Family Home Liturgy:  Second Sunday of Easter (19 April)

Mother/other person lights candle

Ldr:   Christ, our Lord, is risen, alleluia!

All:     He is truly risen, alleluia!

Ldr:   WE PRAY IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER,

AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

All:     Amen!

Ldr:   Just as the Risen Jesus appeared to the disciples after the Resurrection,

so the Risen Jesus is with us now as we gather and pray.

Let us pause in a moment of silence

  and give thanks for the new life we have received…

(after the pause, leader continues…)

Jesus, Risen Lord,

you have defeated death and brought us the gift of eternal life.

You continue to heal the wounds that threaten our lives.

You have shown us that death is not the end

but the beginning of the new life with you.

Inspire and guide us to live the gift of the resurrection in our daily life

and share it with others. Amen.

First reader                    (Acts 2:42–47)

Our reading is from the Acts of the Apostles

Believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship,

to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 

Awe came upon everyone,

because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles.

All who believed were together and had all things in common;

they would sell their possessions and goods

and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.

Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple,

they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.

And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

The Word of the Lord.     (“Thanks be to God.”)

Second reader                (John 20:19–31)

A reading from the Gospel of John          

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week,

and the doors of the house where the disciples had met

were locked for fear of the Jewish leaders,

Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side.

Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Jesus said to them again,

“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,

“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them;

if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

But Thomas, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.”

But Thomas said to them,

“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands,

and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house,

and Thomas was with them.

Although the doors were shut,

Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

Then Jesus said to Thomas,

“Put your finger here and see my hands.

Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.”

Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jesus said to him,

“Have you believed because you have seen me?

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples,

which are not written in this book.

But these are written so that you may come to believe

that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,

and that through believing you may have life in his name.

The Gospel of the Lord.             (“Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ”)

[reflection:  The apostolic Church shared things in common; times are different now

           but, how do you/can you share with your parish’s mission

to love and to serve in the name of Jesus?

                   Do you struggle with doubts?  What does the dialogue between

Jesus and Thomas say to you?

How do you share the peace of Christ with others? ]

Prayer leader:

With Easter joy we lift up our prayers.  Our response is “Lord, hear us.”

For the Church, called to be the holy family of God;

may we be a beacon of Jesus’ merciful love and a place of welcome for all…

We pray:

For all who are struggling with doubts:

those doubting their faith, those doubting their goodness,

those who are struggling with hopelessness and those who are struggling with fear; may they feel the strength and power of the Holy Spirit…

We pray:

For those most in need of the mercy of God

and the mercy of their fellow human beings (especially _____ )… We pray:

We commend to God’s great mercy all those who have died (especially _____);

May they all experience the mercy and love of Jesus… 

We pray:

We bind all our prayers together with the words Jesus taught us: Our Father…

Mother or other family member:

We trust in Mary’s intercession as we rejoice with her and respond “Alleluia!”

Queen of heaven, rejoice!                             “Alleluia!”

The Son whom you were privileged to bear,   “Alleluia!”

Has risen as he said!                                     “Alleluia!”

Pray for us to God,                                       “Alleluia!”

Rejoice and be glad or Virgin Mary,               “Alleluia!”

For the Lord has truly risen.                         “Alleluia!”

Ldr:

Creator God, through your Son, Jesus,

you have gifted us with your peace and your Holy Spirit. 

Hear our prayers and help us to bear your peace and mercy to all people. 

We pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

May the Lord bless us with peace

     and protect us from all harm.  Amen.