What was it that allowed Thomas to become free from his doubts? The encounter with the risen Jesus Christ.
Earlier in the Gospel, Thomas expressed his willingness to follow the Lord unto death. When Jesus heard of the death of Lazarus, he exhorted his apostles to follow him to Bethany, which would bring them dangerously close to Jerusalem. On that occasion Thomas said to his fellow disciples: “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Yet, where was he when the Lord climbed the hill of Calvary? The cross certainly filled Thomas with doubt. The news of Jesus’ death caused doubt to dominate. But that encounter with the risen Christ brought Thomas a new freedom and a new faith. As he touched the nail marks of the risen Christ he was freed.
Accounts from the 3rd century tell of Thomas’ apostolic and missionary works in hat is modern day Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and of course his missionary activity led him to India where he was martyred when he crossed the Indian King.
Freedom, discovered through the divine encounter, impelled him to preach the Gospel that all men might be free.
Thomas is a model for us, to endeavor to open our minds and hearts to the divine encounter, in prayer and in the sacraments. And having encounter Christ in our prayer, in our reception of his body and blood in the eucharist, in the mercy of the confessional, we are freed from our own fears and doubts to go and proclaim the Gospel in our words and deeds.
May all those who lack faith, through the prayerful intercession of the Apostle Thomas come to a life-changing encounter with Christ, and may he help us all to be free from all that keeps us from witnessing to Christ with zeal for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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Since we will not have Mass tomorrow, you will use today the beautiful petitions composed for the inauguration of President George Washington by Archbishop John Carroll, First Roman Catholic bishop in our country whose brother Charles Carroll was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
We pray Thee, O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through Whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy holy spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of the United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality. We pray to the Lord.
Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty. We pray to the Lord.
We pray for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they maybe enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability. We pray to the Lord.
We recommend likewise, to Thy unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal. We pray to the Lord.
And we pray especially for all of our countrymen who have gone before us in faith, for all those who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, for all the of the deceased members of our family and friends, and for N., for whom this Mass is offered. We pray to the Lord.
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