A Homily for the Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle
Friday, July 3, 2026
Prince of Peace Catholic Church – 8:00 Mass
Ephesians 2:19-22; Psalm 117:1bc, 2; John 20:24-29
Audio Recording
Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle. There are few saints who have been remembered so unfairly as St. Thomas. For nearly two thousand years he’s carried the nickname “Doubting Thomas,” as though one moment of hesitation defined his entire life. Yet if we’re honest, Thomas was not all that different from the other apostles. They, too, struggled to believe the first reports of the Resurrection. Thomas simply happened to be absent when Jesus first appeared.
What we often forget is that earlier in John’s Gospel, when Jesus announced that He was returning to Judea where His enemies sought His life, it was Thomas who courageously said, “Let us also go to die with Him.” This was not a man lacking faith. It was a disciple who loved Jesus deeply. But after witnessing the crucifixion, his heart had been shattered. He wasn’t demanding proof out of arrogance. He was struggling with disappointment and grief.
Many of us know that feeling.
Perhaps we’ve prayed for healing that never came, for a loved one to return to the Church, or for peace in our family. Sometimes it seems as though God is silent. Our faith isn’t necessarily gone, but it can feel strained under the weight of unanswered prayers.
The beautiful part of today’s Gospel is that Jesus does not reject Thomas for his doubts. Eight days later, He comes looking specifically for him. He invites Thomas to touch His wounds and says, “Do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Notice something remarkable. Jesus repeats Thomas’ earlier words almost exactly, even though He wasn’t visibly present when Thomas spoke them. Thomas realizes that the Risen Lord had heard every doubt, every fear, and every question.
The same is true for us. Jesus hears the prayers we whisper, the burdens we carry, and even the doubts we hesitate to admit. He is never scandalized by our questions. What matters is that we bring them to Him rather than allowing them to pull us away from Him.
Thomas’ response is one of the greatest professions of faith in all of Scripture: “My Lord and my God!”
His doubt gives way to complete surrender.
Tradition tells us that Thomas carried the Gospel all the way to India, where Christians still honor him as the founder of the ancient Church in India. The apostle remembered for doubting ultimately gave his life as a martyr for the faith he once struggled to grasp. His life was defined not by doubt, but by faithful witness.
Our first reading reminds us that the Church is “built upon the foundation of the Apostles.” Thomas is one of those foundation stones—not because he was perfect, but because Christ transformed his weakness into unwavering faith.
Our Gospel concludes with the words that are meant for every one of us: “Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
In just a few moments, we will come forward to receive our Lord in the Holy Eucharist. Unlike St. Thomas, we have not seen the Risen Lord with our own eyes. Yet, like Thomas, we are invited to make the same profession of faith: “My Lord and my God.” We are blessed because we have NOT seen, and yet we believe. May this profession of faith shape not only what we believe, but how we live each day.
God bless you.