Daily Readings - Sun Apr 28 2019

¹²And through the hands of the Apostles many signs and wonders were accomplished among the people. And they all met with one accord at Solomon’s portico¹³And among the others, no one dared to join himself to them. But the people magnified them¹⁴Now the multitude of men and women who believed in the Lord was ever increasing¹⁵so much so that they laid the infirm in the streets, placing them on beds and stretchers, so that, as Peter arrived, at least his shadow might fall upon any one of them, and they would be freed from their infirmities¹⁶But a multitude also hurried to Jerusalem from the neighboring cities, carrying the sick and those troubled by unclean spirits, who were all healed

Revelation

Chapter 1

⁹I, John, your brother, and a sharer in the tribulation and in the kingdom and in patient endurance for Christ Jesus, was on the island which is called Patmos, because of the Word of God and the testimony to Jesus¹⁰I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a great voice, like that of a trumpet¹¹saying, "What you see, write in a book, and send it to the seven Churches, which are in Asia: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamus, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.¹²And I turned around, so as to see the voice which was speaking with me. And having turned around, I saw seven golden lampstands¹³And in the midst of the seven golden lampstands was one resembling the Son of man, clothed to the feet with a vestment, and wrapped to the breast with a wide belt of gold¹⁷And when I had seen him, I fell at his feet, like one who is dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last¹⁸And I am alive, though I was dead. And, behold, I live forever and ever. And I hold the keys of death and of Hell¹⁹Therefore, write the things which you have seen, and which are, and which must occur afterward

John

Chapter 20

¹⁹Then, when it was late on the same day, on the first of the Sabbaths, and the doors were closed where the disciples were gathered, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and he said to them: "Peace to you.²⁰And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and side. And the disciples were gladdened when they saw the Lord²¹Therefore, he said to them again: "Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.²²When he had said this, he breathed on them. And he said to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit²³Those whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them, and those whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.²⁴Now Thomas, one of the twelve, who is called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus arrived²⁵Therefore, the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I will see in his hands the mark of the nails and place my finger into the place of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will not believe.²⁶And after eight days, again his disciples were within, and Thomas was with them. Jesus arrived, though the doors had been closed, and he stood in their midst and said, "Peace to you.²⁷Next, he said to Thomas: "Look at my hands, and place your finger here; and bring your hand close, and place it at my side. And do not choose to be unbelieving, but faithful.²⁸Thomas responded and said to him, "My Lord and my God.²⁹Jesus said to him: "You have seen me, Thomas, so you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.³⁰Jesus also accomplished many other signs in the sight of his disciples. These have not been written in this book³¹But these things have been written, so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so that, in believing, you may have life in his name

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of faith, the hope of eternal life, and the enduring presence of Christ in our lives. In the first reading from Acts, we see the early Christian community thriving despite persecution. The Apostles perform miracles, and the people gather in awe, bringing their sick to be healed. This passage reminds us that the Church, from its very beginning, has been a place of healing and hope, where the power of God is made manifest through His people. The second reading from Revelation offers a vision of Christ in glory, standing among the seven golden lampstands, symbolizing His presence in the midst of His Church. John, exiled on the island of Patmos, receives this vision as a reminder that even in tribulation, Christ is alive and holds the keys to death and Hell. This reading encourages us to trust in Christ’s eternal victory and to remain faithful, even in the face of challenges. In the Gospel, we encounter Thomas, who struggles with doubt after the resurrection. Jesus appears to him, offering him the opportunity to touch His wounds, and Thomas professes his faith, declaring, “My Lord and my God.” This story teaches us that doubt is not the opposite of faith but can lead to deeper faith when we seek to understand and encounter Christ more fully. Jesus’ words, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed,” remind us that faith is not about physical sight but about trusting in God’s promises. These readings call us to live with faith, hope, and love. Like the early Church, we are called to be witnesses of Christ’s healing power in the world. Like John, we are called to endure patiently, knowing that Christ is with us always. And like Thomas, we are called to move beyond doubt to a deeper trust in God’s plan. May we, like the disciples, be filled with the Holy Spirit and go forth to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, bringing light and hope to a world in need.