From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   On Putting our Entire Trust in God  [VI]   
      
   THE DISCIPLE.   
    O Lord God, most just judge, strong and patient, who know the   
   weakness and wickedness of man, be my strength and all my trust, for   
   my own conscience is not sufficient. You know what is unknown to me,   
   and I should therefore have been humble when blamed, and borne it   
   meekly. Be gracious, and pardon the occasions when I have not done   
   this, and once again give me grace to endure more patiently. Your   
   abundant mercy will better obtain my pardon, than will my fancied   
   innocence satisfy my inmost conscience. For although I may not be   
   conscious of any fault, yet this does not absolve me (I Cor.4:4) If   
   You withhold mercy, no man living can be absolved. (Ps.143:2)   
   --Thomas à Kempis --Imitation of Christ Bk 3 Ch 46   
      
   =============   
   July 3rd - St. Thomas the Apostle   
   First Century   
      
   Except for St. Peter, St. John, and, of course, St. Paul, we know   
   precious little about what the apostles did after Pentecost. Legends   
   there are of some of them, but not to be fully trusted.   
      
   St. Thomas, for instance, is said to have carried his mission to the   
   territory between the Caspian Sea and India. That would mean the   
   present countries of Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The “Acts of   
   Thomas,” a pseudo biblical writing of the third century, reports that   
   Thomas, a carpenter by trade, was sold as a slave, and became the   
   servant of King Gundafor, who lived in northern India. The king asked   
   for the carpenter-apostle to build him a palace. In this connection,   
   he also won the monarch over to Christianity. Therefore, Thomas   
   preached widely in India, until some enemies of the faith arrested him   
   and executed him by stabbing him with spears. This “Acts of Thomas” is   
   both unorthodox in theology and fanciful in story line. However, there   
   was a King Gundafor ruling northern India during the Apostle’s days.   
      
   It is south India rather than north India that lays claim to Thomas.   
   There, the Christians of many centuries’ background still call   
   themselves the “Thomas Christians.” They say that he was martyred at   
   Mylapore, near Madras. Now the apostle’s body is not in Mylapore, but   
   was at Edessa, in Turkey, as early as the fourth century; it was moved   
   in 1258 to the Greek island of Chios; and it finally came to rest at   
   Ortona, on Italy’s Adriatic coast. Nevertheless, the South Indian   
   Christians remain convinced that he preached and died among them.   
      
   However little we know about St. Thomas’ later career, there is enough   
   about him in the New Testament to give us a sense of knowing him. “The   
   Twin” (that is the meaning of the name Thomas) is referred to in three   
   passages of the gospel of St. John.   
      
   In the first passage (John 11), when Jesus learned that his friend   
   Lazarus was dead at Bethany, He announced that He intended to go there   
   and “wake him.” Now at that stage of our Lord’s public career, it was   
   dangerous for Him to go from Galilee to Judea because His enemies   
   there were already set to kill Him. When Thomas saw that Jesus was   
   willing to take that risk, he said generously to the other apostles,   
   “Let us go along to die with Him!”   
      
   The second passage shows Thomas’ early inability to understand the   
   Master. At the Last Supper, our Lord said that he was about to leave   
   them, but they knew “the way that leads where I go.” Thomas   
   contradicted Him, but his query drew forth a clearer reply. “Lord, we   
   do not know where You are going. How can we know the way.” Jesus   
   answered, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to   
   the Father but through Me.” (John 14:4-6)   
      
   The best-known passage about St. Thomas relates his reaction to the   
   resurrection. Absent that Easter evening when the risen Christ   
   appeared to the apostles, he declared to them that he would not   
   believe them unless he could finger the wounds in Jesus’ hands and   
   feet and side. When Jesus came again a week later, Thomas was present.   
   Speaking directly to the apostle, He said, “Take your finger and   
   examine My hands. Put your hand into My side. Do not persist in your   
   unbelief, but believe!” Thomas, it seems, no longer felt the need to   
   touch the wounds. In a magnificent testimonial to his belief not only   
   in the resurrection but also the divinity of Christ, he cried out, “My   
   Lord and my God!” (John 20:24-28)   
      
   In the church of St. Thomas the Apostle, the north window depicts   
   Thomas the unbelieving become Thomas the Believer. The south window   
   depicts Thomas standing with St. Peter beside the Cross as the apostle   
   who said, “Let us go to die with Him!” This was the true Thomas:   
   abrupt, impatient, a bit skeptical in nature, but in his heart of   
   hearts, loyal to the death.   
   –Father Robert   
      
      
   Bible Quote:   
   “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe   
   because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have   
   believed.”  [John 20:28-29]   
      
   REFLECTION – “the Apostle Thomas’ case is important to us for at least   
   three reasons: first, because it comforts us in our insecurity;   
   second, because it shows us that every doubt can lead to an outcome   
   brighter than any uncertainty; and, lastly, because the words that   
   Jesus addressed to him remind us of the true meaning of mature faith   
   and encourage us to persevere, despite the difficulty, along our   
   journey of adhesion to him”   
   --.Pope Benedict XVI, 27 September 2006.   
      
   PRAYER – Father, let our celebration of the Feast of St Thomas the   
   Apostle, be the source of his unfailing help and protection. Fill us   
   with Your life-giving grace through faith in Your Son, whom St Thomas   
   acknowledged to be his Lord and God. St Thomas continue to intercede   
   for us that we may grow strong in faith and trust. Through our Lord   
   Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever   
   Amen.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)