Collect taken from the memorial of St. Thomas the Apostle.
Collect: Grant, almighty God, that we may glory in the Feast of the blessed Apostle Thomas, so that we may always be sustained by his intercession and, believing, may have life in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, whom Thomas acknowledged as the Lord. Who lives and reigns…
“Grant, almighty God, that we may glory in the Feast of the blessed Apostle Thomas, so that we may always be sustained by his intercession”
– Not only do we seek St. Thomas’ intercession, but ask for even the grace to seek it out. If, by God’s grace, we learn to rejoice in the saints like Thomas, we will be better disposed to ask and receive the intercession of those saints. This is because part of their “glory” is the ability to participate fully in God’s saving plan for all of us through their intercession.
“and, believing, may have life in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, whom Thomas acknowledged as the Lord.”
– We know the belief in Christ is needed for life – for salvation – and so we ask for that belief. Our belief in Christ is also strengthened by “glorying” in this particular feast because all of St. Thomas’ success is due to his fully embracing Christ as Lord and the grace that that worked in him.
Questions & Advice: Do you “glory” in the saints like Thomas the Apostle? In your heart and mind, do they rise to the level of heroes and role models that we often give to various celebrities or politicians? Is Christ truly the “Lord” in your life?
Read about the communion of saints in the Catechism (946+). Spend some of your daily prayer time thanking God for St. Thomas the Apostle and reflecting on what it means to become a saint (canonized or not). Despite his incredulity, we owe St. Thomas for his boldness in asking because it gives us that beautiful scene at the end of the Gospel. Ask his intercession to make you so sincere in your search.
