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| "The Disbelief of Saint Thomas" - by James Tissot |
FIRST READING:
Acts
4:
32 - 35
32
Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and
no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own,
but they had everything in common.
33
And with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
34
There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were
possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of
what was sold
35
and laid it at the apostles' feet; and distribution was made to each
as any had need.
PSALM: Psalms 118: 2 - 4, 13 - 15, 22 - 24
2
Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures for ever."
3
Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures for
ever."
4
Let those who fear the LORD say, "His steadfast love endures for
ever."
13
I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.
14
The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
15
Hark, glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: "The
right hand of the LORD does valiantly,
22
The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the
corner.
23
This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24
This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad
in it.
SECOND READING: 1 John 5: 1 - 6
1 Every one who believes that Jesus is
the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent
loves the child.
2 By this we know that we love the
children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we
keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes
the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our
faith.
5 Who is it that overcomes the world
but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is he who came by water and
blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and
the blood.
GOSPEL: John 20: 19 - 31
19 On the evening of that day, the
first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to
them, "Peace be with you."
20 When he had said this, he showed
them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they
saw the Lord.
21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace
be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."
22 And when he had said this, he
breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive the sins of any, they
are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve,
called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples told him, "We
have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in
his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of
the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."
26 Eight days later, his disciples were
again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut,
but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with
you."
27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put
your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place
it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing."
28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord
and my God!"
29 Jesus said to him, "Have you
believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not
seen and yet believe."
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in
the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these are written that you may
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing
you may have life in his name.
