Octave Day of Easter, Low Sunday, probably so-called in contrast to the 'high' feast of Easter Sunday.
Dominica in albis, when the newly baptized at Easter put aside their white robes.
Thomas Sunday - The apostle Thomas a week late in coming to Easter faith.
Quasimodo Sunday, from Latin, quasimodo=just like, from the traditional Introit 'Like new born infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation' (I Peter 2.2)
Cannon-ball Sunday: you could shoot one through the congregation without hitting anyone!
Holy Hilarity/Holy Humour Sunday, Risus Paschalis. Easter was God's supreme joke played on death.
Divine Mercy Sunday: 'O give thanks to the Lord, for God is good: God's mercy endures for ever' (Psalm 118.1). St Fustina (1905-38), Apostle of Divine Mercy, a Polish nun, had a vision of Jesus in a white robe, with 2 large rays of light coming from his heart, one red for blood, the other pale blue for water, with an inscription 'I trust in you.' www.divinemercysunday.com

'Doubt is the father of discovery.' - Galileo
'There lives more faith in honest doubt, believe me, than in half  the creeds.' - A. Tennyson
'A sorrow shared is a sorrow halved; a joy shared is a joy doubled.'
The function of doubt in life is always to obtain cessation of aggressiveness, to evade decision & to conceal this fact from oneself.
Faith & doubt are twins!
Isn't Thomas considered to be the patron saint of those who skip church, only to hear later what a great service they missed?
'The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven.'- Shakespeare
Teach me to feel another's woe, To hide the fault I see,
That mercy I to others show, That mercy show to me.     - A. Pope
'Thomas' lack of faith did more for our faith than did the faith of the disciples who believed.' - Gregory the Great
'Blessed are the doubters, for their questions help to strengthen their faith.' - J. Fischer
'Blesed are those who do not need the proofs.'W. Loader
Inscribed on Roman coins, the Emperor's image, name & 3 words, Dominus et Deus, Lord & God..
Shalom: not just a greeting, but a call to the disciples to transform their doubt & fear into faith & courage.
Shalom: Sharing Happiness Amid Love of Members - Order of Eastern Star
apistos, Greek, incredulus, Latin, better translated as faithless than doubting.
Lent observed for 40 days: Easter celebrated for 50.
"I believe in the sun even when it is not shining.
I believe in love even when I feel it not.
I believe in God even when he is silent."
- Inscription in a cellar in bombed-out Berlin WWII
I believe in the light, for Christ is the light in the darkness.
I believe in God, for he spoke in Christ & is not silent.
I believe in love, for love appeared on the Cross-W.Luthi
Jennifer Michael Hect, Doubt: A History
Prayer: O Lord & Master, you did show such unfailing patience with the doubt of your disciple Thomas, so make yourself known to us, that all the mists & clouds that darknen our sky may be dispelled by the bright sun of your truth; and grant us also such courage as Thomas had, that when we do no know that you are the true & living one, we may hold nothing back, but with a like devotion cast ourselves before you & say, 'My Lord & my God.'
PRAISE: This is the day (Fijian); This is the day the Lord has made (Howard or Heather Dew), That Easter Day with joy was bright (Lasst uns Erfreuen). Thou art the way (St James), When Thomas first the tidings heard (Victory), Let us with a gladsome mind (Harts), Praise be to Jesus his mercy is free, Praise God for he is kind, his mercy lasts for aye (Croft's 136th or Darwall), Let all the world in every corner sing, My God & King (Luckington)
www.biblical-art.com

(Comments to Francis at fcholm@mountaincable.net.) Hamilton Ontario UC Canada
http://prayerservices.fcpages.com