Jul 3 – Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle
Thomas (d. 72) was ready to die with Jesus when Christ went to Jerusalem, but he is best remembered for doubting the Resurrection until allowed to touch Christ’s wounds. He preached in Parthia, Persia and India, though he was so reluctant to start the mission that he had to be taken into slavery by a merchant headed that way.
He eventually gave in to God’s will, was freed, and planted the new Church over a wide area. He formed many parishes and built many churches along the way. An old tradition says that Thomas baptised the wise men from the Nativity into Christianity.
His symbol is the builder’s square. There are several stories that explain it:
- he built a palace for King Guduphara in India
- he built the first church in India with his own hands
- it is representative of building a strong spiritual foundation as he had complete faith in Christ (though initially less in the Resurrection)
- he offered to build a palace for an Indian king that would last forever; the king gave him money, which Thomas promptly gave away to the poor; he explained that the palace he was building was in heaven, not on earth.
- Patron Saint index
Eph 2:19-22
Jn 20:24-29
“Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
The gospel today revolves around Thomas the Apostle, who is often referred to as ‘Doubting Thomas’, where he infamously questioned Jesus’ resurrection and his demand for evidence. While Thomas’ story was frequently viewed with contempt and alluded to those with a lack of faith, we fail to realize that his spiritual journey, perhaps, is the most relatable to ours as compared to any of the other apostles.
I have yet to encounter anyone who could proclaim to have steadfast faith from the time of their birth until adulthood. Most of us have doubts about our faith, especially during our teenage years and subsequently in working life. Going to church every week doesn’t mean that we won’t have doubts about our beliefs. The season of skepticism is part of the journey and could serve to strengthen our trust in God, once we have managed to cast away those doubts. It is only natural to question all that has been taught to us; whether we can trust the scriptures, evidence of the resurrection and even the concept of God. Thankfully, there are tons of resources available today to counter the falsehoods and misinformation; the Alpha program happens to be one of those. It is important to recognize that doubt is not a rejection of belief, but merely holding a belief with hesitation and uncertainty. In fact, doubt seems to be parasitic upon belief. It can be a healthy cynicism, especially with the influx of scams and frauds plaguing our society nowadays. Anyone who hasn’t received any phishing calls or scam messages must either be living in a cave or doesn’t possess a mobile phone. Living in such an environment will only teach us to be more prudent in our dealings. Imagine if people were to readily believe anyone who comes along and claims to be the second coming of Jesus – society will be in disarray and in a shambles. This is exactly what happened in the portrayal of the JMS Christian Gospel Mission in the ill-famed Netflix Korean docuseries “In the Name of God”. The abominable acts might not have been committed so easily and extensively if more people were to be a doubting Thomas.
Calling someone a doubting Thomas doesn’t imply that he/she does not have faith. In fact, many people believe amidst doubts – myself included. Many of the apostles who lived with Jesus and saw the miracles He performed had doubts; hence, it is only natural that many of us will too. To believe is to take something to be the case or regard as true. But to believe doesn’t require certainty. Many of us have chosen to believe in the Christian faith even before we have complete certainty – the latter only continues to build up as we progress in our faith journey. Hence, today’s gospel actually serves to remind us of the posture we ought to adopt when approaching people with doubts. Rather than improperly labelling them, we should extend care and grace for people who dare to question, or who are afraid to take the leap of faith.
As I reflect back on the Netflix series ‘In the Name of God’, I can’t help but think that skepticism can be an important and valuable trait, when applied appropriately. It can help individuals avoid blind acceptance of information and encourage a deeper understanding of the faith and the world around them. While excessive skepticism can hinder the progress of faith, it is worth noting that our spiritual journey is never about competition. God brings us to Him and reveals himself to us in His time. There is nothing we can do to make Him love us more; His love is already unconditional and forever waiting for our acceptance of the call to follow Him.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Dylan Tan)
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we trust that You will provide for our every need, and pray that you will strengthen our faith and draw us close to you. Let us have the strength to quell any fears and uncertainties, as we pray for serenity to calm our anxious hearts. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Thanksgiving: Thank you, Father, for granting us the strength to remain faithful to You always. As our hearts are filled with joy, please continue to embrace us in times when we waver in our faith. Let us know that you are always waiting for us to come home to You, and grant us the grace to praise Your name until the end of time.
OXYGEN 
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