Thomas was left with a desire to live a simple life of piety
instead of the wealthy, privileged life of a lawyer.[2] At
age twenty-six, Thomas married and soon became the father of four children. Six
years after his marriage however, his wife died. Within a short time, Thomas
re-married to a woman who had also experienced the loss of a spouse. Together,
Thomas and his wife, Alice continued raising Thomas’ children in a household of
devotion and discipline, with a strict routine of morning and evening prayers,
as well as Scripture reading at dinnertime.[3]
As time went on, Thomas' reputation of his law profession grew, and it was no
secret that Thomas had by this time also become well acquainted with the King,
Henry VIII. At the court of the King, Thomas served as the King’s personal
secretary and eventually as chancellor of England –the highest political office
in England (with the exception of the King). However, their friendship was not
to last forever. During the time that Henry sought to part ways with the
Catholic Church in order to serve his own selfish tastes, Thomas was driven
apart from him and even imprisoned with the accusation of speaking against the
King, even though all Thomas did was stand by the truths and doctrines of the
Catholic Church –the Church of Jesus Christ. Thomas remained in prison for
about fifteen months, where he “prayed, meditated, and wrote about hope and
about the strength and humility of Jesus before his own suffering.”[4] In
the end, Thomas was executed by decapitation, but before he breathed his last,
he spoke the words, “I die the king’s good servant, but God’s first.”[5]
St. Thomas More, Pray for us!
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