Thomas the Apostle
one
Jesus died, Rose from the dead and Ascended into Heaven around 33 AD. About 10 years later, in 42 AD, King Herod unleashed a violent persecution of the Catholic Church. He put to death The Apostle James and all the Apostles were scattered. Propelled out on mission by this persecution. Thomas the Apostle travelled from Jerusalem to Damascus in Syria and then eastward, preaching the Gospel and establishing the Catholic Church in towns along the way in Persia or modern day Iraq and Iran until he arrived in Punjab, Pakistan, 20 miles north-west of Islamabad.
Having planted Catholicism there, the Holy Spirit recalled him to Jerusalem to be present at two important events: the Assumption of Mary and the first Council of the Church found in Acts 15. Like Easter Sunday, Thomas was late on arrival for Mary’s Assumption, just as he was the Resurrection (but let’s give him a break – he was coming from Pakistan after all.) After the Resurrection, Jesus Appeared to Thomas eight days later; after the Assumption Mary appeared to Thomas and assuring him of her maternal love and care, she gave him her mantle or cloak – signifying her motherly presence that would never fail him.
Then Thomas went by way of the Red Sea to Yemen, then to the large island Socotra, off the coast of Yemen, where he established Catholicism. From there he sailed across the Arabian Sea to western coast of India, to Kerala in 52 AD. Thomas went with no companions. The thought of that is staggering. To be the only Christian on the entire continent of Asia. Yet he was not alone. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them. And know that I am with you always; yes to the end of time.” Thomas was not alone; Jesus and Mary were with him. You and I are never alone. Jesus and Mary are with us.
two
For 17 years Thomas led people to Jesus and set up the Catholic Church in Western and Southern India in the first century.
Travel from the middle east to India through the Roman empire was common. But once the Roman empire fell in the 400s and Islam rose to power in the middle east in the 600s, India was virtually cut off from Rome and Europe for almost 1000 years.
Finally, when the St Francis Xavier sailed from Spain in the 1500s to bring Christianity to India, guess what he found when he got off the boat? Catholics and the Catholic Church and all the Catholic teachings, practices, the Mass, priests and devotion to Mary. “Where did you come from”, Francis Xavier asked? “From the Apostle Thomas,” they responded.
I know a priest from the Malabar region. His hometown parish, which is considered one of the newer ones in India, was established in the year 999. Why is this significant?
Because it is historical proof that Catholicism comes straight from Jesus to the Apostles like St. Thomas who planted it all over the world.
three
Having established Catholicism on the western coast of India, Thomas traveled east to Mylapore near Madras. Nearby was a temple of Kali, the Satanic goddess of death and dismemberment, patroness of stranglers. I am not making this stuff up. Without the light of Christ, the world becomes enslaved to the demons of darkness. In 72 AD, 20 years after he arrived in India, Thomas was praying in a cave on a hill called the Little Mount. Brahmins from the temple of Kali attacked him. One pierced his heart with a lance and he died. He was buried at Mylapore, where, ever since Indian Christians have venerated his tomb.
When Jesus told the Apostles he was going to Jerusalem – they were afraid because they knew of the plots to kill him but Thomas spoke up with courage and love, “Let us go to Jerusalem and die with Jesus,” Thomas had said in 33 AD. Now he had done so, not in Jerusalem but at Mylapore overlooking the Bay of Bengal, more than 3000 miles from home. He brought the light of Christ to scatter the darkness of the kingdom of Satan.
four
Thomas is famously known as “Doubting Thomas” because when the other Apostles tried to tell him that Jesus had risen from the dead and was alive, Thomas retorted: “Unless I see the holes the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand in his side, I refuse to believe.”
Personally, I’ve been rejected by a lot of people when I tried to tell them about Jesus – but never as insolently as that – that was a pretty harsh reply made by Thomas. These words seem like a definitive, quite final answer.
Yet, even after having been rebuffed, the other Apostles kept inviting Thomas into their friend group to share life together. And this became the occasion for Thomas to encounter Jesus. For eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. 'Peace be with you' he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.' Thomas replied, 'My Lord and my God!'
The Lord will never give up on us. May we - in our turn never give up on family and friends and keep inviting them in all kinds of different ways to encounter Jesus.
I bet Thomas was grateful his Apostle buddies didn’t write him off.
Five
You and I do not need to go 3000 miles or even 30 to fulfill your responsibility to lead people to Jesus.
Look at all the different people with whom you already share life, all the family, friends and co-workers with whom your life intersects. People with whom you share common experiences, that you go through life with, and you feel a sense of responsibility for – and you want good for them. That is the mission field God has given you. That is your team.
“But what can I do?” You may say to yourself. We are called only to live a simple way of life:
· Pray the Rosary podcast every day so that you can learn your faith in bite-sized digestible portions and grow closer to Jesus through prayer.
· Share the podcast with someone
· Look at the group of people you already share life with an invite them to pray the Rosary Podcast with you and then talk.
o Before a Royals game meet at someone’s house, pray the Rosary and go
o Invite people in your life to a happy hour and then pray the Podcast together
o After walking or hiking or golfing or fishing or whatever you do with others, pray the Podcast together…
o We are always doing stuff with other people – take the next step and invite them to pray the Podcast and talk
o Leave them free, make it natural and don’t make it a big deal – you will be surprised how well many people respond. It is very likely you wont get martyred. In fact the people you invite will thank you.
o But you must take the risk. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.