Second Sunday of Easter,
Year A
Divine Mercy Sunday
Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland)
Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)
Gospel: John 20:19-31 (English Standard Version, Anglicised)
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the
doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus
came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he
had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the
disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am
sending you.” And
when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you
forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness
from any, it is withheld.”
Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called
the Twin, was not with them when Jesus
came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But
he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and
place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will
never believe.”
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the
disciples, which are not written in this book; but
these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have
life in his name.
The closing words of today’s Gospel
give us the reason why the four gospels were written:
In his general audience in St Peter's Square on Wednesday 24 October 2012 Pope Benedict asked The Year of Faith: What is Faith?
In trying to answer that question the Pope said [emphases added]: Indeed, God has revealed that his love for man, for each one of us, is boundless: on the Cross, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God made man, shows us in the clearest possible way how far this love reaches, even to the gift of himself, even to the supreme sacrifice. With the mystery of Christ’s death and Resurrection, God plumbs to the depths of our humanity to bring it back to him, to uplift it to his heights. Faith is believing in this love of God that is never lacking in the face of human wickedness, in the face of evil and death, but is capable of transforming every kind of slavery, giving us the possibility of salvation. Having faith, then, is meeting this 'You', God, who supports me and grants me the promise of an indestructible love that not only aspires to eternity but gives it.
Benedict points out to us the painful reality that we can reject God's love: However, we see around us every day that many remain indifferent or refuse to accept this proclamation. At the end of Mark’s Gospel we heard harsh words from the Risen One who says: 'He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned' (Mk 16:16), loses himself. I would like to invite you to reflect on this.
This side of Jesus and of his Gospel has been largely sidelined, forgotten, in our times. Jesus is not a fuzzy teddy bear and following him is not like cuddling one, as the families of nearly 100 Christians killed in Nigeria last week can tell us.
The closing words of Pope Benedict in his talk are both challenging and uplifting: Dear friends, our time needs Christians who have been grasped by Christ, who grow in faith through their familiarity with Sacred Scripture and the sacraments. People who are, as it were, an open book that tells of the experience of new life in the Spirit, of the presence of that God who supports us on our way and opens us to everlasting life. Many thanks.
The Pope may well have had in mind today's First Reading (Acts 2:42-47): And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers . . . And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need . . . And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favour with all the people.
That passage from the Acts of the Apostles probably gives an idealised description of the early Christians, but it shows us what we are called to as followers of Jesus Christ, what we can be by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
I remember while spending a good part of the summer of 1969 in a large rural parish in eastern Kentucky where there were few Catholics but where the parish priest, the late Fr Ralph Beiting had many projects involving mainly college and some high school students from all over the USA, along with some adult volunteers. A college student who has remained a friend ever since remarked to me before he went back home to New York that we had had a wonderful experience of Christian community, something like that in the First Reading. This particular group may never have this experience together again - but we know that such an experience is possible, said my friend Brendan.
The yearly observance of Lent, Holy Week and Easter, ending with Pentecost, is what renews our hope and enables us, with the grace of God, to build and experience Christian community throughout our lives if we are, to use the words of Pope Benedict, People who are, as it were, an open book that tells of the experience of new life in the Spirit.
Regina Caeli / Queen of Heaven
Queen
of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia. / For He whom you did merit to bear,
alleluia. / Has risen, as he said, alleluia. / Pray for us
to God, alleluia.
The
ancient Latin hymn Regina caeli replaces
the Angelus during the Easter Season and is sung at the end of Compline (Night
Prayer). Above it is sung by the Benedictine monks of the Abbey of Santo Domingo de Silos in
Spain.
Below is a setting by Spanish composer Tomás Luis de Victoria (c.1548 - 1611) sung by Voces8 from England.
Traditional Latin Mass
The Octave Day of Easter
Low Sunday
The Complete Mass in Latin and English is here. (Adjust the date at the top of that page to 04-16-2023 if necessary).
Epistle: 1 John 5:4-10. Gospel: John 20:19-31.
1 comment:
Dearest Father Seán,
We all can relate to the Incredulity of St Thomas in one or another way.
That is only human but being like an open book and living a good Christian life is the best goal.
Yesterday at noon Mass, after Adoration, I did do the readings and prayers after a long hiatus of some 8 weeks.
Being oh so grateful and I firmly believe in prayers for strength. God seldom does abandon us.
Hugs,
Mariette
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