Daily Readings - Sun Apr 16 2023

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, the power of community, and the enduring presence of God in our lives. In the first reading from Acts, we see the early Christian community living in harmony, sharing resources, and gathering regularly for prayer and the breaking of bread. This was a time of great joy and simplicity, yet also of challenges and trials. The believers were not immune to suffering, but their faith sustained them, and they found strength in their unity and their trust in God. The second reading from 1 Peter reminds us that our faith is a gift from God, rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is through faith that we inherit an eternal and incorruptible inheritance, one that is guarded by God’s power. Even when we face trials, we are called to rejoice because these trials refine our faith, making it more precious than gold. Finally, in the Gospel, we encounter Thomas, who struggled with doubt after the resurrection. Jesus’ encounter with Thomas reminds us that faith is not about seeing but about trusting in what we cannot see. Jesus’ words to Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed,” are a timeless invitation to all of us to deepen our faith, even when the road ahead seems uncertain. These readings are deeply interconnected. The early Christian community in Acts is the fruit of the mission Jesus entrusted to his disciples, as seen in the Gospel. The believers in Acts lived out their faith in practical ways, sharing their resources and supporting one another, just as Jesus had taught them. The second reading from 1 Peter provides the theological foundation for understanding why the early Christians could live with such hope and joy despite their trials. Their faith was rooted in the resurrection of Jesus, which gave them confidence in God’s ultimate triumph over suffering and death. The story of Thomas, meanwhile, reminds us that faith is not always easy. Doubt can creep in, but Jesus is patient and gracious, offering us the opportunity to grow in faith even when we stumble. As we apply these readings to our daily lives, we are reminded of the importance of living in community and supporting one another, just as the early Christians did. We are also called to trust in God’s plan, even when we face challenges or uncertainties. Like Thomas, we may struggle with doubt at times, but Jesus invites us to move beyond our fears and to place our trust in him. The moral lesson here is clear: faith is not about having all the answers but about surrendering to God’s love and trusting in his presence, even when we cannot see the way ahead. Let us strive to live with the same hope and joy as the early Christians, knowing that our faith is a gift from God, and that he is always with us, guiding us toward eternal life.