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Painting
This is a painting of St. Thomas the Apostle that hangs in my family's living room.
Thomas was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. Often referred to as the "doubting Thomas," Thomas has become a model for honest faith and a demonstration of evidence-based belief. He is the patron saint of those who struggle with faith and doubt.
Originally a carpenter or mason from Galilee, Thomas appears in all four Gospels and Acts, though his most significant appearances come in the Gospel of John.
In perhaps his most famous appearance, Thomas doubts the resurrection of Jesus Christ, famously stating "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the mark of the nails and put my hand into his side, I will not believe" (John 20:25).
Eight days later, Jesus appeared to Thomas, who responded with one of the clearest confessions of Jesus's divinity: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28).
Thomas went on to spread the faith to the Parthians, Medes, Persians, and Indians—farther than any other apostle—before he was martyred in India.
This 17th century painting was passed to my grandfather by the local priest. My grandfather, whom I never had the chance to meet, was a beloved community leader, respected attorney, and devout family man; the priest played a pivotal role in his life, even introducing him to his wife (my grandmother).
The painting serves as a reminder that I stand on the shoulders of countless men and women, past and present, within and beyond my family, who have made my life possible.
