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First Reading Introduction: One Heart and One Soul
The early Christian communities strongly believed that the risen Lord was alive among them. Because of this faith, they were "one heart and one soul" and shared with the needy. Do we too have this faith and love?
First Reading: Acts 4:32-35
The whole community of believers was one in heart and mind. No one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but rather they shared all things in common. With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, for all of them were living in an exceptional time of grace.
There was no needy person among them, for those who owned land or houses, sold them and brought the proceeds of the sale. And they laid it at the feet of the apostles who distributed it according to each one's need.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
R./ This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or: Alleluia.
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./ This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or: Alleluia.
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./ This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or: Alleluia.
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./ This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.
or: Alleluia.
Second Reading Introduction: A Life of Faith and Love
Those who believe in God and in his risen Son Jesus Christ also love their neighbor. They belong to God's family, just as we do, even though at times we find them strange relatives.
Second Reading: 1 Jn 5:1-6
All those who believe that Jesus is the Anointed, are born of God; if you love the Father you also love all those born of him. How may we know that we love the children of God? If we love God and fulfill his commands, for God's love requires us to keep his commands. In fact, his commandments are not a burden because all those born of God overcome the world. And the victory which overcomes the world is our faith. Who has overcome the world? The one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Jesus Christ was acknowledged through water, but also through blood.
Not only water but water and blood.
And the Spirit, too, witnesses to him for the Spirit is truth.
Gospel Introduction: From Doubt to Faith
For people like us who have not seen the risen Christ, John tells us the story of doubting Thomas who became the believing Thomas.
Gospel Reading: Jn 20:19-31
On the evening of that day, the first day after the Sabbath, the doors were locked where the disciples were, because of their fear of the Jews, but Jesus came and stood in their midst. He said to them, "Peace be with you"; then he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples kept looking at the Lord and were full of joy.
Again Jesus said to them, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." After saying this he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit; for those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained."
Thomas, the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he replied, "Until I have seen in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."
Eight days later, the disciples were inside again and Thomas was with them. Despite the locked doors Jesus came and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands; stretch out your hand and put it into my side. Resist no longer and be a believer."
Thomas then said, "You are my Lord and my God." Jesus replied, "You believe because you see me, don't you? Happy are those who have not seen and believe."
There were many other signs that Jesus gave in the presence of his disciples, 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; believe and you will have life through his Name.
Greeting
To the disciples gathered as a community
Jesus appeared and wished them peace.
To all of you gathered here
as the community of the Lord,
we wish you Jesus' own greeting:
"Peace be with you." . R/ And also with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant
Believing in the Risen Lord
We believe that Christ is risen and alive. What does that faith mean to us? Is Jesus so much alive to us that we can meet him personally in prayer, listening and speaking to him as a friend to a friend, heart to heart? Do we touch his wounds in those wounded in life whether in their bodies or their hearts? Do we encounter him in our own sorrows? Do we encounter him in our joys and the joys of our friends? Is he alive in our Christian community, and do we encounter him there? Let us pray to the Lord in this eucharist that he may be real and alive to each and all of us.
Penitential Act
Believing in the Risen Lord
Let us ask forgiveness from the Lord
that too often we are not aware that he is with us.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, you came to take away our sins
and you still bring us the peace of your forgiveness,
our Lord and our God!
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you have brought us lasting life
and you still fill us with your life,
our Lord and our God!
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you are risen and alive
and you make us rise with you,
our Lord and our God!
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Lord, pour out on us your Spirit of peace
that takes all our sins away.
Make us alive with you
and raise us up to everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Believing in the Risen Lord
Let us pray that we may truly be
a community of faith and love
(PAUSE)
Lord our God, loving Father,
we have not seen your risen Son
nor placed our hands into his side,
but we believe that he is our Lord.
May this faith unite us in love
and make us responsible
for anyone in need among us.
May we truly be a community
one in heart and soul,
believing, hoping, sharing,
breaking bread with one another in joy,
and praising you, our God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
General Intercessions
Let us entrust to Christ, our Risen Lord, his Church and the whole world with all people and their needs. Let us say: R/Lord, let your peace be with us.
- That Christ really may be to all Christians really their Lord and their God whom they follow and trust and love, let us pray to the Lord: R/ Lord, let your peace be with us.
- That the Lord may gather around his one bread and cup all Christians now divided by both their beliefs and their prejudices; that all Christians may learn from the Lord to share with one another what they have, let us pray to the Lord: R/ Lord, let your peace be with us.
- That the Lord may bring to us and to all sinners the peace of his forgiveness and new life; that he may give to those whose task it is to be peacemakers and reconcilers the tact, understanding and patience to unify, let us pray to the Lord: R/ Lord, let your peace be with us.
- That Christ may always be found in his communities great and small, and make them one heart and one mind, let us pray to the Lord: R/ Lord, let your peace be with us.
Lord Jesus, give us eyes to see you, ears to hear you, hearts that understand and love you, for you are our Lord for ever and ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Our God and Father,
we ask you for food and drink
and you give us your Son.
May no one in our communities go hungry
or feel abandoned in distress,
but may we learn from your Son
to be faithful companions to all who need us.
With our solace and support
may we also give them ourselves,
as Jesus did and still does for us,
he who is our Lord for ever. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
Every time we celebrate the eucharist we profess our faith in Jesus, our risen Lord in the acclamation after the consecration. Let us do so consciously and gladly.
Introduction to the Lord's Praye
As a community of faith and love
made one heart and one soul by the Spirit
we can pray to the Father of all
the prayer of Jesus our Lord : R/ Our Father...
Deliver Us
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil
and grant to us in our day
the peace and reassurance
which your risen Son brought to his disciples
in their hour of fear and anxiety.
In your mercy keep our faith free
from hesitation and doubt,
as we wait in joyful hope
for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation to the Sign of Peace
We try to be a community which is of one heart and soul.
Let us express this in our greeting of peace.
Invitation to Communion
St Paul says:
"The fact that there is one loaf (of bread) means
that, though there are many of us,
we form a single body,
because we all have a share in this one bread."
This is the body of Christ
who comes to make us his body, his living community.
R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
we have encountered your Son in faith
in this eucharistic celebration.
With him by our side,
may we be a deeply believing community
in which love and sharing
are not empty words,
a community which keeps dreaming
that we can find one another
and create a new future together
in Jesus Christ, our risen Lord,
who lives with you and with us for ever . R/ Amen.
Blessing
Our task is not easy.
We are utopians, people dreaming great dreams
of being a real community,
of building a new and better world in Christ.
These dreams will never be realized in full
because we are limited, human, weak,
but we can go on trying and growing.
This is the challenge of our faith.
We can do it if Christ is really alive among us.
May God bless you for this task,
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Go in the peace of Christ
and be one heart and one soul. R/. Thanks be to God.
