主日讀經反思　Sunday Scripture Meditation　(11/04/2010)

本主日讀經︰
宗徒大事錄　5:12-16
聖詠　118[117]:2-4,22-24,25-27
默示錄　1:9-11,12-13,17-19
若望福音　20:19-31

默想︰

主日是每週的復活節，是教會重複慶祝耶穌復活的日子。復活期的第二主日延續著復活節的喜悅，繼續講述耶穌復活的故事。

復活的主給門徒帶來極大的安慰：他們沒有認錯人跟隨了多年、顯過無數奇蹟的耶穌確實被人釘死並埋葬了，但現在卻不受約束地來到他們中間，活生生地站在他們面前！先前的疑慮雲消霧散，當初的恐懼霎時變成了無以言語的喜樂！門徒們真是有福！

今天的人沒有見過死而復活的耶穌，似乎「有理由」懷疑自己的信仰。其實當時理性的多默宗徒也是這樣，由於沒有直接見到耶穌，仍堅持自己的懷疑。他提出自己相信的標準：耳聞、目睹、手摸才算真實可靠。多謝多默的倔強：耶穌對多默的顯現和回應，震撼了多默，也堅強了所有未見而信的人。我們固然沒有宗徒們的福氣，親自見證耶穌的死亡及復活，但也是有福的，因為我們有宗徒們以「不信」所作的見證，及用生命和鮮血一路相傳下來的信仰，即宗徒們幾經周折才認出來的耶穌。
主，教我在信的經驗中遇到祢。

【摘自和平四月號】


Readings (Year C) page 9:
Acts 5: 12-16
Psalm 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24 Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love is everlasting.
Revelation 1: 9-11a, 12-13, 17-19
John 20: 19-31

Meditation

For the next six Sundays, the second reading comes from the Book of Revelation in which the persecuted community found assurance of the reign of Christ in glory. Today’s Reading is the revelation to John of the power of Jesus who holds the key to life for everyone: “I am the Living One . . . I hold the keys of death and of the underworld.” (Rev. 1:18)

This brings us to the Gospel passage which describes the appearance of Jesus to the disciples hiding for fear of persecution from the Jews. Twice Jesus blessed them with His peace and told them of His mission for them. They were to be His emissaries to the world at large, by being a community of forgiveness, capable of banishing sin and of holding back its destructive power.

Eight days later, Jesus appeared the second time and Thomas was there. Again He gave a blessing of peace. Thomas, who had been skeptical about Jesus’ earlier appearance, was totally overcome when Jesus repeated his earlier doubting words and told him not to doubt any more. This prompted Thomas’ famous and beautiful declaration of faith, “My Lord and My God.” Thomas initially put a condition on his acceptance of the resurrected Jesus – he wanted to see before he would believe. How many of us are like him?

Lord, grant us the grace not only to say “My Lord and My God” but also to live an embodied faith, a faith of flesh and bones and not just words. Amen.

Shalom – Thoughts for Prayer