It is the eve of the festival of my namesake Apostle, Thomas.
At Vespers the Proper antiphon for the Magnificat is "O Key of David":
O CLAVIS David, et sceptrum domus Israel: qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et
umbra mortis.
O KEY of David, and Sceptre of the house of Israel that openest and no man shutteth; and shuttest and no man openeth: come to bring out the prisoner from the
prison, and them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.
Or, as rendered in modern hymnody,
O come, blest key of David, come,
And open wide our heav'nly home,
Make straight the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
By any language, in any metre, what a beautiful juxtaposition with the Gospel for this Feast:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
The Key of David--who found no room at Bethlehem's inn--has prepared a place with many rooms for us.
For us and for our salvation.
Given and shed....for you, for me, for us.