The Feast of St. Thomas, Apostle gives us the opportunity to again enter into the episode for which Thomas is most (in)famous: disbelieving the other apostles’ account of Jesus’ post-Resurrection appearance to them in the Upper Room (Jn 20:24-29).  Thomas was not present at Jesus’ first appearance but is with the group when Jesus appears again a week later.  At that time, Jesus addresses Thomas first, inviting him to inspect the wounds he claimed to need to probe before believing.  Well, Thomas immediately confesses Jesus as Lord and God which prompts Jesus to reply with the headline of this post.  Jesus is speaking to every Christian that ever lived or will live that didn’t know Him when He walked the earth or who did not have a supernatural encounter with Him.  But for those of us Christians who believe the Eucharist is the really and truly present Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ, we see, and through the eyes of faith, believe, before finally having a real, intimate encounter with Him.  In fact, it is often recommended that Thomas’s words to Jesus, “My Lord and my God,” are especially appropriate for us to say in our hearts at the consecration at Mass, the moment that simple bread and wine are transsubstantiated into the Flesh and Blood of Christ for our salvation.  For those of us blessed with the gift of faith, we see and believe, trusting that Jesus has kept His promise to be with us “always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20).