St. Thomas the Apostle
"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.' "
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Who is Saint Thomas
Saint Thomas is one of the twelve disciples of Christ, called the Twin (John 11:16). He was born in Galilee. The Lord chose him for the discipleship and he followed Him (Mathew 10:3).
His Characters and Virtues
He accompanied His teacher, listened to His teachings, and witnessed His miracles. He was loyal, sincere, and eager for knowledge. He searched diligently for the truth and was not convinced except after careful research and examination.
He manifested his faithfulness when the Lord wanted to go to raise Lazarus from the dead though the disciples knew that the Jews were determined to kill the Savior. Thomas said to the other disciples,
"Let us also go, that we may die with Him"
He was also the one who asked the Lord after the Last Supper saying,
"Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way? Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.'"
When the Lord Christ appeared to the disciples after the Resurrection in the Upper Room of Zion, Thomas was absent. On his return, the disciples told him,
" 'We have seen the Lord.' " So he said to them, 'Unless I see in His hand the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.' "
After eight days, the Lord appeared again to them and said to Thomas,
" 'Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.' And Thomas answered and said to Him: 'My Lord and My God!' Jesus said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.' "
The Lord showed Himself to Thomas and six other disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1). Thomas also witnessed the Ascension of the Saviour along with the disciples and returned with them to Jerusalem. He stayed with the disciples until the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them on the Day of Pentecost.
Preaching the Gospel in India
After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost in the Upper room in Zion, the apostles dispersed everywhere to preach the Gospel. St. Thomas went to India.
He worked there as a slave at one of the friends of the king, whose name was Lukios, who brought him to the king who inquired about his profession. Thomas said: "I am a builder, carpenter and a physician." He preached in his master's palace, and Lukios' wife believed and all his household.
The king asked him about his achievements, and he said:
"The palaces that I built were the souls that have become the temples of the King of Glory; the carpentry that I did was the Gospel that removes the thorns of sin; and the medicines I practiced are the Holy Mysteries which heal the poison of the evil one."