St. Thomas the Apostle

"Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.' Then, he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here and see my hands; and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.' Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God.'" John 20: 24-29

Today, on the Feast of St. Thomas, I invite you to join me in reflecting on these words of St. Thomas: "My Lord and my God!"

How many times have we expressed our desire to follow you? How many times do we say, "we've come to do your will" or "please, Lord, show us a sign and then we'll believe." These requests can easily become so specific that we become blind and deaf to the voice and the experience of Jesus' presence within and around us.

Today, Jesus invites us to believe even without seeing. He invites us to trust that His love and desire for us is so great that our response can be as simple and profound as the St. Thomas experience and response, "My Lord and my God."

I invite you to take time at the end of this day to name the encounters you had where Jesus was present. Before you close your eyes, be sure to be one with St. Thomas and your Lord and, as each event of the day presents itself, respond with the words, "My Lord and my God."

Each evening around the world, Daughters of Charity reflect on the events of their day, namely, their service to those who are most in need. With each event, they will give witness to the presence of Christ in each person served and they, like St. Thomas, respond with the words, "My Lord and my God."

Written by Sister Mary Ellen Thomas, D.C.