Apostle
DOUBLE, SECOND CLASS / RED
When Jesus was about to go to Judea where He was in mortal danger from
His enemies, intense love for his Master made St. Thomas say, "Let us
also go, that we may die with Him" (John 11:8-16). As Christ said
farewell to His disciples on the eve of His Passion, Thomas wanted to
know the way to reunion with his Lord. Jesus said to him and to us, "I
am the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:2-6). After the
Resurrection, he sought the reassurance of feeling the wounds of the
risen Savior (John 20:24-29). His short-lived but agonized incredulity
has served through the centuries to strengthen Christian faith in the
Resurrection, and his impulsive exclamation, "My Lord and my God!" is
repeated by every Christian at the elevation of the Sacred Host.
According to the martyrology, after Pentecost Thomas preached the Gospel
to the Parthians, Medes, Persians, and Hyrcanians, and finally
evangelized India, where he was martyred. There is in India today, in
the region called Malabar Coast, a Christian community of Syriac Rite
which claims that its ancestors were baptized by Thomas himself.
INTROIT (Ps. 138:17)
Your friends are greatly honored by me, O God; their pre-eminence is definitely established.
Ps. 138:1-2. O Lord, You have proved me and You know me; You know when I sit and when I stand.
V. Glory be . . .
COLLECT
O Lord, may we so celebrate the solemn feast of Your apostle Thomas that we may be aided by his prayers to imitate his faith in our lives at all times. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of preceding Sunday
Hear our prayers, O Lord, and enlighten
the darkness of our minds by Your coming on earth; who lives and rules
with God the Father . . .
EPISTLE (Eph. 2:19-22)
Brethren: Now therefore you are no more
strangers and foreigners: but you are fellow citizens with the saints
and the domestics of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone: In whom all
the building, being framed together, groweth up into an holy temple in
the Lord. in whom you also are built together into an habitation of God
in the Spirit.
GRADUAL (Ps. 138:17-18)
Your friends are greatly honored, O God; their pre-eminence is definitely established. V. Were I to try to count them, they would be more numerous than the sands.
Alleluia, alleluia! V. Ps. 32:1.
Rejoice in the Lord, you just; praise befits the upright.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL (John 20:24-29)
At that time, Thomas, one of the
twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The
other disciples therefore said to him: "We have seen the Lord." But he
said to them: "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."
And after eight days, again his
disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors
being shut, and stood in the midst and said: "Peace be to you." Then he said to Thomas: "Put
in thy finger hither and see my hands. And bring hither the hand and
put it into my side. And be not faithless, but believing." Thomas answered and said to him: "My Lord and my God." Jesus saith to him: "Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen and have believed."
OFFERTORY ANTIPHON (Ps. 18:5)
Their voice has gone forth through all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
SECRET
We worship You, O Lord, as it is our
duty. Guard over the gifts You have bestowed upon us through the prayers
of Your blessed apostle Thomas, whose faith we honor by offering You
this sacrifice of praise. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of the preceding Sunday
May we always offer the sacrifice of
adoration in such a manner, O Lord, that it will attain the purpose for
which You instituted this sacred rite, and bring about our salvation.
Through Our Lord . . .
COMMUNION ANTIPHON (John 20:27)
Bring here thy hand and feel the place of the nails. and be not unbelieving, but believing.
POSTCOMMUNION
Be close to us, O merciful God, and
through the prayers of Your blessed apostle Thomas,watch over the Gifts
You have given us. Through Our Lord . . .
Commemoration of the preceding Sunday
n Your
mercy cleanse us from our sins by these divine Rites, O Lord, and make
us ready for the coming feast. Through Our Lord . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please no anonymous comments. I require at least some way for people to address each other personally and courteously. Having some name or handle helps.
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.