3 July, 2023 | Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle (For India - Solemnity of the Feast of St Thomas, Apostle of India)
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."
Reflections
In the Gospel of today, we have the most profound expression of faith made by Apostle Thomas: “My Lord and my God.” It acknowledges the crucified Jesus as the “Lord and God”. Thomas, whose feast we celebrate today, does not want to believe in the hearsay, but asks for a personal encounter with the Risen Lord. Just as all the other apostles had the privilege of personal encounter with Jesus, he too wanted the same. The Risen Lord appears again and reveals himself, allowing Thomas to touch his sacred and resurrected body which was bruised. The personal encounter with Jesus will lead us to a clear, determined, strong and apostolic faith. Thomas doubted, but he decided to move from doubt to faith, from skepticism to trust and from fear to the courage of giving up his life in martyrdom.
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