Daily Readings - Sun Apr 16 2023
Acts
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.44All the believers were together and had everything in common.45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
1 Peter
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you,5who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.7These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,9for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
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 life of faith, the power of community, and the enduring presence of God in our lives. In the first reading from Acts, we see the early Christian community living in harmony, sharing resources, and gathering regularly for prayer and the breaking of bread. This was a time of great joy and simplicity, yet also of challenges and trials. The believers were not immune to suffering, but their faith sustained them, and they found strength in their unity and their trust in God. The second reading from 1 Peter reminds us that our faith is a gift from God, rooted in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is through faith that we inherit an eternal and incorruptible inheritance, one that is guarded by God’s power. Even when we face trials, we are called to rejoice because these trials refine our faith, making it more precious than gold. Finally, in the Gospel, we encounter Thomas, who struggled with doubt after the resurrection. Jesus’ encounter with Thomas reminds us that faith is not about seeing but about trusting in what we cannot see. Jesus’ words to Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed,” are a timeless invitation to all of us to deepen our faith, even when the road ahead seems uncertain.
These readings are deeply interconnected. The early Christian community in Acts is the fruit of the mission Jesus entrusted to his disciples, as seen in the Gospel. The believers in Acts lived out their faith in practical ways, sharing their resources and supporting one another, just as Jesus had taught them. The second reading from 1 Peter provides the theological foundation for understanding why the early Christians could live with such hope and joy despite their trials. Their faith was rooted in the resurrection of Jesus, which gave them confidence in God’s ultimate triumph over suffering and death. The story of Thomas, meanwhile, reminds us that faith is not always easy. Doubt can creep in, but Jesus is patient and gracious, offering us the opportunity to grow in faith even when we stumble.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, we are reminded of the importance of living in community and supporting one another, just as the early Christians did. We are also called to trust in God’s plan, even when we face challenges or uncertainties. Like Thomas, we may struggle with doubt at times, but Jesus invites us to move beyond our fears and to place our trust in him. The moral lesson here is clear: faith is not about having all the answers but about surrendering to God’s love and trusting in his presence, even when we cannot see the way ahead. Let us strive to live with the same hope and joy as the early Christians, knowing that our faith is a gift from God, and that he is always with us, guiding us toward eternal life.