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First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47
They devoted themselves
to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life,
to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.
Awe came upon everyone,
and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
All who believed were together and had all things in common;
they would sell their property and possessions
and divide them among all according to each one’s need.
Every day they devoted themselves
to meeting together in the temple area
and to breaking bread in their homes.
They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart,
praising God and enjoying favor with all the people.
And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24
R./ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting. 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./ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting. 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./ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting. or: Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R./ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting. or: Alleluia.
Second Reading: 1 Saint Peter 1:3-9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you
who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith,
to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.
In this you rejoice, although now for a little while
you may have to suffer through various trials,
so that the genuineness of your faith,
more precious than gold that is perishable even though
tested by fire,
may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Although you have not seen him you love him;
even though you do not see him now yet believe in him,
you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Gospel Reading: John 20:19-31
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.
Greeting
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!
By his great mercy we have been born anew
to a living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead.
May the Risen Lord be always with you.
Introduction by the Celebrant (Three Options)
A. Encountering The Risen Lord
The Risen Lord is here with us. Do we recognize him? Are we aware that he is here with us in every celebration of the Eucharist and even in everyday life, also and especially in our moments of trials, difficulties, failures? He is risen, and he lifts us up, he raises us up now. Ask him today to make you believe in him as the Lord of life.
(or)
B. My Lord And My God
Eight days after the resurrection the disciples of Jesus were together, afraid, believing and yet doubting, for that Jesus lived was too good to be true. In the same way we have come together today as the community of Jesus. Yet we too are often timid and afraid, filled with questions, perhaps doubts, with a faith that is fragile. But we are here together because we are a community that believes. We know that the Lord is present in our midst, even though our eyes cannot see him. And with Thomas we say in this Eucharist: “My Lord and my God.”
(or)
C. Do Not Be Afraid
It is difficult for people who are scared to stand up for what they believe in, to speak openly about their convictions. It is difficult for those who have suffered much or have seen much evil and distress to accept that things can change for the better, and that even our misery and wounds can help lighten the burden of others. All this becomes possible and believable when we meet the Risen Lord. He bears the scars of his wounds and yet he is the glorious Lord. By his wounds we are healed. And he tells us here in the Eucharist to go out and spread his message of joy.
Penitential Act
If we had believed more deeply
that the Lord is risen and lives among us,
we would have sinned less.
We ask the Lord to forgive us.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, you say to us:
“Peace be with you,”
as you are present among us
with your Word and your body:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you say to us:
“Peace be with you,”
as you forgive us our sins.
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you say to us:
“Peace be with you,”
as you send us to bring your peace to all:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Lord, forgive us our sins
as we are united in prayer.
Lead all of us to the joys of everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening Prayer
Let us pray for a firm faith
that Jesus is risen and alive among us
(PAUSE)
Blessed are you, God our Father,
who have raised Jesus from the dead.
Keep us firm in the faith
that Jesus is our Lord and our God.
Make us encounter him in everyday life
and live in his peace.
Open our eyes to see his scars
in the men and women who suffer,
and inspire us through your Spirit
to bring them consolation and hope
in Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
First Reading Introduction: A Model Community Of Faith
St Luke describes how the first Christians tried to be a community of faith. They prayed together, shared in the Eucharist, and cared for the needy among them.
Second Reading Introduction: The Joy Of Faith
For Christians the source of joy is their faith in the Risen Lord, says Peter. But faith is never secure, as Christians are always on the way, with their faith tested in trials.
Gospel Introduction: Happy Those Who Believe Without Seeing
The apostle Thomas could not believe until together with the other apostles he met the Risen Lord in the community.
General Intercessions
We pray today to our Risen Lord for faith in him, that our Christian communities may bear witness to his presence among his people, as we pray: R/ Stay with us, Lord.
• For the community of the Church, that our leaders may inspire us by their faith and that we may bring your joy and peace to a world in dire need of hope and love, we pray: R/ Stay with us, Lord.
• For the communities of our families, that parents may inspire their children with a living, contagious faith, and that the young may be honest seekers of truth, justice and Christian hope, we pray: R/ Stay with us, Lord.
• For our national community, that there may be reconciliation where we are divided, and that both our leaders and the people may believe in a future based on justice and peace, we pray: R/ Stay with us, Lord.
• For all those who doubt and seek, whether in the Church or outside, that they may encounter in us you, the living Christ, we pray: R/ Stay with us, Lord.
• For the community of our parish, that we may be concerned about the poor and the sick among us; that we may strengthen their faith as they recognize your goodness in us, we pray: R/ Stay with us, Lord.
• For all of us here, that our faith may inspire us to live and practice what we believe, and that we may have enough faith in one another to build up a real Christian community, we pray: R/ Stay with us, Lord.
Jesus, our Risen Lord, stay with us, give us your Spirit, strengthen our faith, that people may see that we are a community of brothers and sisters because you live among us, now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Prayer over the Gifts
Father,
this Eucharistic celebration
is a profession of faith
in the presence of your Son in our midst.
Our eyes are unable to see,
we cannot touch him with our hands,
but let our hearts recognize him
and our deeds bear witness
that Jesus Christ is our Lord
now and for ever. R/ Amen.
Introduction to the Eucharistic Prayer
What our eyes cannot see and our ears cannot hear, we believe with our hearts: Christ is alive, he is here with us. With him we thank our Father.
Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer
We have received as a free gift
from the Father our faith, our hope,
the love that binds us together.
With the Risen Lord Jesus we pray.
Deliver Us
Deliver us Lord, from every evil
and let the peace we ask from you
not be a guilty peace of complicity
in the injustices of this world.
Let it be a liberating peace
that cannot find rest
until all our brothers and sisters are free
with the freedom you have brought us
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Invitation to Communion
This is Jesus, our Risen Lord.
We cannot see him with our eyes
but we believe that he is alive
and present among us in the Eucharist.
Happy are we to receive him
and to grow through him in faith and love.
Prayer after Communion
Our God and Father,
we thank you for Jesus Christ,
for his word of peace
and for his food of strength.
We believe that he died for us
and that you raised him from the dead
to be with us, your people today.
Help us to be risen people, growing in faith and love
and to build with him a community and a world
where joy and truth, love and justice,
peace and freedom are not empty words.
For you have made all this possible
through Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
Go and take Christ with you
into your everyday life,
for he sends you to your brothers and sisters
as the Father sent him.
May he become visible
in your spirit of faith,
in your courage, your goodness
and your love that reflects God’s serving love.
And may God bless you for this mission:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Let us go in the peace of Christ. R/ Thanks be to God.
