St. Thomas the Apostle
Catholic Community

Today is First Communion Sunday for the majority of our second graders. And for a few, it will be the following Sunday. Congratulations to them and their families today. They will receive the Body and Blood of Jesus in the form of Bread and Wine for the first !me. How special this day is for them, and so we celebrate the occasion with them. They become more a part of our worshipping community in this way and continue to grow to be more like Jesus, whom they receive. T

Have you ever witnessed a flock of sheep responding to the voice of the shepherd? I have. I was standing with friends looking out over an empty field, not an animal in sight. The owner of the flock, the shepherd himself, loudly shouted out something indistinguishable, and in seconds a flock of 20 sheep came running over the hill to the gate where we stood, hoping to find food. It was impressive. I could have called all day long, “Come here, sheep,” and they would not have com

The Gospel today reminds us that Jesus encounters us and we him in the ordinary events of our lives. Jesus came to the disciples while they were chatting about their encounter going to Emmaus. As Jesus approaches us as we are with our ups and downs, our grace and sin, we are changed by the encounter. To encounter someone implies a relationship with that person that is special, more than just meeting. How well the disciples knew Jesus, but now he is coming to them at an even d

Today’s Gospel is perfectly !med for this Sunday in that Jesus appeared on Easter to the Apostles, and then appeared again on the following Sunday. Thomas, our patron, was not there for the first appearance, and he didn’t want to believe anyone else about having seen Jesus, because he had not been there. So Jesus accommodated Thomas, and he exclaims “My Lord and My God!” when he saw Jesus’ hands and feet. This was Thomas’ faith speaking, knowing that to have risen from the de