Also known as
Didymus; the Twin; Apostle of India; Doubting Thomas
Memorial
3
July; celebration of the transference of his body to Edessa in
Mesopotamia
Profile
Apostle. Ready to die with Jesus when Christ went to Jerusalem, but best
remembered for doubting the Resurrection till allowed to touch Christ's
wounds. Preached in Parthia, Persia and India, though he was so
reluctant to start the mission that he had to be taken into slavery by a
merchant headed that way; eventually gave in to God's will and was
freed. Formed many parishes and built many churches along the way. His
symbol is the builder's square, from an ancient story that built a
palace for King Guduphara in India.
Died
c.72; stabbed with a spear in India
Patronage
against doubt,
architects,
blind people,
builders,
construction workers,
Ceylon
East Indies,
geometricians,
India,
masons,
Pakistan,
people in doubt,
Sri Lanka,
stone masons,
stonecutters,
theologians
Representation
spear; t-square
Reading
"Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when
Jesus came." He was the only disciple absent; on his return he
heard what had happened but refused to believe it. The Lord came a
second time; he offered his side for the disbelieving disciple to touch,
held out his hands, and showing the scars of his wounds, healed the
wound of disbelief.
Dearly
beloved, 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. The disbelief of
Thomas has done more for our faith than the faith of the other
disciples. As he touches Christ and is won over to belief, every doubt
is cast aside and our faith is strengthened. So the disciple who
doubted, then felt Christ's wounds, becomes a witness to the reality of
the resurrection.
Touching
Christ, he cried out: "'My Lord and my God.' Jesus said to him:
'Because you have seen me, Thomas, you have believed.'" Paul said:
"Faith is the guarantee of things hoped for, the evidence of things
unseen." It is clear, then, that faith is the proof of what cannot
be seen. What is seen gives knowledge, not faith. When Thomas saw and
touched, why was he told: "You have believed because you have seen
me?" Because what he saw and what he believed were different
things. God cannot be seen by mortal man. Thomas saw a human being, whom
he acknowledged to be God, and said: "My Lord and my God."
Seeing, he believed ; looking at one who was true man, he cried out that
this was God, the God he could not see.
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 are included in these words, but only if we follow up our
faith with good works. The true believer practices what he believes. But
of those who pay only lip service to faith, Paul has this to say:
"They profess to know God, but they deny him in their works."
Therefore James says: "Faith without works is dead."
from
a homily by Pope
Saint Gregory
the Great
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