Second Sunday of Easter
First Reading
Acts 2:42-47 (JB)
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
The faithful lived together and owned everything in common.
The whole community remained faithful to the teaching of the apostles, to the brotherhood, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.
The many miracles and signs worked through the apostles made a deep impression on everyone.
The faithful all lived together and owned everything in common; they sold their goods and possessions and shared out the proceeds among themselves according to what each one needed.
They went as a body to the Temple every day but met in their houses for the breaking of bread; they shared their food gladly and generously; they praised God and were looked up to by everyone. Day by day the Lord added to their community those destined to be saved.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Acts 2:42-47 (NRSV)
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Those who welcomed the message of Peter were baptized
and many were added to the community.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Awe came upon everyone,
because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.
All who believed were together and had all things in common;
they would sell their possessions and goods
and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.
Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple,
they broke bread at home
and ate their food with glad and generous hearts,
praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.
And day by day the Lord added to their number
those who were being saved.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 117:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 (JB)
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.
I was thrust, thrust down and falling
but the Lord was my helper.
The Lord is my strength and my song;
he was my saviour.
There are shouts of joy and victory
in the tents of the just. 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.
Second Reading
1 Peter 1:3-9 (JB)
A reading from the first letter of St Peter
He has given us a new birth as his children, by raising Jesus Christ from the dead.
Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has given us a new birth as his sons, by raising Jesus Christ from the dead, so that we have a sure hope and the promise of an inheritance that can never be spoilt or soiled and never fade away, because it is being kept for you in the heavens. Through your faith, God’s power will guard you until the salvation which had been prepared is revealed at the end of time. This is a cause of great joy for you, even though you may for a short time have to bear being plagued by all sorts of trials; so that, when Jesus Christ is revealed, your faith will have been tested and proved like gold – only it is more precious than gold, which is corruptible even though it bears testing by fire – and then you will have praise and glory and honour. You did not see him, yet you love him; and still without seeing him, you are already filled with a joy so glorious that it cannot be described, because you believe; and you are sure of the end to which your faith looks forward, that is, the salvation of your souls.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
1 Peter 1:3-9 (NRSV)
A reading from the first letter of Peter
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead:
a birth into an inheritance
that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you,
who are being protected by the power of God through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you rejoice,
even if now for a little while
you have had to suffer various trials,
so that the genuineness of your faith
-being more precious than gold that,
though perishable, is tested by fire-
may be found to result in praise and glory and honour
when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Although you have not seen him, you love him;
and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him
and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
for you are receiving the outcome of your faith,
the salvation of your souls.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
John 20:29 (JB)
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 (NRSV)
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 (JB)
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 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 (NRSV)
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.