Daily Readings - Sun Apr 08 2018

First Reading - Acts 4.32-35

³²And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.³³And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.³⁴Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,³⁵And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Second Reading - 1 John 5.1-6

1 John

Chapter 5

¹Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.²By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.³For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.⁴For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.⁵Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?⁶This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

Gospel - John 20.19-31

John

Chapter 20

¹⁹Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.²⁰And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.²¹Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:²³Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.²⁵The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.²⁶And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.²⁷Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.²⁸And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.²⁹Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.³⁰And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:³¹But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through 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.