This Sunday's Readings

Church of the Sacred Heart

2ND SUNDAY OF EASTER

26 & 27 APRIL 2025

Collect

Let us pray.

God of everlasting mercy,

who in the very recurrence of the paschal feast

kindle the faith of the people you have made your own,

increase, we pray, the grace you have bestowed,

that all may grasp and rightly understand

in what font they have been washed,

by whose Spirit they have been reborn,

by whose Blood they have been redeemed.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

First Reading 

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.           5:12-16

The numbers of men and women who came to believe in the Lord increased steadily

The faithful all used to meet by common consent in the Portico of Solomon. No one else ever dared to join them, but the people were loud in their praise and the numbers of men and women who came to believe in the Lord increased steadily. So many signs and wonders were worked among the people at the hands of the apostles that the sick were even taken out into the streets and laid on beds and sleeping-mats in the hope that at least the shadow of Peter might fall across some of them as he went past. People even came crowding in from the towns round about Jerusalem, bringing with them their sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and all of them were cured.

The word of the Lord.

Response: Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

R.  Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.

Let the sons of Israel say:

    ‘His love has no end.’

Let the sons of Aaron say:

    ‘His love has no end.’

Let those who fear the Lord say:

    ‘His love has no end.’

R.  Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.

The stone which the builders rejected

    has become the corner stone.

This is the work of the Lord,

    a marvel in our eyes.

This day was made by the Lord;

    we rejoice and are glad.

R.  Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.

O Lord, grant us salvation;

    O Lord, grant success.

Blessed in the name of the Lord

    is he who comes.

We bless you from the house of the Lord;

    the Lord God is our light.

R.  Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his love has no end.

Second Reading 

A reading from the book of Apocalypse.            1:9-13,17-19

I was dead, and now I am to live for ever and ever

My name is John, and through our union in Jesus I am your brother and share your sufferings, your kingdom, and all you endure. I was on the island of Patmos for having preached God’s word and witnessed for Jesus; it was the Lord’s day and the Spirit possessed me, and I heard a voice behind me, shouting like a trumpet, ‘Write down all that you see in a book.’ I turned round to see who had spoken to me, and when I turned I saw seven golden lamp-stands and, surrounded by them, a figure like a Son of man, dressed in a long robe tied at the waist with a golden girdle.

    When I saw him, I fell in a dead faint at his feet, but he touched me with his right hand and said, ‘Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One, I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of the underworld. Now write down all that you see of present happenings and things that are still to come.’

The word of the Lord.

Response: Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus said: ‘You believe because you can see me.

Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’

Alleluia!

Gospel 

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John.                20:19-31

Response: Glory to you, O Lord

Eight days later, Jesus came again and stood among them

In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you.

‘As the Father sent me,

so am I sending you.’

After saying this he breathed on them and said:

‘Receive the Holy Spirit.

For those whose sins you forgive,

they are forgiven;

for those whose sins you retain,

they are retained.’

Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.’ Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’ he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him:

‘You believe because you can see me.

Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.’

There were many other signs that Jesus worked and the disciples saw, but they are not recorded in this book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Response: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Prayer Of The Faithful

Introduction: We are blessed because we believe in the Divine Mercy and love of the Risen Lord. Let us rejoice in this gift of faith as we bring our prayers to the God in whom we believe and put our trust in.

Response: Lord, hear our prayer.

1. For our Bishop, the Order of bishops and the clergy, that through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they may guide the world to a better understanding of the truths Jesus taught and showed us how to live. Let us pray to the Lord.

2. For world leaders who do not believe in God, that the Holy Spirit may open their hearts to acknowledge and believe in God who has given them power and responsibility over God’s people. Let us pray to the Lord.

3. For all of us, that the message of Easter enkindles in us the burning desire to proclaim His word and bring light in fruitful service to those in need of God’s merciful love and compassion. Let us pray to the Lord.

4. For those whose faith is faltering, that like Thomas, they may be given the experience to touch and feel the presence of Jesus and so be transformed and renewed in their faith and belief. Let us pray to the Lord.

5. For our late Pope Francis, that by the grace and compassion of Your Divine Mercy, may Your faithful servant and shepherd whom you have called home be granted eternal light and share in the joy with all your saints. Let us pray to the Lord.

6. We now pray in silence for other needs and intentions…

For these and other needs and intentions, let us pray to the Lord.

Conclusion: Heavenly Father, we pray for the grace of faith and hope to believe as we celebrate your goodness and love. Here at the Eucharistic Table, strengthen us to live this faith and hope in love of You and for our neighbour. We make our prayer through Christ our Risen Lord.

Amen.