In today's Gospel we learn about how Jesus appears to Thomas, who originally doubted that Jesus had resurrected. Jesus praises those who can believe without seeing.
Come Holy Spirit, fill our hearts and our minds. Fill us with your peace, love, and understanding. Help us to hear God's message today and recognize His voice in our daily activities. Amen
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 nail marks 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 Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqxfRBYQUPA (Attributed to Catholic Kids Media)
Cross your arms over your chest and gently place your hands on your upper arms. Speaking softly, invite children to do the same. Say: Let’s take a moment to settle in and be peaceful. Slowly breathe in and out a few times and notice that we are all being very quiet. If you like, you can close your eyes. Imagine that Jesus is sitting next to you. Allow a moment for children to be still.
Then say quietly: Let’s see if we can stay quiet and peaceful during our time together. Ask: When we are afraid or grumpy, is it hard or easy to be loving and forgiving? (It’s hard.) Say: After Jesus died, the disciples were afraid. They hid. The risen Jesus came to them. Let’s hear about the two gifts he gave the disciples to help them be loving and forgiving.
Ask: What did Jesus say to the disciples when he first saw them? (“Peace be with you.”) Say: Jesus gave the disciples the gift of peace. Ask: What did Jesus say when he breathed on the disciples? (“Receive the holy Spirit.”) Say: Jesus gave the disciples a second gift—the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Say: The gift of peace and the gift of the Holy Spirit help us be Jesus’ loving and forgiving disciples.
Say: Let’s share Jesus’ gift of peace. We’ll stand up and slowly and prayerfully greet each other by saying, “Peace be with you.”
Conclude in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to help us be Jesus’ loving and forgiving disciples.
Father in heaven, for the sake of bringing others closer to you, we give you today, all that we think and do and say, and we join it with all that was done by Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen
