CONTRIBUTED BY FATHER PAUL S. VOISIN, C.R. Father Paul is a Waterloo native, was ordained to the priesthood as a Resurrectionist on May 14, 1977. He has served in pastoral ministry in Kitchener and Brantford, Ontario, education and pas-toral ministry in La Paz, and formation and pastoral ministry in Cochabamba, Bolivia. He served as Provincial Superior of the Ontario-Kentucky Province from 2005 to 2008. He is presently the Vicar General of the Diocese of Hamilton in Bermuda, and Rector of St. Theresa’s Cathedral.

SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTERApril 23, 2017

GATHERING TIME

Introduction to the Word:

There is a true story about a group of eight servicemen during World War II who survived twenty-one days afloat in three small rubber rafts, after their plane crashed in the Pacific. One of them, Lieutenant James Whittaker, was a professed atheist. All the other were men of faith, and they made a part of their daily routine a prayer service with a reading from a pocket Bible. He later wrote about the experience in a book We Thought We Heard the Angels Sing. One of the other men, famous World War I fighter, pilot Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, also wrote a book about the experience, Seven Came Through. After three days, they were without food and water. On the sixth day they shot off a flare, hoping that someone - and not the Japanese - would see it and rescue them. The flare misfired and landed near them. It attracted so many fish that two fish jumped into the boat. Their prayer had been answered. Another day a seagull landed on the head of one of the men, and they captured it and cut it up for bait to catch more fish. Another prayer had been answered. Some days it rained and they were grateful to have water to drink. More prayers answered! On the thirteenth day it was Lieutenant Whittaker's turn to lead the prayer. A heavy shower of rain came near to them, but was off about a thousand feet. He prayed that the rain would return, and it did … A final answered prayer that convinced Lieutenant Whittaker that there indeed was a God. Lieutenant Whittaker's life was transformed - despite the misfortune and suffering—in the small miracles during the twenty-one days at sea, and also through the faith and hope of his seven friends, forever united by their harrowing experience.

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Warm-up ActivityLike Lieutenant Whittaker, (St.) Thomas did not believe. In our gospel, Thomas did not believe. Like Lieutenant Whittaker, not even the faith of his friends would convince him, until he had experienced the risen Jesus on his own terms, in his own way, in his own time. The other apostles shared with Thomas that they had seen the Lord, but he would not believe.Who has helped you to believe (without seeing)? How?What experience has brought you to believe in a deeper way?Can you identify someone who you have helped to believe? How?

The Table of the Word

There are so many messages for us in this dramatic gospel, but what most caught my attention was the dynamic between Thomas and the other apostles. Imagine: they have been friends for three years—following Jesus—and yet Thomas would not take their word for it. The apostles were filled with joy at having seen the Lord, and having heard Him speak to them. Each one of these resurrection appearances was a priceless opportunity for them to prepare themselves for the mission that lay ahead of them. Each one of these resurrection appearances this Easter season is a priceless opportunity for us to prepare ourselves for the mission that lies ahead of us. Before they began to bear witness to others, they began with themselves—sharing their experiences of the risen Jesus and helping one another to remember His teachings, His parables, and the wondrous miracles that He did. Now the suffering and death of Jesus had a whole new meaning for them, so that this too became a source of reflection and sharing for them. With the coming of the Holy Spirit, they were filled with power and went out to share the 'Good News' with others outside their group. The fear they had experienced for so long was no longer true, but they had courage and determination. Jesus had risen from the dead, and it was too great to keep a secret. They had to proclaim it to all who would listen. They would literally give their lives in the sharing of the 'Good News'.

Penitential Rite:

The Risen Jesus has appeared to His disciples, including (finally) the unbelieving Thomas. Yet, sometimes we too fail to recognize His risen presence among us.

Lord Jesus, for our blindness to your presence among us, Lord, have mercy Christ Jesus, for failing to recognize you in our midst, Christ, have mercy Lord Jesus, for not bearing witness to you with others, Lord, have mercy

Let us pray:2

(together)God of everlasting mercy,

who in the very recurrence of the paschal feastkindle the faith of the people you have made your own,

increase, we pray, the grace you have bestowed,that all may grasp and rightly understand

in what font they have been washed,by whose Spirit they have been reborn,

by whose Blood they have been redeemed.Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son.

SCRIPTURE REFLECTION TIME(As Christians we believe that the WORD of God we hear proclaimed each Sunday is an empowering Word, and that God is present in the Word proclaimed. This is the Word that God wants us to hear today. The dynamic of the Small Christian Community, namely, reflecting on our life story within the context of this Word, and sharing the insights of these reflections, is such that God’s Spirit becomes present, and the gifts of the Spirit are experienced as empowering and life-giving.)

First Reading (Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47)They devoted themselves to the teaching of the Apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the Apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one's need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favour with all the people. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God

Second Reading (First Letter of Saint Peter 1:3-9)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time. In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trails, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God

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Gospel (John 20:19-31)A reading from the holy Gospel according to John. Glory to you, O Lord.On the evening of the 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 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 can see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks 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.The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

(Allow 5-10 ten minutes for quiet and for a brief reflection on a meaningful word or thought.)

COMMENTARY:These verses of the Acts of the Apostles give us a real picture of the early Christian community, those initial disciples of Jesus. Their community was characterized by four activities: the faith they shared, their love for one another, their life of prayer, their service of one another. These qualities attracted future followers, as this community was diverse, and former enemies—by tribe or culture—were now living in peace and harmony, showing forth their following of Jesus daily.

St. Peter reminds the community of who they are and 'what they are made of'.Their lives have been transformed in Christ, and they now share in the victory of Jesus over sin and death. He reminds them of how they have come to be who they are, through the trails and sufferings. This has strengthened their faith, and the love of Jesus has been made manifest to them.

Thomas shows us his humanity, in his suspicion and doubt about the risen Jesus. He did not believe the testimony of the other Apostles, men whom he had accompanied for three years, at the side of the Lord. Thomas put down conditions to his belief: to see and touch the risen Lord and His wounds. Although we may scoff at his stubbornness, stupidity and doubt (or whatever we want to call it), in each one of us there can also be that placing of conditions on the Lord: "If you do this for me, I will believe," or "Work this out for me, and I will trust you." At times we are not that different from Thomas. We too are called to believe without having "seen". But we

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have seen the Lord! In our lives the Lord Jesus has been active, revealing Himself to us over and over again, if we are willing to open our eyes, our eyes, our minds and our hearts. It takes a great deal of reflection in order to recognize Jesus in and around us. This reminds me of a precious, but simple gift, made for me by one of my teachers, Sister Geraldine Collins, S.S.N.D. At first glance most people cannot see 'Jesus'. Yet, by going one letter after another, everyone can see 'Jesus', and cannot understand how others can look at it without seeing 'Jesus'. How about you? Do you recognize Jesus, in order to share Him with others?

(Allow 5-10 ten minutes for quiet and for a brief reflection on a meaningful word or thought.)

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

1. "And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved." (Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47)

The quality of life of the first disciples - faith, love, prayer and service - attracted new followers, "those who were being saved".

a) Does 'your' community (family, work, school, friends, groups and associations, this group) reflect this early Christian community?

b) How do you live out these four qualities of Christian life?

2. "Your faith, more precious than gold … is perishable" (1 Peter 1:3-9)St. Thomas came to faith in the risen Jesus. The early Christian community, animated by

people such as St. Peter, came to faith in Jesus through their sharing in His life. a) Do we relate to the victory over sin and death, won by Jesus?b) Have our trials and sufferings brought us to deeper faith in Jesus? How?c) Is our faith truly "more precious than gold"?

3. "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:19-31)These words of St. Thomas are filled with trust and admiration, when he realized that the

Lord Jesus HAD risen, and HAD appeared to the disciples. Now Jesus had met Thomas’s 'conditions', and Thomas embraced the faith of the other disciples, witnesses to the resurrection.

a) What 'conditions' have we placed in the Lord Jesus, in order to believe in Him?b) How did He meet our 'conditions', and reveal Himself to us, that we might have

faith in Him?c) How have we seen and touched the Lord?

CARING - PRAYING TIME5

1. Word for the Week: "My Lord and my God!"2. Suggestions for the Week:This week, share in the faith of St. Thomas, and recognize Jesus in your midst. Perhaps He will surprise you. Perhaps He will be predictable. Once you have 'found' Him and 'seen' Him, proclaim Him to others so that your witnessing to faith may open them to greater faith. Let your "My Lord and my God!" be the message you give to others this week, by your words and actions.3. Intercessions: (Response: Lord, hear our prayer)Leader: Our faith in Jesus leads us to turn to him in prayer, offering our prayers and petitions for ourselves, others, and our world.

That the Christian community, through the grace of God, may more faithfully reflect the presence of Christ among us, we pray …That our daily witness to Jesus may inspire others, especially those whose faith is weak, and those struggling with faith in God, we pray …That in our weakness, doubt and fear, we may share more fully in the grace of the resurrection of Jesus over sin and death, we pray …That communities like ours may be beacons in a darkened world, bringing hope based on the Word of God, we pray …That our families and friends may be touched by our example of faith, we pray …

And how can we help you in prayer this week?

Let us pray:Faith is not merely praying upon your knees at night.

Faith is not merely straying through darkness to the light.Faith is not merely waiting for glory that may be.

Faith is not merely hating the sinful ecstasy.Faith is the brave endeavour, the splendid enterprise,the strength to serve, whatever conditions may arise.

Lord, help us to open ourselves to a deeper faith in you. Amen.

With hands and hearts united in gratitude for God’s favors on us today, we pray that all those in our influence be moved to be open to your Word and your Spirit, and we pray united as one, OUR FATHER…

Celebrating the Word , Resurrection Ministries of the Congregation of the Resurrection Ontario-Kentucky Province (including the former Resurrection Centre), 265 Westmount Road North, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G7. (Celebrating the Word was founded by Father Frank Ruetz, C.R., now deceased.) For information or subscriptions: Toll Free: 1-877-242-7935. Email: theword@resurrectionists.ca – website: www.resurrectionists.ca The Scripture version used in this commentary is the New Revised Standard Version (copyrighted by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA). Donations to CTW are gratefully accepted. Please make cheques payable to “Congregation of the Resurrection”. Thank you.

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