Today is July 3, the Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle.
We read at today’s Mass, “You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone” (Eph 2:19-20).
As we continue to reflect on the life of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and the Beatitudes, we turn today to the third: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
Now let’s be clear: Meekness is not weakness. Blessed Pier Giorgio was anything but weak. He was active in the political scene of early 20th-century Italy. He was bold in his Catholic identity, even wearing a small emblem of the Catholic political party on his coat to signal his convictions. But what set him apart — what made his political engagement different — was the spirit with which he carried it. He was never bitter. He was never resentful. He did not let anger guide his activism.
Gentle in spirit
And that’s something we desperately need today. It’s one thing to be passionate about politics; it’s another to let it poison our hearts. If we find ourselves steeped in outrage, constantly irritable or cynical, it’s time to ask: Are we still rooted in the Gospel? Because Christ calls us to something more. He calls us to be meek — gentle in spirit, firm in truth, radiant in joy.
Pope St. John Paul II said of Pier Giorgio during a visit to Turin in 1980 that “he was a young man whose joy was overflowing, a joy that helped him to overcome the many challenges of his life.” That joy wasn’t naïve. It was forged in the challenges of his time — political unrest, social upheaval, moral confusion. And still, he remained serene. Joyful. Meek.
So today, let us ask for the grace to embrace this Beatitude. Let’s allow Christ to soften our hearts and to strengthen our witness. Like Pier Giorgio, may we speak with conviction, but always with compassion.
Let us pray,
Grant, almighty God, that we may glory in the Feast of the blessed Apostle Thomas, so that we may always be sustained by his intercession and, believing, may have life in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, whom Thomas acknowledged as the Lord. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
