From The American Bible Society:
May 1, 2011
Second Sunday of Easter
This is a reminder to continue in your daily Lectio Divina Scripture reading. We’ve included the content again for you, to make it easier for you to continue to engage with God’s Word.
WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD!
John 20:19-31 (Good News Translation)
19 It was late that Sunday evening, and the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities. Then Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive people's sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. ” 24 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (called the Twin), was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later the disciples were together again indoors, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then reach out your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting, and believe!” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me!” 30 In his disciples' presence Jesus performed many other miracles which are not written down in this book. 31 But these have been written in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through your faith in him you may have life.
Other Readings: Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 Peter 1:3-9;
Lectio
The small ‘pieces’ that we may find in the readings for this Sunday compose a mosaic or puzzle, which can provide us with a comprehensive vision of the first Christian community. First, a trait which may well define the feelings of the disciples after Jesus’ death: ‘they were afraid of the Jewish authorities’. If their head had been crushed, what could they expect but death? Thus, they were ‘together, behind locked doors’. It is obvious that, even after Mary Magdalene and the other two disciples had found the empty tomb, the idea of Christ having risen from the dead was not clear in their minds. The Lord appears, and his greeting ‘Peace be with you!’, a common salutation in the Jewish tradition, becomes the solemn statement of the fulfilling of his promise during the Last Supper: it is a peace that the risen Christ gives them ‘not as the world does’ (John 14:27). Their feeling of joy is strengthened even more by the gift of the Spirit which is breathed on them: a new creation, an anticipated Pentecost, which brings along the forgiveness of sins for the people. Thomas’ absence, not being with the small community of disciples, prevents him from seeing the Lord and understanding that he has risen. Once again, seeing and believing come together. Thomas is no exception. He, too, needs more. He wants to touch the Lord, as if he were conscious of the basis on which John would build his own witness: ‘what we have seen, and our hands have touched … is what we announce to you’ (1 John 1:1-4). Thomas´ profession of faith ‘My Lord and my God!’, implies the fulfilment of another promise: ‘Whoever has seen me has seen the Father’ (14:9). Thomas’ words become, then, the answer the Jews have being asking Jesus all the time, ‘Who are you?’, without finding a response. At the same time, Thomas becomes the counter-sign of us, those who will believe in Jesus, even ‘without seeing him’. And not only that, we will ‘rejoice with great and glorious joy’ because, we ‘love him, although we have not seen him’ (1 Peter 1:8). All this could make us think that faith is simply a personal, individual issue. Not at all. Only when he is with the other disciples is Thomas granted the gift of seeing the risen Lord. So important is the role played by the community, that the early church immediately starts as a ‘social group’ with distinct features. They follow the teachings of the first witnesses, the apostles, celebrating the Eucharist and leading a common life in which they share the common faith but also their belongings. (Acts 2:42-47). Later on, Paul will even describe the church as ‘God’s building and field’, ‘God’s temple’, and ‘Christ’s body’ (1 Corinthians 3:9, 16; 12:27).
Meditatio
Thomas recognizes the Lord when he sees his wounds and scars. Can you find the Lord in those who suffer around you, as if they were the scars where he comes to meet us in mercy and love? The Lord sends the disciples with a mission of joy: forgiveness of sins, reconciliation. Are you a minister of God’s saving grace for the world? Look at the community you belong to. Can you find there the features with which Luke describes the first church: unity of belief, sharing prayer, the Eucharist and the material realities of life? Do you work to make it similar to that of Jerusalem?
Oratio
Pray for those who need signs to discover the Lord, that through the truthful witness of Christians they may come to know and love him. Pray for the ability to create links of communion and fraternity in your family and working place.
Contemplatio
In today’s gospel, Jesus repeats twice the same greeting: ‘Peace be with you!’ Think of the situations in which you may be an ‘instrument of God’s peace’. Consider also in what ways you can find your own inner peace.
© 2010 American Bible Society
May 1, 2011
Second Sunday of Easter
This is a reminder to continue in your daily Lectio Divina Scripture reading. We’ve included the content again for you, to make it easier for you to continue to engage with God’s Word.
WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD!
John 20:19-31 (Good News Translation)
19 It was late that Sunday evening, and the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities. Then Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive people's sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven. ” 24 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (called the Twin), was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later the disciples were together again indoors, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then reach out your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting, and believe!” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me!” 30 In his disciples' presence Jesus performed many other miracles which are not written down in this book. 31 But these have been written in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through your faith in him you may have life.
Other Readings: Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24; 1 Peter 1:3-9;
Lectio
The small ‘pieces’ that we may find in the readings for this Sunday compose a mosaic or puzzle, which can provide us with a comprehensive vision of the first Christian community. First, a trait which may well define the feelings of the disciples after Jesus’ death: ‘they were afraid of the Jewish authorities’. If their head had been crushed, what could they expect but death? Thus, they were ‘together, behind locked doors’. It is obvious that, even after Mary Magdalene and the other two disciples had found the empty tomb, the idea of Christ having risen from the dead was not clear in their minds. The Lord appears, and his greeting ‘Peace be with you!’, a common salutation in the Jewish tradition, becomes the solemn statement of the fulfilling of his promise during the Last Supper: it is a peace that the risen Christ gives them ‘not as the world does’ (John 14:27). Their feeling of joy is strengthened even more by the gift of the Spirit which is breathed on them: a new creation, an anticipated Pentecost, which brings along the forgiveness of sins for the people. Thomas’ absence, not being with the small community of disciples, prevents him from seeing the Lord and understanding that he has risen. Once again, seeing and believing come together. Thomas is no exception. He, too, needs more. He wants to touch the Lord, as if he were conscious of the basis on which John would build his own witness: ‘what we have seen, and our hands have touched … is what we announce to you’ (1 John 1:1-4). Thomas´ profession of faith ‘My Lord and my God!’, implies the fulfilment of another promise: ‘Whoever has seen me has seen the Father’ (14:9). Thomas’ words become, then, the answer the Jews have being asking Jesus all the time, ‘Who are you?’, without finding a response. At the same time, Thomas becomes the counter-sign of us, those who will believe in Jesus, even ‘without seeing him’. And not only that, we will ‘rejoice with great and glorious joy’ because, we ‘love him, although we have not seen him’ (1 Peter 1:8). All this could make us think that faith is simply a personal, individual issue. Not at all. Only when he is with the other disciples is Thomas granted the gift of seeing the risen Lord. So important is the role played by the community, that the early church immediately starts as a ‘social group’ with distinct features. They follow the teachings of the first witnesses, the apostles, celebrating the Eucharist and leading a common life in which they share the common faith but also their belongings. (Acts 2:42-47). Later on, Paul will even describe the church as ‘God’s building and field’, ‘God’s temple’, and ‘Christ’s body’ (1 Corinthians 3:9, 16; 12:27).
Meditatio
Thomas recognizes the Lord when he sees his wounds and scars. Can you find the Lord in those who suffer around you, as if they were the scars where he comes to meet us in mercy and love? The Lord sends the disciples with a mission of joy: forgiveness of sins, reconciliation. Are you a minister of God’s saving grace for the world? Look at the community you belong to. Can you find there the features with which Luke describes the first church: unity of belief, sharing prayer, the Eucharist and the material realities of life? Do you work to make it similar to that of Jerusalem?
Oratio
Pray for those who need signs to discover the Lord, that through the truthful witness of Christians they may come to know and love him. Pray for the ability to create links of communion and fraternity in your family and working place.
Contemplatio
In today’s gospel, Jesus repeats twice the same greeting: ‘Peace be with you!’ Think of the situations in which you may be an ‘instrument of God’s peace’. Consider also in what ways you can find your own inner peace.
© 2010 American Bible Society
No comments:
Post a Comment