July 3 - Feast of St. Thomas, apostle
Scriptural Readings: Ephesians 2:19-22 / Psalm 117 / John 20:24-29
‘My Lord and my God!’
by FR. MIGZ R. CONCEPCION, III - Parochial Vicar
This is how the Apostle Thomas, whose feast we celebrate today, regarded Jesus. For Thomas, Jesus is not only the Lord; he is also God!
But this profession of faith in Jesus by Thomas did not come easy. For one, Thomas was absent when Jesus appeared to the rest of his apostles and disciples. And so, he did not believe that indeed Jesus appeared to his companions. Thomas doubted that his companions were telling the truth.
For this, Thomas has been negatively labelled as the DOUBTING THOMAS.
Every person has doubts.
Bawat tao ay may duda, nagdududa, at nagduda.
Halimbawa:
-May test sa iskwela. Minsan natatakot tayo at ang takot ay ganito: Baka hindi ako pumasa? --- WE DOUBT OURSELVES, WE DOUBT OUR CAPACITY. And if we can doubt ourselves, how much more other people?
-When you were younger or even now, you have been told not to talk to strangers: Baka masamang-loob siya! Baka lokohin ka! Baka pagnakawan ka! --- WE DOUBT OTHER PEOPLE’S INTENTIONS! Pati na ang pagkatao ng iba, napagdududahan natin.
-Sometimes, we doubt about God, as well. Paulit-ulit nating hinihingi sa Diyos ang isang bagay. Pagkatapos ng pagdarasal ng maraming beses, sasabihin natin: Naku, hindi naman pala nakikinig ang Diyos. Hindi naman pala totoo na mahal ako ng Diyos!
Sa isang banda, ang pagdududa ay nagiging balakid o hadlang sa ugnayan at paglago sa kaalaman. Kapag lagi tayong nagdududa sa iba, tiyak na tiyak, iiwasan natin ang taong pinagdududahan natin, kung kaya imposibleng magkaroon tayo ng ugnayan sa kanya. --- SA GANITONG DIWA, PARANG HINDI MAGANDA ANG PAGDUDUDA!
Sa kabilang banda naman, nagiging sanhi ng paglago sa kaalaman at tunay na pagkilala sa isang bagay o isang tao ang pagdududa. --- THIS IS THE KIND OF JOURNEY THAT THOMAS HAD.
Yes, he doubted the news that Jesus is risen. He doubted the Good News that Jesus has resurrected from the dead. But somehow, Thomas was ready to believe --- sa isang kondisyon ayon sa EBANGHELYO (Juan):
‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.’
Ang panuntunan ni Tomas ay ganito: TO SEE IS TO BELIEVE!
And so when Jesus appeared again to the apostles and the disciples, Thomas was present and Jesus approached him and told him:
‘Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.’
· NAGDUDUDA AT NAG-AALINLANGAN SIYA! Maaari natin siyang husgahan nang hindi maganda at pabor sa kanya. Ngunit, hindi siya hinusgahan ni Jesus, bagkus naunawaan ni Jesus ang kanyang pag-aalinlangan.
· Instead, Jesus invited Thomas to touch his wounds and his side. No one among his disciples had been given such privilege and honor to heal the sacred wounds. Only Thomas!
· Hindi naman tahasang sinasabi sa Ebanghelyo na hinipo’t hinawakan ni Tomas ang mga sugat ni Jesus: ang sinasabi lamang ng EBANGHELYO ay kung ano ang naging tugon ni Tomas: ‘Panginoon ko at Diyos ko.’ --- MY LORD AND MY GOD! Ang pagpapahayag na ito ay higit pa sa ipinahayag at pagkilala ng iba pang mga alagad kay Jesus. --- THE OTHER DISCIPLES RECOGNIZED THAT THE ONE IN THEIR MIDST WAS THEIR LORD. ON THE OTHER HAND, THOMAS DECLARED THAT THE RISEN LORD WAS GOD --- AND THIS PROFESSION OF FAITH OUTSTRIPS AND GOES BEYOND THE OTHERS!
At ang kadakilaan ng ganitong pagkilala ni Santo Tomas kay Jesus ang ipinagdiriwang natin sa araw na ito.
Iyong inaakala nating mapagduda; iyong tinitingnan nating parang hindi mabuting alagad: SIYA PALA ANG TUNAY NA KIKILALA AT TATANGGAP KAY JESUS --- bilang kanyang Panginoon at Diyos!
This is a challenge for all of us. Minsan inaakala natin na mas mabuti tayo sa iba dahil marami tayong alam tungkol kay Jesus. Minsan marahil nakapag-iisip tayo, ang suwerte naman naming dahil nasa Catholic school kami.
Ang hamon ay ganito: NAKIKITA BA SA BUHAY KO NA KINIKILALA KO SI JESUS BILANG PANGINOON KO AT DIYOS KO?
-Nakikitungo ba ako sa kapwa ko mag-aaral sa isang makataong paraan?
-Iginagalang ko ba ang aking kapwa, ang aking mga magulang, ang aking mga guro at kamag-aral?
-Nakikinig ba ko sa sinasabi ng aking mga magulang at tinutupad ko ba ang kanilang nais para sa aking ikabubuti?
-Ako ba’y dahilan ng pagkakaisa at mabuting samahan?
If our answers to these questions are all YES, then, no doubt our lives and relationships will be better; no doubt we indeed and truly believe that Jesus is Lord and God!
The FIRST READING (Letter to the Ephesians) confirms this:
‘You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets
WITH CHRIST HIMSELF AS THE CAPSTONE!’
Sa madaling salita, nagiging magkakapatid tayo, nagiging isa tayong pamilya at sambayanan dahil iisa ang sinasampalatayanan nating PANGINOON AT DIYOS NATIN: si Jesus!
Once again, with St. Thomas, we say: JESUS, YOU ARE MY LORD AND MY GOD!
We believe this to be true.
Ito ang katotohanan ng ating pananampalataya.
Huwag nating ipagsawalang bahala.
Jesus said toward the end of the Gospel:
‘BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND HAVE BELIEVED!’
by FR. MIGZ R. CONCEPCION, III - Parochial Vicar
This is how the Apostle Thomas, whose feast we celebrate today, regarded Jesus. For Thomas, Jesus is not only the Lord; he is also God!
But this profession of faith in Jesus by Thomas did not come easy. For one, Thomas was absent when Jesus appeared to the rest of his apostles and disciples. And so, he did not believe that indeed Jesus appeared to his companions. Thomas doubted that his companions were telling the truth.
For this, Thomas has been negatively labelled as the DOUBTING THOMAS.
Every person has doubts.
Bawat tao ay may duda, nagdududa, at nagduda.
Halimbawa:
-May test sa iskwela. Minsan natatakot tayo at ang takot ay ganito: Baka hindi ako pumasa? --- WE DOUBT OURSELVES, WE DOUBT OUR CAPACITY. And if we can doubt ourselves, how much more other people?
-When you were younger or even now, you have been told not to talk to strangers: Baka masamang-loob siya! Baka lokohin ka! Baka pagnakawan ka! --- WE DOUBT OTHER PEOPLE’S INTENTIONS! Pati na ang pagkatao ng iba, napagdududahan natin.
-Sometimes, we doubt about God, as well. Paulit-ulit nating hinihingi sa Diyos ang isang bagay. Pagkatapos ng pagdarasal ng maraming beses, sasabihin natin: Naku, hindi naman pala nakikinig ang Diyos. Hindi naman pala totoo na mahal ako ng Diyos!
Sa isang banda, ang pagdududa ay nagiging balakid o hadlang sa ugnayan at paglago sa kaalaman. Kapag lagi tayong nagdududa sa iba, tiyak na tiyak, iiwasan natin ang taong pinagdududahan natin, kung kaya imposibleng magkaroon tayo ng ugnayan sa kanya. --- SA GANITONG DIWA, PARANG HINDI MAGANDA ANG PAGDUDUDA!
Sa kabilang banda naman, nagiging sanhi ng paglago sa kaalaman at tunay na pagkilala sa isang bagay o isang tao ang pagdududa. --- THIS IS THE KIND OF JOURNEY THAT THOMAS HAD.
Yes, he doubted the news that Jesus is risen. He doubted the Good News that Jesus has resurrected from the dead. But somehow, Thomas was ready to believe --- sa isang kondisyon ayon sa EBANGHELYO (Juan):
‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.’
Ang panuntunan ni Tomas ay ganito: TO SEE IS TO BELIEVE!
And so when Jesus appeared again to the apostles and the disciples, Thomas was present and Jesus approached him and told him:
‘Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.’
· NAGDUDUDA AT NAG-AALINLANGAN SIYA! Maaari natin siyang husgahan nang hindi maganda at pabor sa kanya. Ngunit, hindi siya hinusgahan ni Jesus, bagkus naunawaan ni Jesus ang kanyang pag-aalinlangan.
· Instead, Jesus invited Thomas to touch his wounds and his side. No one among his disciples had been given such privilege and honor to heal the sacred wounds. Only Thomas!
· Hindi naman tahasang sinasabi sa Ebanghelyo na hinipo’t hinawakan ni Tomas ang mga sugat ni Jesus: ang sinasabi lamang ng EBANGHELYO ay kung ano ang naging tugon ni Tomas: ‘Panginoon ko at Diyos ko.’ --- MY LORD AND MY GOD! Ang pagpapahayag na ito ay higit pa sa ipinahayag at pagkilala ng iba pang mga alagad kay Jesus. --- THE OTHER DISCIPLES RECOGNIZED THAT THE ONE IN THEIR MIDST WAS THEIR LORD. ON THE OTHER HAND, THOMAS DECLARED THAT THE RISEN LORD WAS GOD --- AND THIS PROFESSION OF FAITH OUTSTRIPS AND GOES BEYOND THE OTHERS!
At ang kadakilaan ng ganitong pagkilala ni Santo Tomas kay Jesus ang ipinagdiriwang natin sa araw na ito.
Iyong inaakala nating mapagduda; iyong tinitingnan nating parang hindi mabuting alagad: SIYA PALA ANG TUNAY NA KIKILALA AT TATANGGAP KAY JESUS --- bilang kanyang Panginoon at Diyos!
This is a challenge for all of us. Minsan inaakala natin na mas mabuti tayo sa iba dahil marami tayong alam tungkol kay Jesus. Minsan marahil nakapag-iisip tayo, ang suwerte naman naming dahil nasa Catholic school kami.
Ang hamon ay ganito: NAKIKITA BA SA BUHAY KO NA KINIKILALA KO SI JESUS BILANG PANGINOON KO AT DIYOS KO?
-Nakikitungo ba ako sa kapwa ko mag-aaral sa isang makataong paraan?
-Iginagalang ko ba ang aking kapwa, ang aking mga magulang, ang aking mga guro at kamag-aral?
-Nakikinig ba ko sa sinasabi ng aking mga magulang at tinutupad ko ba ang kanilang nais para sa aking ikabubuti?
-Ako ba’y dahilan ng pagkakaisa at mabuting samahan?
If our answers to these questions are all YES, then, no doubt our lives and relationships will be better; no doubt we indeed and truly believe that Jesus is Lord and God!
The FIRST READING (Letter to the Ephesians) confirms this:
‘You are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets
WITH CHRIST HIMSELF AS THE CAPSTONE!’
Sa madaling salita, nagiging magkakapatid tayo, nagiging isa tayong pamilya at sambayanan dahil iisa ang sinasampalatayanan nating PANGINOON AT DIYOS NATIN: si Jesus!
Once again, with St. Thomas, we say: JESUS, YOU ARE MY LORD AND MY GOD!
We believe this to be true.
Ito ang katotohanan ng ating pananampalataya.
Huwag nating ipagsawalang bahala.
Jesus said toward the end of the Gospel:
‘BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SEEN AND HAVE BELIEVED!’