The Debt of Love
Discipleship
Questions for
Sunday April 19,
2009
Scripture Readings:
First
Psalm
Second
Gospel: John 20:1-9
First
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
They
were of one heart and mind.
The community of believers was of one
heart and mind,
and no one claimed that any of his
possessions was his own,
but they had everything in common.
With great power the apostles bore
witness
to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,
and great favor was accorded them all.
There was no needy person among them,
for those who owned property or houses
would sell them,
bring the proceeds of the sale,
and put them at the feet of the apostles,
and they were distributed to each according to need.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 118:2-4, 13-15,
22-24
(R.) Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, his love is everlasting.
or:
(R.) Alleluia.
Let the house of
“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.
Second Reading 1 Jn
5:1-6
A reading from the first Letter of Saint John
Whoever
is begotten by God conquers the world.
Beloved:
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the
Christ is begotten by God,
and everyone who loves the Father
loves also the one begotten by him.
In this way we know that we love the
children of God
when we love God and obey his
commandments.
For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome,
for whoever is begotten by God conquers
the world.
And the victory that conquers the world
is our faith.
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is the one who came through water
and blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and
blood.
The Spirit is the one that testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
Gospel Jn 20:19-31
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
Eight
days later Jesus came and stood in their midst.
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.
Discipleship Questions:
1. Please read the Acts reading a number of times and then ask yourself this question: If you knew that when you died you would come back to life. How would that change the way you live right now? Please reflect upon and discuss.
2. Can you imagine living in such a community of love? Please discuss.
3. This is truly a picture of heaven on earth. What sort of reality could cause you to become like those early Christians? It’s a reality that not only mutes our fears but it releases our love for one another. Please discuss.
4. Please read and discuss: I have seen this sort of generosity in my life and it has invariably come from someone overwhelmed by the love of our Lord and their debt of love to Him and all whom He loves!
Ah!
The debt of love! It’s true isn’t
it? Think about it – when you have felt
unconditional love you have also sensed a deep and abiding desire to respond in
like kind to this love.
Love – true love – always elicits a
response and that’s what happened in
What we read about in the 4th
chapter of Acts is this response of the debt of love.
Do you and I feel any debt of love – to
God, to anyone living in this world? I
do! And I thank God for it! Love like this teaches me – teaches us -
because it draws a response of love from us!
Undeserved love almost always draws a
response of love!
5.
Please discuss the following: You see the only way to really grasp this
reality is not to try to grasp it – it’s like trying to cut jello
– you can’t! The key is to invite the
resurrected Lord Jesus to come again and again into your life – to make you
more and more like Him. It’s about
“Hitting “Christ Refresh” about 20 or more times a day so that the magnificent
reality of His living today is not lost on the way we live our lives
today. Let’s do that right now!