April 30, 2010 Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter

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Reading 1

Acts 13:26-33

When Paul came to Antioch in Pisidia, he said in the synagogue:

“My brothers, children of the family of Abraham,

and those others among you who are God-fearing,

to us this word of salvation has been sent.

The inhabitants of Jerusalem and their leaders failed to recognize him,

and by condemning him they fulfilled the oracles of the prophets

that are read sabbath after sabbath.

For even though they found no grounds for a death sentence,

they asked Pilate to have him put to death,

and when they had accomplished all that was written about him,

they took him down from the tree and placed him in a tomb.

But God raised him from the dead,

and for many days he appeared to those

who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem.

These are now his witnesses before the people.

We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you

that what God promised our fathers

he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus,

as it is written in the second psalm,
You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.”


Ps 2:6-7, 8-9, 10-11ab
Responsorial Psalm

R. (7bc) You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

or:

R. Alleluia.

“I myself have set up my king

on Zion, my holy mountain.”

I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:

The LORD said to me, “You are my Son;

this day I have begotten you.”

R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

or:

R. Alleluia.

“Ask of me and I will give you

the nations for an inheritance

and the ends of the earth for your possession.

You shall rule them with an iron rod;

you shall shatter them like an earthen dish.”

R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

or:

R. Alleluia.

And now, O kings, give heed;

take warning, you rulers of the earth.

Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;

with trembling rejoice.

R. You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.

or:

R. Alleluia.



Jn 14:1-6
Gospel

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.

You have faith in God; have faith also in me.

In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.

If there were not,

would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come back again and take you to myself,

so that where I am you also may be.

Where I am going you know the way.”

Thomas said to him,

“Master, we do not know where you are going;

how can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Why I support Health Care Reform

Thank you for your time with my blogs and welcome back in the near future.

I fully support President Obama's health care reform from the very beginning of the proposal and am very happy to see it has now become a law of this country! This is just one of the many and the latest great things that Democrats have done for the American people, a triumph of Americans' Interests First over those special interests.

I call on all Americans of conscience to mobilize time and energy to support the Democrats in promoting such legislation. These progressive endeavors benefit our children and grandchildren, in term of health care quality and cost in short term, and thus reducing budget deficits in the long run!

With the law, the insurance barons can no longer drop their clients when people get sick - that is the only reason we need insurance; it is simply immoral, and illegal now for the insurers to deny health care when patients mostly need it.

I support this reform and law because millions of Americans, like me, will benefit from it. I don't fear to become victims of the insurance slaughters, who literally rob me out of my pocket money for nothing! For example, as a full time graduate student, I’ll have to pay $15,000 a year for a family of 3, in addition to co-pay, and other pocket money! For this amount of money, last year, only my 2-year-old daughter had three times of regular check! Both my wife and I never visit doctors! Is that like highway robbery in modern society?!

If we declined such a school policy, the whole family was then uninsured, the risk was always on my mind whenever I thought of my little daughter - you never knew when a young child would get a cold during flu season! That was a psychological torture!

Now, with President Obama's health insurance plan, I would NOT worry about the bills of my family that makes so many Americans become bankruptcy, nor will my children because they will get insured under my policy until they are 26!

My family is only one of the 30 millions of Americans who benefit from the "Obamacare", and that's why I support the health care reform! And I believe millions of other Americans understand and fully support this progressive cause!

I now call people of all ages of conscience to join hands to support the Democrats in the midterm election, being volunteers, contributing financial resources and time, to make sure the voice of the people are heard and to secure an overwhelming victory in November so that the progressive causes in this great country can proceed with God's blessings!

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with other readers! Thank you for your invaluable support to this progressive cause!

April 19, 2010 Monday of the Third Week of Easter

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Reading 1
Acts 6: 8-15

Stephen, filled with grace and power,

was working great wonders and signs among the people.

Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen,

Cyreneans, and Alexandrians,

and people from Cilicia and Asia,

came forward and debated with Stephen,

but they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

Then they instigated some men to say,

“We have heard him speaking blasphemous words

against Moses and God.”

They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes,

accosted him, seized him,

and brought him before the Sanhedrin.

They presented false witnesses who testified,

“This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law.

For we have heard him claim

that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place

and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”

All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him

and saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Ps 119:23-24, 26-27, 29-30

Responsorial Psalm

R.          (1ab)  Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

or:

R.          Alleluia.

Though princes meet and talk against me,

your servant meditates on your statutes.

Yes, your decrees are my delight;

they are my counselors.

R.          Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

or:

R.          Alleluia.

I declared my ways, and you answered me;

teach me your statutes.

Make me understand the way of your precepts,

and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.

R.          Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

or:

R.          Alleluia.

Remove from me the way of falsehood,

and favor me with your law.

The way of truth I have chosen;

I have set your ordinances before me.

R.          Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

or:

R.          Alleluia.

Jn 6:22-29

Gospel

[After Jesus had fed the five thousand men, his disciples saw him walking on the sea.]

The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea

saw that there had been only one boat there,

and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat,

but only his disciples had left.

Other boats came from Tiberias

near the place where they had eaten the bread

when the Lord gave thanks.

When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,

they themselves got into boats

and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

And when they found him across the sea they said to him,

“Rabbi, when did you get here?”

Jesus answered them and said,

“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me

not because you saw signs

but because you ate the loaves and were filled.

Do not work for food that perishes

but for the food that endures for eternal life,

which the Son of Man will give you.

For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”

So they said to him,

“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”

Jesus answered and said to them,

“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”

April 18, 2010 Third Sunday of Easter

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Reading 1
Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41

When the captain and the court officers had brought the apostles in

and made them stand before the Sanhedrin,

the high priest questioned them,

“We gave you strict orders, did we not,

to stop teaching in that name?

Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching

and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

But Peter and the apostles said in reply,

“We must obey God rather than men.

The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,

though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.

God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior

to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.

We are witnesses of these things,

as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

The Sanhedrin ordered the apostles

to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them.

So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin,

rejoicing that they had been found worthy

to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.

Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13

Responsorial Psalm

R.   (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

or:

R. Alleluia.

I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear

and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.

O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;

you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.

R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,

and give thanks to his holy name.

For his anger lasts but a moment;

a lifetime, his good will.

At nightfall, weeping enters in,

     but with the dawn, rejoicing.

R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;

O LORD, be my helper.

You changed my mourning into dancing;

O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.

R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Rev 5:11-14

Reading 2

I, John, looked and heard the voices of many angels

who surrounded the throne

and the living creatures and the elders.

They were countless in number, and they cried out in a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength,

honor and glory and blessing.”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth

and under the earth and in the sea,

everything in the universe, cry out:

“To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be blessing and honor, glory and might,

forever and ever.”

The four living creatures answered, “Amen, “

and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Jn 21:1-19 or 21:1-14

Gospel

At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.

He revealed himself in this way.

Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,

Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,

Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”

They said to him, “We also will come with you.”

So they went out and got into the boat,

but that night they caught nothing.

When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;

but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”

They answered him, “No.”

So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat

and you will find something.”

So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in

because of the number of fish.

So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,

he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,

and jumped into the sea.

The other disciples came in the boat,

for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,

dragging the net with the fish.

When they climbed out on shore,

they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”

So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore

full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.

Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”

And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”

because they realized it was the Lord.

Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,

and in like manner the fish.

This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples

after being raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

He then said to Simon Peter a second time,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

Jesus said to him the third time,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time,

“Do you love me?” and he said to him,

“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,

you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;

but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,

and someone else will dress you

and lead you where you do not want to go.”

He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.

And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

or

At that time, Jesus revealed himself to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.

He revealed himself in this way.

Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,

Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,

Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.

Simon Peter said to them, “ am going fishing.”

They said to him, “e also will come with you.”

So they went out and got into the boat,

but that night they caught nothing.

When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;

but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”

They answered him, “No.”

So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat

and you will find something.”

So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in

because of the number of fish.

So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “AIt is the Lord.”

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,

he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,

and jumped into the sea.

The other disciples came in the boat,

for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,

dragging the net with the fish.

When they climbed out on shore,

they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”

So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore

full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.

Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”

And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”

because they realized it was the Lord.

Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,

and in like manner the fish.

This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples

after being raised from the dead.

April 16, 2010 Friday of the Second Week of Easter

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Reading 1
Acts 5:34-42

A Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel,

a teacher of the law, respected by all the people,

stood up, ordered the Apostles to be put outside for a short time,

and said to the Sanhedrin, “Fellow children of Israel,

be careful what you are about to do to these men.

Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important,

and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed,

and all those who were loyal to him

were disbanded and came to nothing.

After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census.

He also drew people after him,

but he too perished and all who were loyal to him were scattered.

So now I tell you,

have nothing to do with these men, and let them go.

For if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin,

it will destroy itself.

But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them;

you may even find yourselves fighting against God.”

They were persuaded by him.

After recalling the Apostles, they had them flogged,

ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus,

and dismissed them.

So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin,

rejoicing that they had been found worthy

to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.

And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes,

they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus.

Ps 27:1, 4, 13-14

Responsorial Psalm

R.          (see 4abc)  One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

The LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom should I fear?

The LORD is my life’s refuge;

of whom should I be afraid?

R.          One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

One thing I ask of the LORD

this I seek:

To dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD

and contemplate his temple.

R.          One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD

in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD with courage;

be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.

R.          One thing I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

Jn 6:1-15

Gospel

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.

A large crowd followed him,

because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.

Jesus went up on the mountain,

and there he sat down with his disciples.

The Jewish feast of Passover was near.

When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,

he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?”

He said this to test him,

because he himself knew what he was going to do.

Philip answered him,

“Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough

for each of them to have a little.”

One of his disciples,

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;

but what good are these for so many?”

Jesus said, “Have the people recline.”

Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.

So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.

Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,

and distributed them to those who were reclining,

and also as much of the fish as they wanted.

When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,

“Gather the fragments left over,

so that nothing will be wasted.”

So they collected them,

and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments

from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.

When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,

“This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.”

Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off

to make him king,

he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

April 15, 2010 Thursday of the Second Week of Easter

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April 15, 2010
Thursday of the Second Week of Easter 

Reading 1
Acts 5:27-33

When the court officers had brought the Apostles in

and made them stand before the Sanhedrin,

the high priest questioned them,

“We gave you strict orders did we not,

to stop teaching in that name.

Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching

and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

But Peter and the Apostles said in reply,

“We must obey God rather than men.

The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,

though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.

God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior

to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.

We are witnesses of these things,

as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

When they heard this,

they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death.

Ps 34:2 and 9, 17-18, 19-20

Responsorial Psalm

R.          (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

I will bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Taste and see how good the LORD is;

blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

R.          The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

The LORD confronts the evildoers,

to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.

When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,

and from all their distress he rescues them.

R.          The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;

and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.

Many are the troubles of the just man,

but out of them all the LORD delivers him.

R.          The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

Jn 3:31-36

Gospel

The one who comes from above is above all.

The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.

But the one who comes from heaven is above all.

He testifies to what he has seen and heard,

but no one accepts his testimony.

Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.

For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God.

He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.

The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,

but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life,

but the wrath of God remains upon him.

April 14, 2010 Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter

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April 14, 2010
Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter 

Reading 1
Acts 5:17-26

The high priest rose up and all his companions,

that is, the party of the Sadducees,

and, filled with jealousy,

laid hands upon the Apostles and put them in the public jail.

But during the night, the angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison,

led them out, and said,

“Go and take your place in the temple area,

and tell the people everything about this life.”

When they heard this,

they went to the temple early in the morning and taught.

When the high priest and his companions arrived,

they convened the Sanhedrin,

the full senate of the children of Israel,

and sent to the jail to have them brought in.

But the court officers who went did not find them in the prison,

so they came back and reported,

“We found the jail securely locked

and the guards stationed outside the doors,

but when we opened them, we found no one inside.”

When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard this report,

they were at a loss about them,

as to what this would come to.

Then someone came in and reported to them,

“The men whom you put in prison are in the temple area

and are teaching the people.”

Then the captain and the court officers went and brought them,

but without force,

because they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Responsorial Psalm

R.          (7a) The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

I will bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall be ever in my mouth.

Let my soul glory in the LORD;

the lowly will hear me and be glad.

R.          The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

Glorify the LORD with me,

let us together extol his name.

I sought the LORD, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

R.          The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,

and your faces may not blush with shame.

When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,

and from all his distress he saved him.

R.          The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

The angel of the LORD encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

Taste and see how good the LORD is;

blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

R.          The Lord hears the cry of the poor.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

Jn 3:16-21

Gospel

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,

so that everyone who believes in him might not perish

but might have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,

but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,

because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.

And this is the verdict,

that the light came into the world,

but people preferred darkness to light,

because their works were evil.

For everyone who does wicked things hates the light

and does not come toward the light,

so that his works might not be exposed.

But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,

so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

April 13, 2010 Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter

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April 13, 2010
Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter 

Reading 1
Acts 4:32-37

The community of believers was of one heart and mind,

and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,

but they had everything in common.

With great power the Apostles bore witness

to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,

and great favor was accorded them all.

There was no needy person among them,

for those who owned property or houses would sell them,

bring the proceeds of the sale,

and put them at the feet of the Apostles,

and they were distributed to each according to need.

Thus Joseph, also named by the Apostles Barnabas

(which is translated Ason of encouragement”),

a Levite, a Cypriot by birth,

sold a piece of property that he owned,

then brought the money and put it at the feet of the Apostles

Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5

Responsorial Psalm

R.          (1a)  The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

The LORD is king, in splendor robed;

robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.

R.          The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

And he has made the world firm,

not to be moved.

Your throne stands firm from of old;

from everlasting you are, O LORD.

R.          The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:

holiness befits your house,

O LORD, for length of days.

R.          The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

or:

R.          Alleluia.

Jn 3:7b-15

Gospel

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

“‘You must be born from above.’

The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes,

but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes;

so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus answered and said to him,

‘How can this happen?”

Jesus answered and said to him,

“You are the teacher of Israel and you do not understand this?

Amen, amen, I say to you,

we speak of what we know and we testify to what we have seen,

but you people do not accept our testimony.

If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe,

how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

No one has gone up to heaven

except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

April 11, 2010, Second Sunday of Easter

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Reading 1




Acts 5:12-16



Many signs and wonders were done among the people



at the hands of the apostles.



They were all together in Solomon’s portico.



None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.



Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord,



great numbers of men and women, were added to them.



Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets



and laid them on cots and mats



so that when Peter came by,



at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.



A large number of people from the towns



in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered,



bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits,



and they were all cured.







Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24Responsorial PsalmR. (1) Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.



or:



R. 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:



R. 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:



R. 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:



R. Alleluia.



Rev 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19Reading 2I, John, your brother, who share with you



the distress, the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus,



found myself on the island called Patmos



because I proclaimed God’s word and gave testimony to Jesus.



I was caught up in spirit on the Lord’s day



and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet, which said,



“Write on a scroll what you see.”



Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me,



and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands



and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man,



wearing an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his chest.







When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead.



He touched me with his right hand and said, “Do not be afraid.



I am the first and the last, the one who lives.



Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.



I hold the keys to death and the netherworld.



Write down, therefore, what you have seen,



and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards.”



Jn 20:19-31GospelOn 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.