THE PRAYER OF THOMAS,

“UNLESS I CAN  PUT MY HAND INTO HIS SIDE, I REFUSE TO BELIEVE”

  

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “The Prayer of Thomas, ‘Unless I Can Put My Hand Into His Side, I Refuse to Believe.”

The Thomas I’m talking about is Thomas the Apostle.

So the title of my homily is, “The Prayer of Thomas, ‘Unless I Can Put My Hand Into His Side, I Refuse to Believe.”

What?

That’s a strange prayer - but it’s the prayer, the thought process, the reality of lots of people.

I’m not going to believe - till I have some kind of proof - tangible proof.

Thomas the Apostle made that statement - and Jesus answered that request - by asking Thomas to touch his cuts. [Cf. John 20:27]

Today is not the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle. It’s the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas. So that’s why I thought of Thomas the Apostle.  Then for a homily for today it hit me to connect  St. Thomas the Apostle with  St. Thomas Aquinas.

FAITH

Both saints trigger deep thoughts about faith - and notice both readings for today: the 3^rd Saturday of Ordinary time - talk about faith. Hebrews: 11: 1-2, 8-19, today’s first reading talks about Abraham as an example of faith and today’s gospel, Mark 2: 35-41, talks about the sea crossing and a storm hits the boat Jesus and his disciples are in - and in their panic, the disciples wake Jesus up and Jesus asks them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?”

Thomas is not in today’s gospel.  I’m talking about Thomas the Apostle because I  sense that Thomas is put in the gospels to tell us - and to teach us - about faith - especially the struggle to have faith.

Thomas the Apostle teaches us that we can have doubts - a key ingredient in the faith discussion.

Thomas the Apostle tells us that some people need to put hands on touchable realities - in order to move on to untouchable beliefs. As Thomas the Apostle put it, ‘Unless I Can Put My Hand Into His Side, I Refuse to Believe.”

Next, I want to point out that Thomas Aquinas is like Thomas the Apostle.  I love Thomas Aquinas basic axiom, “Nothing is in the intellect that was not first in the senses.” [Nihi est in intellectu quod non fuerit prius in sensu.”]

That’s why I see Thomas Aquinas to be like St. Thomas the Apostle. Both go from the known to the unknown. You can see that loud and clear in Thomas Aquinas and his classic proofs of the existence of God.

I’ve been using those proofs all my life: especially the argument from seeing stuff - with one’s senses - and then moving on to the Maker of Stuff.  See a chair; know there is a chair maker. See the stars; know there is a star maker.

I sometimes add to the stars comment that we have only got as far as Mars and the Moon - and we don’t have a ladder that can get us to touch the stars.

As in today’s first reading - Hebrews 11: 1-2, 8-19 - Thomas Aquinas is like Abraham and Thomas the apostle, growing in faith and moving from the sand and the stars to the God of the beyond.

Okay, in the gospels, Jesus tells us that those who believe - who have not seen - unlike Thomas the apostle, they are the blessed ones.

For both Thomas - Aquinas and the Apostle -  the next step is to make the great act of faith, “My Lord and my God.”

LOSS OF FAITH

I don’t know about your families, but I’m noticing in my family, more and more drop outs from the faith.

It affects me. It disappoints me.

Moreover, it’s been my experience, when a person gives up on our faith, it has an effect on the rest of us.

It also affects me when I see people in church - in prayer - whether it’s Sunday Mass - or just sitting here in the afternoon, behind a pole.

When priests left the priesthood, I understand, but it still affected me.

WILLIE

I remember a guy whose marriage I did in 1968.  He decided to take instructions in the Catholic faith, but he couldn’t believe in God.

After a lot of sessions together, he made the act of faith, that there is a God - based on the faith of people who went to church - and only on that. He said, “They have to be here for a reason.”

That was the first time I realized concretely, that the faith of others can increase my faith.

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

I’ve also had an increase in my faith because of people like St. Thomas Aquinas.

His great writings - his Summa - his summaries of our faith - have certainly helped me.

His very clear principles certainly helped me.

In other words open up our eyes and see and open up our ears and hear all that God is and has done for us.

Let what we sense move us to what is beyond our senses.

OOOOO

Painting on top: Doubting Thomas by Caravagio [1573-1610]