December 21: Saint Thomas the Apostle

The Collect of the Day

Everliving God, who strengthened your apostle Thomas with firm and certain faith in your Son’s resurrection: Grant us so perfectly and without doubt to believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, that our faith may never be found wanting in your sight; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Everliving God, who didst strengthen thine apostle Thomas with sure and certain faith in thy Son’s resurrection: Grant us so perfectly and without doubt to believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, that our faith may never be found wanting in thy sight; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Habakkuk 2:1-4 or Habakkuk 2:1–4
Psalm 126
Hebrews 10:35-11:1 or Hebrews 10:35–11:1
John 20:24-29 or John 20:24–29

The Gospel according to John records several incidents in which Thomas appears, and from them we are able to gain some impression of the sort of man he was. When Jesus insisted on going to Judea,to visit his friends at Bethany, Thomas boldly declared, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16). At the Last Supper, he interrupted our Lord’s discourse with the question, “Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” (John 14:5). And after Christ’s resurrection, Thomas would not accept the account of the women and the other apostles, until Jesus himself appeared beforehim, showing him his wounds. This drew from him the first explicit acknowledgment of Christ’s divinity, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

Thomas appears to have been a thoughtful if perhaps literal-minded man, inclined to skepticism; but he was a staunch friend when his loyalty was once given. The expression “Doubting Thomas,” which has become established in English usage, is not entirely fair to Thomas. He did not refuse belief: he wanted to believe, but did not dare, without further evidence. Because of his goodwill, Jesus gave him a sign, although Jesus had refused a sign to the Pharisees. His Lord’s rebuke was well deserved: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe” (John 20:29). The sign did not create faith; it merely released the faith that was in Thomas already.

According to an early tradition mentioned by Eusebius and others, Thomas evangelized the Persians. Syrian Christians of India cherish a tradition that after his mission to Persia, he continued East and brought the Gospel to India. The site of his burial, in present day Chennai, has been a shrine and place of Christian pilgrimage since antiquity.

Thomas’ honest questioning and doubt, and Jesus’ assuring response to him, have given many modern Christians courage to persist in faith, even when they are still doubting and questioning.

Lessons and Psalm

First Lesson

Psalm

¹When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, *then were we like those who dream.

²Then was our mouth filled with laughter, *and our tongue with shouts of joy.

³Then they said among the nations, *“The Lord has done great things for them.”

⁴The Lord has done great things for us, *and we are glad indeed.

⁵Restore our fortunes, O Lord, *like the watercourses of the Negev.

⁶Those who sowed with tears *will reap with songs of joy.

⁷Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, *will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.

Epistle

Gospel

²⁴But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “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.” ²⁶A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” ²⁸Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”