Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Thomas, the Apostle who is often remembered for his doubts and his quest for proof. But as we reflect on his story, let us also see the beautiful lesson he teaches us about faith and what Saint Paul called, “citizenship in God's household.”
In the first reading from Ephesians, we hear that we are no longer aliens or foreign visitors, but citizens like all the saints. We are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets as its foundation, and Christ Jesus as its cornerstone. As we grow in faith, we are being built into a house where God lives in the Spirit.
But what does it mean to be a citizen of God's household? It means that we are part of a community that is united by our faith in Jesus Christ. It means that we are connected to each other and to God in a way that transcends our individual differences and limitations. And it means that we are called to live as a living temple, where God's presence is made manifest in our lives. Now, this gift of finding support in others is often taken for granted. When Saint Thomas had his doubts, it was his fraternity of brother apostles who tried to convince him of the truth of the resurrection which they had witnessed. How many times do we hear people say, “I don’t need to go to church because I can pray in my own room?” While it is true that praying in secret, in our own room, is also a directive of the Lord, we nevertheless have his instruction to meet in his name, and where two or three are gathered, there he is in their midst. We are to find support in one another, and receive the greatest of all gifts, when he makes himself present on our altar through the consecrated host and becomes present within us. Notice this is done in a community where the validly ordained priest prays with the community of believers, and through uttering the words of our Lord himself at the Last Supper, calls down from heaven the Lord of hosts into our midst. Now, it is not the fire that descended from heaven to set fire to the holocaust on the altar as a reponse to Elijah and the Israelite’s prayer, but rather
the Lord himself who had once sent that fire, will become present within the bread, and draw us to a union with himself. This, one cannot experience by merely staying at home to pray. What we pass up when we miss even one Holy Mass, and participate in a state of grace in all of its liturgical elements, is beyond our comprehension and we will only know truly once we’re on the other side. But let us remind ourselves, our children, our loved ones, to never miss a mass we can attend.
Now, let's turn to the Gospel reading from John 20. We see Thomas, one of Jesus' twelve apostles, who again, was not present when Jesus appeared to the others after his resurrection on Easter Sunday. When they told him they had seen the Lord, Thomas refused to believe them. He wanted proof, he wanted to see with his own eyes and touch with his own hands. And so, eight days later, Jesus appears to them again and this time Jesus knew Thomas was there.
Thomas is not ashamed to express his doubts and Jesus does not rebuke him. Instead, Jesus says, "Peace be with you" and invites Thomas to touch his wounds given he had said to the apostles that unless he sees and touches the wounds, he would not believe. Thomas is filled with awe and makes the identification, "My Lord and my God!"
Thomas' story teaches us that faith is not about having all the answers or having proof of everything. Faith is about trust and surrender. It is about believing in something greater than ourselves, even when we can't see or understand it fully. The occasional signs of his resurrection are gifts of his mercy.
As we celebrate Saint Thomas' feast day today, let us reflect on what it means to be citizens of God's household and that our faith is not just a private matter between us and God, but it is also a public confession of our trust in Jesus Christ.
May we be like Thomas, who was willing to admit his doubts and then received the gift of faith when Jesus appeared to him. May we grow in our faith and trust in Jesus and his words, more and more throughout our lives, knowing he is with us always, each day, until we finally see him and are given the unfathomable grace to remain with him whom we have hopefully loved, our entire lives. Amen. Saint Thomas, pray for us.
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