Roncalli
Thomas is the Hebrew word ta’om means Twin
Thomas was born in London in 1117, eight years after the death of St Anselm, whose successor he was destined to become. He embraced the ecclesiastical state and attached himself to Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury, by whose leave he went to Italy to study canon law at Bologna.
On his return home, he was ordained deacon and made archdeacon of Theobald. King Henry II appointed him Lord Chancellor of England, a post which he filled with distinction.
On the death of Theobald, in 1160, the King forced upon him the dignity of Archbishop of Canterbury. Still, when St Thomas refused to tolerate the existence of certain abuses, the King felt offended and finally, matters came to an open rupture between Thomas and the King.
After much persecution to which he was subjected, Thomas secretly left the kingdom and went to Pope Alexander III who was then in France and received him kindly. Later, he was able to return to England but he went with the notion that he was going to his death. He was received with the most excellent demonstration of joy by his people, but he knew the end was near.
Henry, in a fit of passion, let slip some unguarded words which, however they may have been intended, were construed so as to place weapons in the hands of saints assassins. The result was that St Thomas was murdered in his church at the foot of the altar, in 1170. In those days, people were beheaded and the head hung on a stake for all to see and mock. Within three years after his death, he was canonised as a Martyr by Pope Alexander III. The unwanted man has become a religious celebrity.
St Thomas Becket has appeared a lot in the history of the Catholic Church in England, especially during the persecution years. He could have opted to stay in exile but he went back knowing he was going to die, but a death of greater reward.
May God look upon us with love, who are handed over to our enemies on a silver platter to be slaughtered for our faith and for doing the right things in the sight of God.
