Daily Catholic Mass Readings for April 11, 2021
First Reading: Acts 4.32-35
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
Psalm 118
1Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.2Let Israel say: "His love endures forever."3Let the house of Aaron say: "His love endures forever."4Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever."5In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free.6The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?7The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.8It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.9It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.10All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.11They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.12They swarmed around me like bees, but they died out as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off.13I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me.14The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.15Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things!16The LORD's right hand is lifted high; the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!"17I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.18The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.19Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD.20This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter.21I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.22The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;23the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.24This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.25O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success.26Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.27The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.28You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you.29Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Second Reading: 1 John 5.1-6
1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.2This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.3This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.5Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.6This is the one who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
Gospel: John 20.19-31
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 unity of faith, the power of love, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. In the first reading from Acts, we see the early Christian community living in harmony, sharing their possessions, and caring for one another. This was not just a social experiment but a spiritual reality rooted in their shared faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, testified to the power of God’s love, and the community responded with generosity and trust. This passage reminds us that true unity comes from living as one in Christ, where love transcends individualism and materialism.
The second reading from 1 John deepens this theme by emphasizing that love is not just a feeling but a commitment to living according to God’s commandments. John writes that faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God overcomes the world. This victory is not through power or might but through the humble, selfless love that flows from God. The reading reminds us that our faith is not just intellectual assent but a way of life that reflects God’s love in the world. When we keep God’s commandments, we demonstrate that we are born of God and that His love dwells in us.
In the Gospel, Jesus appears to His disciples after the Resurrection, offering them peace and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This scene is both a moment of reassurance and a call to mission. Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit on the disciples, empowering them to forgive sins and to continue His work in the world. The story of Thomas, who doubts until he sees and touches Jesus’ wounds, reminds us that faith often requires us to move beyond our fears and uncertainties. Jesus’ words to Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed,” challenge us to trust in God’s presence even when we cannot see or fully understand.
These readings together call us to live as people of faith and love. Like the early Christian community, we are to share our resources and care for one another. Like the disciples, we are to receive the Holy Spirit and be bold in witnessing to the Resurrection. And like Thomas, we are to move beyond doubt to a deeper trust in God’s plan. Let us ask for the grace to live in unity, to love without condition, and to trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us. May we, like the disciples, be transformed by the Risen Christ and bear witness to His love in the world.