Friday, July 3, 2026

 

Feast of Saint Thomas, apostle

(Ephesians 2:19-22; John 20:24-29)

Earlier in his gospel as in today’s reading, John says that Thomas is also called “Didymus.” This is the Aramaic version of the Greek name “Thomas.”  In both languages the words mean “twin.” John’s explanation of the name does not seem to be parenthetical.  Rather he may be suggesting that we identify with him.  We are Thomas’ twin.  Like Thomas, we are on a journey to know the Lord.  Of course, our journey is spiritual where Thomas is both physical and spiritual.

Thomas is introduced in the gospel as Jesus decides to return to Judea to raise Lazarus from the dead.  When the other disciples warn Jesus of the danger of the return, Thomas enthusiastically proclaims, “Let us also go to die with him.” As young men and women the thought of dying for Christ was attractive to us as well.  We thought of ourselves as becoming heroes praised by the people and assured of a martyr’s reward.  But aging often wears the soul as well as the body.  We become more cautious not wanting to cut short the years remaining to us.  Thomas becomes skeptical of Jesus’ resurrection.  He will not believe when the other disciples tell him that they have seen the Lord.  In the same vein, we begin to doubt the value of martyrdom. However, when the risen Jesus appears to him, Thomas professes faith that he is Lord.

Not because we have seen the risen Lord but because we have witnessed his glory, we profess faith in the Resurrection and the Lordship of Jesus.  What have we observed?  We have heard stories of the saints and have known holy men and women whose lives manifested an uncompromising love of Christ. We have noted how Christian doctrine quite sensibly coordinates both Scripture and experience.  And who of us has not prayed to Jesus and not found our requests honored?  We know that the Lord Jesus lives and follow the road he marked for us in the gospels.  If God calls us to martyrdom, we will not run away from it.

Monday, July 3, 2023

Feast of Saint Thomas, apostle

(Ephesians 2:19-22; John 20:24-29)

In John’s gospel Jesus comes as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John the Baptist proclaimed this truth at the beginning of the gospel.  After Jesus’ crucifixion his disciples have difficulty believing it.  Then Jesus appears.  Seeing him, the disciples can believe that Jesus is God’s agent who has brought salvation to the world.

Not part of the original group who see the resurrected Jesus, Thomas‘ experience is actually not different from theirs.  He too sees before believing.  Then he expresses a fuller faith.  Jesus is not only God’s agent who redeemed humankind.  He is God Himself!  “MY Lord and my God!” It should not be thought that Thomas touched Jesus’ side.  For him, as for the other apostles, seeing was enough for believing.

Today we celebrate Thomas for his statement of faith and for carrying out the implication of the statement.  If Jesus is God, one should be willing to die for him.  We too are called to die for Jesus although it is not likely that we will be martyred.  But we can die to ourselves for Jesus’ sake.  We can give up our desires for pleasure, prestige, and power as Jesus showed us. 

Friday, July 3, 2020

Feast of Saint Thomas, apostle

(Ephesians 2:19-22; John 20:24-29)

A debate in the philosophy of science centers on the question of the existence of spiritual being.  Some philosophers hold that matter is all that there is.  They try to reduce the mind to the material functions of the brain.  More classical thinkers respond saying that the elements of matter cannot account for the intricate capacity of thought.  They understand the mind as a spiritual substance dependent upon matter for its formation but having a reality apart from it.  In today’ gospel St. Thomas seems to be a materialist until he meets the risen Lord.

When Thomas is told that the other disciples have seen Christ after he was crucified, he demands to touch Jesus’ body before accepting the fact of his resurrection.  Jesus gives him the opportunity to do it. Does Thomas actually go ahead with the experiment?  The Scripture does not say so.  In fact, it indicates that he does not. Jesus says that Thomas believes only with seeing as the other disciples.

The passage ends with Jesus giving later Christians a blessing for believing in the resurrection without ever seeing the resurrected one.  Because our times challenge such belief, we have to support one another in the faith of the resurrection.  Orthodox Christians do this by a ritual statement and response.  “Christ is risen,” says the priest.  “He is risen indeed,” answer the people.

Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Feast of Saint Thomas, apostle

(Ephesians 2:19-22; John 20:24-29)

Although St. Peter and perhaps St. John are the most important apostles, St. Jude and St. Thomas are the ones with whom most people identify.  St. Jude is known as the patron of hopeless causes.  Both saints and more retrograde sinners have considered their situations as impossible.   St. Thomas doubted the resurrection when he heard about it from his confreres.  Like him most people wonder if the apostles were “just seeing things.”

Today’s gospel passage seems to have been written to dispel such doubts.  In its initial section Thomas demands physical proof that Jesus has risen.  He says, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands…I will not believe."   Then Jesus appears again and shows Thomas his hands.  The response goes beyond belief in the resurrection to belief in Jesus’ divine nature.  Thomas responds, “My Lord and my God!”

We have to believe in both Jesus’ resurrection and divinity without physical proof.  But there is plenty of circumstantial evidence attesting to the claims.  His teachings and example have allayed passions and promoted human welfare.  The Church he established and identified as his living body continues to thrive.  Most of all, he continues to speak in our hearts assuring us of his love and exhorting us to love one another.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Feast of Saint Thomas, apostle

(Ephesians 2:19-22; John 20:24-29)

A debate in the philosophy of science centers around the question of the existence of spiritual being.  Some philosophers hold that matter is all that there is.  They try to reduce the mind to the material functions of the brain.  More traditional thinkers respond saying matter alone cannot account for the marvelous capacity of thought.  Of course, the question bears heavily on faith which Jesus addresses in today’s gospel.

Thomas appears to be a materialist demanding to touch the body of Jesus before accepting his resurrection as fact.  Jesus gives him the opportunity to do so, but does Thomas actually go ahead with the experiment?  Although Caravaggio in a famous painting portrays Thomas as probing the Lord’s side, the Scripture does not say so.  Indeed the passage indicates that he does not when Jesus says that Thomas believes only with seeing as the other disciples.

The passage ends with Jesus giving Christians through the centuries a blessing for believing in the resurrection without even seeing him.  Because our times more than most challenge such belief, we need to support the faith of one another.

Homilette for Friday, August 24, 2007

Feat of St. Bartholomew, Apostle

(John 1)

On the Feast of St. Bartholomew, Apostle, we hear the gospel story about Nathanael. Why? In the lists of apostles in Matthew’s, Mark’s, and Luke’s gospels the name Nathanael doesn’t appear but the name Bartholomew does. This Bartholomew is always paired on the lists with the apostle Philip. In John’s gospel there is no mention of Bartholomew, but there is the story of Nathanael, a friend of Philip. It is logical that Nathanael and Bartholomew is the same person. Also, Bartholomew appears to be a surname since “bar” in Hebrew means “son of.” Some have concluded then that today we celebrate the Feast of Nathanael Bartholomew.

As interesting as the apostle’s name may be, we can commemorate him today for something more. He proclaims Jesus at first hearing as “Son of God and King of Israel.” As Jesus says, he is “without duplicity,” a straight shooter. He is also on the mark as he identifies Jesus correctly. At the end of John’s gospel another disciple, Thomas, will call Jesus “my Lord and my God.” But he will have the advantage of seeing him after the resurrection. Nathanael’s insight comes from his being, as Jesus says, “a true child of Israel,” who has faithfully waited for the Lord.

As Nathanael Bartholomew and all true Israelites waited for the coming of the Messiah, so we and all true Christians wait for him to come back. It might be a frustrating experience if we did not have some reason to believe that he is not far away. In fact, Jesus is present to us in the Eucharist where his Spirit nourishes and guides us. We still want him to reappear in human form to tell us secrets about ourselves, that are hidden from even our eyes, as he does Nathanael in the gospel.