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

[Responsory9]
R. Non sunt loquelae neque sermones, quorum no audiantur voces eorum
* Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends~
of the world.
V. Your friends O Lord * are made exceedingly honourable: their principality is~
exceedingly strengthened.
R. Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends~
of the world.
&Gloria
R. Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends~
of the world.

[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.

[LectioE]
v. Continuation of the Holy Gospel according to John
!John 20:24-29
20:24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
20:25 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.
20:26 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.
20:27 Then he saith to Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and put it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing.
20:28 Thomas answered, and said to him: My Lord, and my God.
20:29 Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed.
$Te decet
