July 3, 2015

Thomas

July 3, 2015:  St. Thomas, Apostle

Find twelve connections between the outfitand today's Bible readings and feast?
Legend below
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Read
    The incredulity of St. Thomas
    (de Rossi)
  • Eph 2:19-22  You're no longer foreigners but fellow citizens with the members of God's household, built on the Apostles and prophets, with Christ as capstone, holding the structure together and building you into a dwelling place of God.
  • Ps 117:1bc, 2  "Go out to all the world and tell the Good News."  Praise the Lord for his kindness and fidelity!
  • Jn 20:24-29  The other disciples / Thomas=Didymus:  “We've seen the Lord.” / “Unless I put my finger into his nail marks and my hand into his side, I won't believe.”  Jesus returned when Thomas was with them.  Jesus / Thomas:  “Peace be with you.  Put your finger here, see my hands, and put your hand into my side; believe!” / “My Lord and my God!” / “You believe because you saw?  Blessed those who haven't seen but still believed.”

Reflect
    • Creighton:  “We have seen the Lord!”  We shouldn't have to take our faith on faith; it needs to engage our heads and hearts.  Some say faith is belief (conviction in something when proof is lacking), conviction despite past experience, or trust; I say it's a relationship strengthened by hearing, and feeling Christ as he speaks, listens, encourages, and challenges me.  To live our faith, we must share our experience.  Is church membership falling in part because fewer have faith experience to share?....
    • One Bread One Body: "Admit your strengths":  St. Thomas doubted because he'd fallen into pride, tempted because he was strong.  Temptations stemming from our strengths are dangerous.  Thomas was smart, understanding Jesus' risking his life at the raising of Lazarus, and asking him the question that he answered "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life."  Thomas was tempted to pride to reject what the other disciples said, but then he admitted his sins and his strengths, professed Jesus as Lord and God, received the Spirit at the first Christian Pentecost, and became missionary, martyr, and part of the foundation of the Church.  May I admit my sins and strengths....
      The incredulity of St. Thomas/ Caravaggio
    • Passionist:  In Thirsting for Prayer, author Philippe tells us to “seize the times for separating ourselves... to seek God inside ourselves, in a simple movement toward silence, recollection, and inward attention to [God's] presence” and quotes John of the Cross:  “You are the place where he dwells, you are his hiding-place. What joy and consolation that brings you!  Your treasure, the object of your hope, is... within you, or rather you cannot be without him.”  May I live more mindful that God lives in me and won't leave or forsake me:  giving thanks, checking in often, praying, sharing, listening....  Philippe:  as we get this habit, we'll “see that little by little, even in the heat of action, we remain united to God and can draw from his intimate presence all energy, wisdom, and peace.  Then we no longer live in a superficial, agitated, disorderly, impulsive way but truly centered on our heart, in which God is dwelling.”
    • DailyScripture.net:  The apostles had abandoned Jesus in his hour of trial and despaired when Pilate sentenced him to death.  On Good Friday  they saw his death as defeat, not victory.  When they heard about the empty tomb, they were slow to believe Jesus had risen., but their despair turned to joy when the Lord appeared to them.  The  last apostle to meet the risen Lord was the first to go with him to Jerusalem at Passover.  Thomas lacked the courage to stand with Jesus in his passion and crucifixion, then withdrew from the other apostles, doubted the women, and doubted his fellow apostles, but once he had the courage to rejoin them, Jesus showed he'd overcome death, and Thomas believed.  May we through faith recognize the Lord's presence in our lives and walk in the power of his resurrection.
    Dress legend
    • 'Holy Spirit' chain: You're being built into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit (1st reading)
    • 'Stone' tie pin:  built upon the foundation... with Christ as capstone (1st reading)
    • 'Olympics' pin:  "Go out to all the world and tell the Good News." (psalm)
    • 'Nail' tie pin:  “Unless I see and put my finger into his nail marks, I won't believe" (gospel)
    • 'Hand' tie pin:  “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands... and put my hand into his side, I won't believe.” (gospel)
    • '?' tie pin:  Thomas's initial doubt (gospel)
    • 'Key' tie pin:  Jesus returned, though the doors were locked (gospel)
    • 'Peace sign' tie bar:  “Peace be with you.” (gospel)
    • 'Eyeball' pin:  "We have seen the Lord."  “You believed because you saw me?  Blessed those who haven't seen and have believed.” (gospel)
    • 'Flag' tie in anticipation of Independence Day
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