Daily Readings - Sun Apr 07 2024

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.

1 John

Chapter 5

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.

John

Chapter 20

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 remind us of the power of faith, love, and unity in the life of the Church. In the first reading from Acts, we see the early Christian community living in perfect harmony, sharing all things in common, and caring for one another’s needs. This unity was not accidental but flowed from their shared faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Apostles, filled with grace, testified to this truth, and the community responded with generosity and trust in God’s providence. This passage challenges us to reflect on how we live out our faith in our own communities—do we share what we have, or do we hold onto things selfishly? Do we trust in God’s plan for our lives and for the world? In the second reading from 1 John, we are reminded that love for God and love for others are inseparable. To love God is to keep His commandments, and to love those born of God is to love God Himself. John emphasizes that this love is not a burden but a source of strength. Faith in Jesus Christ, who came by water and blood, overcomes the world. This reading invites us to examine our own love for God and for others. Do we see love as a commandment to be obeyed, or as a gift that transforms us? Do we allow our faith to overcome the challenges and doubts we face in life? The Gospel from John brings us to the evening of Easter Sunday, where Jesus appears to His disciples and breathes the Holy Spirit upon them. This moment is the birth of the Church, and it is a reminder of the mission we have all received—to forgive sins and to spread the Good News. Thomas, who was not present that evening, represents our own struggles with doubt. Yet, when Jesus appears to him again, Thomas’s doubt turns to faith, and he confesses Jesus as “My Lord and my God.” Jesus blesses those who believe without seeing, and this is a blessing extended to us today. The readings remind us that faith is not about having all the answers but about trusting in God’s presence and love, even when we cannot see Him. Let us ask ourselves: Do we allow our faith to guide us in times of uncertainty? Do we live as people who have been transformed by the love and power of the Resurrection?