THE BLESSING OF A SEEKING HEART: Feast of Thomas The Apostle
Feast Day: July 3
Genesis 21:5,8-20, Matthew 8:28-34.
When you read the story of Saint Thomas, it is very easy to surrender to the popular narrative of doubting Thomas, hence, what I see in this apostle is more of positive than negative.
Saint Thomas is a passionate Seeker, an honest soul, and someone who is open. He does not hide his feelings about anything. He is straightforward. His encounter with Jesus today, reveals what happens whenever we seek God with our whole heart and when we are sincere and open to God.
Saint Thomas, is also called Didymus, meaning “the Twin.” Although we remember him for a single moment of hesitation and doubt, upon closer examination, we find a man of passion, honesty, and a relentless desire to encounter Jesus personally.
Thomas does not want to settle with, “Peter told me” or “they told me”, He longs for his encounter.
In a world where many accept second hand faith, where people read whatever they see on social media even if the person is not grounded in the faith, Saint Thomas teaches us the need to long for Jesus, to possess a heart that doesn’t settle for hearsay, but hungers for a real and personal encounter with the Risen Lord.
Who Was Thomas? His Identity and Name.
“Thomas” is the Aramaic word for “twin,” translated as Didymus in Greek. While we do not know who his literal twin was, many spiritual writers suggested that he had twins while some said that he did not. Some also suggested that he might have a twin and that is why He is called a twin.
Thomas was a devoted apostle, chosen by Jesus, and later became one of the most courageous missionaries of the early Church. He is believed to have preached the Gospel as far as India, where he gave his life for Christ.
1. The Passion to Encounter Jesus Personally.
In the gospel today when the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe”
.
While it is normal to interpret this as doubt, when we look closer, we can see that this is a deep hunger to encounter Christ. Thomas wasn’t content with second-hand experiences. He wanted to touch, see, and know Jesus for himself.
I don’t think this is a spiritual rebellion. This is a spiritual intimacy. He was passionately seeking Jesus, and Jesus honoured that hunger by appearing again, just for him.
This simply means that our sincere seeking of God to take control of our lives is always answered.
We should not settle for knowing Jesus only from what we have read or heard. It is good to truly feel and experience what you profess. Therefore, Faith must become personal.
Don’t just rely on being an O-yes member. Learn to seek and encounter Jesus for yourself in prayer, in Scripture, and the Eucharist. You will never regret it.
Many saints today speak boldly of the Blessed Sacrament, because of the spiritual experiences they had. When you experience it, you can defend it with your last drop of blood.
Let us not be Christians who only go to church to be seen, to be praised or to just belong, let us truly and wholeheartedly seek Jesus. There is a blessing for a seeking heart.
2. The Power of Honest Openness.
What I love about Thomas is that He is very bold and never a pretender. In John 11:16
When Jesus wanted to return to Judea, where He was almost stoned, Thomas boldly said to the other disciples “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” This shows his bravery and loyalty, even if it meant death.
Even when Jesus was talking to them in parables in John 14:5, Thomas was the one who questioned, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?”
Here, Thomas asks a sincere question.
So, Thomas never pretended. He voiced his need openly and honestly. He didn’t put on a mask of false belief just to fit in with the others. He does not sugarcoat words. He is not a nice guy, who covers what he has in mind just to please people.
Therefore, Thomas is not a people pleaser. He said what was on his heart, and God responded with compassion, not condemnation.
The point is that when we are honest with God about our sins, weaknesses, fears, questions, and even our struggles, God approaches us with His mercy, He meets us with compassion, not judgment. As the Psalms say, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18).
Jesus could have ignored Thomas, but instead, He returned specifically to reveal Himself to him. Why? Because God always rewards a seeking heart. That is why the Bible says “Seek and you shall find.” (Matthew 7:7).
Like Thomas, let us understand that our longing for God is never in vain. When we seek Him sincerely, He reveals Himself in a deeper, and more intimate way to us.
If you are seeking God today, do not be discouraged. He is closer than you think. Even if you feel like you missed Him the first time, He can still surprise you.
3. The Power of a Transformed Declaration.
In today’s Thomas, upon seeing Jesus, cried out “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).
This was not just an emotional response. I see this as a cry of fulfilment, a profound proclamation of faith. Thomas moved from seeker to proclaimer. This simply teaches us that those who encounter Jesus personally will never be the same.
So, the goal of every spiritual journey is this personal transformation. This is the point where Jesus is no longer a distant figure to you, but my Lord and my God.
This is when you see God as real and call Him sweet and personal names because of your encounter with Him. Let us always desire God like Thomas did.
May God give us the grace to ask, to seek, and to desire a deeper encounter with Christ. And when He comes to us, whether in prayer, in Scripture, or the Eucharist, may we respond with total surrender as“My Lord and my God.”. May God bless your day.