Saint Thomas the Apostle

The Collect
Everliving God, who strengthened your apostle Thomas with firm and certain faith in your 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 your sight; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

The Psalm
126

The Readings
Habakkuk 2:1-4     +     Hebrews 10:35-11:1     +     John 20:24-29

I will stand at my watchpost,
     and station myself on the rampart;
I will keep watch to see what he will say to me,
     and what he will answer concerning my complaint.
Then the LORD answered me and said:
Write the vision;
     make it plain on tablets,
     so that a runner may read it.
For there is still a vision for the appointed time;
     it speaks of the end, and does not lie.
If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
     it will surely come, it will not delay.
~Habakkuk 2:1-3

On St. Thomas Day, as we near the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord, we continue to keep watch, to pray, to look for the rising of the Daystar in our hearts and for the world. The world is dark, and we have our honest complaints. But there is still a vision of the Lord for the appointed time. May our faith in our Lord's resurrection be as firm and certain as our trust that our eyes will again see the sun rise.

This night, the church prays the fifth 'O Antiphon': O Oriens. 

Closing Prayer

O Oriens,

splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:

veni, et illumine sedentes in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

O Dayspring,

splendor of light eternal and sun of righteousness:

Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

Amen.