Homily for Saturday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year, 3rd July, 2021. The Feast of St Thomas the Apostle

 Homily for Saturday Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year, 3rd July, 2021. The Feast of St Thomas the Apostle

Readings: Eph. 2:19-22, PS 117:1.2, John 20:24-29

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

DOUBT NO LONGER BUT BELIEVE FOR CHRIST JESUS IS TRULY WITH US

In our world today there are great reasons why people may possibly have doubts about their faith in God and in Jesus. Because following the ugly attitude of deception, manipulation, exaggeration, corruption and flamboyant life style of false prophets and preachers in our societies, these can really make it difficult for people to become true and faithful believers in our world today. 

Little wonder, people are scandalized by the actions and behaviour of some believers. Some have given up their faith, some are about to give up, some are just confused while a lot of people are just holding on to the little faith they have based on their little personal experience and encounter with the Divine. This disposition can be likened to that of St. Thomas whose feast we are celebrating today. 

St. Thomas, one of the great Apostles of Jesus, journeyed with Jesus and experienced his great miracles, listened to his teaching, witness his passion and death. But as his faith could not bear it, he doubted the resurrection of Jesus based on other people's testimony. He could not believe it because it is too real to be true, so he sort for a personal experience and encounter with Jesus. As a result of this, Jesus appeared to him in the occasion of our Gospel passage today and said to him: 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 him you believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe’. Here Jesus offered the scars side of his wounds for the disbelieving disciple to touch and so healed the wound of his disbelief.

Through this personal encounter of the risen Lord, he believed; looking at one who was true man, he cried out that this is God, the God he could not see. So, faith is no longer necessary, all that matters now for Thomas is to share his personal experience with everyone who cares to listen. Tradition has it that, at the dispersal of the Apostles after Pentecost, Thomas was sent to evangelize the Parthians, Medes, and Persians; he ultimately reached India, sharing his experience and carrying the Faith to the Malabar coast, which still boasts a large native population calling themselves "Christians of St. Thomas.” He shed his blood for what he is convinced of. He was speared to death at a place called Calamine. 

But, what about you and I who today have experienced the Lord, having journeyed with Jesus as long as we have come to embrace the Christian faith. What can we say about our personal encounter and experience of the person of Jesus. Are we really convinced about the faith we profess, are we still at the level of faith based on what we hear or read about Jesus? Or have we really and truly encounter the person of Jesus in such a way that our faith has no doubt anymore, such that we can truly say like St. Thomas "My Lord and My God"? The fact remains that we need to personally experience the rising Lord if we are to bear authentic witness.

Dear friends, today we are encouraged to believe without seeing, but this can really be very difficult in a world of empiricism, yet we are still called to truly embrace this faith without doubting despite all the ugly human attitudes that are kicking against our faith. For Jesus said to Thomas, blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. Therefore, we need to support each other. We need to strengthen our community life especially during this difficult moment in our country and world at large. 

This is necessary, because the first Christians supported one another by praying, worshipping and sharing the word of God and their resources together. And St Paul in our first reading encouraged us to remain faithful and strong, for we are no longer aliens or foreign visitors in the affairs of God: rather we are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. For we are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself is the main cornerstone. Thus, let us unite together as believers and bear authentic witness to our faith. 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we struggle in this dark and trial moment in our lives, when your presence seems far away from the world, help us through the intercession of St Thomas, never to doubt whatever you have revealed through your son, may we rather be steadfast in faith, joyful in hope and untiring in loving you and our neighbours, especially in this time when the Gospel is under all kinds of threats by faithless and ignorant people. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a peaceful weekend.