WELCOME TO OUR LITURGY: Jesus and life go together. This theme runs through John’s Gospel. In him was life (John 3: 36). He who follows me....will have light of life (John 7: 12). I am come that they may have life (John 10: 10). I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11: 25). I am the way the truth and the life (John 14: 6). In our Gospel Reading today John tells us that he wrote down these signs that Jesus did so that we may come to believe in Jesus and through faith in him attain everlasting life. Do the Lord’s miracles build my faith?

First Reading
Acts 4: 32-35;

32 Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common.
33 And with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of what was sold
35 and laid it at the apostles' feet; and distribution was made to each as any had need.

Second Reading
1 John 5: 1-6.

1 Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.
5 Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood.

Gospel Reading
John 20: 19-31.

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."
26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you."
27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing."
28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"
29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.