Subj : July 3rd - St. Thomas, Apostle To : All From : rich Date : Fri Jul 02 2021 10:18:52 From: rich July 3rd - St. Thomas, Apostle Little is factually known about Thomas. His Greek name was Didymus, which means twin. We don't know where he was born, if he had a family, what kind of work he did or any other facts. Although, according to one apocryphal writing, he was a carpenter. What we do know is that he met Jesus and accepted His invitation. Matthew 10:3 lists Thomas as one of the twelve Apostles, but most of what we know about Thomas comes from the Gospel of John. We know that he must have loved Jesus very much because, when Lazarus was dying, the other apostles were afraid to go to Judea for fear of persecution, but according to Jn 11:16, "Thomas (called the twin) said to his fellow disciples, 'Let us all go along with the teacher, so that we may die with Him'..." In spite of Jesus' teaching and his own experiences, Thomas still d= id not really understand who Jesus was and what His mission was really all about. He asked the question many of us might also have asked, "Lord we do not know where you are going so how can we know the way to get there?" (Jn 11:5) Jesus answer is the whole basis of our Christian faith, (Jn 11:6) "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one goes to the Father except through me..." Chapter 20, verses 24-29 of St. John's Gospel are probably some of the best remembered verses in John's Gospel. After the crucifixion of Jesus, Thomas refused to believe that the other disciples had seen Him alive and talked with Him. This is probably where the phrase, "Doubting Thomas," originated and it is probably the response which so endears Thomas to us today. Jesus' response needs no explanation. (Jn 20:26-29) "A week later the disciples were together again indoors and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.' Then He said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then reach out your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting and believe!'...' Thomas answered Him, 'My Lord and my God.' Jesus said to Him, 'Do you believe because you have seen me? How happy are those who have not seen me and believe.'..." Thomas was a witness with Peter, Nathanael, James and John and two other disciples at Lake Tiberias, when Jesus had them cast out the net again and then cooked some of the fish they had caught.(Jn 21:10-14) In the first Chapter of Acts, Thomas is also listed with the other apostles and Jesus mother Mary and some of the other women in the upper room at Pentecost. This is all we know for certain about Thomas. Eusebius tells us that Thomas evangelized the areas around Persia. Another tradition tells us that he went to India and was martyred there. There is a tradition from the Malabar coast of India which tells us that St. Thomas evangelized their ancestors. There is a large body of "Christians of St. Thomas," living today in this area. They are made up of Jacobites, Syro-Malabarites, Syro-Malankaraites, Reformed Syrians and Nestorians. We don't have a lot of historical information about Thomas. We know that he was a disciple of Jesus and ultimately one of the twelve apostles. He most likely preached the Word of God after Pentecost to the Gentiles and probably was martyred about the year 72 A.D. We perhaps remember Thomas more because he was an ordinary person like us, he had his doubts, his confusions, his misunderstanding, but he was open to God's grace and ultimately was able to say to Jesus, "My Lord and my God", as hopefully we too will say one day. Saint Quote: Since God has not given me the gift of preaching, I want to consecrate myself to drawing souls back to Him through the Sacrament of Penance. --Saint L=C3=A9opold Bogdan Mandic Bible Quote: Things that are impossible with men are possible with God. For all things are possible with God.=C2 (Mark 10:27) <><><><> Be simple as doves.=C2 [Matt. 10:16 ]=C2 July: Simplicity 20. In human life prudence is indeed necessary, that we may be circumspect in our actions and know how to adapt ourselves to the dispositions of others. --St. Vincent de Paul By this virtue the same Saint regulated his actions so well that he succeeded in every undertaking and therefore gained such a reputation for prudence that he was commonly considered one of the wisest men of his time. As a result, persons of every condition and state, even those most conspicuous for rank or learning, had recourse to him as to an oracle in all affairs of importance for direction and advice. St. Jane Frances de Chantal was so remarkable for this virtue that many celebrated Bishops regulated their dioceses, and many also their own consciences, by her wise counsels. Even St. Francis de Sales, her beloved spiritual father, and St. Vincent de Paul, her director after him, consulted with her on their most important business and depended much upon her wise decisions. ("A Year with the Saints". =C2 July: Simplicity) --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4) .