R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;
blessed are those who have not seen me, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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.

Public Domain, Archives of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy

Note the scene that is over almost 113 years old at this side altar of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel.   See the ceiling fresco of Thomas the Apostle.  See the empty tomb lit up with the white burial clothes.  There would have been a smaller statue of the Risen Christ.  The Gospel story read from here year after year of the apostles in an upper room behind locked doors in fear that those who crucified Jesus might go after them.  Then all sudden the Risen Christ comes into their midst.  He tells them not to be afraid but touch His five wounds—hands, feet, side.   He says Shalom, Peace be with you. He breaths on them the fulness of Peace that He alone can give—His divine mercy.  Later the 10 apostles tell Thomas who was not there at the time that the Lord is risen.  They saw.  They touched. He spoke.  But Thomas said I won’t believe it till I touch the hands, feet and side.  And the Risen Lord appears again, this time Thomas is there.  He touched and believed.  My Lord and My God, he confesses.  The Risen Christ breaths on them again, and they receive the Holy Spirit of His Divine Mercy.  

St. Jon Paul II named the Second Sunday of Easter Divine Mercy Sunday and celebrated the apparition of the Risen Christ to Sister Faustina.  St. John Paul II desired to remind us of all the meaning of salvation and redemption which is alone found in the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus.  The white rays the living waters of our Baptism, the red rays of His Precious Blood as he breaths upon us his Divine Mercy and upon the whole world.  This is the great shalom, the fulness of Peace, the Divine Mercy.

You might poke your finger at the doubting Thomas.  But look what happened.  Instantly he has absolute Faith. “My Lord and My God.”  It would not surprise me that most of us have had our moment of doubt-=-like Thomas.  But be also like Him.  Have instant absolute Faith.  Breath in His Divine Mercy that He breaths on you.  Then go and breath it to others in your world, now filled with his Mercy and help breath it into the lives of others.  Show them you know the meaning of “Jesus, I trust in YOU.”

Monsignor Michael J. Cariglio, Jr., Pastor & Rector, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica and Saint Anthony Parish

Many signs and wonders were done among the people
at the hands of the apostles.
They were all together in Solomon’s portico.
None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.
Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord,
great numbers of men and women, were added to them.
Thus they even carried the sick out into the streets
and laid them on cots and mats
so that when Peter came by,
at least his shadow might fall on one or another of them.
A large number of people from the towns
in the vicinity of Jerusalem also gathered,
bringing the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits,
and they were all cured.

R  (1) Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
R  Alleluia.
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.

I, John, your brother, who share with you
the distress, the kingdom, and the endurance we have in Jesus,
found myself on the island called Patmos
because I proclaimed God’s word and gave testimony to Jesus.
I was caught up in spirit on the Lord’s day
and heard behind me a voice as loud as a trumpet, which said,
“Write on a scroll what you see.”
Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me,
and when I turned, I saw seven gold lampstands
and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man,
wearing an ankle-length robe, with a gold sash around his chest.

When I caught sight of him, I fell down at his feet as though dead.
He touched me with his right hand and said, “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.
I hold the keys to death and the netherworld.
Write down, therefore, what you have seen,
and what is happening, and what will happen afterwards.”

It has long been a Catholic understanding that when circumstances prevent one from receiving Holy Communion, it is possible to make an Act of Spiritual Communion, which is a source of grace. Spiritual Communion is an ardent desire to receive Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament and lovingly embrace him at a time or in circumstances when one cannot receive Him in sacramental Communion. The most common reason for making an Act of Spiritual Communion is when a person cannot attend Mass. Acts of Spiritual Communion increase our desire to receive sacramental Communion and help us avoid the sins that would make us unable to receive Holy Communion worthily.

Spiritual Communion Prayer

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love you above all things and I desire to receive you in my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,

Come at least spiritually into my heart.

I embrace you as if you were already there

And unite myself wholly to you.

Never permit me to be separated from you.

Amen.