OXYGEN

03 Jul – 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
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Ephesians 2:19-22

You are no longer aliens of foreign visitors; you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.
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John 20:24-29

Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. When they said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you,’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to them:

‘You believe because you can see me.
Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’
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My Lord and my God!

Faith is an incredible part of one’s experience and it certainly requires a lot of human incredibility to believe in it. There have been times when I have been like Thomas who questioned the claims made by others and refused to believe until I could verify the fact with my own senses. Whilst such an approach could be chosen for matters of the world, it certainly will not be applicable in matters of faith.

Thomas the apostle has often been known as ‘Doubting Thomas’ because he doubted that Jesus had appeared before the rest of the apostles. However, I am sympathetic towards him because this was difficult for him to accept given the situation that they were in. Thomas was filled with a healthy scepticism as he did not want to jump into conclusions. Yet he held a strong faith and declared his faith when Jesus appeared before him.

In our daily lives, it seems that our faith is often tested by the elements of the world. The struggle is intense and often the roots of our faith get shaken and sometimes weakened. We yearn for something tangible and visible to sustain us in such moments. I have discovered that the Holy Eucharist is God’s way of telling me that He is present in the world today. The inner silence and quiet that experienced before the Blessed Sacrament strengthens my faith and it is this faith that makes me cry out “My Lord and my God” during the Consecration.

As we go about our own lives, let us always remember that St. Thomas showed us that our faith does have real and tangible signs that we are called to manifest in all those whom we meet.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Nicholas Chia)
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Prayer: Lord, we pray that our faith increase and be strengthened amidst the hustle and bustle of our lives.

Thanksgiving: We give thanks for all who sustain our faith.

Upcoming Readings:
Sat, 04 Jul – Genesis 27:1-5.15-29; Matthew 9:14-17; Memorial for St Elizabeth of Portugal
Sun, 05 Jul – Ezekiel 2:2-5; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Mark 6:1-6; Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time