The Second Sunday of Easter, C
Acts 5: 12-16
Ps. 118
Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19
John 20: 19-31 (ME2, “Although the Doors Were Closed,” J. Clemens)
(ME, “O Sons and Daughters, Let Us Sing,” chant)

The First Reading (from Acts) shows the power of the risen Lord functioning through the apostles in the early church of Jerusalem. Note that the growth of the church is accomplished by the Lord: “yet more than ever believers in the Lord…were added to them.” The Responsorial Psalm is our Easter theme song, Psalm 118, but with a different antiphon this week: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good—His love is everlasting!”The Second Reading today begins our six-week in-course exploration of the Book of Revelation. Until the time of the 1970 Lectionary, the church had made little use of Revelation in its liturgy, with the exception of All Saints’ Day. Now we read it in more depth, connecting the “newness” of the Easter season to the promise of the world to come. The reading begins with the vision that John the Seer had of Christ, who says to him and to us, “Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last, the one who lives. Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys to death and the neverworld!” The Gospel of doubting Thomas is read every year on this Sunday, in all three Lectionary cycles. Since we are told in this Gospel that seeing the risen Lord was no guarantee of believing in the resurrection, we realize that we must come to this faith just as the disciples did: through the grace of God. As the Byzantine Church sings on this day: “Although the doors were closed, Jesus appeared to His disciples. He took away their fear and granted them peace. Then He called Thomas and said to him, “Why did you doubt My Resurrection from the dead? Place your hand in My side; see My hands and My feet! Through your lack of faith, everyone will come to know of My passion and My Resurrection, and they will cry out with you: ‘My Lord and My God, glory to You!’” (Pentecostarion, sticheron from Ps. 140, Thomas Sunday)

The psalms for this week’s Liturgy of the Hours are taken from Week II, using the Easter antiphons. Everything from the reading on is taken from the Proper of the Season.

Stone rejected by the builders,
Now become the cornerstone,
Jesus, source of all our gladness,
Joining all the Church as one!
You were dead for our transgressions;
Now you live forevermore!
With the keys of death and Hades,
You have opened heaven’s door.

On the Ten, in huddled terror,
You bestowed your gift of peace,
And with Spirit’s grace endowed them
That sin’s hold they might release.
Thomas, missing from their number,
Spoke in scorn and doubt of mind;
Jesus told him, “Doubt no longer;
I am He you hoped to find!”

In this time of Paschal newness,
As the early Church had done,
Let us, faithful in our journey,
Keep our hearts and minds as one.
Cured from sickness, sin, and error,
With the risen Christ as guide,
May our witness and our living
Show us forth as His true bride!

87.87.D
Suggested tune: Nettleton


Propers from the Roman Gradual

The Introit is sung to the Neophytes today, and reminds all believers that God feeds us with his word. The Offertory is still reflecting on the appearance of the angel to the women at the tomb, and the Communion quotes from today’s Gospel.

Introit: Quasimodo geniti infants (I Pt. 2:2; Ps. 81:1)
As newborn babes, alleluia,
desire the sincere milk of the word, alleluia.
Sing with joy to God our strength,
and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.

Offertory: Angelus Domini (Mt. 28:2,5,6)
The angel of the Lord descended from heaven and said to the women:
“He whom you seek has risen as he said, alleluia, alleluia!”

Communion: Mitte manum tuam (Jn. 20:27)
Reach hither your hand, and behold the place of the nails, alleluia;
and do not be faithless, but believing, alleluia, alleluia.

Propers from the Simple Gradual

Second Sunday of Easter can use any of the Easter suite I,
BFW 158–166, or Easter suite II, BFW 167–174.

Entrance: BFW 416 (Peace be with you . . . )
Response: BFW 504
(used as an alleluia psalm by adding any alleluia in Mode VIIIG,
such as BFW 162 or BFW 447)
or alleluia psalm BFW 160 or BFW 161,
or BFW169 or BFW 170
Gospel acclamation BFW 162
Offertory: BFW 152 (The earth trembled . . . )
Communion: BFW 154 (Christ, our Paschal Lamb . . . )
or BFW 156 (Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia)