Daily Readings - Sun Apr 19 2020

⁴²Now they were persevering in the doctrine of the Apostles, and in the communion of the breaking of the bread, and in the prayers⁴³And fear developed in every soul. Also, many miracles and signs were accomplished by the Apostles in Jerusalem. And there was a great awe in everyone⁴⁴And then all who believed were together, and they held all things in common⁴⁵They were selling their possessions and belongings, and dividing them to all, just as any of them had need⁴⁶Also, they continued, daily, to be of one accord in the temple and to break bread among the houses; and they took their meals with exultation and simplicity of heart⁴⁷praising God greatly, and holding favor with all the people. And every day, the Lord increased those who were being saved among them

1 Peter

Chapter 1

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy has regenerated us into a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead⁴unto an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance, which is reserved for you in heaven⁵By the power of God, you are guarded through faith for a salvation which is ready to be revealed in the end time⁶In this, you should exult, if now, for a brief time, it is necessary to be made sorrowful by various trials⁷so that the testing of your faith, which is much more precious than gold tested by fire, may be found in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ⁸For though you have not seen him, you love him. In him also, though you do not see him, you now believe. And in believing, you shall exult with an inexpressible and glorious joy⁹returning with the goal of your faith, the salvation of souls

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 life of faith, hope, and community that define us as followers of Christ. In the first reading from Acts, we see the early Christian community living in profound unity, sharing resources, and gathering regularly for prayer and the breaking of bread. This was not just a social arrangement but a spiritual way of life rooted in their shared faith in the risen Lord. Their perseverance in the face of challenges and their joy in simplicity of heart remind us that the Christian life is meant to be lived with radical generosity and love. The second reading from 1 Peter deepens this theme by focusing on the hope that comes from the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter reminds us that our inheritance is incorruptible and reserved for us in heaven, but this hope is not without its trials. Just as gold is tested by fire, our faith is purified through suffering. This does not mean we should seek suffering, but rather that we should trust in God’s plan and find joy in the midst of it, knowing that our ultimate salvation is secure. In the Gospel, John 20, we encounter the risen Jesus appearing to his disciples and breathing the Holy Spirit upon them. This moment is the foundation of our faith and mission as Christians. The story of Thomas, often misunderstood as a skeptic, actually reveals the depth of faith. Thomas’s demand to see and touch the wounds of Christ is not a sign of doubt but a desire to fully embrace the truth. Jesus’ response, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed,” speaks directly to us today. We are called to live by faith, trusting in God’s presence even when we cannot see him. These readings together remind us that the Christian life is one of community, hope, and faith. Like the early Church, we are called to live with generosity, unity, and perseverance. Like Thomas, we are invited to move beyond doubt to a deeper trust in God’s plan. And like the disciples, we are sent forth with the Holy Spirit to share the Good News with the world. Let us ask ourselves: How am I living out my faith in my daily life? Am I trusting in God’s plan even when the road is uncertain? May we, like the early Christians, find joy in simplicity, hope in trials, and faith in the unseen, knowing that the risen Christ is always with us.