S&F-What’s in a Name?

Earlier this week we celebrated the feast of St. Thomas, the Apostle. For nearly 2000 years now, when we hear the name St. Thomas, our picture of him is immediately drawn to the doubting Thomas, who refused to believe in the resurrection until:

“…I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (Jn 20).

A week later he did see Jesus and came to believe with the five simple words:

“My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20)

But Doubting Thomas did a lot in his life after that moment in the upper room. So is it fair to judge him based on just that one thing?

He went off on his own great distances to spread the Gospel. He traveled throughout the Middle East and to Persia founding Churches. He was eventually called back by the Apostles for the Ascension of Mary the Mother of Jesus. Unfortunately, because of the distance he was away, he was late and missed it. Just like he missed the resurrection. Maybe instead of “Doubting Thomas” we should call him “Tardy Thomas.”

Mother Mary did not forget him and appeared to him later, giving him her belt as a sign of her protection.

Again, Thomas chose to travel far evangelizing the word of Christ. He eventually ended up in India establishing the Church there and converting thousands. When the Roman Empire weakened and trade routes disappeared little was known in the Western World of India. After centuries of isolation, when people returned to India, they were surprised to find Catholic Churches there following the traditions of the early Church. When asked how they came to find out about the faith the people said they were followers of Thomas.

Eventually, Thomas was martyred, most likely by a spear, during his time in India.

There is much we can learn from Thomas. Thomas didn’t believe what he did not see. Most of us face that same situation. Hopefully we can be counted among those who Jesus described as “…those who have not seen and have believed.” (Jn 20). More importantly we can take the lesson that none of us should be defined by a single event. Thomas may have doubted, but he also became one of Jesus’s greatest Evangelists, proclaiming the Resurrection further than any of the early fathers of the Church.

If Thomas could travel to India in the first century spreading the word of Jesus, I should be able to do likewise in the 21st century to people in my immediate circle at least. So, for those of you who I call my family and friends, I am praying for you to “St. Thomas, the Doubter The Evangelist to the East.”