July 3, 2009

Friday July 3, 2009 of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time
The Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle
Scripture readings: Ephesians 2: 19-22 Psalm 117: 1-2 John 20: 24-29
Response: “Go out to all the world and tell the good news!”

In our first reading today, Paul is a formulator of the doctrine of the people of God as the Church. He couldn’t have envisioned the buildings constructed over the next thousands of years to honor and praise the Lord but his vision extended beyond the pale to the building up of the Body of Christ with Christ as the foundation and we as the bricks and mortar.

To affirm the concept of one Church, the psalmist iterates the enduring quality of our being one with God through our endurance.

When Christ made His first appearance to the Apostles while they cowered in the upper room, Thomas was not there. So, when they told him they had seen the Lord, he not only doubted but put some conditions in place to show his obduracy.
The writer of John uses a literary license to have Jesus appear the same way as He had appeared to the ten the week before. Although the doors were locked, He stood in their midst and again offered peace. This week Thomas was there.
As soon as Christ materialized, He offered Thomas His hands and His side. Seeing it was truly Jesus, Thomas fell to His knees to adore Him and exclaimed, “My Lord and My God!”
Jesus extolled Thomas for believing because he had seen with his own eyes. However, He mounted additional praise on those who wouldn’t see Him personally but still believed; that’s us!
How privileged we are to see Him, though veiled, in the consecrated Bread and Wine and at the elevation repeat Thomas’ acclamation, “My Lord And My God!”