Before his moment of doubt, when the Lord received news 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.”
Thomas’ readiness to follow the Lord anywhere, even unto death, shows us what mature Christian discipleship looks like. Christians are to follow Jesus wherever he goes—we are to unite our destiny with his, no matter the consequences. And even if those consequences are dire, to be united with Christ brings life, as we heard St. Paul write to the Romans in the Second Reading yesterday, “ If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.” Death with Him is better than life without Him.
After seeing and touching the resurrected Jesus and acclaiming “My Lord and My God” there are no further scriptural accounts of St. Thomas. However, stories from the 3rd and 4th centuries tell of Thomas’ apostolic and missionary activity in modern day Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan and labors in India where he was martyred.
The story goes that a pagan indian king, upon meeting the apostle, immediately put great trust in him and hired him as a royal architect. Because of this, St. Thomas is the patron saint of architects. The king put at Thomas’ disposal the great wealth of his treasury for planning and building the new royal palace. But Thomas donated the entire sum to the poor, telling the King, that this way he builds a greater palace in heaven. The king would have put Thomas to death for this, but the king received a heavenly apparition, the king’s dead brother appeared and testified to the reality and glory of the heavenly palace.
Thomas was martyred, however, when he converted the king’s many wives to Christ and persuaded them to remain abstinent because Christian marriage is between one man and one woman.
The Apostle Thomas rightly and boldly passed on Christ’s teaching concerning the moral conduct of his followers even though it would bring about the king’s wrath. Thomas the apostle shows us the courage to which Catholics are called. The courage and willingness to follow Jesus anywhere: In front of kings and judges and presidents, the boldness to speak the truth of Christ no matter the consequence.
Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, like Thomas closely peering at the wounds of Jesus, helps us to withstand caving to the growing trends of secularism and immorality in our society. Like Him may we faithfully proclaim Christ as Lord and God to all nations, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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For the Church during this time of Eucharistic Revival: for more fervent belief in the Lord’s Real Presence in the Eucharist, and that the Eucharist may help us die to sin and live more fully for God.
As the United States celebrates our civil independence this week: we pray that our nation may be united by God’s Spirit, guarded from terror, observant of God’s Holy Laws, and vigilant against threats to our freedom, peace, and well-being. May the Wisdom of God guide our government leaders and legislators, families, businesses, civil institutions, and all of our domestic affairs.
That during this month of July dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus: we may grow in gratitude for the gift of our salvation and more zealous for souls.
For all of the sick and afflicted, and for our deceased family members, friends and fellow parishioners, for our deceased servicemen and women, for all the poor souls in purgatory and for…
O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.
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