Second Sunday of Easter
(Or Sunday of Divine Mercy)
Lectionary: 45
(Or Sunday of Divine Mercy)
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, 22-2
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 those 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 those 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.
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, 354-430 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 from Sermon 145A)
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
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”).
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”).
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org
SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER (DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY)
SUNDAY, APRIL 28, JOHN 20:19-31
(Acts 5:12-16; Psalm 118; Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19)
SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 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" (Jn 20:25) 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.
NOTE: DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
Sr. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun, was God’s instrument to proclaim Divine 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 St. Pope John Paul II), began Sr. Faustina's process of beatification. At her canonization in 2000, the first saint in the new millennium, the Pope designated the Second Sunday of Easter to be Divine Mercy Sunday. The Pope'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 the Lord himself established. Today, we continue to rely of St. Faustina as a constant reminder of the message to trust in Jesus' endless mercy, and to live life mercifully toward others.
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 28 April 2019
2ND SUNDAY OF EASTER.
Acts 5:12-16. Psalm 117(118):2-4, 22-27. Apocalypse 1:9-13,
17-19. John 20:19-31
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting
– Psalm 117(118):2-4, 22-27.
‘Do not doubt but believe.’
Today’s readings proclaim the triumph of life over death amidst
stories of doubt, faith, signs and wonders. The disciples are bold after the
death of Jesus, preaching and healing in public. Their actions demonstrate the
power of God’s transforming love. But there is also the story of Thomas who
cannot believe the resurrection until he sees, touches and speaks to Jesus
himself.
Is it really possible that rejected building blocks can become
cornerstones? Can I see beyond my current reality and be open to what is yet to
come? God has bigger dreams for me than what I can dream for myself. Do I
notice the signs of new life that come after great loss? Do I believe in a love
that can defeat death?
Let us ‘receive the Holy Spirit’ this day. May we open ourselves
to receive the abundant life that can only be found ‘in his name’.
Saint Peter Chanel
Saint of the Day for April 28
(1803 – April 28, 1841)
 |
| Statue of Saint Peter Chanel | à Cuet, Montrevel-en-Bresse | photo by Chabe01 |
Saint Peter Chanel’s Story
Anyone who has worked in loneliness, with great adaptation
required and with little apparent success, will find a kindred spirit in Peter
Chanel.
Born in France, Peter’s interest in the missions began in
school, when he read letters missionaries to America sent back home. As a young
priest, Peter revived a parish in a “bad” district by the simple method of
showing great devotion to the sick. Wanting to be a missionary, he joined the
Society of Mary, the Marists, at 28. Obediently, he taught in the seminary for
five years. Then, as superior of seven Marists, he traveled to Western Oceania.
The bishop accompanying the missionaries left Peter and a brother on Futuna
Island northeast of Fiji, promising to return in six months. He was gone five
years.
Meanwhile, Peter struggled with this new language and mastered
it, making the difficult adjustment to life with whalers, traders, and warring
natives. Despite little apparent success and severe want, he maintained a
serene and gentle spirit, plus endless patience and courage. A few natives had
been baptized, a few more were being instructed. When the chieftain’s son asked
to be baptized, persecution by the chieftain reached a climax. Father Chanel
was clubbed to death.
Within two years after his death, the whole island became
Catholic and has remained so. He was canonized by Pope Pius XII in 1954. Peter
Chanel is the first martyr of Oceania and its patron.
Reflection
Suffering for Christ means suffering because we are like Christ.
Very often the opposition we meet is the result of our own selfishness or
imprudence. We are not martyrs when we are “persecuted” by those who merely
treat us as we treat them. A Christian martyr is one who, like Christ, is
simply a witness to God’s love, and brings out of human hearts the good or evil
that is already there.
Saint Peter Chanel is the Patron Saint of:
Oceania
Lectio Divina: 2nd Sunday of Easter (C)
Lectio Divina
Sunday, April 28, 2019
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.
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 sent by 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:
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.
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” (Rev 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 recognizable, 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; 2Thess 3:16; Rom 5:3), the messianic peace, the fulfillment 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 (Rev 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 (Isa 25:8-9), the eschatological joy foreshadowed in the farewell
speech and that no one can take away (Jn 16:22; 20:27). Cf. 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”
(Rev 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 as 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
(Isa 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 also forgive sins 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 emphasized (11:16; 14:5). “One of the twelve” is by now
an 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 skeptic, 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 Thomas’ words 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; Rev 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 acknowledgment 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 (Rev 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,
we can love Him, and by believing in Him we can exult with “an indescribable
and glorious joy” (1 Pt 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 include 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) [paraphrased]
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 marvelous 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 marvelous 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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