Daily Reflection – Apr 3, 2016

Sunday 3 April 2016

First Reading: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
Responsorial Psalm:
Our blessing-cup is a communion with the blood of Christ
Psalm 115(116):12-13, 15-18
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Gospel Reading: John 13:1-15

Today’s Note: Second Sunday of Easter. Sunday of Divine Mercy.

Gospel Reading:

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.

Reflection:

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation.

As we prayerfully anticipate the risen Christ, we focus on belief and mission. Are our eyes and ears open to Christ? Do we have the courage of Peter and John who listened to God and preached the Good News in spite of warnings against it? How do we join with Christians today who ‘Go out to the whole world (and) proclaim the Good News to all creation?’

We are waiting, praying, trying to understand, to see and recognise Christ in our daily lives. Sometimes, in waiting periods we oscillate between trust and doubt, conviction and troubled uncertainty. Perhaps on this, an in-between day between death and new life, sorrow and joy, we might reflect on the news of God’s great love that we are all called to share.