| Reading 1 | Response | Reading 2 | Gospel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acts 4:32-35 | Ps 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24 | 1 Jn 5:1-6 | Jn 20:19-31 |
| RCL: 1 Jn 1:1-2:2 |
Eastertime: to see, to experience, to act, to know, to encounter
In the Easter season, Jesus appears to his disciples and explains his resurrection’s meaning; reveals himself as good shepherd, true vine, and one who has laid down his life; and prays for those whom he sends into the world. This week’s readings focus on seeing the risen Jesus in the believing community’s life, shared belief, and personal encounters.
First reading (Acts 4:32-35)
The first reading is the second part of an eight-week, semi-continuous reading from the Acts of the Apostles, written in the late 80s by the same author as Luke’s gospel. Acts continues the story of Jesus and his believing community: the resurrected Jesus returns to the Father and sends the Spirit. Luke’s sequel is the story of the Spirit’s continuing actions in Jesus’ believing community, primarily in the words and actions of Peter and Paul.
In today’s pericope, Luke opens a window into the first community’s inner life. Luke’s description of the believing community as “being of one heart and mind” and holding “everything in common” reflects the Greek ideal of friendship. Luke’s mention that “there was no needy person among them” refers to the Jewish ideal of covenant justice, found in Dt 15:4. Luke shows the apostles coordinating the community’s spontaneous sharing of possessions (community members place money and goods “at the apostles’ feet,” the apostles distribute everything “according to need”). While in this pericope Luke presents the early ekklesia‘s life ideally, he follows this rosy picture with two, real-world examples: Joseph Barnabas’ success story (Ac 4:36-37) and Ananias and Sapphira’s failure (Ac 5:1-10).
The Lectionary editors chose this reading to show how the risen Jesus, through the Spirit, continues to work in the ekklesia.
Second reading (1 Jn 5:1-6)
The second reading is from the First Letter of John. John the Elder wrote his letters (1 John, 2 John, 3 John) between 100-115 AD to various Johannine communities (ekklesiais), a network of house-churches probably centered around Ephesus. He urges the communities to unity by clearly stating teachings on the incarnation, the love command, the Spirit, the nature of sin, and end-time expectations.
In today’s pericope, the Elder restates how believers are “begotten by God:” those who believe Jesus is the Christ, and those who love the Father. Those who love God keep God’s commandments, especially the law of love towards others (“the children of God”). God’s commandments are not difficult for believers (the ones “begotten by God”); through their faith (“believing that Jesus is God’s son”) they conquer the world and share in Jesus’ victory. The Elder then describes Jesus’ three witnesses: water, blood, and the Spirit. “Blood” and “water” point back to John’s gospel and the human witnesses to Jesus’ death on the cross (Jn 19:34-35). “Water” and “blood” also suggest Jesus’ baptism and his earthly ministry. “The Spirit,” the third witness, is the Spirit present in the believing community who continues to “testify” to the water and blood; “the Spirit is truth,” encouraging the community to recognize the truth about God’s love and believing in Jesus.
The Lectionary editors chose this reading for its Easter themes of baptism, service, and discipleship, beginning Eastertime’s semi-continuous reading from 1 John.
Gospel (Jn 20:19-31)
John’s gospel tells two post-resurrection appearance stories, continuing last week’s stories about Mary Magdalene, Peter, and the beloved disciple. These stories, about the disciples in the upper room and about Thomas, also describe different ways of coming to faith.
- The disciples in the locked upper room are afraid because they have not yet seen Jesus. John uses the Greek verb εἴδω/eídō, which means “to see and to recognize physically.” Jesus somehow enters through locked doors and stands among them, addressing his friends with “Shalom,” the traditional Jewish greeting of God’s peace and wholeness. Jesus shows them his wounded body to confirm his identity and his humanity. When the disciples see and recognize (εἴδω/eídō) Jesus, they rejoice.
- Thomas, who has not yet seen Jesus, is skeptical of the disciples’ report. John uses the Greek verb ὁράω/horáō, which means ” to see and to experience.” Thomas demands not only to see but also to poke Jesus’ wounds as a condition of his believing. When Jesus again enters through locked doors and stands among all his disciples, he invites Thomas to see and thoroughly examine his wounds so that Thomas can come to belief. John doesn’t say what Thomas did; he reports only Thomas’ confession of faith: Jesus is Lord and God. Thomas believes because he sees and experiences (ὁράω/horáō) Jesus. How much more blessed are those who come to belief without seeing and physically recognizing (εἴδω/eídō) Jesus? John writes this blessing for his own late-first century believing community (and for us) who never personally saw, knew, and physically encountered the earthly Jesus.
John recounts Jesus’ signs in his gospel so that hearers and readers come to believe Jesus is the messiah and God’s son. Through this belief, they also come to eternal life.
Summary and reflection
Jesus’ resurrection has many meanings and many implications. Throughout the Easter season, the readings invite us to reflect on this cosmos-changing event. In Acts, Luke shows how the community’s Spirit-filled life continues Jesus’ words and actions. John the Elder reminds his community that the love commandment is their witness to God’s love and to believing in Jesus. John the Evangelist again shows how each disciple experiences and understands the mystery of Easter differently.
Discipleship requires that we keep “seeing” Jesus in new ways and in new contexts. Where is Jesus present in our faith communities, social networks, and civil government, ensuring that there is no needy person among us? Do we recognize Jesus in the children of God who depend on our love and our witness to the truth? Is Jesus standing before us, waiting for us to come to faith and to continue his mission?
—Terence Sherlock
The Lectionary In Context 