Daily Readings - Sun Apr 24 2022
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
In today's readings, we encounter powerful narratives that weave together themes of faith, mission, and the eternal presence of God. The first reading from Acts 5:12-16 portrays the early Christian community's vibrant faith, where the Apostles perform miracles, attracting many to the growing church. Despite fear, the people's belief leads them to seek healing, highlighting the transformative power of faith.
The second reading from Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19 shifts our gaze to John's vision on Patmos. Jesus, the First and the Last, who holds the keys of death and Hades, commissions John to write His message to the churches. This vision underscores Jesus' eternal sovereignty and the urgency of sharing the Gospel, a mission that transcends time and circumstance.
In the Gospel, John 20:19-31, Jesus appears to His disciples post-resurrection, bestowing peace and the Holy Spirit. The narrative of Thomas's doubt serves as a poignant reminder that faith often requires overcoming skepticism. Thomas's eventual profession of faith illustrates that true belief can emerge from doubt when we seek a deeper encounter with Christ.
These readings collectively call us to embrace our mission as disciples, trusting in God's power and presence. Just as the early church and John were commissioned, we too are called to share the Gospel with courage. Let us draw strength from these narratives, cultivating faith that overcomes doubt and compels us to live as witnesses of Christ's love and redemption in our daily lives.