Can you imagine being the man remembered by all by the moment you doubted while ignoring the fact he was the first ready to die with Jesus? (See John 11:16). Thomas is like most of us. We jump with courage one moment; then, we are hesitant and doubtful the next. He is an example of faith that reminds us to cry out, “My Lord, and my God.”
It’s interesting though that Saint Thomas journeyed with Jesus all this time and doubted. We tend to forget that’s the same journey we are on. Faith is sometimes a mountain top moment, that’s true. Other times though, it’s just a slow journey from one end of the tracks to the other. We often see the Church like a railroad putting us on track to get to Heaven, and that’s true. All of her guidance is supposed to be geared just for that. There will be a judgment day at the end of that track, and all of us will face it. Some today, some tomorrow. We do not know when.
The thing is we often miss that Jesus is right here among us in the Sacraments. At Mass, when we look up at that consecrated host, it is Jesus standing before us. If what we as Catholics believe about the Eucharist is true, then in a way standing before the Altar at Mass to receive Him is arriving at the end of the tracks. Scott Hahn calls it a moment when Heaven kisses the Earth. Do we keep that in mind when we go to receive Him? Do we fall to our knees and cry with Saint Thomas and all the Angel’s in Heaven: “My Lord, My God.”?
It’s not too late to get on track. Heaven is the destination, but we can have a taste of it right here, right now.
A reflection on the readings for the Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle: July 3rd, 2020.