When Jesus appeared to the Apostles after the Resurrection, St. Thomas wasn’t there. And when the other apostles told him about what they had seen, he wouldn’t believe it. He even said, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” I imagine this annoyed the other apostles! When Jesus appeared again a week later, Thomas saw him and believed. He was not only convinced that Jesus had risen from the dead, but he realized that Jesus was God.

Since St. Thomas was slow to believe, he is often called “doubting Thomas”. But there is a lot more to Thomas than that! It might be better to call him “Missionary Thomas”.

Earlier in the Gospel, when Jesus was setting out for Jerusalem where he would be crucified, Thomas said to the other disciples, “Let us go and die with him”. At the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples that he would be going to the Father to prepare a place for them. Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” In response, Jesus explained that he himself is the way to the Father. The only way to God is through Jesus.

After the Resurrection, Jesus told Thomas and the other apostles that he would be with them until the end of time. Even though he was going to ascend into Heaven, he would never leave them. On the day of Pentecost, Thomas was with the other apostles in the upper room. The Holy Spirit descended upon them, and suddenly they were full of courage and ready to tell the whole world about Jesus.

Like the other apostles, Thomas set out to preach the Gospel. He certainly traveled to many unfamiliar places where he did not know the way, and he did go with Jesus, since Jesus went with him. Even though he had not died with Jesus in Jerusalem, he eventually died with and for Jesus as a martyr. According to some traditions, Thomas traveled all the way to India, where he established several churches. 

Unlike St. Thomas, we weren’t given the privilege of seeing Jesus after the Resurrection. And we probably aren’t called to found Christian churches in India. But like St. Thomas, we can act as witnesses of the Resurrection every day of our lives.

1. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected when received with thanksgiving.
2. Long for pure spiritual milk.
3. For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
4. Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, insincerity, envy, and all slander.
5. No one should seek his own advantage, but that of his neighbor.
6. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.
7. Moreover, we possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable. You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
8. Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins.
9. Although you have not seen him you love him.
10. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do.
11. For in him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily.
12. Do not return evil for evil, or insult for insult; but, on the contrary, a blessing, because to this you were called, that you might inherit a blessing.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus told his disciples that he would give them his Body and Blood as food and drink. This puzzled and confused them. What could he possibly mean by this? They did not know what he was going to do. Just before he died, Jesus gave his Apostles what seemed to be bread and wine; but he told them that it was his Body and Blood. Then he told them to do the same in memory of him. 

In obedience to his words, we’re still celebrating the Eucharist. All around the world, the Mass is being celebrated; in tiny chapels and in great cathedrals, in hundreds of different languages, and in many different countries. And in the Eucharist, Jesus gives us his Body and Blood as food and drink, just as he gave it to the Apostles almost 2000 years ago.

Receiving the Eucharist is an amazing thing. Jesus himself comes to each of us. But he doesn’t just come to us alone. He is God, and God is infinite. We are too small to contain him. And so whenever we receive the Eucharist, we are united with all the other people who are receiving him around the world. We are even united to all the people who received him in the past, and to all the people who will receive him in the future! That is why the Eucharist is also called “Communion”. At Communion time, remember that Jesus is coming to you so that you can become united with millions and millions of other people in the Mystical Body of Christ. 

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