Minor Festival -- Festival of St. Thomas

            Lutheran worship is liturgical.  While that often refers to an order of worship, it can also refer to the calendar of the Church Year.  The Church Year includes major festivals, such as Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Pentecost, etc...  On Sunday, December 21, we will recognize a minor festival, the Festival of St. Thomas, Apostle.

            If we know Thomas for anything, it is his doubting of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.  Thomas, also called Didymus, demanded visible proof that Jesus was risen.  Though Jesus did not owe him such proof (the words of the prophets and apostles should have been enough), Jesus lovingly appeared to Thomas to give the proof Thomas yearned for.  Earlier, Thomas had also demonstrated an unconditional loyalty to Jesus.  When Jesus had announced his intentions to go to Judea despite threats on Jesus’ life, Thomas said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:16) Tradition says that Thomas preached and built a church in India where he was martyred with a spear.