Feast of Saint Thomas-Apostle

Go all over the world and proclaim the Gospel …

Dear brothers and sisters, today we celebrate the feast of St. Thomas, one of the Twelve Apostles. He is best known for what happened after Jesus’ resurrection, for not believing the testimony of the other apostles, and for wanting to see and touch the wounds of the Risen One himself. Because of this, he is often referred to as „infidel Thomas“. However, today’s Gospel reveals more than just his doubt. It shows us a path of faith that is true, human, and inspiring. 

Thomas didn’t want to believe blindly. He was seeking certainty, truth, and wanted to see for himself. And it is in this sincere search that he is very close to us. Maybe we would behave the same in his place. But what is essential is that he eventually met Jesus. And not only did he believe, but he confessed one of the deepest sentences of the entire Bible: „My Lord and my God!“ (John 20,28)

Christ does not reproach Thomas for his doubt, but leads him to faith. And then he utters words that concern each of us: „Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed“. This sentence is an invitation to mature faith —a faith born from listening, trust, and openness to God’s word. A faith that may meet with doubts but will never stop there. 

Dear brothers and sisters, today’s holiday falls on the first Thursday of the month – the day we pray for new priestly and religious vocations. It is highly symbolic because St. Thomas can serve as a role model for those on the path of vocation. Every true calling begins with an encounter with Jesus Christ. Not with an idea or rules, but with a living Lord. And it was this meeting that also transformed Thomas – from a person who doubted to an apostle who, according to tradition, brought the Gospel to India, and was willing to lay down his life for Christ. 

In the first reading, we heard the words of St. Paul: „You are like a building that has apostles and prophets as its foundations, and its cornerstone is Christ“. The Church stands on the testimony of the apostles, and St. Thomas is one of those who testified to us that Christ the Lord has risen from the dead, and that he has the power to transform the life of man. 

Today, let us pray especially that even in our time, young people will rise up who will hear God’s voice and answer it. So that they are not afraid to admit their doubts, but at the same time are willing to seek, know, and follow Christ with heart and life. And let us also pray for ourselves that we too confess every day as St. Thomas: „My Lord and My God“.