Today, July 3, is the feast day for St. Thomas, the apostle. He was not present with the other apostles when Christ first appeared to them after his resurrection. Thomas “doubted” their story that they had seen Jesus alive after his brutal death by crucifixion.
Thomas said, I will not believe unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my hands in his side. Since then he’s been known as Doubting Thomas.
But the next time Jesus appeared to them, Thomas was there. Jesus approached him and said, “Put your fingers here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe” (NAB John 20:27).
With that, Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (NAB John 20:38)
St. Thomas believed because he saw. Jesus continued their conversation saying, “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed” (NAB John 20:29).
Thomas became a faithful witness to the Gospel, taking it to India, where he died a martyr for Jesus in the city of Madras.
We are those who who have believed without seeing! Jesus said we are blessed! Praise God!
St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica
St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica and National Shrine of Saint Thomas is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Santhome, in the city of Chennai, India. It was built in the 16th century by Portuguese explorers, over the tomb of Saint Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. Wikipedia
