Second Sunday of Easter, Cycle B (or Sunday of Divine Mercy) April 8, 2018

FIRST READING
Acts of the Apostles 4:32-35The first Christian community shared their possessions, and no one was
needy.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 118:2-4,13-15,22-24
The Lord's mercy endures forever.

SECOND READING
1 John 5:1-6
Those who love God keep his commandments.

GOSPEL READING
Thomas believes because he sees Jesus.

GOSPEL JOHN 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, "Peace be with you."
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained."

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve,
was not with them when Jesus came.
So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
But he said to them,
"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks
and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

Now a week later his disciples were again inside
and Thomas was with them.
Jesus came, although the doors were locked,
and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."
Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be unbelieving, but believe."
Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples
that are not written in this book.
But these are written that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,
and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

BACKGROUND ON THE GOSPEL READING

Today's reading from the Gospel of John is proclaimed on the Second
Sunday of Easter in each of the lectionary cycles. This fact alone
should alert us to the significance of the encounters with the
resurrected Jesus that are described in this reading. This Gospel
combines two scenes: Jesus' appearance to his disciples after his
Resurrection and Jesus' dialogue with Thomas, the disciple who doubted.

Part of the mystery of Jesus' Resurrection is that he appeared to his
disciples not as a spirit, but in bodily form. We do not know, however,
exactly what this form looked like. Earlier in John's Gospel, when Mary
of Magdala first encountered the risen Jesus, she did not recognize him
until he spoke to her. In Luke's Gospel, the disciples walking along the
road to Emmaus did not recognize Jesus until he broke bread with them.
We know from readings such as today's that in his resurrected form,
Jesus was not bound by matter; he appeared to the disciples inside a
home even though the door was locked. Yet the disciples could still
touch the marks of his Crucifixion.

In today's Gospel, Jesus greets his disciples with the gift of peace.
Jesus then commissions his disciples to continue the work that he has
begun; as Jesus was sent by God, so Jesus sends his disciples. He gives
his disciples the gift of the Holy Spirit so that they will be able to
accomplish this task. Jesus' words to his disciples also highlight the
integral connection between the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the
Holy Spirit. With the grace of the Holy Spirit, we can share forgiveness
and reconciliation with others.

Thomas, the doubting disciple in today's reading, represents the reality
of the Church that comes after this first community of witnesses to
Jesus. All but the first disciples of Jesus must believe without seeing.
Like Thomas, we may doubt the news that Jesus, who was crucified and
buried, appeared to his disciples. Our human nature seeks hard evidence
that the Jesus who appeared to his disciples after his death is indeed
the same Jesus who was crucified. Thomas is given the opportunity to be
our representative in obtaining this evidence. He gives witness to us
that the Jesus who was raised is the same Jesus who died. Through the
gift of the Holy Spirit, we are among those who are blessed, for we have
not seen and yet believe.

FAMILY CONNECTION

Within normal family life, there are many opportunities for conflict.
Jesus did not promise us the absence of conflict in our lives. Instead,
he gave us the gifts of peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation so that
we could reduce conflict. The measure of Christian family life is not
the absence of conflict, but the manner in which conflict is resolved.
Filled with the gift of the Holy Spirit, we ask Jesus to help us to
bring peace and forgiveness to situations of conflict in our families.

As your family gathers, take this opportunity to examine how your family
resolves conflict. Recall a recent argument or disagreement and discuss
how the conflict was resolved. Consider whether the conflict was
resolved peacefully, in the spirit of Jesus. If not, discuss
alternatives that might be tried in the future. Read together today's
Gospel, John 20:19-31. Recall that we have each received Jesus' gift of
the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit helps us to be people who
forgive others and seek peace. Pray together the Prayer to the Holy
Spirit or the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis.

Sources: Loyola Press; Sunday Readings