Feast day of St. Thomas in Roman and Syrian Catholic churches is on 3rd July. In addition, the next Sunday of the Easter (Pascha) is celebrated as Sunday of Thomas, in commemoration of Thomas’ question to Jesus which led him to proclaim, ‘My Lord and My God’ and the day in Kerala is known as Puthunjayar. Thomas is also commemorated in common with all of the other apostles on June 30, in a feast called the Synaxis of the Holy Apostles. Thomas is considered to be the patron saint of architects, builders, carpenters, construction workers, geometricians, masons, stone masons, stone cutters, surveyors, theologians, people who have doubts in faith and blind.
Prayer to St. Thomas the Apostle
O St. Thomas, the Apostle of India, Father of our faith, you spread the light of Christ in the hearts of the people of India. You humbly confessed “My Lord and My God” and sacrificed your life for love of him. We pray to you to strengthen us with love and faith in Jesus Christ so that we may dedicate ourselves totally to the cause of the kingdom of justice, peace and love. We pray that through your intercession we may be protected from all trials, dangers and temptations and be strengthened in the love of the Triune God, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen
0703 St Thomas Apostle Prayer to St. Thomas the Apostle, for Spending Ourselves in His Service
O Glorious St. Thomas, your grief for Jesus was such that it would not let you believe he had risen unless you actually saw him and touched his wounds. But your love for Jesus was equally great and it led you to give up your life for him. Pray for us that we may grieve for our sins which were the cause of Christ’s sufferings. Help us to spend ourselves in his service and so earn the title of “blessed” which Jesus applied to those who would believe in him without seeing him.
Amen
Prayer to St. Thomas the Apostle, for Faith
Almighty and ever living God, who didst strengthen thine apostle Thomas with sure and certain faith in thy Son’s resurrection: Grant us so perfectly and without doubt to believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, that our faith may never be found wanting in thy sight; through him who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Prayer to St. Thomas the Apostle, for Architects, Buildersand Carpenters
Dear St. Thomas, you were once slow in believing that Christ had gloriously risen; but later, because you had seen him, you exclaimed: “My Lord and my God!” According to an ancient story, you rendered most powerful assistance for constructing a church in a place where pagan priests opposed it. Please bless architects, builds and carpenters that through them the Lord may be honored.
Amen
Prayer to St. Thomas the Apostle, Pray for Me
Lord Jesus, St. Thomas doubted Your resurrection until he touched Your wounds. After Pentecost, You called him to become a missionary in India, but he doubted again and said no. He changed his mind only after being taken into slavery by a merchant who happened to be going to India. Once he was cured of his doubt, You freed him and he began the work You had called him to do. As the patron saint against doubt, I ask him to pray for me when I question the direction in which You are leading me. Forgive me for mistrusting You, Lord, and help me to grow from the experience. Saint Thomas, pray for me.
Amen
Prayer
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. Heretofore, 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 evangelise, 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 labours 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.
Let us Pray!
Glorious Saint Thomas, Your love for Jesus and faith in him as Lord and God are an inspiration for all who seek Jesus. You gave up your life as an Apostle and as a missionary. You encourage us to be courageous in giving witness to faith and in proclaiming the gospel. You lead us to be missionary in our endeavours.
As our patron, pray for us as we build a new catholic church in Clyde North. We ask your intercession that we may spend ourselves in the service of Jesus and his Mission.
Under your watchful care may we grow in faith and generously use our talents, gifts and vision in the service of Christ Jesus and in love for our neighbour.
