Easter

The sound of Alleluias fills the 50 days of Easter Sunday to Pentecost as we give thanks for the gift of our salvation. The Easter Triduum recalls the passion and resurrection of Christ in the sacred journey from Holy Thursday to Easter Vigil. "Dying he destroyed our death. Rising he restored our life."

Sunday Readings and Backgrounds

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Second Sunday of Easter

Reading I : Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to a communal life.

A picture of the early Christian community is given in today’s first reading from Acts of the Apostles.
The Jerusalem Christians met together with joyful hearts.
The early Christians lived in the reality of new life in Jesus.

Reading II : 1 Peter 1:3-9

There is cause for rejoicing here.

The First Letter of Peter is a strong witness to the power of faith.
The author bursts forth in song, praising God whose gift of faith is our realization of new life, new birth.
We are delivered from death for life in the Lord.

Gospel : John 20:19-31

Peace be with you, he said.

In the Gospel reading, we see more than a Resurrection appearance of Jesus to his disciples; we also see their joy and the transformation of their lives.
Because of the new courage that followed from their faith, the disciples move from a state of fear to joy.
The second half of the Gospel depicts Thomas’ struggle to believe in the Resurrection. The passage challenges Christians to do better, to believe without seeing.