April 7, 2013

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Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy) 
Lectionary: 45

Reading 1ACTS 5:12-16

Many signs and wonders were done among the people
at the hands of the apostles.
They were all together in Solomon’s portico.
None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.

After the Pentecost, the Apostles accomplished many signs and wonders.  Because of the power they exhibited, the people feared them. But they also loved them.

Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord,
great numbers of men and women, were added to them.

Thus, more and more people were added to the Church.

Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets
and laid them on cots and mats
so that when Peter came by,
at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.

And the people would throng the streets, laying their sick and invalid such that, when St. Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall upon them and be cured.

A large number of people from the towns
in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered,
bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits,
and they were all cured.

Many people were brought to the Apostles in the vicinity of Jerusalem.  And as many as were brought, were cured. 

Responsorial PsalmPS 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

R. (1) Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.or:
R. Alleluia.Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.or:
R. Alleluia.I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.or:
R. Alleluia.The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.or:
R. Alleluia.

God is gracious and merciful  He gives His grace to all who call upon Him and grants His mercy to all who repent of their sins and do His Will.  God is gracious and merciful.

Reading 2                                                                                                                                          REV 1:9-11A, 12-13, 17-19

I, John, your brother, who share with you the distress, the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus,found myself on the island called Patmosbecause I proclaimed God’s word and gave testimony to Jesus.I was caught up in spirit on the Lord’s dayand heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet, which said,“Write on a scroll what you see.”

 St. John, the Apostle, was exiled to the Isle of Patmos because of his faith in Christ and there, saw a vision of heaven.  He was caught up in the Spirit on a Sunday and heard a loud voice which said, 
"Everything which you see, write down.



Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me,and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstandsand in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man,wearing an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his chest.



Then he turned to see who was talking.  And he saw 7 gold lamp stands and with them, a man.  The 
man was wearing a robe that went down to his ankles and was wearing a gold sash around his chest.

When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead. 
He touched me with his right hand and said, “Do not be afraid. 
I am the first and the last, the one who lives. 
When I saw Him, I lost consciousness.  But He touched me with His right hand and said, "Everything is ok.  Relax.  I am God, the first, the last,  who lives forever." 




Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I hold the keys to  

death and the netherworld.   Write down, therefore, what you have seen, and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards.”
I am He who died for you on the Cross.  But now, I live forever.  I hold the keys to the afterlife.hen I saw Him, I lost consciousness.  But He touched me with His right hand and said, "Everything is ok.  Relax.  I am God, the first, the last,  who lives forever."  Therefore, write down all that you see and all that will happen afterwards.

GospelJN 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

On a Sunday evening, the Disciples were hiding from the Jews in the upper room with the doors locked when Jesus appeared to them.  He said to them, "Peace be with you."

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,“Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

In order to prove who He was, He showed them His wounded hands and side.  The Disciples rejoiced to see Him again.  And He said again, "Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, I now send you."  And then, breathing on them, He said, "receive the Holy Spirit.  Whose sins you forgive are forgiven.  Whose sins you retain are retained."

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

St. Thomas, the Apostle whom they called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.  The other Disciples informed him but he refused to believe.  "Unless I see the nail marks on His hands and put my hand into the wound on His side, I won't believe."

Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

The very next Sunday, the Disciples were again on the second floor.  This time, St. Thomas was with them.  And Jesus came through the locked doors and stood in their midst.  He said, "Peace be unto you.  Thomas, put your finger here and see my wounds.  Put your hand in my side and believe."  And St. Thomas said, "My Lord and My God!"

Jesus then said, "Do you believe now because you can see me?  Blessed are they who believe and yet have not seen."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

Jesus did many other things which are not written down.  These have been written so that you may believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that those who believe in Him have life everlasting.