Second Sunday of Easter
First Reading
Acts 5:12-16
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
The numbers of men and women who came to believe in the Lord increased steadily.
The faithful all used to meet by common consent in the Portico of Solomon. No one else ever dared to join them, but the people were loud in their praise and the numbers of men and women who came to believe in the Lord increased steadily. So many signs and wonders were worked among the people at the hands of the apostles that the sick were even taken out into the streets and laid on beds and sleeping-mats in the hope that at least the shadow of Peter might fall across some of them as he went past. People even came crowding in from the towns round about Jerusalem, bringing with them their sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were cured.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Acts 5:12-16
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Many signs and wonders were done among the people
through the Apostles.
And the believers were all together in Solomon’s Portico.
None of the rest dared to join them,
but the people held them in high esteem.
Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord,
great numbers of both men and women,
so that they even carried Out the sick into the streets,
and laid them on cots and mats,
in order that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them
as he came by.
A great number of people would also gather
from the towns around Jerusalem,
bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits,
and they were all cured.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 117:2-4, 22-27
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
his love is everlasting.
or
R. Alleluia.
Let the sons of Israel say:
‘His love has no end.’
Let the sons of Aaron say:
‘His love has no end.’
Let those who fear the Lord say:
‘His love has no end.’ R.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the corner stone.
This is the work of the Lord,
a marvel in our eyes.
This day was made by the Lord;
we rejoice and are glad. R.
O Lord, grant us salvation;
O Lord, grant success.
Blessed in the name of the Lord
is he who comes.
We bless you from the house of the Lord;
the Lord God is our light. R.
Second Reading
Revelation 1:9-13, 17-19
A reading from the book of the Apocalypse
I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever.
My name is John, and through our union in Jesus I am your brother and share your sufferings, your kingdom, and all you endure. I was on the island of Patmos for having preached God’s word and witnessed for Jesus; it was the Lord’s day and the Spirit possessed me, and I heard a voice behind me, shouting like a trumpet, ‘Write down all that you see in a book.’ I turned round to see who had spoken to me, and when I turned I saw seven golden lamp-stands and, surrounded by them, a figure like a Son of man, dressed in a long robe tied at the waist with a golden girdle.
When I saw him, I fell in a dead faint at his feet, but he touched me with his right hand and said, ‘Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One. I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of the underworld. Now write down all that you see of present happenings and things that are still to come.’
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Revelation 1:9-13, 17-19
A reading from the book of Revelation
I, John, your brother
who share with you in Jesus
the persecution and the kingdom and the patient endurance,
was on the island called Patmos
because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day,
and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet
saying, “Write in a book what you see
and send it to the seven churches.”
Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me,
and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,
and in the midst of the lampstands
I saw one like the Son of Man,
clothed with a long robe
and with a golden sash across his chest.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.
But he placed his right hand on me, saying,
“Do not be afraid;
I am the first and the last,
and the living one.
I was dead, but see, I am alive forever and ever
and I have the keys of Death and of Hades
Now write what you have seen,
what is, and what is to take place after this.”
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
John 20:29
Alleluia, alleluia!
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me;
happy those who have not seen me, but still believe!
Alleluia!
John 20:29
Alleluia, alleluia!
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me;
happy those who have not seen me, but still believe!
Alleluia!
Gospel
John 20:19-31
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
After eight days Jesus came in and stood among them.
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 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 are not recorded in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
John 20:19-31
A reading from the holy gospel according to John
It was evening on the day Jesus rose from the dead,
the first day of the week,
and the doors of the house
where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the authorities.
Jesus came and stood among them and said,
“Peace be with you.”
After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
Then 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.”
“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 them;
if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
But Thomas, who was called the Twin, one of the twelve,
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 the mark of the nails in his hands,
and put my finger in the mark of the nails
and my hand in his side,
I will not believe.”
A week later his disciples were again in the house,
and Thomas was with them.
Although the doors were shut,
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.
Reach out your hand and put it in my side.
Do not doubt but believe.”
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 have come to believe.”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples,
which are not written in this book.
But these are written so that you may come to believe
that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,
and that through believing you may have life in his name.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.