Saint Thomas, Apostle

Transcript

Opening Prayer And Morning Offering

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Saint Thomas, Apostle, in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. O my Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the remission of my sins, for the intentions of my family and friends, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father. Amen.

Gregory’s Homily On Thomas

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From a homily on the Gospels by Saint Gregory the Great, Pope. Thomas, one of the twelve called the Twin, was not with him 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 his disbelief. Dearly beloved, what do you see in these events? Do you really believe that it was by chance

Doubt As Providence Not Accident

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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 wound 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.

Faith Without Works Is Dead

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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 hold in our hearts one we have not seen in the flesh. 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. Therefore, James says, faith without works is dead. This life was made visible. We have seen it and we proclaim you, the eternal life which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We have seen it with our own eyes, and with our own hands we have touched the word of life. What we have seen and heard we declare to you, the eternal life which was with the Father and has appeared to us.

Feast Prayer And Closing Devotions

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Grant Almighty God that we may glory in the feast of the Blessed Apostle Thomas, so that we may always be sustained by his intercession, and believing may have life in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, whom Thomas acknowledged as the Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen. All that I have and all that I am, I give to your hands, Jesus, through the heart of Mary, your blessed mother. Amen. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Join The Cristeros And Resources

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