＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Acts 2: 42-47

They were faithful to the teaching of the apostles,

the common life of sharing, the breaking of bread and the prayers. A holy fear came upon all the people, for many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.   Now all the believers lived together and shared all their belongings.  They would sell their property and all they had and distribute the proceeds to others according to their need.

 Each day they met together in the Temple area; they broke bread in their homes; they shared their food with great joy and simplicity of heart; they praised God and won the people’s favor. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

 

Ps 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24

Give thanks to the lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

1 Peter 1: 3-9

Let us praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for his great mercy. In raising Jesus Christ from the dead he has given us new life and a living hope.   The inheritance that does not corrupt nor goes bad nor passes away was reserved to you in heavens,   since God’s power shall keep you faithful until salvation is revealed in the last days.

 There is cause for joy, then, even though you may, for a time, have to suffer many trials.   Thus will your faith be tested, like gold in a furnace. Gold, however, passes away but faith, worth so much more, will bring you in the end praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ appears.

You have not yet seen him and yet you love him; even without seeing him, you believe in him and experience a heavenly joy beyond all words,  for you are reaching the goal of your faith: the salvation of your souls.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

John 20: 19-31

On the evening of that day, the first day after the Sabbath, the doors were locked where the disciples were, because of their fear of the Jews, but Jesus came and stood in their midst. He said to them, “Peace be with you”;   then he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples kept looking at the Lord and were full of joy.

 Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”   After saying this he breathed on them and said to them, “Re­ceive the Holy Spirit;   for those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.”

 Thomas, the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.   The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he replied, “Until I have seen in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

 Eight days later, the disciples were inside again and Thomas was with them. Despite the locked doors Jesus came and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands; stretch out your hand and put it into my side. Resist no longer and be a believer.”

 Thomas then said, “You are my Lord and my God.”   Jesus replied, “You believe because you see me, don’t you? Happy are those who have not seen and believe.”

There were many other signs that Jesus gave in the presence of his disciples, but they are not recorded in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; believe and you will have life through his Name.

 

Gospel Reflection：

Read:

The small group of disciples, emboldened by their faith, now preach without fear, and their numbers keep on growing. The Letter of Peter, reminds us that there will always be moments of temptation, trial and perhaps even doubt, but that in the end, our remaining steadfast in faith will bring us to our goal, the salvation promised by Jesus. The gospel account of Thomas’ doubt bears this out. And yet, confronted with the nail marks on Jesus’ hands and the wound on his side, Thomas let go of his doubt, renewed his faith, and in fact spent the rest of his life proclaiming Jesus is risen.

Reflect:

Too often, when we hear of Thomas’ story in the Gospels, we focus on his doubt, and doubt he did. And yet, his story is far larger than that. In fact, he overcame this doubt and spent the rest of his life proclaiming his faith in Jesus. Doubt is an inevitable part of life. We all go through difficulties, challenges and problems; and sometimes they hinder us, just as Thomas’ pain and sorrow hindered him, from seeing and believing what is right there before us: Jesus risen and present in our midst, throughout the difficulty, throughout the pain and sorrow.

Pray:

Lord, when doubt assails me, give me the grace to fix my gaze on you. Remind me that though sorrow and pain will at times cloud my vision, that you remain there with me, present throughout everything I am going through, just as the sun remains present though hidden when dark clouds fill the sky. Let me remember that you never leave me to face my challenges alone.

Act:

Make it a habit to say a brief prayer of trust in the Lord each morning when I wake and each night before I retire. Let it be the first words you utter and the last words that escape your lips: “Lord Jesus, I trust in you.”