Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint 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.
Mercy
1. The doors were locked. When you shut yourself off from life, you feel trapped and unhappy. That’s why some people aren’t just sad, they’re actually angry at life because they aren’t open to truly living. Today, many people keep their hearts locked; they’re locked up in their thoughts, in their fears and worries. When you live in fear, you feel sad and disappointed. Don’t let anxiety, loss, or failure keep you from opening up to new things. Good opportunities can come from things you haven’t discovered yet.
2. Peace. Faith teaches us that peace is the most important thing in life. People often chase after money or success, but without peace, those things can fall apart. With peace in your heart, you can handle anything and understand more. Someone who has peace and patience can get through hard times and losses. You find true peace by being close to the Risen Christ. Peace brings you confidence and joy.
3. Divine Mercy. Today is the feast of Divine Mercy, reminding us that God always seeks us and wants us to be with Him in heaven. Never stop searching for Him. When you trust God, everything is possible. Mercy comes from the love and peace God gives us. God gives us mercy because He loves us, and He wants us to be merciful to others as well. We should show kindness, forgiveness, and compassion, because God has forgiven us out of love.
Always remember that something good is on the way!
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
