Homily: Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle

Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle (John 20:24-29) “Which Thomas am I?”

Thomas is a name that means twin. Who was Thomas’ twin? We are not given any kind of clue in the Gospel of John. Some scholars have speculated that Thomas was a twin of one of the other Apostles. Matthew is often suggested.

Another theory says that Thomas is referred to as a twin because he looks so much like Jesus. All these ideas are speculation.

There is another possibility which is that Thomas is referred to as a twin because he is a lot like all of us. Thomas takes our place in the Gospel narrative. He asks the questions that we want to ask. His doubts are the doubts we have.

Thomas can be very brave. We think of him saying, “Let us go to die with him” in John 11:16. Thomas says this when Jesus is determined to go to Bethany to minister to his sick friend Lazarus. The Apostles warn Jesus not to go because the religious authorities want to kill Jesus. Thomas, however, says he will go with Jesus even if it means facing death.

A few chapters later we see the other side of Thomas. He is not with the other Apostles who see the risen Jesus. Why wasn’t he there? Did he run away and hide for a time after the death of Jesus? When he does resurface, he expresses skepticism as to whether Jesus is alive.

Who is Thomas? Is he the apostle that is so committed that he is willing to die for his faith? Or is he the Apostle that is constantly questioning his faith? He is both persons. And we can be like him. We can be mercurial in our commitment to Jesus. We are Thomas’s twin, aren’t we?

But we do not need to despair. We also remember on this day that Thomas was a missionary and a martyr. He traveled thousands of miles preaching the Christian message. And ultimately, he did lay down his life for the cause of Christ.

Reflection Questions:

1.    Have I always been strong in my Christian faith? When have I wavered?

2.   If I am afraid to proclaim my faith at certain times, am I lost? How can I regain my commitment to Jesus?

 Dear Parishioners,  

            Remember that this Sunday we will be having an outdoor Mass at 9:15 a.m., weather permitting. Please come and join us. Make sure to bring your own lawn chair or blanket to sit on. This is a great way to celebrate the 4th of July and to pray for our country. The Mass will take place in the green space outside Culemans Hall.

            I will not have a post on July 4th and 5th. The next post will be on our website this Sunday. Please have a safe holiday.

            Fr. Mark