Poor Saint Thomas the Apostle! Whenever his name is heard, one tends to
think of a skeptic, a doubter. We even
call people “doubting Thomas’s”.
A homily of St. Gregory the Great has survived these many centuries
in which St. Gregory considers the providence of God in this Gospel story.
“Dearly beloved,” he says, “what do you see in these events?
Do you really believe that it was by chance that this chosen disciple was
absent, then came and heard, heard and doubted, doubted and touched, touched
and believed? It was not by chance but in God’s providence. In a marvelous way
God’s mercy arranged that the disbelieving disciple, in touching the wounds of
his master’s body, should heal our wounds of disbelief…. What follows is
reason for great joy: Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.
There is here a particular reference to ourselves; we hold in our hearts one we
have not seen in the flesh”.
In this Gospel account, we have much more than a cautionary
tale about doubting. We shouldn’t doubt the divine truths of God, that’s true,
of course. But, this story is included in the Scriptures, so that we can be
emboldened in faith—to recognize that there is a blessedness in believing in
the Resurrection even though we were not eyewitnesses to it.
As Thomas placed his hands into the wounds of the
resurrected Christ, we too can do so, through faith. In our daily prayer,
whenever we’d like, we can close our eyes, and consider this scene. We can
imagine ourselves in the place of Thomas, the Lord entering into our midst and
saying peace be with you. We can imagine the Lord inviting us “Put your finger
here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side”.
And then we can open our eyes, and see with the eyes of
faith, the Lord in the Eucharist: the one crucified and risen, who gives
himself to us, to not only adore from a distance, but to receive into our
bodies and souls.
There is an old custom, that when the consecrated host and
consecrated chalice are raised up at mass, the faithful would repeat silently
to themselves the words of Thomas, “My Lord and My God”, certainly words we do
well to repeat whenever we have the chance to glimpse the Lord in the
monstrance as well.
There is a blessedness to living in this age of the Church, this
age of faith. And we have been chosen by God to live by faith. We grow in blessedness—in sanctity—as we walk by faith, not by
sight—faith, that God is truly with us in the sacraments, and in the crosses
and challenges of life, in the joys and sorrows, successes and failures, in our
health and brokenness. May we celebrate our faith, draw strength from it, and
share it generously to all the nations, for the glory of God and the salvation
of souls.
For the Church throughout the world: that she may faithfully
proclaim the Resurrection of Christ and strengthen all people to believe in
him, though they have not seen. Let us pray to the Lord.
For a healing of schism in the church, for those who
struggle with doubt, discouragement, or weakness of faith: that the mercy of
Christ may heal their wounds and lead them to deeper trust in his love. Let us
pray to the Lord.
For missionaries and all who share the Gospel: that the
faith handed down from the apostles may be proclaimed generously to all
nations. Let us pray to the Lord.
We pray in a special way for our nation on the occasion of
our semi quincentennial, 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, our families, businesses, civil institutions, and all
of our domestic affairs. Let us pray to the Lord.
For all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit: that they may
find peace and strength in the wounds of the crucified and risen Lord. Let us
pray to the Lord.
For the faithful departed: that they may behold face to face
the Lord whom they believed in and loved on earth. Let us pray to the Lord.
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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