BLESSED ARE THE BELIEVERS WHO HAVE NOT SEEN

 Readings for Sunday, April 12, 2026 

Second Sunday of Easter   

(or Sunday of Divine Mercy)                                                             Lectionary: 43

Reading 1                  Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying favour with all the people. And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Responsorial Psalm                  Psalm 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24

Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
R. Give thanks to the LORD for he is good, his love is everlasting.

or:  R. Alleluia.

I was hard pressed and was falling,
but the LORD helped me.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
The joyful shout of victory
in the tents of the just:
R. Give thanks to the LORD for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:  R. Alleluia.

The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Give thanks to the LORD for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or: R. Alleluia.

Reading 2                1 Peter 1:3-9

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is not  perishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time. In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honour at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Gospel                   John 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. 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.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”  Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”   But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”  Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands,  and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”  Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”  Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”  Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.    

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      /////  BIL-MALTI   ////////

"Henjin dawk li ma rawx u emmnu.”

>>>>>>   Qari tat-Tieni Ħadd tal-Għid jew il-Ħadd tal-Ħniena Divina

QARI 1              mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli 2:42-47

F’dak iż-żmien, id-dixxipli kienu jżommu sħiħ fit-tagħlim tal-appostli u fl-għaqda ta’ bejniethom, fil-qsim tal-ħobż u fit-talb. Waqa’ mbagħad il-biża’ fuq kulħadd għax ħafna kienu l-mirakli u s-sinjali li kienu jsiru permezz tal-appostli. Dawk kollha li kienu jemmnu kienu ħaġa waħda, u kienu jaqsmu kollox bejniethom, ibigħu ġidhom u kulma kellhom u jqassmu d-dħul bejn kulħadd, skond il-ħtieġa ta’ kull wieħed.  U kuljum kienu jmorru fit-tempju flimkien, jaqsmu l-ħobż fi djarhom, u jissieħbu fl-ikel bi qlub ferħana u safja; u kienu jfaħħru lil Alla, u l-poplu kollu kien iġibhom. U minn jum għal ieħor il-Mulej kien iżidilhom magħhom lil dawk li jkunu salvi.   

Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.  R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla.

SALM RESPONSORJALI               Salm 117(118):2-4,13-15,22-24

R/.  Faħħru lill-Mulej, għaliex hu tajjeb, għax għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu.

Ħa jgħidu wlied Iżrael:
“Għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu”.
Ħa tgħid dar Aron:
“Għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu”.
Ħa jgħidu dawk li jibżgħu mill-Mulej:
“Għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu”. R/.

B’saħħithom kollha imbuttawni biex naqa’;
imma l-Mulej tani l-għajnuna.
Qawwa tiegħi u għana tiegħi l-Mulej;
hu kien għalija s-salvazzjoni tiegħi.
Għajat ta’ ferħ u rebħ fl-għerejjex tat-tajbin:
il-leminija tal-Mulej għamlet ħwejjeġ ta’ ħila! R/.

Il-ġebla li warrbu l-bennejja
saret il-ġebla tax-xewka.
Bis-saħħa tal-Mulej seħħ dan:
ħaġa tal-għaġeb f’għajnejna.
Dan hu l-jum li għamel il-Mulej;
ħa nifirħu u nithennew fih! R/.

QARI 2                  mill-Ewwel Ittra ta’ San Pietru 1:3-9

Ikun imbierek Alla u Missier Sidna Ġesù Kristu, li fil-ħniena kbira tiegħu raġa’ wilidna għal tama ħajja bil-qawmien ta’ Ġesù Kristu mill-imwiet u għal wirt li la jitħassar, la jittabba’, u lanqas jinxef. Dan il-wirt hu merfugħ għalikom fis-sema għax intom tinsabu taħt il-ħarsien tal-qawwa ta’ Alla fil-fidi tagħkom li twassal għas-salvazzjoni li lesta biex tidher fl-aħħar taż-żminijiet.  Għalhekk għandkom għax tifirħu mqar jekk issa, għal ftit żmien ieħor, jeħtiġilkom titnikktu taħt ħafna provi. Bħalma d-deheb, li jintemm, jgħaddi mill-prova tan-nar, hekk tgħaddi mill-prova l-fidi tagħkom, li tiswa aktar mid-deheb, biex ikun jistħoqqilha tasal għat-tifħir, għall-glorja, u għall-ġieħ, meta jidher Ġesù Kristu. Lilu, għalkemm ma rajtuhx, intom tħobbuh; fih, għad li issa m’intomx tarawh, intom temmnu; fih intom tifirħu b’ferħ glorjuż, li ma jistax jitfisser, waqt li tiksbu l-għan tal-fidi tagħkom, li hu s-salvazzjoni tagħkom.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej. R/. Irroddu ħajr lil Alla.

EVANĠELJU                        Tmint ijiem wara ġie Ġesù.

Qari skond San Ġwann 20:19-31

Dakinhar filgħaxija, fl-ewwel jum tal-ġimgħa, meta d-dixxipli kienu flimkien imbeżżgħa mil-Lhud, bil-bibien magħluqa, ġie Ġesù u qagħad f’nofshom; u qalilhom: “Is-sliem għalikom!”. Kif qal hekk, uriehom idejh u ġenbu. Id-dixxipli ferħu meta raw lill-Mulej. Imbagħad Ġesù tenna jgħidilhom: “Is-sliem għalikom! Kif il-Missier bagħat lili, hekk jien nibgħat lilkom”. Kif qal hekk, nefaħ fuqhom u qalilhom: “Ħudu l-Ispirtu s-Santu. Dawk li taħfrulhom dnubiethom ikunu maħfura, u dawk li żżommuhomlhom ikunu miżmuma”. Tumas, wieħed mit-Tnax, jgħidulu t-Tewmi, ma kienx magħhom meta ġie Ġesù. Għalhekk id-dixxipli l-oħra qalulu: “Rajna lill-Mulej”. Iżda hu qalilhom: “Jekk ma narax f’idejh il-marka tal-imsiemer u ma nqigħedx sebgħi fuq il-marka tal-imsiemer u idi fuq ġenbu, jien ma nemminx”. Tmint ijiem wara, id-dixxipli reġgħu kienu ġewwa, u Tumas magħhom. Il-bibien kienu magħluqa, imma Ġesù daħal, qagħad f’nofshom, u qalilhom: “Is-sliem għalikom!”.  Imbagħad qal lil Tumas: “Ġib sebgħek hawn u ara jdejja, u ressaq idek u qegħedha fuq ġenbi; tkunx bniedem bla fidi, iżda emmen”. Wieġeb Tumas u qallu: “Mulej tiegħi u Alla tiegħi!”. Qallu Ġesù: “Emmint għax rajtni! Henjin dawk li ma rawx u emmnu”.  Hemm ħafna sinjali oħra li Ġesù għamel quddiem id-dixxipli tiegħu u li mhumiex imniżżla f’dan il-ktieb. Iżda dawn inkitbu sabiex intom temmnu li Ġesù hu l-Messija l-Iben ta’ Alla, u biex bit-twemmin tagħkom ikollkom il-ħajja f’ismu.  Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.  R/. Tifħir lilek, Kristu. 

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/////////////  REFLECTION 

An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil   

Our love of God put into action

Introduction: 

The readings for this Sunday show us our need for God’s Divine Mercy, offered to us through the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the forgiveness of our sins, and through each celebration of the Sacraments (all instituted to sanctify us), when we receive them in trusting Faith.

The opening prayer addresses the Father as “God of everlasting Mercy.”  In first section of the Responsorial Psalm (Ps 118), we repeat three times, “His mercy endures forever!” God revealed His mercy, first and foremost, by sending His only begotten Son to become our Savior and Lord by His suffering, death and Resurrection.

Scripture lessons summarized: 

The first reading (Acts 2:42-47) tells us how the early Church grew every day because of the acts of mercy — sharing, sacrificial agápe love — practiced by the early Christians. In the second reading (1 Pt 1:3-9), St. Peter glorifies God, the Father of Jesus Christ, for showing us His mercy by granting to His Incarnate, Only-begotten Son, Jesus, the gifts of Resurrection from the dead and a glorious Ascension into Heaven, thus giving us the assurance of our own resurrection. Today’s Gospel vividly reminds us of how Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a sacrament of Divine Mercy.  The risen Lord gave his Apostles the power to forgive sins with the words, “Whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain, they are retained” (Jn 20:19-23).  Presenting the doubting Thomas’ famous profession of Faith, “My Lord and my God,” the Gospel illustrates how Jesus showed his Divine Mercy to the doubting apostle and emphasizes the importance of Faith for everyone.

Life messages: 

1) We need to accept God’s invitation to celebrate and practice mercy in our Christian lives: One way the Church celebrates God’s mercy throughout the year is through the Holy Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Finding time for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is another good way to receive and give thanks for Divine Mercy. But it is mainly through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy that we practice in our daily lives the Mercy we have received, and, so, become eligible ourselves for God’s merciful judgment.

2) Let us ask God for the Faith which culminates in the self-surrender to God that leads us to serve those we encounter with agápe love. Living Faith enables us to see the risen Lord in everyone, and it gives us the willingness to render to each other our loving service.  

The spiritual Fathers prescribe the following traditional means to grow in the living, dynamic Faith of St. Thomas the Apostle: 

    a)   First, we must come to know Jesus personally and intimately by our daily, meditative reading of              the Bible.  

    b)   Next, we must strengthen our Faith through our personal and communal prayer.  

    c)   Third, we must share in the Divine Life of Jesus by frequenting the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist. St. Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) presents it this way: “If we pray, we will believe; if we believe, we will love; if we love, we will serve.  Only then we put our love of God into action.”  

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