Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle
Biographical Information about St. Thomas the Apostle[i]
Readings for the Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle[ii]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[iii]
Reading 1: Ephesians 2:19-22
Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Eph 2:19-22
In this passage, St. Paul describes the unity brought about among all believers in Christ. This unity is formed under a common teaching flowing from the Hebrew Prophets, through the Apostles to Christ himself who is described as the “capstone” or cornerstone. This unity of spirit becomes the Church – the “dwelling place for God in the Spirit.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 117:1bc, 2
R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness for us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 117:1bc, 2
Using a refrain from St. Mark’s Gospel, the psalm is one of praise for the Good News of God’s salvation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: John 20:24-29
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
But Thomas said to them,
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 20:24-29
This story from St. John’s Gospel picks up just after Mary Magdalene has brought news to the disciples of the Risen Christ and he has appeared to them in the locked room. He (the Lord) has departed and now Thomas returns to find his friends speaking of Jesus’ return from the dead.
Thomas acquires his nickname by doubting what the other disciples tell him and persists until the Lord again comes to the locked upper room. To his credit, following the Lord’s own challenge St. Thomas applies the title “My Lord and my God”. It is the first time this title, reserved for God the Father, is given to the Son, proclaiming his divinity. The passage concludes with Jesus acknowledging the title but praising those not present who will believe in him without requiring physical proof.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
The picture of the Lord coming to the Apostles in the locked room for the second time, the time when Thomas is there, is when we can really identify with the common man thrust into an uncommon situation and coming out heroically. Thomas was no doubt embarrassed when the Lord called him over:
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Like a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar, Thomas came forward to Jesus. Then he out did Peter in his testament to who Jesus is: Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
This is the first time the title; "My Lord and my God" is used to describe Jesus. Here to for, that title was only used by the Jews (of which Thomas was one) to describe Yahweh, God the Father. In this one instance he defines for us the oneness of Christ and God of the same essence.
It was perhaps his finest moment. His human nature did not disappear at that moment. Later, non-biblical literature tells us, Thomas was asked to go to India to proclaim the Gospel in that part of the world. It is said he refused to go and in the end, the other Apostles had him indentured to a merchant from that country in order to force him to go.
Once there, it is written, he took on the task with a will and in the end, was martyred in that country. It seems he converted the wife of one of the local Maharajas who had him killed by his soldiers. Speared to death
For us he is hope, since none of us have a perfect faith, we can look to St. Thomas with both affection and longing, knowing that his own faith had been, at times, weak, even though he had been with the Lord through out his ministry. We can call to him for intercession, knowing that he will understand our lack of faith. He, who said;
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
Yes, St. Thomas will certainly sympathize with us when we call out in our own voice, asking for proofs or lamenting Jesus lack of apparent help. Today our prayer is to Christ and asking for St. Thomas,our patron’s help, that we might be as the Lord has asked:
"Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed!"
Pax
[i] The picture is “Doubting Thomas “ by Guercino, c. 1650’s
[ii] ALTRE
[iii] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
Biographical Information about St. Thomas the Apostle[i]
Readings for the Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle[ii]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[iii]
Reading 1: Ephesians 2:19-22
Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Eph 2:19-22
In this passage, St. Paul describes the unity brought about among all believers in Christ. This unity is formed under a common teaching flowing from the Hebrew Prophets, through the Apostles to Christ himself who is described as the “capstone” or cornerstone. This unity of spirit becomes the Church – the “dwelling place for God in the Spirit.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 117:1bc, 2
R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness for us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 117:1bc, 2
Using a refrain from St. Mark’s Gospel, the psalm is one of praise for the Good News of God’s salvation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: John 20:24-29
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
But Thomas said to them,
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 20:24-29
This story from St. John’s Gospel picks up just after Mary Magdalene has brought news to the disciples of the Risen Christ and he has appeared to them in the locked room. He (the Lord) has departed and now Thomas returns to find his friends speaking of Jesus’ return from the dead.
Thomas acquires his nickname by doubting what the other disciples tell him and persists until the Lord again comes to the locked upper room. To his credit, following the Lord’s own challenge St. Thomas applies the title “My Lord and my God”. It is the first time this title, reserved for God the Father, is given to the Son, proclaiming his divinity. The passage concludes with Jesus acknowledging the title but praising those not present who will believe in him without requiring physical proof.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
The picture of the Lord coming to the Apostles in the locked room for the second time, the time when Thomas is there, is when we can really identify with the common man thrust into an uncommon situation and coming out heroically. Thomas was no doubt embarrassed when the Lord called him over:
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Like a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar, Thomas came forward to Jesus. Then he out did Peter in his testament to who Jesus is: Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
This is the first time the title; "My Lord and my God" is used to describe Jesus. Here to for, that title was only used by the Jews (of which Thomas was one) to describe Yahweh, God the Father. In this one instance he defines for us the oneness of Christ and God of the same essence.
It was perhaps his finest moment. His human nature did not disappear at that moment. Later, non-biblical literature tells us, Thomas was asked to go to India to proclaim the Gospel in that part of the world. It is said he refused to go and in the end, the other Apostles had him indentured to a merchant from that country in order to force him to go.
Once there, it is written, he took on the task with a will and in the end, was martyred in that country. It seems he converted the wife of one of the local Maharajas who had him killed by his soldiers. Speared to death
For us he is hope, since none of us have a perfect faith, we can look to St. Thomas with both affection and longing, knowing that his own faith had been, at times, weak, even though he had been with the Lord through out his ministry. We can call to him for intercession, knowing that he will understand our lack of faith. He, who said;
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
Yes, St. Thomas will certainly sympathize with us when we call out in our own voice, asking for proofs or lamenting Jesus lack of apparent help. Today our prayer is to Christ and asking for St. Thomas,our patron’s help, that we might be as the Lord has asked:
"Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed!"
Pax
[i] The picture is “Doubting Thomas “ by Guercino, c. 1650’s
[ii] ALTRE
[iii] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
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