Cows Can Fly

Learning to cherish our precious Catholic schools

01/28/2025

Matthew 23:8-12 Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples: "Do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

How fortunate that we are celebrating this all-schools Mass during Catholic Schools Week on January 28, the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas. Why is that so fortunate? Well, because St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of students, like you! That means he prays for you to do well in school. And you can ask for his prayers before a test, in case you forgot to study. Now, raise your hand if you have ever forgotten to study for a test? Now you know who to ask for help when you’re desperate!

Let me tell you a story about St. Thomas when he was just a student himself in a monastery studying to become a monk. And it will also teach us something beautiful about Catholic schools. St. Thomas was a big boy when he was young and also very quiet. He watched and listened but he was zip-lip. You see, Thomas knew why God gave us two eyes and two ears but only one mouth.

Can you guess why? So we would look and listen a lot more than we talk. Well, one day Thomas’ classmates decided to play a prank on him. They saw him walking down the hall, and they stood by a window staring at the sky and pointing with their fingers. They yelled to Thomas, “Br. Thomas, Br. Thomas, come and look! There are cows flying!”

Br. Thomas lumbered as quickly as he could over to the window and the waiting brothers. But when he looked up at the sky, alas, there were no cows flying. Of course, his classmates were laughing and carrying on about how gullible and foolish Thomas was to believe cows could fly.

Then Br. Thomas turned back from the window, faced his classmates, and said calmly: “I would rather believe cows can fly than that brothers can lie.” What a great come-back! And the brothers who were laughing a minute ago were now silenced, embarrassed, and ashamed. By the way, his classmates had given Br. Thomas the nickname of the “Dumb Ox” because he was big and quiet.

But one day their teacher, St. Albert the Great, told the whole class: “You may call Thomas the Dumb Ox. But one day this ox will bellow so loudly his voice will fill the whole world.” And that is true. St. Thomas Aquinas’ writings spread all over the world, and even down the ages. We still read his books in the seminary, where we study to become priests.

Now I’m going to tell you how this story can teach us something beautiful about Catholic schools. Going to a Catholic school is a little like going to a monastery. Now, that does not mean you are not going to become a priest or a nun, but rather you are trying to become a saint and a scholar.

And sometimes you may have classmates who tease you, like the brother monks did to Thomas. When that happens, boys and girls, don’t get mad, and don't run away crying. But be kind and forgiving, like Thomas was, and even say a prayer for those who tease you. Always be kind to each other, because we don’t know what someone is feeling inside.

And the friends you make here in Catholic schools will be your friends for life. When students go to Northside or Southside high school, or Subiaco or Ozark Catholic Academy, they stick close to their friends from Trinity and I.C. and Christ the King. Boys and girls, ask yourself: who do I play with at recess?

Who do I sit next to at lunch? Who are my teammates in basketball, volleyball, or track? These friends are given to you by God to be your own Thomas Aquinas, a friend to help you go through life. And maybe that friend will teach you one that “it’s better to believe cows can fly than that friends can lie.”

This Catholic Schools Week let’s follow the example of the Dumb Ox, St. Thomas Aquinas, and open our two eyes and our two ears, and close our mouths – which won’t be easy for some of us – and discover what a blessing it is to go to a Catholic school. Here we meet our best friends for life, and especially our bestest Friend, Jesus.

Praised be Jesus Christ!