"DOUBTING THOMAS AND THE MERCIFUL LORD"
First Reading: Acts 2: 42-47
Second Reading: 1 Peter 1: 3-9
Gospel Reading: John 20: 19-21
* First reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. This passage gives us a glimpse of the life of the early Christian community. After experiencing the presence of the risen Lord in a very powerful way the Christian community lived like people one in heart and mind. Their life attracted many non-believers to faith and brought healing to the wounded and broken hearts of many. The community's faith in the risen Lord led to a joyful fellowship in the worship and of the unity of mind and heart. Hence the first Christians showed the depth of their faith by the fruits they produced in their lives.
*Second reading is from the first letter of St. Peter. In this passage Apostle Peter praises and glorifies the loving God for His great mercy in giving us a new birth in Jesus Christ. He thanks the merciful God for the blessings of faith, love and joy in the Lord. He instructs us that "hope helps us to bear patiently the trials of this life".
"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed"
Today's Gospel reading is from St. John. This passage gives us a detailed account of the way the risen Lord met Thomas the Apostle. Thomas was one of the twelve, chosen by Jesus. He was present during the public life of Jesus. He was a witness to the rejection, sufferings, cruel crucifixion and shameful death of Jesus on the cross. Like most of the other disciples, he too lost hope and went away disheartened and disoriented. But when he came back on Easter day other disciples told him about the most exciting events of that morning. Specifically he was told that Jesus appeared to Peter and the other disciples. In his disappointment and confusion Thomas told them that "unless I see in His hands the print of the nails and place my fingers in the mark of the nails and place my hands in His side, I will not believe".
That evening the risen Lord took up the challenge of Thomas and confronted him along with the other disciples. Jesus showed His hand and legs and the wounded side and asked Thomas to be believing. Realizing his folly Thomas immediately expressed his regret by saying "my Lord and my God".
The story of Thomas is for all those people who were not present when the risen Lord appeared - that includes all of us - on the Easter Sunday and did not see the risen Lord physically. Hence Thomas became a key link between the age of the Apostles who saw the risen Lord with their own eyes and all the future disciples who would never see Jesus in this life and yet believe in Him.
"To believe with certainty we must begin with doubting." -St. Stanislaus.
" It is by doubting that we come to investigate and by investigating that we recognize the truth."- P. Abelard.
"It may be that Thomas' critical mind compelled Jesus to explain the teachings more deeply to him than to the other credulous disciples." - G.A. Tyrrell.
First Reading: Acts 2: 42-47
Second Reading: 1 Peter 1: 3-9
Gospel Reading: John 20: 19-21
* First reading is from the Acts of the Apostles. This passage gives us a glimpse of the life of the early Christian community. After experiencing the presence of the risen Lord in a very powerful way the Christian community lived like people one in heart and mind. Their life attracted many non-believers to faith and brought healing to the wounded and broken hearts of many. The community's faith in the risen Lord led to a joyful fellowship in the worship and of the unity of mind and heart. Hence the first Christians showed the depth of their faith by the fruits they produced in their lives.
*Second reading is from the first letter of St. Peter. In this passage Apostle Peter praises and glorifies the loving God for His great mercy in giving us a new birth in Jesus Christ. He thanks the merciful God for the blessings of faith, love and joy in the Lord. He instructs us that "hope helps us to bear patiently the trials of this life".
"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed"
Today's Gospel reading is from St. John. This passage gives us a detailed account of the way the risen Lord met Thomas the Apostle. Thomas was one of the twelve, chosen by Jesus. He was present during the public life of Jesus. He was a witness to the rejection, sufferings, cruel crucifixion and shameful death of Jesus on the cross. Like most of the other disciples, he too lost hope and went away disheartened and disoriented. But when he came back on Easter day other disciples told him about the most exciting events of that morning. Specifically he was told that Jesus appeared to Peter and the other disciples. In his disappointment and confusion Thomas told them that "unless I see in His hands the print of the nails and place my fingers in the mark of the nails and place my hands in His side, I will not believe".
That evening the risen Lord took up the challenge of Thomas and confronted him along with the other disciples. Jesus showed His hand and legs and the wounded side and asked Thomas to be believing. Realizing his folly Thomas immediately expressed his regret by saying "my Lord and my God".
The story of Thomas is for all those people who were not present when the risen Lord appeared - that includes all of us - on the Easter Sunday and did not see the risen Lord physically. Hence Thomas became a key link between the age of the Apostles who saw the risen Lord with their own eyes and all the future disciples who would never see Jesus in this life and yet believe in Him.
"To believe with certainty we must begin with doubting." -St. Stanislaus.
" It is by doubting that we come to investigate and by investigating that we recognize the truth."- P. Abelard.
"It may be that Thomas' critical mind compelled Jesus to explain the teachings more deeply to him than to the other credulous disciples." - G.A. Tyrrell.
