2nd Sunday of Easter (Cycle A, Year II)
Community Word: The Spirit of the Lord dwells upon those who believe in the resurrection.
Theme: We believe in the resurrection when we live in peace with one another.
Promise: “Receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you forgive are forgiven them.” (Jn 20:22b-23a)
Reflection
For most people, faith simply means “believing in God.” Christian faith is believing in God revealed by Jesus Christ. To Catholic Christians, faith means believing that Christ reveals God to us in and through the Catholic Church, the Body of Christ, united in the Holy Spirit. “Believing” here means we are realizing that God is calling us to share His divine life – that is His revelation to us. Faith is our personal response as “disciples of Christ” to accepting Him “as Lord and Savior.” It is allowing Christ to enter into our lives and in our hearts as He stands at the door and knocks (Rev 3:20).
The Gospel of St. John 20:19-31: This is the climax and closing of John’s gospel. Jesus now imparts the fruits of His salvific work: 1) Twice he greets the disciples the Easter message of “shalom” which means “peace”, promised in the farewell discourses (14:27). It contains the fullness of messianic blessings; 2) He shares with them His divine sending, the identical mission He received from the Father, commissioning them to become “apostles” or “those who are sent”; 3) He imparts to them the Holy Spirit, the first-fruit of His passion-death-resurrection. We are reminded that in the beginning God breathed on man to make him truly human (Gen 2:7). Now by the gift of the Holy Spirit, man becomes son of God (cf. Gal 4:6). And, 4) Jesus truly imparts to His apostles the power to forgive sins. It is exercised in the Sacrament of Penance (Council of Trent); the power did not die with them but was passed on to those who represent them as long as the Church exists on earth.
The doubt of Thomas and his subsequent profession of faith only serves to confirm to the reader that the apostles are proclaiming the truth about the Risen Christ. On the lips of Thomas is the faith of the entire believing community. John follows this up with the aim of his gospel: to deepen faith in Jesus as Christ, the Messiah-King and Son of God, and to share by means of this living faith the divine life which he imparts. This two-fold purpose runs through the entire gospel of John and lights up each chapter.
Our theme for this week– We believe in the resurrection when we live in peace with one another, challenges all of us as we continue to live our lives in a Christian community. We are to be visible signs of God’s mercy and grace in our daily life, at home, at work, a model for our family to follow, an example and guide to our fellow workers, in our economic pursuits, and in our service to our fellow men, and even in the way we spend our leisure time. As disciples of Christ in BLD we are called upon to live a way of spirituality, to maintain a life of prayer by our continuing dialogue with God individually, as solo parents, as singles, as couples and as a family, everyday of our life, returning to Him the life and favors we receive daily.
We are also asked to have continuing dialogue with one another and live in harmony and peace, as a family, as brothers and sisters in community, as shepherd and lamb, and as father to his children, and children to their parents, and most of all as husband and wife. We are also tasked to witness, to share with others how God touched us leading to our conversion, healing and wholeness, through our testimonies and simple lifestyle we proclaim God’s glory through our lives. We are also asked to live the virtuous Evangelical Counsels of Poverty, in the daily circumstances of our lives. To live simply so that others may simply live. We are also called upon to endure our trials and difficulties that we may gain wisdom and perseverance that through our daily conversions, those who see us, may also give glory to God. As we live a life of obedience to Christ, we profess daily that He is our Lord and our God, to live our Christian commitment and follow Christ on our way to his eternal home.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, do not allow me to wander away from You. For apart from You, I was lost, and cannot find the peace and tranquility I had deep in my heart when I was with You. Please give me back Your peace and the longing in my heart for You. Do not allow me to be absent from the assembly of Your people, so that You can use me as witness of Your immeasurable love, forgiveness, healing and mercy. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
1.How can I keep my eyes focused on Jesus, the Perfecter of my faith?
2.As Catholics, how can we encourage others to take advantage of the grace that we may receive in the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation?
This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
April 27, 2014 (Sun) Acts 2:42-47/Ps 118:2-4,13-15,22-24/1Pt 1:3-9/Jn 20:19-31
April 28, 2014 (Mon) Acts 4:23-31/Ps 2:1-3,4-7,7-9/Jn 3:1-8
April 29, 2014 (Tues) Acts 4:32-37/Ps 93:1,1-2,5/Jn 3:7-15
April 30, 2014 (Wed) Acts 5:17-26/Ps 34:2-3,4-5,6-7,8-9/Jn 3:16-21
May 1, 2014 (Thur) Acts 5:27-33/Ps 14:2,9,17-18,19-20/Jn 3:31-36
May 2, 2014 (Fri) Acts 5:34-42/Ps 27:1,4,13-14/Jn 6:1-15
May 3, 2014 (Sat) 1Cor 15:1-8/Ps 1*9:2-3,4-5/Jn 14:6-14
“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”
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