Psalm 33
I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad.
Glorify the Lord with me. Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free.
Look towards him and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed. This poor man called him; the Lord heard him
and rescued him from all his distress.
The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who revere him, to rescue them. Taste and see that the Lord is good.
He is happy who seeks refuge in him.
Litany of Praise
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good
for his love endures for ever.
Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:1-7
Blessed be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy has given us a new birth as his sons, by raising Jesus Christ from the dead, so that we have a sure hope and the promise of an inheritance that can never be spoilt or soiled and never fade away, because it is being kept for you in the heavens. Through your faith, God’s power will guard you until the salvation which has been prepared is revealed at the end of time. This is a cause of great joy for you, even though you may for a short time have to bear being plagued by all sorts of trials; so that, when Jesus Christ is revealed, your faith will have been tested and proved like gold and then you will have praise and glory and honour. The word of the Lord.
Reflection: (Fr.Silvester O’Flynn OFM.Cap.)
The familiar saying goes: ‘Seeing is believing’. But seeing is not sufficient for believing. For seeing only touches the outer, physical evidence, whereas believing belongs to the interior, invisible areas of life. Once, there was one preacher of the kingdom: Jesus, sent by the Father. And then, in the time of the resurrection, the one became many when the Church was born: the risen Lord sent out the disciples in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit, in time, inspired four evangelists to write down the Church’s memory of Jesus Christ for teaching all ages. Four gospels, one for each point of the compass, N,E,W and S. But even four gospels are not enough to convince people that the Messiah has come. A fifth gospel is needed: the gospel written by you and me in the evidence of our lives.
Cautious Thomas needed time. He was sceptical of words alone. He would wait to observe the behaviour of those who were speaking so excitedly of the appearance of the Lord to them. Down the years of history the witness of people like Francis and Dominic, Clare and Therese, stirred the faith of people more effectively than libraries of learned books. People are moved to believe when they meet the risen Lord in authentic people of grace.
Easter is to hear the risen Lord say to you: ‘I am sending you out’. To easter with him is to rise into . . . believing that you are loved by God, and daring to hope and trust in his presence and power. In the power of the Spirit let there be . . . new life in your heart, new light in your face, and new joy in your believing. The Messiah has been sent by the Father. And he has sent you, baptised Christians, to win the world from the darkness of sin. Blessed are those whose life enables others to see and to believe.
Intercessions
Hear us, Lord of Life!
Closing Prayer
Forth he came at Easter, like the risen grain, he that for three days in the grave had lain. Quick from the dead my risen Lord is seen: love is come again like wheat that springeth green.
When our hearts are wintry, grieving or in pain, thy touch can call us back to life again. Fields of our heart that dead and bare have been: love is come again like wheat that springeth green!