Second Sunday of Easter A

The following are prayerful resources rather than a liturgy.

  • The gospel for the day
  • (a useful commentary on the reading here)
  • Some optional questions for reflection
  • Prayers of Intercession
  • Cluster Prayer
  • The gospel of the week ahead with questions

John 20: 19-31 Eight days later, Jesus came.


In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again,

‘Peace be with you. ‘As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.’
After saying this he breathed on them and said:
‘Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven;
for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.’

Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’

Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’

Jesus said to him: ‘You believe because you can see me.
Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’
There were many other signs that Jesus worked and the disciples saw, but they are not recorded in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.


This is the gospel of the Lord.

Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved.


Having used our prayer resources, you might want simply to reflect yourself on them and how that might flow into your coming week. Some people have found it very helpful to meet with others and share their thoughts.
If you are interested  in joining a small group to share your thoughts and feelings about God's Word from any of the resources you have watched please email us.         cluster.alpha@outlook.com

Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

  1. Do you ever identify with Thomas in your spiritual life? How do you handle periods of doubt?
  2. We show our faith when we demonstrate courage in the face of difficulty.
    What could you do this week to help strengthen someone?*

* All second questions © The Pastoral Center

Prayers of Intercession

 

Divine Mercy Sunday /Second Sunday of Easter

We ask that God’s mercy be proclaimed with love and confidence to the Church and wider world by all believers. May we all bring hope and life to the people and places where we live and work, especially where there is fear, division, and condemnation.


Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer.

 

For the leaders in our faith communities, particularly Pope Francis , that God would bless them with wisdom and tenderness in dealing with complex moral challenges, that they would  bring   true peace and joy into the lives of those finding themselves in difficult situations. We pray that all will know the peace that only Christ, who has died and risen from the dead, can bring.


Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer.

 

For those whose lives are blighted by war and conflict , that they will not be ignored by those who live in safe and comfortable homes and may we all seek to work for justice and peace both close to home and overseas. We remember especially those living in the Holy Land, Yemen, Nigeria ,Ukraine and in places ignored by the world’s media.


Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer.

 

We give thanks for those who build up the body of Christ in our own communities and ask for God’s love, mercy and wisdom to blossom in our parishes and homes. We ask for a special blessing on those who joined our faith communities this Easter and also on the parish of St John Vianney’s as they relocate their centre of worship to St Gregory’s.


Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer.

 

For those in our faith communities and families who are suffering in mind, body or spirit, for individuals and families who are under strain with the rise in the cost of living, we ask that God by his spirit will comfort them and inspire them to hope. We pray for those named by the Prayer Foundation.  


Lord in your mercy  Hear our prayer. 

 

We lift up in prayer to our Lord and Our Lady, those who have died recently …..and those whose anniversaries occur at this time of year…….,  that the Lord will comfort their loved ones in their loss.


Lord in your mercy  Hear our prayer.

 

We will now say the Missionary Prayer together.

Prayer to be Missionary Disciples

Picture of Jesus at door

Lord continue to bless our community
in this time of transition.
Help us on our journey
to grow from a maintenance church
to a missionary church.
Give us the courage
to be missionary disciples.
Make our doors wide enough
to receive all who need
human love and fellowship;
narrow enough to shut out
all envy, pride and prejudice.
Kindle in us the fire of your love
that all who come here
will find joy, peace and love.
Make this a house of prayer
and a gateway to your kingdom.
AMEN

Preparing for next week -  Third Sunday of Easter A

Luke 24: 13-35      They recognised him at the breaking of bread.


Two of the disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village called Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus himself came up and walked by their side; but something prevented them from recognising him. He said to them, ‘What matters are you discussing as you walk along?’ They stopped short, their faces downcast.
Then one of them, called Cleopas, answered him, ‘You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days.’

‘What things?’ he asked.

‘All about Jesus of Nazareth’ they answered ‘who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all: two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.’
Then he said to them, ‘You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?’ Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself.
When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. ‘It is nearly evening’ they said ‘and the day is almost over.’ So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognised him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?’
They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions, who said to them, ‘Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised him at the breaking of bread.

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved


Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

What a Bible Study course that must have been as the two disciples listened to Jesus

explaining the prophecies about the Messiah. Then they sat down and ate with him.

The Liturgy of the Word followed by the Liturgy of the Eucharist - a Mass with a difference...

  1. Do you sometimes struggle to feel a participant at the weekend Mass? What would make it better?
  2. In what way have you come to know Jesus better through the breaking of the bread at the Eucharist?*

* All second questions © The Pastoral Center