Bible Diary

Daily Reading

Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle

LECTIONARY
593

FIRST READING

EPH 2:19-22

Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

PSALM

PS 117:1BC, 2

Response: Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!

For steadfast is his kindness for us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.

GOSPEL

JN 20:24-29

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
But Thomas said to them,
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Daily Reflection

Catholics who know their prayers, follow the commandments and participate in the rituals and worship would generally be considered ‘religious’. But such religiosity is meaningless if the beliefs professed and prayers recited are not understood, and the commandments and rituals followed are from a sense of obligation or fear!

The life of St. Thomas, whose feast we celebrate, is a fitting example of a faith that is based on reason and understanding, rather than a blind acceptance.

When Jesus spoke of his death and resurrection, telling his disciples that they would follow, Thomas questioned Jesus, “Lord how can we know the way when we don’t know where you are going?” He was the one who questioned the appearances of Jesus after the resurrection. This desire for a personal experience made his faith stronger and his apostleship not just the blind following of a leader, but a conviction he was willing to die for.

May the example of St Thomas inspire us to be Catholics by conviction and not convention.