Daily Readings - Sun Apr 28 2019
Acts
12The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade.13No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.14Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.15As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.16Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.
Revelation
9I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.10On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,11which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."12I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,13and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.18I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.19"Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.
John
19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though 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; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."28Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"29Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."30Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.31But these are written 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 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.