GOSPEL – JOHN 20.19-31 SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you, ‘and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy, when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.
‘As the father sent me,
So, am I sending you?’
After saying this he breathed on them and said:
‘Receive the Holy Spirit.
For those whose sins you forgive,
They are forgiven;
For those whose sins you retain, they are retained.’
Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord,’ he answered,
‘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.’ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors too were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you.’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’
Jesus said to him: ‘You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe. There were many other signs that Jesus worked, and the disciples saw, but they did not record in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name
GUIDELINES TO HELP US TO MEDITATE ON THE PASSAGE SO AS TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE GOD’S PRESENCE AND ACTIVITY IN OUR LIVES AND WORLD TODAY.
‘ …….the doors were closed in the room……for fear of. ……’ Call to mind the last time you were really frightened? Who were you scared of? How did you feel? What did you do? Who came to your help? ‘Jesus came ‘.
Lord, fear is no stranger to any human life, but I thank you for the many times you replaced my fear with your presence and gave me the reason to be brave again. Forgive me Lord for the many times fear got the better of me and I cowered away alone. Help me Lord this wonderful Easter time with your presence, to face what menaces my world. May your love and concern for all God’s people renew me and renew each one of us.
Lord, I pray with and for the people of Sri Lanka, of Christ Church, of Lebanon, of Sudan and of Derry and for all who have suffered terribly. So many people have good reason to be fearful. Lord Jesus, I pray you to send your Easter gift of the presence of a person like you, with magnificent vision, integrity and conviction to ‘go behind the many closed doors ‘ of our world today. ‘Jesus come and stand among ‘ us all. May all of us, like ‘Thomas believe’ that death cannot defeat or destroy Love like yours. Amen.
