Theme: John 20:19-31 Sunday of Divine Mercy

                                                             


From the desk of Ms. Kathleen Cook, Director of Religious Education

Theme: John 20:19-31 Sunday of Divine Mercy Thomas believes because he sees Jesus.

Summary: The encounter we have with St. Thomas in today’s gospel actually brings all of us hope. Thomas represents all of us in our struggle with faith. We all are a combination of both believing and disbelieving. A community of believers is essential for us when in the throes of doubt. Notice that the name Thomas means “twin.” We never learn whom he is twin to and thus scripture scholars believe that it is a literary device to allow us to be the twin. We too, like Thomas, have our moments of doubt and likewise our moments where we proclaim in full faith that Jesus is my Lord and my God. It is important to recognize that when Jesus bestows the Holy Spirit upon the disciples, he does so when they are gathered as a community. Jesus bestows upon them the power to bind and lose sins as a community. To this day when a priest gives absolution for sins, it is in the name of Jesus Christ and through the ministry of the Church ( Community).

Scripture Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" John 20:24-25
 
One of the disciples, whose name was Thomas, was not there with the others in that room when Jesus appeared to them.  The next time the other disciples saw Thomas, they told him what he had missed when he was absent. They said, "We have seen Jesus. He is alive!" Thomas didn't believe them. He said , "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it,"
 
The next week the disciples were in the house again, and this time Thomas was with them. The very same thing happened again. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among his disciples. He turned to Thomas and said, "See my hands; put your fingers here. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas didn't need to touch the wounds where the nails had been or put his hand into his side. He fell on his knees before Jesus and said, "My Lord and my God!"

One of the great promises Jesus made was when he said, "Where two or three gather in my name, I am there with them." Each week we come together in the name of Jesus to worship and to praise him. So, what do we miss out on if we are absent? We miss out on the same thing that Thomas missed out on when he was absent -- the chance to be with Jesus!

Dear Jesus, we have come into this house and gathered in your name today because we want to be with you. We have come to worship and praise your name. Amen...…. www.sermons4kids.com
 
Key Words in Today’s Readings: www.livingwithchrist.us

First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47

                The apostles gathered for the breaking of bread, which means they celebrated the Lord’s Supper, as we do at every Eucharist or Mass.

                In the early Christian community, those who believed in Jesus shared all their belongings in common. This way, everyone had all they needed. Today, we can do the same by making sure that no one in our community is in need.
Second Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9

                The First Letter of Saint Peter is found in the New Testament. It is a summary of the good news of Jesus and was written to help the early Christians lead faithful lives.

                We rejoice in our salvation, even when life seems difficult. Jesus conquered death by rising from the dead and we know we will see him when he comes again.

Gospel: John 20:19-31

                The Gospel of John tells us about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It was written about 60 years after Jesus died. Saint John’s gospel includes some stories and sayings that are not in the other three gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).

                By showing his hands and his side, Jesus presents the scars left by the nails and the lance that pierced          him. It is a way of saying, “It’s really me. I was dead, but now I am alive.”
                When God created the first humans, he breathed life into them. Our life comes from the depths of God’s being. When Jesus appeared to his disciples after his death, he also breathed on them, filling them with his Spirit.

My Promise to Jesus: Jesus, I believe in you! This week, I will try extra hard to notice your love in the people around me.       https://us.magnificat.net/my-sunday-gospel-coloring-book-2020.html

Reflect: If a word or phrase from the Gospel captures your heart, sit quietly for several minutes, repeating it to yourself and asking God to show you how it applies to your life.  Whom can you talk to or what can you read when you have doubts about the Gospel? www.smp.org
 
Suggested book that compliments today’s Gospel:
http://scu.edu/character/build-plant-grow/
The Christmas Candle
Written by Richard Paul Evans
ISBN: 13-1416926825

Pray that you will always be a source of blessing to each and every community of which you belong and that those in community with you will also be a source of blessing. Amen

Family Discussion:

Many of us can relate to Thomas’s response to the news that the disciples had seen Jesus. We want to see for ourselves too, but we grow in faith, trusting the experience and knowledge of others.

Many of us have heard the saying “Seeing is believing.” As your family gathers, take some time to consider what that saying means. What are some things we believe because we see them? Is there anything we believe without seeing? Today’s Gospel reminds us that faith sometimes asks us to believe things we cannot see with our eyes. Read today’s Gospel, John 19:19-31, with your family. Think about Thomas’s response to the reports about the risen Lord. Is Thomas’s doubt reasonable? How does Jesus respond to Thomas? Jesus grants Thomas the evidence that Thomas needs to believe, but Jesus also affirms the faith of those who will be called upon to believe without first-hand experience. We are among those whom Jesus calls blessed. Discuss with your family the basis of each member’s faith in Jesus—the witness of the first disciples, the Gospels, the continuing activity of the Holy Spirit, the community of the Church.
Pray together that your faith in Jesus will be strong. Pray an act of faith together......... www.loyolapress.com