And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common; and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Today's Song of Praise is taken from Psalm 118 (Ps 118:2-4,13-15,22-24):
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
Let the house of Israel say,
"His mercy endures forever."
Let the house of Aaron say,
"His mercy endures forever."
Let those who fear the LORD say,
"His mercy endures forever."
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
Today's Epistle is from the 1st Letter of Peter, beginning at the 1st Chapter, and the 3rd Verse (1 Peter 1:3-9):
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls.
+ A Reading from the Gospel of John, beginning at the 20th Chapter, and the 19th Verse (John 20:19-31):
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe." Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
It also begins the Church's first flirtation with the common life, the rejection of things of the world, in favor of the things of the Spirit. Within a few years, they were broke, starving, and living on the charity of Paul's mission churches in Asia Minor. Appointing Deacons -- the "Servants of the Community" -- to handle business was the first step. Successful communal life would have to wait a couple of centuries, until the Desert Fathers worked things out in the wilderness of Egypt.
They were full of the vim & vigor of fresh converts, and expecting Christ to return in Glory just any time, now. They would learn over time, as one after the other of the Apostles went to the Lord, that it was perhaps not any time soon, and that planning for the future in this world was necessary.
"Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting," saith the Psalmist, and indeed, it is so. Peter repeats the message: "...we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection..."
By His Death and Resurrection, Jesus Christ, who is both God and man, has led us out of the darkness and error which have been our lot since Adam sinned, to a new life of glory.
We have not seen, as the Apostles -- and even Thomas, in today's Gospel -- have seen -- but we believe by their testimony. It is the testimony of the living Church, witnessing to her bridegroom, the Christ, which draws us on in faith toward the Father.
Without that living Tradition, received from the Apostles, we are prey to ll sorts of Traditions of Men -- of those men who have not seen, and do not believe. We see Jesus in the Eucharist at every Mass -- present Body, Soul, and Divinity -- and like the first Incarnation in Bethlehem so long ago, he comes into our flesh, making Himself part of us, to deliver us and all creation as a gift of love to the Father.
Let us pray that we may be
constantly aware of Him working in us . . .
In the Name of the Father + And of the Son + And of the Holy Spirit + Amen.