I SPECIAL NOVENA TO ST. THOMAS

Greeting

President: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

Community: Amen

President: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all

Community: And also with you

President: As we are gathered here at this sacred Basilica of St. Thomas, the Apostle, let us raise our hearts in prayer to the Triune God.

Gracious Father, you sent St.Thomas to our country as a witness to Christ. May we who follow his footsteps be strengthened in our faith in Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.

Loving Jesus, you empowered St. Thomas to make a personal confession of faith: "My Lord and My God!" May we who accept him as our patron, be living witnesses to the Gospel.

Abiding Spirit, you filled St. Thomas with the inner coverage to lay down his life for Christ. May we who venerate him here be moved to present Jesus Christ to our brothers and sisters. Amen

II PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Community:

We thank you Lord

For the gift of St. Thomas the Apostle for our country

For proclaiming the Good News that

Jesus is our Lord and Saviour

For dying as a martyr for faith

For his sacred tomb in this Basilica

For the favours and graces we receive

through his powerful intercession

III PRAYER IN HONOUR OF ST.THOMAS

O Lord God! We thank and praise you for sending St.Thomas the Apostle, in your divine providence to India, for proclaiming the good news that Jesus is our Lord and Saviour. He not only confessed Jesus as his Lord and Saviour, he also sealed his faith with his blood, and became the first martyr of the Indian Church. We glorify you Lord, for inspiring us through the courageous witness of St.Thomas.

May St.Thomas, our patron obtain for us, through his powerful intercession, the grace to bear witness to you in the challenges of our life. May his constant intercession fulfill the needs of all those who are gathered here in faith and devotion.

We pray in a special way through the powerful intercession of the Apostle, that all of us may be filled with the gifts of the Spirit to proclaim the Good News and to experience a new Pentecost in our lives.

We make this prayer in the precious name of Jesus who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen

IV CONFESSION OF FAITH

Community:

My Lord and My God

You lift up the poor in spirit

You raise the lowly

You give freedom to the oppressed

You favour the weak

You heal the sick

You strengthen us in faith

You show us the way of life

You pour out your Spirit on us

You are present to us in the Eucharist

You give us new life

You plead for us to Father

You comfort us in pain

You offer us peace

You grant us salvation

You chose St.Thomas to be your disciple

You appeared to him after the Resurrection

You enabled to make a personal confession of faith

You sent him to proclaim the Good News

You empowered him in his struggles

You made him your witness

You listen to our prayers

V PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

President: God is always close to us and is concerned about us with this faith and confidence let us place our prayers and petitions in the presence of God, through the intercession of StThomas.

Community: Lord we pray to you through the intercession of St.Thomas.

We pray for our Holy Father (Name), our Archbishop (Name) and all the leaders and people of the Church that we may bear witness to our Faith and the Gospel. We pray to you O Lord!

We pray for our country that we may always stand for all that is true and just, and promote peace and harmony. We pray to you O Lord!'

We pray for our parish priests and our parish community that we may be filled with the power of the Spirit to commit ourselves in loving service. We pray to you O Lord!

We pray for our families, relatives and friends that our hopes, dreams and aspirations may be fulfilled. We pray to you OLord!

We pray for all those who are sick, that they may accept their suffering and experience divine healing. We pray to you OLord!

We pray for all those who are burdened with sorrow and pain that they may be guided by your divine providence. We pray to you O Lord!

We pray for all the countries in the world, especially those affected by war and violence, that al! of us may respect human life and dignity. We pray to you O Lord!

President: Loving Father, we come to you as your children with deep confidence in your providential care. Answer our prayers and be with us as we move along in the journey of life. We make this prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ your son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever

Community: Amen

VI PRAYER FOR HEALING

Father, look kindly on your people who have come to your presence with their pains and sufferings. We have come to you with trust and confidence in your mercy. Oftentimes we feel feeble, fragile and frustrated.

Through the powerful intercession of St.Thomas our apostle, grant us the inner courage to face the realities of life. Give us a new hope and courage to carry our daily crosses, aware that they are fruitful for our life and salvation. Amen

VII FINAL BLESSING

Let us bow and pray for God's blessings!

President: May God who is present and active in the heart of every human person lead you the way of truth and life

Community: Amen

President: May God who lights up the hearts of human persons bless your families with the peace of the Risen Lord

Community: Amen

President: May God who offers you the fullness of life fill you with his life giving Spirit

Community: Amen

President: May Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit

Community: Amen

President: Go in peace to bear witness to Christ

Community: Thanks be to God

VIII HYMNS TO ST.THOMAS

Hymn No.l

1. We have not seen we cannot see, the happy

land above, From sin and death and

suffering free, where all is peace and love.

2. We only see the path is long By which we have to go,

We only feel the foes are strong, who seek to work us woe.

3. We walk by faith and not by sight, and

blessed Saint like thee, We sometimes doubt

if faith tells right, Because we cannot see.

4. Upon the promise we would lean Thy

doubting heart received; Blessed are they

that have not seen, and that have yet believed.

Hymn No.2

1. These things did Thomas count as real;

The warmth of blood the chill of steel,

The grain of wood the heft of stone,

The last frail twitch of flesh and bone.

2. The vision of his skeptic mind

Was keen enough to make him blind

To any unexpected act

Too large for his small world of fact.

3. His reasoned certain ties denied

That one could live when one had died,

Until his fingers read like Braille

The markings of his spear and nail.

4.May we O God by grace believe

And thus the risen Christ receive, whose

raw imprinted palms reached out.

And beckoned Thomas from his doubt.