Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine
Mercy)
Lectionary: 45
Lectionary: 45
Many signs and wonders were done among the people
at the hands of the apostles.
They were all together in Solomon’s portico.
None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.
Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord,
great numbers of men and women, were added to them.
Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets
and laid them on cots and mats
so that when Peter came by,
at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.
A large number of people from the towns
in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered,
bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits,
and they were all cured.
at the hands of the apostles.
They were all together in Solomon’s portico.
None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.
Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord,
great numbers of men and women, were added to them.
Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets
and laid them on cots and mats
so that when Peter came by,
at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.
A large number of people from the towns
in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered,
bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits,
and they were all cured.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24
R. (1) Give
thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading 2REV 1:9-11A, 12-13, 17-19
I, John, your brother, who share with you
the distress, the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus,
found myself on the island called Patmos
because I proclaimed God’s word and gave testimony to Jesus.
I was caught up in spirit on the Lord’s day
and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet, which said,
“Write on a scroll what you see.”
Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me,
and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands
and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man,
wearing an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his chest.
When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead.
He touched me with his right hand and said, “Do not be afraid.
I am the first and the last, the one who lives.
Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.
I hold the keys to death and the netherworld.
Write down, therefore, what you have seen,
and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards.”
the distress, the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus,
found myself on the island called Patmos
because I proclaimed God’s word and gave testimony to Jesus.
I was caught up in spirit on the Lord’s day
and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet, which said,
“Write on a scroll what you see.”
Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me,
and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands
and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man,
wearing an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his chest.
When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead.
He touched me with his right hand and said, “Do not be afraid.
I am the first and the last, the one who lives.
Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.
I hold the keys to death and the netherworld.
Write down, therefore, what you have seen,
and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards.”
AlleluiaJN 20:29
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;
blessed are they who have not seen me, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;
blessed are they who have not seen me, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelJN 20:19-31
On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
But he said to them,
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
2nd
Sunday of Easter – Cycle C
(Divine Mercy Sunday)
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
Introduction
On April 30, 2000, His Holiness John Paul II, in response to the wishes of the Christian faithful, declared that “the 2nd Sunday of Easter henceforth throughout the Church will also be called Divine Mercy Sunday.” The desire for this celebration was expressed by Our Lord to Saint Faustina as can be found in her Diary (§699):”... My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession, and receive Holy Communion on this day shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment...”
1st Reading - Acts 5:12-16
During the Easter season the Catholic and Lutheran lectionaries do not have an Old Testament reading, but instead have a reading from the Acts of the Apostles. The Episcopal lectionary offers a choice of a reading from the Acts of the Apostles or an Old Testament reading.
For our first reading today we hear that the apostles have begun to minister to the people in the same way that Jesus had done. They have found that they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring wholeness (health) to people in the name of Jesus. Immediately preceding today’s reading is the dreadful Ananias and Sapphira event where a husband and wife sold a piece of property and brought only a portion of the proceeds to the apostles while telling them that all the proceeds were there. Peter confronts them, telling them that they have not lied to the Apostles, but to God and they are immediately struck dead.
12 Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles.
The miracles featuring Peter of Acts 3:1-11 and 5:1-11 are generalized as part of a routine performance by all apostles.
They were all together in Solomon’s portico.
Solomon’s porch. On the eastern side of the Temple. The Temple is identified as a place of meeting for the apostles in Acts 2:46.
13 None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.
Perhaps because of the Ananias and Sapphira event but it appears that the apostles had a “zone of Godly awe” surrounding them that kept outsiders from approaching on their own. This is in counterpoint to the adding which God was doing to their ranks in the next verse.
14 Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord, great numbers of men and women, were added to them. 15 Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.
Peter’s shadow has the same effect as the hem of Jesus’ garment (Mark 6:55-56) and Paul’s handkerchiefs (Acts 19:11-12). This is not magic but the power of faith in the Living God.
16 A large number of people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.
Not just those upon whom the shadow falls are cured.
2nd Reading - Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19
The Book of Revelation is a unique book in the New Testament in that it narrates extraordinary visions and auditions that concern things unseen and unheard by human beings. It is the only prophetic book in the New Testament. In the prologue of this book the author is referred to simply as God’s servant. He does not call himself an apostle or a disciple of Jesus. He does not even claim the title of prophet. He authorizes his message by describing its heavenly origin. The earliest Christian writer to comment on the authorship of Revelation is Saint Justin Martyr (ca. A.D. 160); he identifies the author as John, one of the apostles of Christ. Irenaeus (ca. A.D. 180-190) is the earliest writer to say that both Revelation and the fourth gospel were written by John, the disciple of the Lord.
The Book of Revelation is primarily a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in September of A.D. 70. This fact alone places Saint John’s authorship somewhere prior to this time. The passion, death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord marked the end of the Old Covenant and the beginning of the New. The apostles were commissioned to deliver the message of Christ and, when this message had been delivered, God sent the
Edomites and the Roman armies to destroy the last remaining images of the Old Covenant. The number forty, in Scripture and Hebrew numerology, is indicative of change. If Jesus was crucified in the year thirty then, forty years later, in the year seventy, the last images of the Old Covenant, the Temple and the Holy City, were removed; the Old Covenant has passed away and has been replaced by the New.
9 I, John, your brother, who share with you
John is closely related to the Christians.
the distress,
Physical and mental distress, sufferings related to the crisis of the beginning of the messianic time, the end time.
the kingdom,
The messianic kingdom established by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Access to the kingdom is only obtained by means of trial (Acts 14:22).
and the endurance we have in Jesus,
In waiting for the glorious event of the entrance into the kingdom, patient endurance remains the specific virtue of the persecuted. Incorporated into Jesus’ body by baptism, Christians share His passion, in order to participate in His glory (Romans 8:17; 1 Peter 4:13). New Testament doctrine, based on such Old Testament passages as Daniel 2:31-45 and 7:13-14, is that the Kingdom has arrived in the resurrection of Jesus (His First Coming). The dominion of God’s people throughout the world will be the result of a progressive outworking of what Christ Himself has already accomplished. Saint John wants his readers to understand that they are in both the Great Tribulation and the Kingdom. In fact, they are in the Tribulation precisely because the Kingdom has come (Daniel 7:13-14). They are in a war, fighting for the Kingdom’s victory (Daniel 7:21-22), and therefore need the endurance (perseverance) in Christ Jesus.
found myself on the island called Patmos because I proclaimed God’s word and gave testimony to Jesus.
A rocky island of 16 square miles, situated some 50 miles southwest of Ephesus. Roman authorities occasionally banished individuals to such islands for threatening the public interest.
10 I was caught up in spirit on the Lord’s day
Sunday, the day of Jesus’ resurrection. The day when John, as Bishop, would be celebrating Mass with his people.
and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet,
The trumpet blast (shofar) was a call to worship. Appearances of God were accompanied by this sound (Exodus 19:16,19). In early Christian literature it is often associated with the end time (Matthew 24:31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16).
11a which said, “Write on a scroll what you see.” 12 Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands
The temple lamp, the menorah
13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man,
In human form. The heavenly being in human form alludes to Daniel 7:13 where such a figure is given dominion by God. Seen by Christians as Jesus, the Bread of Life.
wearing an ankle-length robe,
This is the official dress of the High Priest, whose clothing was a representation of the radiant image of God (Exodus 28:4; 29:5; 39:27-29; Leviticus 16:4; Zechariah 3:4).
with a gold sash around his chest.
Shows kingship (1 Maccabees 10:89). What we have is a priest-king like the one described in Daniel 10:5. A priest of the order of Melchizadek; a priest from the time prior to the golden calf. Notice what else we have: The temple lamp, and the Bread of Life. Compare this with Hebrews 9:2 where the earthly tabernacle is described: “in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of the presence.” Saint John is looking into the heavenly tabernacle.
17 When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead.
The reaction of fear and prostration before an apparition of God or of a messenger of God is nearly an obligation (Genesis 32:30; Exodus 33:20). Man ought to disappear before the glory of God.
He touched me with his right hand
His sword hand; there is nothing to fear.
and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last,
The Alpha and the Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; everything is encompassed in Him. The Lord says of Himself in Isaiah 44:6 “I am the first and I am the last; there is no God but me” (see also Isaiah 48:12).
18 the one who lives.
As God alone is the truly living one (Deuteronomy 5:26; Joshua 3:10; Psalm 42:2; Jeremiah 10:10), Christ lives by the communication of the life of the father (John 5:6). He has been raised from the dead, never to die again; death is no longer master over Him (Romans 6:9).
Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.
This contrast between the past and the present, between death and the life of the resurrection possessed forever, constitutes the core of the Christian creed.
I hold the keys to death and the netherworld.
The symbol of authority. The possession of these keys is a consequence of Christ’s victory over the hostile forces. Death can no longer frighten the Christian. The Empire claimed to have all authority, to possess the power over life and death, and over the grave; Jesus declares that He – and not the State, nor the emperor, nor Satan, nor the ruler of the synagogue – has command over all reality.
19 Write down, therefore, what you have seen, and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards.
This command is an elaboration of the commission given by the revealer to John in verse 11. It is a common formula describing prophecy.
Gospel - John 20:19-31
(Divine Mercy Sunday)
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
Introduction
On April 30, 2000, His Holiness John Paul II, in response to the wishes of the Christian faithful, declared that “the 2nd Sunday of Easter henceforth throughout the Church will also be called Divine Mercy Sunday.” The desire for this celebration was expressed by Our Lord to Saint Faustina as can be found in her Diary (§699):”... My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession, and receive Holy Communion on this day shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment...”
1st Reading - Acts 5:12-16
During the Easter season the Catholic and Lutheran lectionaries do not have an Old Testament reading, but instead have a reading from the Acts of the Apostles. The Episcopal lectionary offers a choice of a reading from the Acts of the Apostles or an Old Testament reading.
For our first reading today we hear that the apostles have begun to minister to the people in the same way that Jesus had done. They have found that they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring wholeness (health) to people in the name of Jesus. Immediately preceding today’s reading is the dreadful Ananias and Sapphira event where a husband and wife sold a piece of property and brought only a portion of the proceeds to the apostles while telling them that all the proceeds were there. Peter confronts them, telling them that they have not lied to the Apostles, but to God and they are immediately struck dead.
12 Many signs and wonders were done among the people at the hands of the apostles.
The miracles featuring Peter of Acts 3:1-11 and 5:1-11 are generalized as part of a routine performance by all apostles.
They were all together in Solomon’s portico.
Solomon’s porch. On the eastern side of the Temple. The Temple is identified as a place of meeting for the apostles in Acts 2:46.
13 None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.
Perhaps because of the Ananias and Sapphira event but it appears that the apostles had a “zone of Godly awe” surrounding them that kept outsiders from approaching on their own. This is in counterpoint to the adding which God was doing to their ranks in the next verse.
14 Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord, great numbers of men and women, were added to them. 15 Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.
Peter’s shadow has the same effect as the hem of Jesus’ garment (Mark 6:55-56) and Paul’s handkerchiefs (Acts 19:11-12). This is not magic but the power of faith in the Living God.
16 A large number of people from the towns in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered, bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.
Not just those upon whom the shadow falls are cured.
2nd Reading - Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19
The Book of Revelation is a unique book in the New Testament in that it narrates extraordinary visions and auditions that concern things unseen and unheard by human beings. It is the only prophetic book in the New Testament. In the prologue of this book the author is referred to simply as God’s servant. He does not call himself an apostle or a disciple of Jesus. He does not even claim the title of prophet. He authorizes his message by describing its heavenly origin. The earliest Christian writer to comment on the authorship of Revelation is Saint Justin Martyr (ca. A.D. 160); he identifies the author as John, one of the apostles of Christ. Irenaeus (ca. A.D. 180-190) is the earliest writer to say that both Revelation and the fourth gospel were written by John, the disciple of the Lord.
The Book of Revelation is primarily a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in September of A.D. 70. This fact alone places Saint John’s authorship somewhere prior to this time. The passion, death, resurrection and ascension of our Lord marked the end of the Old Covenant and the beginning of the New. The apostles were commissioned to deliver the message of Christ and, when this message had been delivered, God sent the
Edomites and the Roman armies to destroy the last remaining images of the Old Covenant. The number forty, in Scripture and Hebrew numerology, is indicative of change. If Jesus was crucified in the year thirty then, forty years later, in the year seventy, the last images of the Old Covenant, the Temple and the Holy City, were removed; the Old Covenant has passed away and has been replaced by the New.
9 I, John, your brother, who share with you
John is closely related to the Christians.
the distress,
Physical and mental distress, sufferings related to the crisis of the beginning of the messianic time, the end time.
the kingdom,
The messianic kingdom established by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Access to the kingdom is only obtained by means of trial (Acts 14:22).
and the endurance we have in Jesus,
In waiting for the glorious event of the entrance into the kingdom, patient endurance remains the specific virtue of the persecuted. Incorporated into Jesus’ body by baptism, Christians share His passion, in order to participate in His glory (Romans 8:17; 1 Peter 4:13). New Testament doctrine, based on such Old Testament passages as Daniel 2:31-45 and 7:13-14, is that the Kingdom has arrived in the resurrection of Jesus (His First Coming). The dominion of God’s people throughout the world will be the result of a progressive outworking of what Christ Himself has already accomplished. Saint John wants his readers to understand that they are in both the Great Tribulation and the Kingdom. In fact, they are in the Tribulation precisely because the Kingdom has come (Daniel 7:13-14). They are in a war, fighting for the Kingdom’s victory (Daniel 7:21-22), and therefore need the endurance (perseverance) in Christ Jesus.
found myself on the island called Patmos because I proclaimed God’s word and gave testimony to Jesus.
A rocky island of 16 square miles, situated some 50 miles southwest of Ephesus. Roman authorities occasionally banished individuals to such islands for threatening the public interest.
10 I was caught up in spirit on the Lord’s day
Sunday, the day of Jesus’ resurrection. The day when John, as Bishop, would be celebrating Mass with his people.
and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet,
The trumpet blast (shofar) was a call to worship. Appearances of God were accompanied by this sound (Exodus 19:16,19). In early Christian literature it is often associated with the end time (Matthew 24:31; 1 Thessalonians 4:16).
11a which said, “Write on a scroll what you see.” 12 Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands
The temple lamp, the menorah
13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man,
In human form. The heavenly being in human form alludes to Daniel 7:13 where such a figure is given dominion by God. Seen by Christians as Jesus, the Bread of Life.
wearing an ankle-length robe,
This is the official dress of the High Priest, whose clothing was a representation of the radiant image of God (Exodus 28:4; 29:5; 39:27-29; Leviticus 16:4; Zechariah 3:4).
with a gold sash around his chest.
Shows kingship (1 Maccabees 10:89). What we have is a priest-king like the one described in Daniel 10:5. A priest of the order of Melchizadek; a priest from the time prior to the golden calf. Notice what else we have: The temple lamp, and the Bread of Life. Compare this with Hebrews 9:2 where the earthly tabernacle is described: “in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of the presence.” Saint John is looking into the heavenly tabernacle.
17 When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead.
The reaction of fear and prostration before an apparition of God or of a messenger of God is nearly an obligation (Genesis 32:30; Exodus 33:20). Man ought to disappear before the glory of God.
He touched me with his right hand
His sword hand; there is nothing to fear.
and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last,
The Alpha and the Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; everything is encompassed in Him. The Lord says of Himself in Isaiah 44:6 “I am the first and I am the last; there is no God but me” (see also Isaiah 48:12).
18 the one who lives.
As God alone is the truly living one (Deuteronomy 5:26; Joshua 3:10; Psalm 42:2; Jeremiah 10:10), Christ lives by the communication of the life of the father (John 5:6). He has been raised from the dead, never to die again; death is no longer master over Him (Romans 6:9).
Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.
This contrast between the past and the present, between death and the life of the resurrection possessed forever, constitutes the core of the Christian creed.
I hold the keys to death and the netherworld.
The symbol of authority. The possession of these keys is a consequence of Christ’s victory over the hostile forces. Death can no longer frighten the Christian. The Empire claimed to have all authority, to possess the power over life and death, and over the grave; Jesus declares that He – and not the State, nor the emperor, nor Satan, nor the ruler of the synagogue – has command over all reality.
19 Write down, therefore, what you have seen, and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards.
This command is an elaboration of the commission given by the revealer to John in verse 11. It is a common formula describing prophecy.
Gospel - John 20:19-31
Having just heard of Jesus’ appearance to John when he witnessed the heavenly liturgy, we now hear of Jesus’ first appearance to the Apostles.
19 On the evening of that first day of the week,
The first Easter Sunday, the day Jesus rose from the dead. John wants to make it clear that this is the Apostle’s first encounter with the risen Christ. Every resurrection account which is dated in the Gospels occurs on a Sunday.
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews,
After what had happened to Jesus, they feared for their lives as well.
Jesus came and stood in their midst
Through the locked doors. Emphasizes the spiritual qualities of the resurrected body of Christ.
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Shalom.
20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
Demonstrates that the risen one is the crucified one. Answers the question of “where have they put him?”.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 (Jesus) said to them again, “Peace be with you.
Shalom (again). Also a promised gift in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.”
As the Father has sent me,
Jesus was sent to reconcile people with God and had the authority to forgive sins in order to accomplish this reconciliation.
so I send you.”
With the full authority of God. When you hear the Bishop, you hear God speaking.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them
An outward sign which is instituted by Christ.
and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit.
Grace. What we have just heard is a sacrament in one verse, according to the definition in the Baltimore Catechism: “An outward sign, instituted by Christ, to give grace.”
23 Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
This is the authority and responsibility given to the Church to continue the judicial character of Christ in the matter of sin. This is the origin of the sacrament of penance, though it is equally true that the Church’s power over sin is also exercised in baptism and the preaching of the redemptive word. In order for these apostles to know which sins they are to forgive and those sins which they are to hold bound, they must hear them; Jesus did not give the charism of clairvoyance. This is the origin of auricular confession.
24 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
The designation remains even though one of them has defected.
was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Doubting Thomas. How many do not believe in the Real Presence because it fails the “duck test”?
26 Now a week later
Again on a Sunday.
his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Christ appears under the same circumstances as before.
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,
Again, a repeat of His previous appearance. Here, and in verse 20 is the only explicit evidence from the Bible that Jesus was nailed rather than tied to the cross. Luke 24:39 implies that His feet were also nailed.
and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Whether Thomas actually took Jesus up on His offer to probe the wounds is not stated but his response is the most complete affirmation of Christ’s nature to be found on the lips of anyone in the Gospel. The combination of “Lord” and “God” is found in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) to translate the name of the God of Israel; it was also a combination used as a divine designation in the Greek world.
29 Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
This blessing insists that all those Christians who have believed without seeing have a faith which is in no way different from that of the first disciples. Their faith is grounded in the presence of the Lord through the Spirit.
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of (his) disciples that are not written in this book.
Other than appearing in a room with locked doors, there are no “signs” in this reading. This has led some commentators to suggest that this verse was originally the conclusion to the collection of miracles used by the evangelist. In that context Jesus’ resurrection would have been understood as the final “sign” of His relationship with the Father.
31 But these are written that you may (come to) believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
This final verse summarizes the purpose of the Gospel as having faith in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God as the source of eternal life. As Jesus said in John 6:29 “The work of God is this: to
believe in the one He has sent”. If you trust in God and not yourself, then you will do whatever He tells you – no matter how bizarre it may seem (“eat my flesh, drink my blood”).
www.scborromeo.org
Meditation: "Unless I see - I will not
believe"
Do
you know the joy of the resurrection? The Risen Lord Jesus revealed the glory
of his resurrection to his disciples gradually and over a period of time. Even
after the apostles saw the empty tomb and heard the reports of Jesus'
appearance to the women, they were still weak in faith and fearful of being
arrested by the Jewish authorities. When Jesus appeared to them he offered
proofs of his resurrection by showing them the wounds of his passion, his
pierced hands and side. He calmed their fears and brought them peace, the peace
which reconciles sinners and makes us friends of God.
Live
and proclaim the Gospel of mercy in the power of the Holy Spirit
Jesus did something which only love and trust can do. He commissioned his weak and timid apostles to bring the good news of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. This sending out of the disciples is parallel to the sending out of Jesus by his heavenly Father. Jesus fulfilled his mission through his perfect love and obedience to the will of his Father. He called his first disciples and he now calls each one of us to do the same. Just as he gave his first disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit, so he breathes on each of us the same Holy Spirit who equips us with new life, power, joy, and courage to live each day as followers of the Risen Lord.
Jesus did something which only love and trust can do. He commissioned his weak and timid apostles to bring the good news of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. This sending out of the disciples is parallel to the sending out of Jesus by his heavenly Father. Jesus fulfilled his mission through his perfect love and obedience to the will of his Father. He called his first disciples and he now calls each one of us to do the same. Just as he gave his first disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit, so he breathes on each of us the same Holy Spirit who equips us with new life, power, joy, and courage to live each day as followers of the Risen Lord.
The
last apostle to meet the resurrected Lord was the first to go with him to Jerusalem
at Passover time. The apostle Thomas was a natural pessimist. When Jesus
proposed that they visit Lazarus after receiving news of his illness, Thomas
said to the disciples: "Let us also go, that we may die with
him" (John 11:16). While Thomas deeply loved the Lord, he lacked
the courage to stand with Jesus in his passion and crucifixion. After Jesus'
death, Thomas made the mistake of withdrawing from the other apostles. He
sought loneliness rather than fellowship in his time of trial and adversity. He
doubted the women who saw the resurrected Jesus and he doubted his own fellow
apostles.
Through
the gift of faith we recognize the Risen Lord and receive new life
When Thomas finally had the courage to rejoin the other apostles, the Lord Jesus made his presence known to him and reassured him that he had indeed overcome death and risen again. When Thomas recognized his Master, he believed and exclaimed that Jesus was truly Lord and truly God! Through the gift of faith we, too, proclaim that Jesus is our personal Lord and our God. He died and rose that we, too, might have new life in him. The Lord offers each of us new life in his Holy Spirit that we may know him personally and walk in this new way of life through the power of his resurrection. Do you believe in the good news of the Gospel and in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring you new life, hope, and joy?
When Thomas finally had the courage to rejoin the other apostles, the Lord Jesus made his presence known to him and reassured him that he had indeed overcome death and risen again. When Thomas recognized his Master, he believed and exclaimed that Jesus was truly Lord and truly God! Through the gift of faith we, too, proclaim that Jesus is our personal Lord and our God. He died and rose that we, too, might have new life in him. The Lord offers each of us new life in his Holy Spirit that we may know him personally and walk in this new way of life through the power of his resurrection. Do you believe in the good news of the Gospel and in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring you new life, hope, and joy?
"Lord
Jesus Christ, through your victory over sin and death you have overcome all the
powers of sin and darkness. Help me to draw near to you and to trust in your
life-giving word. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and strengthen my faith in your
promises and my hope in the power of your resurrection."
A
Daily Quote for the early church fathers: Touching the Flesh, He Invokes the Word, by
Augustine of Hippo, 430-543 A.D.
"But
when Jesus showed Thomas the very places where he had his doubts, Thomas
exclaimed, "My Lord and my God." He touched his flesh, he proclaimed
his divinity. What did he touch? The body of Christ. Was the body of Christ the
divinity of Christ? The divinity of Christ was the Word; the humanity of Christ
was soul and flesh. Thomas could not touch the soul, but he could perceive it,
because the body that had been dead was moving about alive. But that Word is
subject neither to change nor to contact, it neither regresses nor progresses,
neither fails nor flourishes, because in the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. That is what Thomas proclaimed. He
touched the flesh, he invoked the Word, because the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us." (excerpt fromSermon 145A)
SOLEMNITY OF THE SECOND
SUNDAY OF EASTER (DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY)
SUNDAY, APRIL 3, JOHN 20:19-31
(Acts 5:12-16; Psalm 118; Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19)
SUNDAY, APRIL 3, JOHN 20:19-31
(Acts 5:12-16; Psalm 118; Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19)
KEY VERSE: "Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed" (v 29).
TO KNOW: On the evening of the resurrection, the disciples were gathered in fear behind locked doors. They were overjoyed when the Risen Lord appeared in their midst with a greeting of "peace" (Hebrew,Shalom). Just as God breathed life into Adam, the first living being (Gn 2:7), the Son of God breathed the life-giving Spirit upon his disciples, sending them forth with the power to forgive sins. Thomas (called Didymus, meaning “twin”) was absent on this occasion and he refused to believe their testimony. His defiant words "unless I see" (v 25) came from one who knew Jesus as an intimate friend. A week later, the Risen Christ appeared again, and this time Thomas was present. When Thomas touched Christ's wounds, he declared Jesus to be his "Lord and God." Jesus told Thomas that those who believed in faith were more blessed than those who needed visible proof.
TO LOVE: Am I Thomas’ twin? Do I refuse to believe unless I see?
TO SERVE: My Lord and my God, help me to believe when my faith wavers.
DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
Sr. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun, was God’s instrument to begin the spiritual movement of Divine Mercy: to proclaim God's mercy toward every human being. Sr. Faustina was inspired by a vision in which Jesus told her that a painting should be made of his image with the invocation "Jesus, I trust in you." She commissioned the painting in 1935. Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, then Archbishop of Krakow (later Pope John Paul II), began Sr. Faustina's process of beatification. At her canonization in 2000, John Paul II designated the Second Sunday of Easter to be Divine Mercy Sunday. On August 17, 2003, John Paul II entrusted the world to Divine Mercy when he dedicated the new shrine of Lagiewniki, a suburb of Krakow, located next to the convent where St. Faustina lived and died. Pope John Paul II's final days coincided with the Church's preparation to celebrate the feast he described as flowing from Christ's "most profound mercy," and which he himself established.
The Chaplet of Divine
Mercy
For recitation on a chaplet or ordinary rosary beads, begin with the Sign of the Cross. Continue by saying one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and the Apostles Creed. Then on the OUR FATHER bead say the following words: "Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world." On the 10 HAIL MARY beads say: "For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world." Continue around the chaplet. In conclusion recite these words three times: "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world." End with the Sign of the Cross.
Sunday 3 April 2016
Sun 3rd. 2nd Sunday of Easter.
Acts 5:12-16. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
his love is everlasting—Ps 117(118):2-4, 22-27. Apocalypse 1:9-13, 17-19. John
20:19-31.
An encounter with the Lord.
The heart of the Christian life and its source is, as
Pope Benedict XVI so often said, the encounter with the Risen Lord Jesus. In
encountering Jesus, as Thomas did, we witness the marvel that the Psalmist
sings of and the glorious figure spoken of by John.
This meeting, if we are open to it, does not remain a
purely individual, emotional or even mental affair. Flowing from it is a call
to join with the Church in her mission to proclaim the One we have encountered.
Equally, experiencing Jesus urges us to offer praise to God for all he has done
and to, in a sense, share the Gospel in the world by tending to the physical
and spiritual sufferings of all. In each of these things, proclaiming, praising
and practicing, the Church and we her members give witness to Christ and call
others to encounter him.
LECTIO DIVINA: 2ND SUNDAY OF EASTER (C)
Lectio Divina:
Sunday, April 3, 2016
The mission of the disciples and
the witness of Thomas the apostle
John 20:19-31
the witness of Thomas the apostle
John 20:19-31
1. Opening prayer
Father, who on the Lord’s day gather your people to celebrate the One who is the First and the Last, the living One who conquered death, grant us the strength of your Spirit so that, having broken the chains of evil, calmed our fears and indecisions, we may render the free service of our obedience and love, to reign in glory with Christ.
Father, who on the Lord’s day gather your people to celebrate the One who is the First and the Last, the living One who conquered death, grant us the strength of your Spirit so that, having broken the chains of evil, calmed our fears and indecisions, we may render the free service of our obedience and love, to reign in glory with Christ.
2. LECTIO
a) A key to the reading:
We are in the so-called “book of the
resurrection” where we are told, in a not-so-logical sequence, several matters
concerning the risen Christ and the facts that prove it. In the fourth Gospel,
these facts take place in the morning (20:1-18) and evening of the first day
after the Saturday and eight days later, in the same place and on the same day
of the week. We are before an event that is the most important in the history
of humanity, an event that challenges us personally. “If Christ has not been
raised then our preaching is useless and your believing it is useless… and you
are still in your sins” (1Cor 15:14,17) says Paul the apostle who had not known
Jesus before his resurrection, but who zealously preached him all his life.
Jesus is the sent of the Father. He also sends us. Our willingness to “go”
comes from the depth of the faith we have in the Risen One. Are we prepared to
accept his “mandate” and to give our lives for his Kingdom? This passage is not
just about the faith of those who have not seen (the witness of Thomas), but
also about the mission entrusted to the Church by Christ.
b) A suggested division of the text to
facilitate its reading:
John 20:19-20: appearance to the
disciples and showing of the wounds
John 20:21-23: gift of the Spirit for the mission
John 20:24-26: special appearance to Thomas eight days later
John 20:27-29: dialogue with Thomas
John 20:30-31: the aim of the Gospel according to John
John 20:21-23: gift of the Spirit for the mission
John 20:24-26: special appearance to Thomas eight days later
John 20:27-29: dialogue with Thomas
John 20:30-31: the aim of the Gospel according to John
c) The text:
19 On the evening of that day, the first
day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the
Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with
you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them
again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send
you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are
forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."
26
Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with
them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said,
"Peace be with you." 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger
here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not
be faithless, but believing." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my
God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen
me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
3. A
moment of silence
to
allow the Word to enter into our hearts
4.
MEDITATIO
a) A
few questions to help in our meditation:
Who or
what drew my interest and wonder in the reading? Is it possible for someone to
profess being Christian and yet not believe in the Resurrection of Jesus? Is it
so important to believe in the resurrection? What would be different if we
stopped at his teaching and witness of life? What does the gift of the Spirit
for the mission mean to me? How does Jesus’ mission in the world continue after
the Resurrection? What is the content of the missionary proclamation? What
value has Thomas’ witness for me? What are, if any, my doubts concerning the
faith? How do I meet them and still carry on? Am I able to give reasons for my
faith?
b)
Comment:
In the
evening of that same day, the first day of the week: the
disciples are living through an extraordinary day. For the community, at the
time of the writing of the fourth Gospel, the day after the Sabbath is already
“the Lord’s day” (Ap 1:10), Dies Domini (Sunday) and is more important than the
Sabbath was in the tradition of the Jews.
The
doors were closed: a detail which shows that the body of the risen Jesus, even
though recognisable, is not subject to the ordinary laws of human life.
Peace
be with you: this is not just a wish, but the actual peace promised to them
when they were saddened by his departure (Jn 14:27; 2Thes 3:16; Rom 5:3), the
messianic peace, the fulfilment of the promises made by God, freedom from all
fear, victory over sin and death, reconciliation with God, fruit of his
passion, free gift of God. This peace is repeated three times in this passage
as well as in the introduction (20:19) further on (20:26) in the exact same
way.
He
showed them his hands and his side: Jesus provides evident and
tangible proof that he is the one who was crucified. Only John records the
detail of the wound in the side caused by the spear of a Roman soldier, whereas
Luke mentions the wound of the feet (Lk 24:39). In showing his wounds, Jesus
wants to say that the peace he gives comes from the cross (2Tim 2:1-13). They
are part of his identity as the risen One (Ap 5:6).
The
disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord: This
is the same joy expressed by the prophet Isaiah when he describes the divine
banquet (Is 25:8-9), the eschatological joy foreshadowed in the farewell speech
and that no one can take away (Jn 16:22; 20:27). Cfr. also Lk 24:39-40; Mt
28:8; Lk 24:41.
As the
Father sent me, so am I sending you: Jesus is the first
missionary, “the apostle and high priest of the faith we profess” (Ap 3:1).
After the experience of the cross and the resurrection, Jesus’ prayer to the
Father comes true (Jn 13:20; 17:18; 21:15,17). This is not a new mission, but
the mission of Jesus extended to those who are his disciples, bound to him like
branches are bound to the vine (15:9), so also they are bound to his Church (Mt
28:18-20; Mk 16:15-18; Lk 24:47-49). The eternal Son of God was sent so that
“the world might be saved through him” (Jn 3:17) and the whole of his earthly
existence, fully identified with the saving will of the Father, is a constant
manifestation of that divine will that all may be saved. He leaves as an
inheritance this historical project to the whole Church and, especially to
ordained ministers within that Church.
He
breathed on them: this action recalling the life-giving breath of God on man
(Gen 2:7), does not occur anywhere else in the New Testament. It marks the
beginning of a new creation.
Receive
the Holy Spirit: after Jesus was glorified, the Holy Spirit was bestowed (Jn
7:39). Here the Spirit is transmitted for a special mission, whereas at
Pentecost (Acts 2) the Holy Spirit comes down on the whole people of God.
For
those whose sins you forgive they are forgiven; for those whose sins you
retain, they are retained: we find the power to forgive or not
forgive sins also in Matthew in a more juridical form (Mt 16:19; 18:18).
According to the Scribes and Pharisees (Mk 2:7), and according to tradition (Is
43:25), God has the power to forgive sins. Jesus gives this power (Lk 5:24) and
passes it on to his Church. In our meditation, it is better not to dwell on
this text’s theological development in church tradition and the consequent
theological controversies. In the fourth Gospel the expression may be taken in
a wide sense. Here it is a matter of the power of forgiving sins in the Church
as salvation community and those especially endowed with this power are those
who share in the apostolic charism by succession and mission. In this general
power is included the power to forgive sins also after baptism, what we call
“the sacrament of reconciliation” expressed in various forms throughout the
history of the Church.
Thomas,
called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve: Thomas is one of the
main characters of the fourth Gospel and his doubting character, easily
discouraged, is emphasised (11:16; 14:5). “One of the twelve” is by now a
stereotyped expression (6:71), because in fact they were only eleven. “Didimus”
means “the Twin”, and we could be his “twins” through our difficulty in
believing in Jesus, Son of God who died and rose again.
We have
seen the Lord! When
Andrew, John and Philip had found the Messiah, they had already run to announce
the news to others (Jn 1:41-45). Now there is the official proclamation by
eye-witnesses (Jn 20:18).
Unless
I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the
holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to
believe: Thomas cannot believe the eye-witnesses. He wants to
experience the event himself. The fourth Gospel is aware of the difficulty that
some may have in believing in the Resurrection (Lk 24; 34-40; MK 16:11; 1Cor
15:5-8), especially those who have not seen the risen One. Thomas is their (and
our) interpreter. He is willing to believe, but he wants to resolve personally
any doubt, for fear of being wrong. Jesus does not see in Thomas an indifferent
sceptic, but a man in search of truth and satisfies him fully. This is, however,
an occasion to express an appreciation of future believers (verse 29).
Put
your finger here, look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my
side. Doubt no longer but believe! Jesus repeats the words of Thomas and
enters into a dialogue with him. He understands Thomas’ doubts and wishes to
help him. Jesus knows that Thomas loves him and therefore has compassion for
him because Thomas does not yet enjoy the peace that comes from faith. Jesus
helps him to grow in faith. In order to enter deeper into this theme, see the
parallels in: 1Jn 1-2; Ps 78:38; 103:13-14; Rom 5:20; 1Tim 1:14-16.
My Lord
and my God! This is
a profession of faith in the risen One and in his divinity as is also
proclaimed in the beginning of John’s Gospel (1:1). In the Old Testament “Lord”
and “God” correspond respectively to “Yahweh” and “Elohim” (Ps 35:23-24; Ap
4:11). It is the fullest and most direct paschal profession of faith in the
divinity of Jesus. In Jewish circles these terms had greater value because they
applied to Jesus texts concerning God. Jesus does not correct the words of
Thomas as he corrected the words of the Jews who accused him of wanting to be
“equal to God” (Jn 5:18ff) thus approving the acknowledgement of his divinity.
You
believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet
believe! Jesus
cannot stand those who look for signs and miracles in order to believe (Jn
4:48) and he seems to take Thomas to task. Here we must remember another
passage concerning a more authentic faith, a “way of perfection” towards a
faith to which we must aspire without the demands of Thomas, a faith received
as gift and as an act of trust, like the exemplary faith of our ancestors (Ap
11) and of Mary (Lk 1:45). We, who are two thousand years after the coming of
Jesus, are told that, although we have not seen him, yet we can love him and
believing in him we can exult with “an indescribable and glorious joy” (1Pt
1:8).
These
(signs) are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son
of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name. The fourth Gospel, like the other Gospels,
does not mean to write a complete biography of Jesus, but only to show that
Jesus was the Christ, the awaited Messiah, the Liberator, and that he was the
Son of God. Believing in him means that we possess eternal life. If Jesus is
not God, then our faith is in vain!
5.
ORATIO
Psalm
118 (117)
O give
thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his steadfast love endures for ever!
Let Israel say,
"His steadfast love endures for ever."
Let the house of Aaron say,
"His steadfast love endures for ever."
Let those who fear the LORD say,
"His steadfast love endures for ever."
his steadfast love endures for ever!
Let Israel say,
"His steadfast love endures for ever."
Let the house of Aaron say,
"His steadfast love endures for ever."
Let those who fear the LORD say,
"His steadfast love endures for ever."
I was
pushed hard, so that I was falling,
but the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
Hark, glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous.
but the Lord helped me.
The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.
Hark, glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous.
The
stone which the builders rejected
has become the head of the corner.
This is the Lord's doing;
it is marvellous in our eyes.
This is the day which the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we beseech thee, O Lord! O Lord,
we beseech thee, give us success!
has become the head of the corner.
This is the Lord's doing;
it is marvellous in our eyes.
This is the day which the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Save us, we beseech thee, O Lord! O Lord,
we beseech thee, give us success!
6.
CONTEMPLATIO
Closing
prayer
I thank
you Jesus, my Lord and my God, that you have loved me and called me, made me
worthy to be your disciple, that you have given me the Spirit, the One sent to
proclaim and witness to your resurrection, to the mercy of the Father, to
salvation and pardon for all men and women in the world. You truly are the way,
the truth and the life, the dawn without a setting, the sun of justice and
peace. Grant that I may dwell in your love, bound to you like a branch to its
vine. Grant me your peace so that I may overcome my weaknesses, face my doubts
and respond to your call and live fully the mission you entrusted to me,
praising you forever. You who live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
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