THE AMAZING JOURNEY OF THOMAS THE APOSTLE
Jesus died, rose from the dead and ascended into heaven around 33 AD.
About 10 years later, in 42 AD, King Herod unleashed a violent persecution of the Catholic Church. He put to death The Apostle James and all the Apostles were scattered.
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This post is an excerpt from the Daily Rosary Meditation with Dr Mike Scherschligt (@ The School of Faith). Please feel free to share. https://www.dailyrosarymeditations.com/
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PLANTING CATHOLICM BEYOND JERUSALEM
Propelled out on mission by this persecution. Thomas the Apostle travelled from Jerusalem to Damascus in Syria and then eastward, preaching the Gospel and establishing the Catholic Church in towns along the way in Persia (modern day Iraq and Iran) until he arrived in Punjab, Pakistan, 20 miles north-west of Islamabad.
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RECALLED BACK IN JERUSALEM TO WITNESS TWO IMPORTANT EVENTS
Having planted Catholicism there, the Holy Spirit recalled him to Jerusalem to be present at two important events:
- the Assumption of Mary and
- the first Council of the Church found in Acts 15.
Then Thomas went by way of the Red Sea to Yemen, then to the large island Socotra, off the coast of Yemen, where he established Catholicism.
From there he sailed across the Arabian Sea to western coast of India, to Kerala in 52 AD.
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HE WENT WITH NO COMPANIONS
Thomas went with no companions. The thought of that is staggering. To be the only Christian on the entire continent of Asia.
Yet he was not alone. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching them. And know that I am with you always; yes to the end of time.”
Thomas was not alone; Jesus and Mary were with him.
We are not alone, Jesus and Mary are always with us.
For 17 years Thomas led people to Jesus and set up the Catholic Church in Western and Southern India in the first century.
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PAVING THE WAY BEFORE ST FRANCIS XAVIER
Travel from the middle east to India through the Roman empire was common. But once the Roman empire fell in the 400s and Islam rose to power in the middle east in the 600s, India was virtually cut off from Rome and Europe for almost 1000 years.
Finally, when the St Francis Xavier sailed from Spain in the 1500s to bring Christianity to India, guess what he found when he got off the boat? Catholics and the Catholic Church and all the Catholic teachings, practices, the Mass, priests and devotion to Mary.
“Where did you come from”, Francis Xavier asked? “From the Apostle Thomas,” they responded.
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THE DEATH OF THOMAS
Having established Catholicism on the western coast of India, Thomas traveled east to Mylapore near Madras.
Nearby was a temple of Kali, the Satanic goddess of death and dismemberment, patroness of stranglers. Without the light of Christ, the world becomes enslaved to the demons of darkness.
In 72 AD, 20 years after he arrived in India, Thomas was praying in a cave on a hill called the Little Mount. Brahmins from the temple of Kali attacked him. One pierced his heart with a lance and he died.
He was buried at Mylapore, where, ever since Indian Christians have venerated his tomb.
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HE WAS TRUE TO HIS WORD
When Jesus told the Apostles he was going to Jerusalem – they were afraid because they knew of the plots to kill him but Thomas spoke up with courage and love, “Let us go to Jerusalem and die with Jesus,” Thomas had said in 33 AD.
Now he had done so, not in Jerusalem but at Mylapore overlooking the Bay of Bengal, more than 3000 miles from home. He brought the light of Christ to scatter the darkness of the kingdom of Satan.
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THE LESSON OF THE DOUBTING THOMAS
Thomas is famously known as “Doubting Thomas” because when the other Apostles tried to tell him that Jesus had risen from the dead and was alive, Thomas retorted: “Unless I see the holes the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand in his side, I refuse to believe.”
Yet, even after having been rebuffed, the other Apostles kept inviting Thomas into their friend group to share life together. And this became the occasion for Thomas to encounter Jesus.
For eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. 'Peace be with you' he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.' Thomas replied, 'My Lord and my God!'
The Lord will never give up on us.
May we - in our turn never give up on family and friends and keep inviting them in all kinds of different ways to encounter Jesus.
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Today, we do not need to go 3000 miles or even 30 miles, to fulfill our responsibility to lead people to Jesus.
Look around our family, friends and co-workers - people with whom we share common experiences, that we go through life with, and for whom we feel a sense of responsibility - that is the mission field God has given us.
May we too have the courage and passion of St Thomas to spread the Word of God.
Song:
Help us to begin where we are.
Help us love the people near to our hearts
Then give our faith a mission field
Wherever You may call
Lord, love Your world through each of us,
Until we've touched them all
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