FEAST OF ST. THOMAS - APOSTLE OF INDIA
DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS:
My Beloved, we are warned by St. Peter that we ought not to make distinctions between men for we are all made in the image and likeness of God. Before God all are equal. We sometimes commit the grave error of giving undue adulation, bordering on worship, to persons who may be rich, powerful, hold positions of authority or have attractive and charismatic personalities that draw admiration. We are often reminded in Scripture that worship belongs to God alone for He alone is worthy. All men irrespective of who he or she is has sinned and has fallen short of the glory of God as St. Paul reminds us.
Cornelius was praying in his home - this is a reminder to us too to set aside time each day to spend time alone with You. Only then can you grant us the grace we need. Peter was prompt in responding to Cornelius' summons to come and visit him. Putting aside all his prejudices against Gentiles, Peter went and ministered to him, conveying to him and his family members the Good News of our salvation.
Another sobering thought Beloved is that God shows no partiality to anyone and it would serve us well if we remembered that God is specially good to the weakest and most sinful because they most need His encouragement, compassion and help. This does not mean that God is playing favorites, rather like the perfect Father that He is, He gives His children all they need to grow in holiness and perfection.
I have experienced Your great love and faithfulness. May every moment in my life be one that acknowledges Your goodness and may I offer You praise in all that I say and do always.
Beloved, the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews was truly blessed with divine wisdom for recognizing, understanding and being able to hand over to us the divine revelation he received. Now we too are able to understand to some degree God's masterplan which has been accomplished through You from eternity.
It boggles the mind when we perceive the perfect and absolute love of the Father for You. It is in this stage of salvation history that He sent You into the world in order for us to see how perfect is Your response to His will which is revealed in Your total submission to His.
Appointed by God as heir to all that is seen and unseen, He has crowned You as Ruler of the heavens, the earth, of all principalities on earth and under the earth. All that is known and unknown, all that was, is and is to be, are placed under Your Kingship and rule. All that the invisible God is, has been made visible in You and through You. The beauty, the radiance, the glory, the power of God are all made manifest in You.
God has only one Word, the Eternal Word which reposed in Him from all time and eternity. The Word that issued forth from Him in love made possible all that was, is and will be when He uttered the Divine and Eternal Word which is You, His Beloved Son. It is this powerful Word that sustains all that is in the universe. It holds the moon, the sun, and the stars in their place in the vault of the heavens. It holds the oceans and the seas well within the boundaries that the Word has set. It commands and controls the elements in nature and holds all in check. All is under the influence of the Eternal Word and everything bends to the will and desire of this Word made flesh.
In perfect obedience and humility, born of perfect love, You became Man my Beloved. You gave Yourself in perfect and silent submission into the hands of evil and sinful men. You took all the evil and corruption in this world in every one of its most vile forms and You did away with the consequences of that evil which results in sin leading to eternal death. God has rewarded You and given You a place of glory and majesty where all things in heaven and on earth come under Your dominion and power. This is the God that I am privileged to call my Beloved, my Love, my Brother, my Spouse and my Friend. If that does not blow away my mind and put me totally under Your most loving spell, I cannot imagine anything that will.
My Beloved, Thomas refused to believe unless He saw the the scars of love that You bore on Your Body. These scars on Your hand and side were proof positive that You were who the other Apostles said You were and that You had truly risen from the dead. Thomas was not going to be deceived by any false claims made by anyone and in a sense, it puts us on alert and reminds us not to be gullible and believe anything and everything we are told. False messiahs will arise in every age. The foolproof identification are the scars You bear. So while it is prudent to be cautious we must keep in mind that true love cannot deceive or be deceived, may I never resist You at any stage in my life. Beloved may I be counted among those who are blessed for although not seeing we have yet believed.
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