December 21
ST. THOMAS, APOSTLE AND MARTYR
This is the last Feast the Church keeps before the great one of the
Nativity of her Lord and Spouse. She interrupts the Greater Ferias in order to
pay her tribute of honour to Thomas, the Apostle of Christ, whose glorious
martyrdom has consecrated this twenty-first day of December, and has procured
for the Christian people a powerful patron, that will introduce them to the
divine Babe of Bethlehem. To none of the Apostles could this day have been so
fittingly assigned as to St. Thomas. It was St. Thomas whom we needed; St.
Thomas, whose festal patronage would aid us to believe and hope in that God
whom we see not, and who comes to us in silence and humility in order to try
our Faith. St. Thomas was once guilty of doubting, when he ought to have believed;
and only learnt the necessity of Faith by the sad experience of incredulity: he
comes then most appropriately to defend us, by the power of his example and
prayers, against the temptations which proud human reason might excite within
us. Let us pray to him with confidence. In that heaven of Light and Vision,
where his repentance and love have placed him, he will intercede for us, and
gain for us that docility of mind and heart, which will enable us to see and recognize
Him, who is the Expected of Nations, and who, though the King of the world,
will give no other signs of his majesty, than the swaddling-clothes and tears
of a Babe. But let us first read the Acts of our holy Apostle. The Church has
deemed it prudent to give us them in an exceedingly abridged form, which
contains only the most reliable facts, gathered from authentic sources; and
thus, she excludes all those details, which have no historical authority.
The Apostle Thomas, called Didymus, or
the twin was a Galilean. After he
had received the Holy Ghost, he travelled through many provinces, preaching the
Gospel of Christ. He taught the principles of Christian faith and practice to
the Parthians, Medes, Persians, Hircanians, and Bactrians. He finally went to
the Indies, and instructed the inhabitants of those countries in the Christian
religion. Up to the last, he gained for himself the esteem of all men by the
holiness of his life and teaching, and by the wonderful miracles he wrought. He
stirred up, also, in their hearts, the love of Jesus Christ. The King of those
parts, a worshiper of idols, was, on the contrary, only the more irritated by
all these things.
He condemned the Saint to be pierced to death by javelins:
which punishment was inflicted at Calamina, and gave Thomas the highest honour
of his Apostolate, the crown of martyrdom.
O glorious Apostle Thomas! who didst lead to Christ so many unbelieving
nations, hear now the prayers of the faithful, who beseech thee to lead them to
that same Jesus, who, in five days, will have shown himself to his Church. That
we may merit to appear in his divine presence, we need, before all other
graces, the light which leads to him. That light is Faith; then, pray that we
may have Faith. Hereto fore, our Saviour had compassion on thy weakness, and
deigned to remove from thee the doubt of his having risen from the grave; pray
to him for us, that he will mercifully come to our assistance, and make himself
felt by our heart. We ask not, O holy Apostle! to see him with the eyes of our
body, but with those of our faith, for he said to thee, when he showed himself
to thee: Blessed are they who have not seen, and have believed ! Of this happy
number, we desire to be. We beseech thee, therefore, pray that we may obtain
the Faith of the heart and will, that so, when we behold the divine Infant
wrapped in swaddling-clothes and laid in a manger, we may cry out: My Lord! and
my God! Pray, O holy Apostle, for the nations thou didst evangelize, but which
have fallen back again into the shades of death. May the day soon come, when
the Sun of Justice will once more shine upon them. Bless the efforts of those
apostolic men, who have devoted their labors and their very lives to the work
of the Missions; pray that the days of darkness may be shortened, and that the
countries, which were watered by thy blood, may at length see that kingdom of
God established amongst them, which thou didst preach to them, and for which we
also are in waiting.
St.
Thomas, Apostle
Double of the Second Class
Red Vestments
Missa
‘Mihi autem nimis’
INTROIT
Psalm
138: 17, 1, 2
Thy friends, O God, are made exceedingly honourable: their principality is
exceedingly strengthened. Ps. Lord, Thou hast proved me, and known me: Thou
hast known my sitting down, and my rising up. Glory be to the Father.
Torture of St Thomas by Giambattista
Pittoni
COLLECT
Grant unto us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, to glory in the solemn feast of
Thy blessed Apostle Thomas: that we may ever both be helped by his patronage,
and with due devotion follow his faith. Through our Lord
Commemoration
of the Advent feria
Stir up Thy power and come, we pray Thee, O Lord, and with great might succor
us; that our deliverance, which our sins impede, may be hastened by the help of
Thy grace and the forgiveness of Thy mercy. Who livest.
EPISTLE
Ephesians
2:
19-22
Brethren: You are no more strangers and foreigners, but you are
fellow-citizens with the Saints, and domestics of God: built upon the
foundation of the Apostles and prophets. Jesus Christ Himself being the chief
corner-stone. In whom all the building being framed together, groweth up into a
holy temple in the Lord. In Whom you also are built together into a habitation
of God in the Spirit.
GRADUAL
Psalm
138: 17, 18
Thy friends, O God, are made exceedingly honorable: their principality is
exceedingly strengthened. I will number them, and they shall be multiplied over
the sand.
ALLELUIA
Psalm
32: 1
Alleluia, alleluia. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just: praise becometh
the upright. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
John
20: 24-29
At that time: Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called Didymus,
was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him:
We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in his hands the
print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my
hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his
disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being
shut, and stood in the midst, and said: Peace be to you. Then he saith to
Thomas: Put in thy finger hither, and see my hands; and bring hither thy hand,
and put it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing. Thomas answered,
and said to him: My Lord, and my God. Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast
seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and
have believed.
OFFERTORY
Psalm
18: 5
Their sound went forth into all the earth; and their words to the ends of
the world
SECRET
We render unto Thee, O Lord, the bounden duty of our service,
humbly entreating Thee: to guard Thy gifts within us, by the prayers of the
blessed Apostle Thomas, on the feast of whose blessed martyrdom we offer Thee
the sacrifice of praise. Through our Lord.
Commemoration
of the Advent feria
Look down favorably upon these sacrifices, O Lord, we beseech Thee: that
they may be profitable to our devotion and salvation. Through our Lord.
PREFACE
OF THE APOSTLES
It is truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, to entreat Thee
humbly, O Lord, that Thou wouldst not desert Thy flock. O everlasting Shepherd;
but through Thy blessed Apostles, wouldst keep it under Thy constant
protection; that it may be governed by those same rulers, whom as vicars of Thy
work, Thou didst set over it to be its pastors. And therefore with Angels and
Archangels, with Thrones and Dominations, and with all the hosts of the
heavenly army, we sing the hymn of The glory, evermore saying:
SANCTUS
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dóminus, Deus Sábaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra
glória tua. Hosánna in excélsis. Benedíctus, qui venit in nómine Dómini.
Hosánna in excélsis.
COMMUNION
John
20: 27
Put thy hand and know the place of the nails, and be not incredulous, but
believing.
POSTCOMMUNION
Be present with us, O merciful God, and through the intercession of the
blessed Apostle Thomas, on our behalf, mercifully guard Thy Gifts bestowed upon
us. Through our Lord.
Commemoration
of the Advent feria
Having received Thy gifts, we beseech Thee, O Lord, that with the
frequentation of the mystery, the work of our salvation may increase. Through
our Lord.
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