Responsorial Psalm
Let Israel say,
"His loving kindness endures forever."
Let the house of Aaron say,
"His loving kindness endures forever."
Let those who fear the Lord say,
"His loving kindness endures forever."
The right hand of the Lord is lifted high,
the right hand of the Lord strikes mightily!"
I shall not die, but live
to proclaim what the Lord has done.
The Lord has stricken me severely,
but he has saved me from death.
The stone rejected by the builders
has become the keystone.
This was the Lord's doing
and we marvel at it.
This is the day the Lord has made;
so let us rejoice and be glad.
2nd. READING (1Jn 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
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.
