Hail, Thomas, Apostle and Patron of India

 "The Incredulity of St. Thomas,"  Caravaggio

Today is the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle.   St. Thomas is called "Doubting Thomas" for his incredulity concerning the other apostles' account of the risen Christ's appearance to them, having avowed "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."   However, St. Thomas is also honored for the great declaration of faith he would make eight days later, after having indeed probed Christ's wounds with his fingers: "My Lord and my God!"  According to tradition, St. Thomas preached as far East as India, where he was martyred. 

The following is the Reading from today's Office of Lauds:

You are no longer aliens or foreign visitors: you are citizens like all the saints, and part of God’s household. You are part of a building that has the apostles and prophets for its foundations, and Christ Jesus himself for its main cornerstone. As every structure is aligned on him, all grow into one holy temple in the Lord; and you too, in him, are being built into a house where God lives, in the Spirit.

St. Thomas the Apostle, pray for us.