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01 May 2011 - Solemnity of the Second Sunday of Easter; Divine Mercy Sunday, Cycle A

Of the apostles named among the 12, we have real affection for only a handful. There are not many fan clubs for Bartholomew (with apologies to the St. Bartholomew Churches out there!). Few folks have personal devotions to Philip or James the son of Alphaeus. “Bad boys” in the assembly might be partial to the Sons of Thunder, James and John. Others may feel mild empathy for Matthew-Levi, tax collector and pariah among his own people. But when you ask for a show of hands for favorite apostle, you’ll get takers for Peter the impetuous and Thomas the doubter. Saint Peter has enormous stature in the church for obvious reasons; we love Saint Thomas for only one: the Gospel of John. Thomas has nothing to say apart from John’s testimony to him, which makes him a near chatterbox by comparison with the synoptic gospels. In John he distinguishes himself four times: before the raising of Lazarus, when he urges the other disciples to go to Bethany with Jesus and to die with him. Second, at Jesus’ last discourse he frankly admits he doesn’t know the way to follow Jesus. Third, after the Resurrection appearance in the locked room Thomas gets himself into the present mess commemorated this Sunday. Finally, he is one of the disciples singled out by name getting in the boat with Peter to go fishing. This last passage should be the one by which we remember Thomas, because it’s the most telling. In the end it shouts to us: Thomas got on board! From the start Jesus calls disciples for the expressed purpose of going on a fishing expedition for his sake. It’s significant, then, that Peter’s first post-Resurrection decision is to go fishing. The roll call of those who got in the boat with Peter is not random: Thomas the confessor, Nathaniel the reformed cynic, Zebedee’s now humbled sons, and two mysterious “others”—one of whom is the Beloved Disciple. No point in spilling more ink in the controversy of who the Beloved Disciple is, which won’t be solved here. It’s more intriguing to consider who the other “other” might be: Does that leave room for you or me in the boat? Taking in the whole story of Thomas at a glance is important because many of us get stuck in this one episode, which reveals Thomas the Problem. It’s obvious that John’s intention is to provide us with Thomas the Solution, the redeemed one, viewed over the spectrum of his discipleship. Just like Thomas, we problem disciples still have time to get on board. Scripture links The ideal early church: Acts 4:32-35, 5:12-16, 9:31 Walking by faith and also by touch: 2 Cor. 5:7; 1 John 1:1-4 Other appearances of Thomas the disciple: John 11:16, 14:5 The work of witnessing: Acts 10:39-43 Church as the Body of Christ: 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Col. 1:24; Eph. 1:22, 4:15-16 Catechism links Four elements of "Acts disciples": CCC 3; 584; 857; 946-953; 1329; 1342; 2177-2179; 2624 Post-Resurrection disciples: CCC 442; 643-647; 730; 788; 858-859; 1287

Authors Alice Camille

saint thomas doubting thomas

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Homily stories

01 May 2011 - Solemnity of the Second Sunday of Easter; Divine Mercy Sunday, Cycle A

Many things can--and have--been said about the apostle Thomas and his infamous demand to see the risen Christ in person rather than rely on the reports of the other disciples. Some have vilified him as the arch-doubter, while others have praised him for his persistence in seeking out the risen Christ for himself. The early Christian bishop, saint, and servant of the poor Paulinus of Nola had his own, unique interpretation of the encounter between Thomas and his Lord. Paulinus and his wife Theresia had endured the death of their infant child. Writing to another couple who had experienced the same loss, Paulinus said: "It was not without divine purpose that the apostle [Thomas] doubted. By his doubting, he strengthened faith. Because Thomas was bidden to see and hear in person, I learn to believe unswervingly and with steady faith that human death was overcome by the death of Christ crucified." Paulinus came to this conviction because he believed the story. We, too, hear the same story, which was "written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name."

Authors Joel Schorn

saint thomas doubting thomas

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Homily stories

01 May 2011 - Solemnity of the Second Sunday of Easter; Divine Mercy Sunday, Cycle A

"Awe came upon everyone" in the early Christian community, Luke tells us in the Acts of the Apostles. I see that same awe come upon my 4-year-old daughter whenever we're at Mass. She loves everything about going to church: the interior of the building with its stained glass, statues, and holy water; the singing, community responses, sign of the cross, and handshake of peace; the standing, kneeling, and processing to the altar. She rarely fusses, whines, or gets distracted by the people around her (this from a world-class fusser, whiner, and flirt). She holds her own missalette and insists on being on the right page for whatever song we're singing though she can't read a word or a note. About the only time her attention wanders and she suddenly needs to use the facilities is during the homily (sorry, Father). In fact, the better the homily, the more assuredly she'll ask to be excused. I realize that my daughter is one of those blessed ones, who, unlike, Saint Thomas and many of us doubters, has not seen but believes. She has no need for philosophical proofs or apologetics. She doesn't even think to ask about sin, redemption, and salvation and how it all works in the context of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. She merely and instinctively knows that something good takes place at Mass, and she wants to be part of it. No doubt about it.

Authors Patrice J. Tuohy

saint thomas awe

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Quotes

14 Jul 2024 - Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

To convert somebody, go and take them by the hand and guide them. —Saint Thomas Aquinas It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching. —Saint Francis of Assisi

Saint Thomas Aquinas saint francis

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04 Aug 2024 - Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one. —Mother Teresa The Eucharist is the sacrament of love: it signifies love, it produces love. The Eucharist is the consummation of the whole spiritual life. —Saint Thomas Aquinas

Mother Teresa Saint Thomas Aquinas

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