|
|
“FIRST IMPRESSIONS”
2nd SUNDAY OF EASTER (A)
April 7, 2024
(OR: SUNDAY OF DIVINE MERCY)
Acts 2: 42-47; Psalm 118;
1 Peter 1: 3-9; John 20: 19-31
by Jude Siciliano, OP |
Printer
Friendly |
 Dear Preachers:
PRE-NOTE: Welcome to the latest email
recipients of “First Impressions,” the parishioners of St. Ann
Parish in Ashland, Va.
I have just returned from preaching at
St. Ann Parish. Once again I was inspired by the people I meet in our
parishes. After this past season of Lenten parish retreat preaching I can bear
witness to the faith commitment and hard work of parish staff, volunteers and
parishioners I have met in parishes in different parts of the country.
Still, I don’t get to see any parish reflect the ideals of the first generation
of Christians glowingly described today in our reading from Acts. If I did, I
would quit the road and settle in that parish – it would be a taste of heaven!
Imagine a faith community fully dedicated to (1) the teaching of the apostles;
(2) community life; (3) Eucharistic celebration; (4) prayer; (5) the sharing of
possessions, with a concern for those members in need. Imagine how many people
would join the membership of such a parish!
Biblical scholars agree Luke has idealized the community of first believers –
after all, there were the dishonest Ananias and Sapphira who were struck dead
for withholding their property from the community (Acts 5:1-11). So, the early
church we idealize wasn’t such a perfect community after all, and neither are
we.
Still, there must have
been something remarkable about the witness to Christ’s Resurrection by those
new Christians, because Acts does narrate the rapid growth of the early church.
“And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved”
(2:47). Their lives were an attraction to those around them.
Which gives us cause to reflect on the witness we give to our faith. Acts says
observers were in “awe” of the infant church. But those first believers were not
icons or holy cards, they lived in the real world – just as we do. How much do
our lives reflect the gospel of Jesus? Do we show in concrete ways the mercy and
compassion for those in need which it seems characterized the earliest Christian
community?
How about our local parish life? Granted we have our personal preferences for
the kinds of worship we like and which parish activities we join, but even with
those differences, do we still radiate our core beliefs and live together as
people of “one mind and heart” united by the Spirit of Christ? The Acts reading
expresses the fulfillment we Christians hope for, but have to admit, is not yet
true in our local or international church. Our prayer today is that the same
Spirit which gave life to the closed-in, frightened disciples gathered in the
room, continues to animate us and help us fulfill the dream Christ has for us –
that our lives together will witness to the presence and ongoing ministry of the
Risen Lord in our midst.
Thomas gets the role of the fall guy among the apostles. He’s the doubter
(“Doubting Thomas), the one we love to critique for being weak in faith. But
let’s face it, aren’t we glad Thomas was there and voiced the kinds of doubt
anyone of us rational people would have raised? After all, there’s no precedent
that a person whose death was witnessed by so many would then rise from the
dead. “Dead is dead,” we would say, “that’s the end of that!”
I wonder what he was doing that caused Thomas to be absent when Jesus appeared
to the locked-away and fearful disciples? Was he packing up his possessions,
saying goodbye to friends or grieving by himself after seeing his life and
dreams collapse along with Jesus nailed to the cross? But the other disciples
were also disconsolate over Jesus’ death. At least they stayed together. It’s
like what we Catholics are doing these days, having been shaken by the clergy
scandals; we struggle to stay together and hope against hope for Jesus to make a
new appearance in our midst and speak reconciling words again to those of us who
have fallen short of the mark, “Peace be with you.”
Just staying together in fear wouldn’t be a very good witness to the outside
world. Who would want to join a group of trembling sad sacks? What made the
difference though, is that Jesus came into their midst, not with words of
reproof for their past failures, but with a word of reconciliation, “Peace be
with you.” The past was over.
But what about the future? It was obvious from past performance on their own
that these disciples didn’t have what it would take to leave the locked room and
go out into the dangerous world. But Jesus doesn’t send them out on their own;
he gives them the Holy Spirit. With that Spirit they set about the task of
reconciliation which Jesus gave them. The first person they reach out to is
their separated brother Thomas. They share their experience with him, but he
requires more concrete evidence – to touch Jesus’ wounds.
We are not told if Thomas actually touched the wounds. What we are told is that
Jesus invited him to believe. Perhaps touching the wounds isn’t the important
thing. What is important is the leap faith requires; even when that leap flies
in the face of logic and “reasonable action.”
Well, thank God for Thomas! We’re happy he was there to voice our rational
doubts. We are also happy that the church was there, those new, Spirit-animated
disciples who didn’t give up on their recalcitrant member. Let’s hope we modern
Christians stay true to our call to be a forgiving community and also a healing
one for those hurting in spirit and body.
As we gather for prayer today we can think of ourselves as the modern equivalent
of those upper-room disciples. For a short time today, like them, we are
together in a room. We bring here our past sins and shortcomings and receive
Jesus’ words of reconciliation, “Peace be with you.” We give thanks for those
first witnesses to the resurrection. Because of their testimony and the
testimony and witness of those we have known and encouraged faith in us –
preachers, teachers, parents, friends, etc. – we are the ones Jesus now calls
“blessed.” We are the blessed, “who have not seen and have believed.” So, we
could offer prayers of thanks today for those who have helped us come to faith –
who have helped us believe without seeing.
As we listen to the Word we not only hear good news for ourselves, but we get
our marching orders, which are spelled out in Acts today. When we leave here we
shall go out and, with our words and how we live in community, we will spread
the news of the new Kingdom Jesus has inaugurated. But before we leave this
“dining room” we will be nourished for the tasks that await us. We will feast
with one another and our risen Lord.
Click here for a
link to this Sunday’s readings:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040724.cfm
QUOTABLE
(On “breaking
bread in their homes””– from today’s first reading)
Archaeologists have found Eucharistic vessels that people used to bring home
pieces of the consecrated bread. The custom of celebrating Mass during the
week (between Sundays) did not emerge until the fourth century or so. When
people left mass on Sunday, they brought Eucharistic bread home to receive
the Lord during the week, to stay linked to the Church’s praise of God, and
to be strengthened physically and spiritually until the gathering again on
the following Sunday.
----WORKBOOK FOR
LECTORS AND GOSPEL READERS. Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 2005, page
146.
JUSTICE BULLETIN BOARD
Blessed
are those who have not seen and have believed
John 20: 29
This week’s readings
are all about the attributes of a community of believers--from the Psalms, where
the believers recognize the Lord as their savior and rejoice, to Acts, where
they are of one heart and mind. What the community of believers of scripture has
found is the fullness of life in God. The expression “fullness of life in God”
goes beyond what the material world can offer, especially with the individualism
so admired and promoted in the United States. For how many Catholics is the
vestige of community only lived out in the coming together at a Sunday Mass? Is
the gospel communal life a thing of the past? Or, are we depriving ourselves of
a rich and more meaningful life because we fail to be a more active presence in
our parish life?
I have experienced my
faith both ways, as a Sunday-only Catholic and as one committed to participation
in my parish. Some of my richest life experiences have been the times when I
have joined with other Christians in lifting others up to a better life (in the
material sense). But I have also found community to be a rich experience in
coming together for small group faith sharing. Still, there are whispers in my
mind that there is still more to the communal experience to which I am called as
a layperson.
Community life is a
humbling experience. It thrives on consensus and finding joy in not always doing
things your way. But it is something else also; it is beginning to see as God
sees--how God takes our wounded-ness and our brokenness and the wounds of those
around us and deepens our understanding of who we are meant to be as a people
and, in doing so, hastens healing.
Embracing Father,
You grace each of us with equal measure in your love.
Let us learn to love our neighbors more deeply,
so that we can create
peaceful and just communities.
Inspire us to use our creative energies
to build the structures we need
to overcome the obstacles of intolerance and indifference.
May Jesus provide us the example needed
and send the Spirit to warm our hearts for the journey.
Amen
Prayer for
Community: From Being Neighbor: The Catechism and Social Justice, USCCB,
April, 1998
Barbara
Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director
Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries
Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral,
Raleigh, NC
FAITH BOOK
Mini reflections on the
Sunday scripture readings designed for persons on the run. “Faith Book”
is also brief enough to be posted in the Sunday parish bulletins people take
home.
From today’s Gospel
reading:
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Receive the Holy Spirit:
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Reflection:
Our ability to
forgive is from Jesus himself, who offered forgiveness even from the cross to
his executioners. When he breathed on the disciples he gave us his very Spirit,
which is now the reason we can offer forgiveness, even to our enemies – just as
he did.
So we ask
ourselves:
POSTCARDS TO DEATH ROW INMATES
"The death penalty
is one of the great moral issues facing our country, yet most people rarely
think about it and very few of us take the time to delve deeply enough into
this issue to be able to make an informed decision about it."
– Sister Helen Prejean
Inmates on death row
are the most forgotten people in the prison system. Each week I am posting in
this space several inmates’ names and locations. I invite you to write a
postcard to one or more of them to let them know that: we have not forgotten
them; are praying for them and their families; or, whatever personal
encouragement you might like to give them. If the inmate responds, you might
consider becoming pen pals.
Please write to:
-
Russell Tucker
#0413011 (On death row since 2/21/1996)
-
Terrence Taylor
#0539901 (2/18/1997)
-
Jeremy D. Murrell
#0940436 (2/17/2006)
----Central
Prison P.O. 247 Phoenix, MD 21131
Please note:
Central Prison is in Raleigh, NC., but for security purposes, mail to
inmates is processed through a clearing house at the above address in Maryland.
For more information on the Catholic position on the death penalty go to the
Catholic Mobilizing Network:
http://catholicsmobilizing.org/resources/cacp/ - On this page you can
sign “The National Catholic Pledge to End the Death Penalty.” Also, check the
interfaith page for People of Faith Against the Death Penalty:
http://www.pfadp.org/.
DONATIONS
“First
Impressions” is a service to preachers and those wishing to prepare for
Sunday worship. It is sponsored by the Dominican Friars. If you would like
“First Impressions” sent weekly to a friend, send a note to Fr.
John Boll, OP at
jboll@opsouth.org.
If you would like to
support this ministry, please send tax deductible contributions to Fr.
Jude Siciliano, O.P.:
St. Albert
Priory
3150 Vince Hagan Drive
Irving, Texas 75062-4736
Make checks payable
to: Dominican Friars.
Or, go to our webpage to make an online donation:
https://www.PreacherExchange.com/donations.htm
RESOURCES
ORDERING OUR CDs:
We have compiled Four CDs for sale:
- Individual CDs for each Liturgical Year,
A, B or C.
- One combined CD for “Liturgical Years A, B
and C.
If you are a preacher, lead a Lectionary-based
scripture group, or are a member of a liturgical team, these CDs will be helpful
in your preparation process. Individual worshipers report they also use these
reflections as they prepare for Sunday liturgy.
You can order the CDs by going to our webpage:
https://www.PreacherExchange.com
and clicking on the “First Impressions” CD link on the left.
OTHER
PUBLICATIONS BY EMAIL:
1. "HOMILÍAS DOMINICALES" ---These Spanish
reflections on the Sunday and daily scriptures are written by Dominican sisters
and friars. If you or a friend would like to receive these reflections drop a
note to "Fr. John J. Boll, O.P." <preacherexchange@att.net>
2. "VOLUME 2" is an opportunity for you to hear
from the readers of First Impressions. To subscribe or Send your own
reflections: Send them to "Fr. John J. Boll, O.P." <preacherexchange@att.net > Your
contributions to Volume 2 are welcome.
OUR WEBSITE:
https://www.preacherexchange.com
- Where you will find Preachers Exchange, which includes "First Impressions,"
"Homilías Dominicales," and "Volume 2" as well as articles, book reviews, daily
homilies and other material pertinent to preaching and Scripture reflection.
FOR EMAIL
HELP OR TO UNSUBSCRIBE, SUBSCRIBE, OR CHANGE:
Email "Fr. John J. Boll, O.P." <preacherexchange@att.net>
Click Here for
More Resources
that may help you plan and prepare your Preaching, Liturgical Celebrations and
prayers.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS Archive
• ASCENSION •
• EASTER VI •
• EASTER V •
• EASTER IV •
• EASTER III •
• EASTER II •
• EASTER SUNDAY •
| 
