St. Thomas day reflection : From Doubt to Intimacy

St. Thomas and the Journey from Doubt to Deep Faith – A Reflection for Today

Praise be to Jesus Christ 

Icarus, the son of the brilliant inventor Daedalus, is a figure from Greek mythology. Daedalus used feathers and wax to make wings for himself and Icarus so they could flee the island of Crete, where King Minos had imprisoned them. As they took to the skies, Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too high or too low — the sun’s heat could melt the wax, and the sea’s moisture could weigh the wings down. But Icarus, thrilled by the freedom of flight and overcome with pride, ignored his father’s warning. He flew too close to the sun, the wax melted, and his wings fell apart. Icarus plunged into the sea and died. Even great power could not fulfill the reckless wish of the son.

But in today’s Gospel, we see a God who fulfills the deep and sincere desire of a disciple — the desire to see and touch Him. Saint Thomas, often called the Father of Faith in India, brought the seed of the Gospel to our land. But his journey of faith began with distance and grew into deep intimacy with Jesus.

Distant: “Now Thomas, also known as Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came” (John 20:24). Thomas was out of the house — away from the community. He missed the Lord’s first visit, chasing perhaps his own ideas and desires.

Closeness: The awareness that he had missed the Lord’s appearance stirred something in him. He said, “Unless I see… unless I touch…” (cf. John 20:25). This longing led to a sincere desire to encounter Jesus. And when the Lord came again, that desire pulled him closer to the heart of God.

Intimacy: The encounter changed him. Thomas touched not just the wounds but the very love of Christ. And from his heart he proclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). That moment of intimate faith became the foundation for his mission, leading him to India.

As the sun is the center of the solar system, and the heat increases as one gets closer to it, so too, Saint Thomas burned with love as he drew nearer to Jesus.

Saint Teresa of Ávila, in her Way of Perfection, describes four ways of drawing water — from a well, from a water wheel, from irrigation, and from the rain. The effort reduces at each stage, and finally, God Himself pours the water. Likewise, when we begin to walk faithfully, even with little effort, God in His mercy will pour grace into our hearts.

As we celebrate the feast of Saint Thomas, we hear again the call of Christ — to move from distance to closeness, and from closeness to intimacy. Genesis 4:7 reminds us, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you — but you must rule over it.” Growing in self-awareness leads us to seek the mercy of God. And His mercy, if we remain humble, will draw us into His heart.

Let us sincerely face our shortcomings and ask ourselves:
♦ Do I examine my conscience and recognize where I stray from God?
♦ Am I earnestly seeking His grace and presence in my daily life?

 Jesus, draw me closer to Your heart