Sharing of life: During this Easter season, our Church celebrates the victory of life over death, evil and sin. Name one thing that drains life from you (e.g., fear) and one thing that gives you life and energy.

Facilitator reads focus statement: During the Easter Season, the first reading is always from the Acts of the Apostles authored by Luke. Acts, among other things, illuminates for us the mystery of the church as it developed from its beginnings at Pentecost. This week’s readings identify several characteristics of the communal life of the first Christians. During Cycle A of the Easter season, the second reading is from the First Letter of Peter. The letter is addressed to Christians who were suffering harassment and persecution from their non-Christian neighbors. The author of the letter encourages his readers to persevere in faith so that their detractors would marvel at the good things God had done for them, and be motivated to turn from their sinful ways and live lives of goodness. During the Easter season the Gospel is nearly always from John with one exception on the Third Sunday. Two experiences of the Risen Christ are included in this week’s reading. The second Sunday of Easter is also Divine Mercy Sunday. Divine Mercy Sunday celebrates the wonderful mercy of God – popularized in recent times by St. Faustina Kolwaska, a Polish nun who had apparitions of Jesus concerning his mercy for humanity.

If you have not read the commentary prior to the meeting, consider reading it either before of after you read each reading.

FIRST READING: Acts 2:42-47

These verses are the first of three summary statements on the community life of the early Christians. Four characteristics are identified: instructions/teaching, table-fellowship, prayers, and sharing all things in common. These verses are an idealized version of how a community filled with the Spirit should live.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM 118

This is a prayer of thanksgiving to God for deliverance.

SECOND READING: 1 Peter 1:3-9

This letter is addressed to several Gentile Christian communities living in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey), recently converted to Christianity. The communities were suffering harassment and ostracization for being followers of Christ. They were experiencing themselves as marginal people, "aliens" in the society in which they lived. A very existential question for them would have been: how can a person continue to be faithful to Christ in such a hostile environment? This Pastoral Letter seeks to encourage Christians living in such a hostile environment. The letter also contains a list of exhortations of such things as: household duties, husband/wife relations, and concern for the public face of the church living in a pagan society. In this reading, the God of Jesus Christ is praised for giving us, through Jesus, a new birth, a new hope and an imperishable inheritance (Heaven). The gift offered to us is very precious and worth suffering for. The "inheritance" of the believer is God himself. This is cause for rejoicing even in the midst of trials. God’s presence does not mean that we will not suffer; but it does mean that we will have the strength to endure it. The power of the Resurrection at work in us gives us the power to endure whatever comes our way. "Faith" is described in terms of a love and a trust without sight (v.8). Joy in the midst of trial springs from the realization that the road to salvation has been secured.

GOSPEL: John 20:19-31

In this gospel, John shares with us two resurrection appearances of Jesus. The first appearance is sometimes called John’s Pentecost because during it Jesus imparts his Spirit. Prior to Jesus’ coming, the disciples were filled with fear (of the authorities, hence the locked doors), guilt (for abandoning Jesus) and depression (because of Jesus’ death). With Jesus’ entry into their lives, the fear, guilt and depression are replaced with joy and peace. Then Jesus commissions his disciples to continue his work, but not before he gives them his Spirit. He also gives them the power to forgive sins, something that the Catholic Church acts on in and through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Sins would only be "retained" if one were not truly sorry for one’s sins or was unwilling to embrace the teachings of Jesus.

Some scholars see Jesus’ appearance to Thomas as representing the second generation of Christians, those called to believe on the testimony of others. Even though Thomas refused to believe the testimony of others, those following him would be called to come to faith on the testimony of others.

Though we may judge Thomas harshly, Jesus took him where he was at. From Thomas we learn how to be honest with our doubts. If Thomas needed to touch the wounds of Christ, Jesus would oblige him. The gospel does not say that Thomas actually touched the wounds only that he cried out in faith: "My Lord and my God". It is a story for all of us who may sometimes experience doubt concerning matters of faith. Jesus too will be patient with us and will help us overcome our doubts if we cooperate with his grace-filled touch upon our lives. To believe in Jesus resurrection means more an intellectual assent. It also means that we too are sent to share the Good News with others.

FAITH SHARING QUESTIONS

1. What verse spoke to you most? Why?

2. What can we learn about Christian community from the communal life of the first Christians (first reading).

3. How would you rate your faith level in Jesus and the church at this time? If strong, what factors or experiences have helped you to have a strong faith?

4. Scripture scholar, William Barclay, suggests that Thomas initially lost out because he had withdrawn from the community. We miss out when we absent ourselves from the community. What do you think?

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

Name one way you can act on today’s readings. Suggestion: Pray for or reach out to someone who has separated him/herself from the parish community.

CONCLUDE WITH PRAYERS OF PETITION AND INTERCESSION

Pray for all having faith struggles and for all who are persecuted for their faith. ©