July 3, 2020 Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle

2020년 7월 3일 금요일 성 토마스 사도 축일

 

오늘의 복음 : http://info.catholic.or.kr/missa/default.asp 

제1독서

에페소서 2,19-22
.형제 여러분,

19 여러분은 이제 더 이상 외국인도 아니고 이방인도 아닙니다.
성도들과 함께 한 시민이며 하느님의 한 가족입니다.
20 여러분은 사도들과 예언자들의 기초 위에 세워진 건물이고,
그리스도 예수님께서는 바로 모퉁잇돌이십니다.
21 그리스도 안에서 전체가 잘 결합된 이 건물이
주님 안에서 거룩한 성전으로 자라납니다.
22 여러분도 그리스도 안에서 성령을 통하여
하느님의 거처로 함께 지어지고 있습니다.

 

복음

요한 20,24-29
 24 열두 제자 가운데 하나로서 ‘쌍둥이’라고 불리는 토마스는

예수님께서 오셨을 때에 그들과 함께 있지 않았다.
25 그래서 다른 제자들이 그에게 “우리는 주님을 뵈었소.” 하고 말하였다.
그러나 토마스는 그들에게, “나는 그분의 손에 있는 못 자국을 직접 보고
그 못 자국에 내 손가락을 넣어 보고
또 그분 옆구리에 내 손을 넣어 보지 않고는 결코 믿지 못하겠소.” 하고 말하였다.
26 여드레 뒤에 제자들이 다시 집 안에 모여 있었는데
토마스도 그들과 함께 있었다.
문이 다 잠겨 있었는데도 예수님께서 오시어 가운데에 서시며,
“평화가 너희와 함께!” 하고 말씀하셨다.
27 그러고 나서 토마스에게 이르셨다.
“네 손가락을 여기 대 보고 내 손을 보아라.
네 손을 뻗어 내 옆구리에 넣어 보아라. 그리고 의심을 버리고 믿어라.”
28 토마스가 예수님께 대답하였다. “저의 주님, 저의 하느님!”
29 그러자 예수님께서 토마스에게 말씀하셨다.
“너는 나를 보고서야 믿느냐? 보지 않고도 믿는 사람은 행복하다.”

July 3, 2020
Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle

 

Daily Readings — Audio

Daily Reflections — Video

http://www.usccb.org/bible/ 

Daily Mass : http://www.catholictv.com/shows/daily-mass 

 

Reading 1

 Eph 2:19-22

Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God, 
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. 

 

 

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 117:1bc, 2

R. (Mark 16:15)

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness for us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever. 
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. 

 

 

Gospel

Jn 20:24-29

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,

 

was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
But Thomas said to them,
"Unless 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."
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

 

http://evangeli.net/gospel/tomorrow

 

 

http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html

 

 Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle. It’s a red vestment day since he was martyred for his faith. Thomas has gotten a bad rap by some because of his incredulity at the testimony of the other apostles that they had seen the risen Christ. In fact, he has often been referred to as “Doubting Thomas.” However, this was a difficult time for all of the apostles and Matthew records that when Jesus was about to ascend to the Father that “[w]hen they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted” (Matt. 28:17). Thomas wasn’t the only apostles who had doubts. These doubts were lifted on Pentecost and the Acts of the Apostles tell us about the faith that carried the Church throughout the world. Tradition tells us that Thomas went to India and preached the gospel there.

The first reading beautifully describes the sacred temple that the Lord is building, a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. It’s not a temple built of wood or stone; it’s a temple made up of people. First, there is the cornerstone or capstone that holds the temple together. Christ Jesus is the capstone. Then there is a foundation to the temple. It is made up of apostles and prophets, including St. Thomas. As important as a cornerstone and a foundation are, that would be a pretty shabby temple, unless there was more to it. And that is exactly what God had in mind. We, the people of God, are being built together to make this temple. And the key word is “together.” When the church began, it was made up exclusively of Jewish Christians. And some thought it should remain that way. Not the Apostle Paul. The Gospel is for everyone. A gentile could attend the synagogue and the temple in Jerusalem but they were always outsiders, as St. Paul says, strangers and sojourners. Not anymore. Now they are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. All of us belong. All of us are important parts of God’s sacred temple but we are not lone ranger Christians. We are being built together to make this temple. How important this is in a world that divides people according to race, gender, or ethnicity. God’s sacred temple has no aliens, strangers, or sojourners.

The Gospel reading is the one that gets Thomas labeled as the doubter. He wasn’t present when Jesus first appeared to them so he didn’t believe the other apostles. Now he sees Jesus with his nail-scarred hands and gaping hole in his side and he believes. His faith is the faith of the Church: “my Lord and my God.” This is not the end of all of Thomas’ doubts. Faith and doubts are not incompatible. The story does not end here. Thomas believes in Jesus because of what he sees. There will be those coming after Thomas who will not be able to see the risen Jesus in the flesh but how blessed they will be, if they believe.

St. Thomas, doubter, believer, martyr, part of the foundation of the Lord’s sacred temple, pray for us.

 

 

 http://www.presentationministries.com/obob/obob.asp

AN INDEPENDENT COUNSEL

Jesus said “to Thomas: ‘Take your finger and examine My hands. Put your hand into My side. Do not persist in your unbelief, but believe!’ ” —John 20:27

Thomas, whose name means “twin,” showed signs of a pronounced independence. It stands to reason that a twin might be especially insistent on differentiating himself from his twin as he matures. When Thomas told the other apostles that he did not believe the apostles’ claim that Jesus had risen (Jn 20:25), Thomas wrongfully chose to be independent of the apostles, Mary Magdalene, and others who had met the risen Christ. When Thomas talked about putting his fingers and hands into Jesus’ wounds (Jn 20:25), he was displaying an independence which was extreme to the point of possibly being sinful. Thomas was saying that he would have to see, probe, and inspect Jesus’ risen body himself before he would believe in Jesus’ Resurrection.
It is no coincidence that in the USA the celebration of the feast of St. Thomas always is on the day preceding the birthday of our country, “Independence Day.” When our citizens are independent from sin and totally dependent on God, we are truly “one nation under God.” When we decide to be independent from God, our independence becomes sinful, leading to destruction and damnation. May the USA repent as did Thomas and proclaim Jesus as Lord and God (Jn 20:28). Otherwise, we will perish in our independence.

Prayer:  Father, help me unlearn what the world has mistaught me about independence. Send the Holy Spirit to teach me that true independence is grounded in total dependence on You.

Promise:  “This means that you are strangers and aliens no longer. No, you are fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God.” —Eph 2:19

Praise:  St. Thomas “said to his fellow disciples, ‘Let us go along, to die with him’ ” (Jn 11:16). St. Thomas is most often associated with doubting, but in the end he proved his courage and fidelity to Jesus.

 

 http://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/readings/

 I desire mercy - not sacrifice

 What is God's call on your life? Jesus chose Matthew to be his follower and friend, not because Matthew was religious or learned, popular or saintly. Matthew appeared to be none of those. He chose to live a life of wealth and ease. His profession was probably the most corrupted and despised by everyone because tax collectors made themselves wealthy by over-charging and threatening people if they did not hand over their money to them. 

God searches our heart
What did Jesus see in Matthew that others did not see? When the prophet Samuel came to the house of Jesse to anoint the future heir to the throne of Israel, he bypassed all the first seven sons and chose the last! "God looks at the heart and not at the appearance of a man" he declared (1 Samuel 16:7). David's heart was like a compass looking for true north - it pointed to God. Matthew's heart must have yearned for God, even though he dare not show his face in a synagogue - the Jewish house of prayer and the study of Torah - God's law. When Jesus saw Matthew sitting at his tax office - no doubt counting his day's profit - Jesus spoke only two words - "follow me". Those two words changed Matthew from a self-serving profiteer to a God-serving apostle who would bring the treasures of God's kingdom to the poor and needy. 

John Chrysostom, the great 5th century church father, describes Matthew's calling: "Why did Jesus not call Matthew at the same time as he called Peter and John and the rest? He came to each one at a particular time when he knew that they would respond to him. He came at a different time to call Matthew when he was assured that Matthew would surrender to his call. Similarly, he called Paul at a different time when he was vulnerable, after the resurrection, something like a hunter going after his quarry. For he who is acquainted with our inmost hearts and knows the secrets of our minds knows when each one of us is ready to respond fully. Therefore he did not call them all together at the beginning, when Matthew was still in a hardened condition. Rather, only after countless miracles, after his fame spread abroad, did he call Matthew. He knew Matthew had been softened for full responsiveness." 

Jesus- the divine physician
When the Pharisees challenged Jesus' unorthodox behavior in eating with public sinners, Jesus' defense was quite simple. A doctor doesn't need to visit healthy people - instead he goes to those who are sick. Jesus likewise sought out those in the greatest need. A true physician seeks healing of the whole person - body, mind, and spirit. Jesus came as the divine physician and good shepherd to care for his people and to restore them to wholeness of life. The orthodox were so preoccupied with their own practice of religion that they neglected to help the very people who needed spiritual care. Their religion was selfish because they didn't want to have anything to do with people not like themselves. Jesus stated his mission in unequivocal terms: I came not to call the righteous, but to call sinners. Ironically the orthodox were as needy as those they despised. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). 

On more than one occasion Jesus quoted the saying from the prophet Hosea:For I desire mercy and not sacrifice (Hosea 6:6). Do you thank the Lord Jesus for the great mercy he has shown to you? And do you show mercy to your neighbor as well?

"Lord Jesus, our Savior, let us now come to you: Our hearts are cold; Lord, warm them with your selfless love. Our hearts are sinful; cleanse them with your precious blood. Our hearts are weak; strengthen them with your joyous Spirit. Our hearts are empty; fill them with your divine presence. Lord Jesus, our hearts are yours; possess them always and only for yourself. (Prayer of Augustine, 354-430) "

Psalm 119:2,10,20,30,40,131

2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 
10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 
20 My soul is consumed with longing for your ordinances at all times. 
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness, I set your ordinances before me. 
40 Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life! 
131 With open mouth I pant, because I long for your commandments.

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Matthew did not delay when called by Jesus, by Chromatius (died 406 AD)

"The Lord, about to give salvation to all sinners believing in him, willingly chose Matthew the former publican. The gift of his esteem for Matthew stands as an example for our salvation. Every sinner must be chosen by God and can receive the grace of eternal salvation if one is not without a religious mind and a devout heart. So Matthew was chosen willingly by God. And though he is immersed in worldly affairs, because of his sincere religious devotion he is judged worthy to be called forth by the Lord ("Follow me"), who by virtue of his divine nature knows the hidden recesses of the heart. From what follows, we know that Matthew was accepted by the Lord not by reason of his status but of his faith and devotion. As soon as the Lord says to him, "Follow me," he does not linger or delay, but thereupon "he arose and followed him." (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 45.1)

  

 

More Homilies

July 3, 2018 Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle