Daily Readings - Sun Apr 08 2018

³²Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.³³And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.³⁴There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold³⁵and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

1 John

Chapter 5

¹Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him.²By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.³For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.⁴For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.⁵Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?⁶This is he who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

John

Chapter 20

¹⁹On 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."²⁰When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.²¹Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.²³If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld."²⁴Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.²⁵So 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."²⁶Eight 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."²⁷Then 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."²⁸Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"²⁹Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."³⁰Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;³¹but 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.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the unity of faith, the power of love, and the triumph of belief over doubt. In the first reading from Acts, we see the early Christian community living in harmony, sharing their possessions, and caring for one another. This unity was not accidental; it flowed from their shared faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and their commitment to living as his disciples. The Apostles, filled with grace, testified to the power of the Risen Lord, and the community responded with generosity and trust. This passage reminds us that faith is not a solitary act but a communal way of life. In the Gospel, we encounter Thomas, who struggles with doubt after the Resurrection. While the other disciples had seen the Lord, Thomas was absent, and his skepticism led him to demand physical proof of Jesus' presence. When Jesus appears to him, he gently invites Thomas to touch his wounds, saying, "Do not be unbelieving, but believing." Thomas's response, "My Lord and my God," is a profound declaration of faith. Jesus then blesses those who believe without seeing, which includes us. This story teaches us that faith is not about having all the answers but about trusting in God's love and presence, even when we face uncertainty. The second reading from 1 John ties these themes together. It tells us that love for God and love for others are inseparable. To love God is to keep his commandments, and to love others is to live as children of God. John reminds us that our faith overcomes the world, not through our own strength, but through the power of God. The readings today call us to live with generosity, trust, and love, just like the early Christian community. They remind us that faith is not about avoiding doubt but about growing deeper in our relationship with God, even when the road is uncertain. Let us ask for the grace to believe without seeing and to love without reserve, that we might truly live as children of God.