[Rank]
S.Sancti Thomae Apostoli;;Duplex II classis;;5.1;;ex C1

[Rank1960]
S.Sancti Thomae Apostoli;;Duplex II classis;;5;;ex C1

[Rule]
ex C1;
9 lectiones;
Psalmi Dominica
Antiphonas horas

[Ant 1]
Because thou hast seen me, * Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that~
have not seen and have believed.

[Oratio]
Grant us, Lord, we beseech thee, to glory in the solemnity of thy blessed~
Apostle Thomas, that we may ever be aided by his patronage, and follow his faith~
with true devotion.
$Per Dominum

[Lectio4]
The Apostle Thomas, called Didymus, or the Twin, was a Galilean. After the~
descent of the Holy Ghost, he went into many provinces to preach Christ's~
Gospel. He gave knowledge of the rules of Christian faith and life to the~
Parthians, Medes, Persians, Hyrcanians, and Bactrians. He went last to the East~
Indies. Here he provoked the anger of one of the idolatrous kings, because the~
holiness of his life and teaching, and the number of his miracles, drew many~
after him, and brought them to the love of Christ Jesus. He was therefore~
condemned, and slain with lances. He crowned the dignity of the Apostleship with~
the glory of martyrdom, on the Coromandel coast, not far from Madras.

[Lectio5]
@Commune/C1:Lectio4

[Lectio6]
@Commune/C1:Lectio5

[Lectio7]
From the Holy Gospel according to John
!John 20:24-29
In that time Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them~
when Jesus came. And so on.
_
Homily by Pope St Gregory (the Great.)
!26th on the Gospels.
Dearly beloved brethren, what is it in this passage which particularly claimeth~
our attention? Think ye that it was by accident that this chosen Apostle was not~
with them when Jesus came? or, when he came, heard? or, when he heard, doubted?~
or, when he doubted, felt? or when he had felt, believed? All these things were~
not accidental, but Providential. It was a wonderful provision of Divine mercy,~
that this incredulous disciple, by thrusting his fingers into the bodily Wounds~
of his Master, should apply a remedy to the spiritual wounds of unbelief in our~
souls. The doubts of Thomas have done us more good than the faith of all the~
disciples that believed. While he feeleth his way to faith, our minds are freed~
from doubt, and settled in faith.

[Lectio8]
Even as the Lord before His birth willed that Mary should be espoused, and yet~
never lose her virginity, so, after His Resurrection, He willed that His~
disciple should doubt, and yet not lose his faith. For, even as the espoused~
husband was the keeper of the virginity of the Mother, so was the disciple who~
doubted and felt, the witness of the truth of the Resurrection. He felt, and~
cried out My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him Thomas, because thou~
hast seen Me, thou hast believed. When the Apostle Paul saith (Heb. xi. i):~
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen  he~
plainly meaneth that faith is the evidence of things that cannot be seen. When~
they are seen, there remaineth not faith, but knowledge.

[Lectio9]
Thomas, then, seeth, and believeth. Why is it said to him Because thou hast~
seen Me, thou hast believed? The truth is, he saw one thing, and so believed~
another. To mortal man it is not given to see God. He therefore saw only the~
Manhood, and yet had faith in the Godhead My Lord and my God. This he said,~
seeing and believing, seeing Perfect Man, and yet believing in Perfect God, Whom~
he could not see. O what a comfort are the words which follow! Blessed are they~
that have not seen, and yet have believed. These words are specially meant for~
us, who have not seen even the Flesh, and who yet do believe. They are specially~
meant for us if we believe and do not, by our lives, give the lie to our belief.~
He only hath a saving faith, whose faith beareth fruit.
&teDeum

[Ant 2]
Because thou hast seen me, * Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that~
have not seen and have believed.

[Ant 3]
Because thou hast seen me, * Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that~
have not seen and have believed.
