3 July 2019
Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle
I am not like Thomas, wounds I cannot see,
But can plainly call thee Lord and God as he;
Let me to a deeper faith daily nearer move,
Daily make me harder hope and dearer love.
-St. Thomas Aquinas (tr. Gerard Manley Hopkins S.J.)
St. Paul’s claim stands in stark contrast to many today: “You are no longer strangers […] you are members of the household of God.” (Eph 2:19) In the face of insistances in his own day and in ours that God is far from us, that we have no share in His life and promises and grace, St. Paul’s conviction remains far more than proven throughout the centuries in the lives of innumerable Christians: God is with us. He draws close to us and calls us to draw close to Him.
In order to draw close to Him, it is good to be honest with ourselves and with Our Lord about what we consider to be obstacles to deeper faith in Him. Thomas, having been absent from the group of the disciples who saw the Risen Lord, states clearly the obstacle to his faith: “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands…” (Jn 20:25) Today, in prayer, let us bring our obstacles to the Lord, particularly before the Blessed Sacrament. Let us tell Him what makes us feel absent from others and from Him, and then contemplate how He drew near to Thomas. Let us hear His response to our obstacles as He says to Thomas, “Bring your hand and put it into my side!” (Jn20:27) God allows our senses to touch Him and to have our souls touched by Him, especially in the Eucharist. To the Risen Lord’s love for us, let us respond with St. Thomas: “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28)