I realize Thomas must have been one of the most loyal of Christ\u2019s disciples. So anguished was he over the loss of his leader, he needed a concrete example of that \u201cgood news\u201d in order to believe that God, in His infinite mercy, had resurrected his friend and thus given all of humanity the possibility of eternal life. He needed to believe in transcendent goodness. So do I. Perhaps Thomas, like me, was feeling weary of a world that sometimes seems beyond miracles.<\/span><\/p>\n Who was Thomas? We know he was a Jew, perhaps a builder or fisherman, who became a brave and loyal follower of Christ, both during Our Savior\u2019s earthly life and after.<\/span><\/p>\n When Jesus announced that he was heading to Judea to visit his sick friend, Lazarus, Thomas admonished his fellow disciples to join Jesus on the dangerous journey. The other disciples were fearful of the risk for both Jesus and themselves. But Thomas prevailed: \u201cLet us also go that we may die with him.\u201d<\/a> Ultimately, \u00a0the journey of Jesus to Judea and his raising Lazarus from the dead precipitated the Sanhedrin\u2019s decision to crucify Him.<\/p>\n Thomas demonstrates his intense devotion once again at the Last Supper. Jesus tells his disciples he is leaving them soon for his Father\u2019s house. Thomas raises an objection:\u00a0\u201cMaster, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?\u201d<\/a>\u00a0Jesus\u2019 response gives us a perfect encapsulation of Christian faith:\u00a0\u201cI am the way and the truth\u00a0and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father.\u00a0From now on you do know him and have seen him.\u201d<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/__dQCWErAY9c\/S8OE3xQ5j9I\/AAAAAAAAAGc\/3OoxzYcuhUE\/s1600\/St.Thomascross.jpg\")
<\/a>Today my heart is heavy. I was daunted to discover over the weekend what happens when parents are too busy, too distracted, too \u201csuccessful\u201d to bother rearing their children. The details are immaterial, but the consequences are clear: some\u00a0children whom I have known since they were in diapers have lost their innocence far too soon.<\/span>
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I cling to my faith. After hearing Sunday\u2019s homily about Saint Thomas the Apostle, I was planning to write about how Thomas\u2019s doubt reminds us that faithful people doubt. It does. But now I see Thomas more deeply. When most of us think of St. Thomas the Apostle, we think of \u201cdoubting Thomas,\u201d the one apostle who needed to <\/span>see and feel Christ\u2019s nail wounds to believe in the Resurrection.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n