'My Lord and My God': Confession that Makes Us One

Reflection on Today's Readings and Feast of St. Thomas, Friday 3rd July, 2020
Texts: Eph. 2:19-22; Ps. 117:1-2; John 20:24-29
Today, we celebrate St. Thomas, an apostle. St. John, the evangelist, recorded some of his words. In today's gospel, he said, "My Lord and my God!" By those words, he confessed the divinity of Jesus Christ. just like St. Peter, St. Thomas did not make this confession of his Own accord but by the Holy Spirit, for St. Paul says, "nobody is able to say, 'Jesus is Lord' except in the Holy Spirit" (1Cor. 12:3). The Church is built on this confession of St. Thomas. Hence, today's first reading says, "Brethren: You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone". The foundation of the apostles and prophets is their confession, teaching. Being built upon the foundation means being instructed by them to make the confession and our obedience to the confession after them. St. Thomas taught us to acknowledge Jesus Christ as 'My Lord and my God'.
This confession of St. Thomas has become the gospel message, as St. Paul says, "It is not ourselves that we are proclaiming, but Christ Jesus as the Lord" (2Cor. 4:5). The Church, in his message, teaches every tongue to confess Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God (Phil. 2:11).
St. Paul, in the second reading, reminds us that by making the same confession we become fellow citizens, no longer strangers and sojourners. Everyone who acknowledges Jesus Christ as their Lord and their God becomes brother or sister with all those who make the same confession, no longer disparity, caste, colours, racial difference, ethnicity etc. We are all members of God's household.
Today, we are yet to recognise that our confession makes us brothers and sisters. This becomes clear when we are talking of position in the church, very often 'my people' syndrome comes up. It is this time we know the number of ethnic groups we have in the church. We are reminded once again that we should jettison such an attitude, it is not christlike.

Lord our God, may our faith in you as our Lord and our God never wane but always be strong as to enkindle in others the same faith. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke