Read Ephesians 2:19-22, Psalm 117 and John 20:24-29
“Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25)
Very often, we tend to think of the Saints as extraordinary human beings or larger-than-life figures. We see them as the people who did the impossible or attained the unattainable. In reality, Saints are imperfect creatures who refused to allow their weaknesses to prevent them from pressing forward in the journey to heaven.
The life of St. Thomas who we celebrate today is a typical example of a Saint who was everything like you and me. He had every reason to doubt the resurrection of Christ because nothing like that had ever happened before. However, the moment Jesus showed Himself to Thomas, he fell down and worshipped Jesus saying: “My Lord and My God!”
Like Thomas, there are moments we feel like asking God to prove Himself, to show us something, to answer our prayers in a particular way, or to work some dramatic miracle to make us believe again in His power.
However, what makes Thomas so outstanding is that the moment he touched the hands and felt the side of Jesus, he became a totally changed person. In Thomas, we see that God does not necessarily need perfect people; rather He perfects those who make themselves available for His service.
St. Paul tells us in today’s first reading, we are no longer strangers but fellow citizens with the saints in the Household of God. (Ephesians 2:19). We are all called to sainthood regardless of our limitations and imperfections. If Thomas could do it, who says you cannot?
History tells us that at the dispersal of the Apostles after Pentecost, Thomas went on to evangelize the Parthians, Medes, and Persians; he ultimately reached India, carrying the Faith to the Malabar coast, which still boasts a large native population calling themselves “Christians of St. Thomas.”
Thomas was steadfast to the end even to the point of accepting martyrdom for the sake of the Gospel. St. Thomas was speared to death at a place called Calamine. His feast day is July 3rd and he is the patron of architects.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, give me the grace to remain steadfast on my journey to Sainthood. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saint Thomas, Apostle – Feast. Bible Study: Ephesians 2:19-22, Psalm 117 and John 20:24-29).