The WORD today (see http://mysimplereflection.blogspot.com/2013/07/believe.html) reminds
me that I should believe in and not doubt God.
Hebrews
defines faith as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we
don’t see.” In the gospel, we initially don’t see St Thomas exhibiting this
faith. When the disciples told him they saw the risen Jesus, he did not
believe, and even said that he will not believe until he touches the wounded
body of Jesus. He is not contented with merely seeing Jesus but wanted to touch
him as well. So when Jesus appeared to them and Thomas was with them, he told
Thomas to touch him.
If
St Thomas did not exhibit faith, why are we celebrating his feast day today?
Well,
maybe for us to be reminded what we too, in one way or another, in one
circumstance or another, are acting like St Thomas. When we don’t believe God
and his plans, when we belittle his love and his power, when we get discouraged
by the challenges and evil in this world, we are acting like St Thomas. But I
think more than that, God wants to remind us that he sees the
potential in us. He sees what we can become. He sees past our failures and
weakness.
God
sees us not for what we are and what we do, but for what we can become if we
cooperate with him.
St
Thomas may have lacked faith, but Jesus reached out to him in a
personal way, enabling him to say “My Lord, and my God!” – what each one
of us say everytime we celebrate mass. His profession of faith after his
personal encounter with Jesus is meant to inspire us, that Jesus does not give
up easily, and will come to us and will reach out to us in a way we need to.
And our encounter with Jesus will enable us to believe, to have faith, and to
do great things for him, through him.
Do
I have faith in God? What conditions do I set before I believe in God? In what
ways has God proven his love and power to me? How can I improve my faith?
May
we be inspired by St Thomas, and be challenged by Jesus words – “Blessed are
those who have not seen me and have believed”
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to love.
Thank you for St Thomas. Lord, I am sorry for acting like him. sorry for not
having faith in you, for wanting signs and manifestations of your love and
power in my life. Sorry for letting challenges in life and evil in this world
to drown me and discourage me. Thank you for not giving up on me, Lord. I pray
that you would always reach out to me. I pray that you would always believe in
me. and as you do so, may it continue to inspire me and build my faith, so that
I could do great things for and through you. Use me to spread your kingdom and
your glory. Amen.
Blessed Day!
In Christ,
-g-
July 3, 2018
Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle
Lectionary: 593
Lectionary: 593
Reading 1
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.
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.
Responsorial Psalm PS 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.
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.
Alleluia JN 20:29
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;
blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;
blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel JN 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.
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.
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