Second Sunday in Easter, Year A
Both our reading and gospel focus on the presence of the risen Lord.
In the reading, we hear how the disciples lived together in a community, shared everything they had, listened to the words of Jesus, broke bread together, prayed, apostles performed miracles.
In the Gospel, the disciples were locked in a room together because they were afraid of the people who crucified Jesus. Jesus came and stood in the same room. He said “Peace be with you. As God has sent me to you, now I am sending you to others.” He gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit so they can forgive sins. Thomas wasn’t there the week before so he didn’t believe that Jesus was alive until he saw Jesus’ hands and side.
We keep the following children who are receiving their first Holy Communion at St. Anthony at the 10:30 mass in our prayers: Ethan Alvero, Dakota Dias, Joy Estacio, Joshua Fernando, Julianne Jaca, Sabrina McCusker, Claire McDaniel, Marc Moralina, Lance Navales, Kate Opalinski, Kiersten Quijano, Anica Salinas, Alexa Suce, Sharelle Tchokote, and Lauren Van Tassell.
Special Saint: St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen – April 24th
Mark Rey was born in Germany in 1578. He studied and became a lawyer. Even while studying at university, he would visit the sick and the poor and spent time praying every day.
Mark often took cases of poor people who couldn’t pay him. He became known as “The Poor Man’s Lawyer”.
Realizing the legal system wasn’t honest, he became a priest. He was ordained Fr. Fidelis which means “faithful”.
Fr. Fidelis went to Switzerland to preach to the people who left the Catholic Faith. Many people were converted and many enemies of the Church became angry at his success.
Even though his life was in danger, he kept on preaching. He was shot at during one of his sermons but the bullet missed him.
A group of angry people followed him and tried to make him give up the Catholic religion. Fr. Fidelis refused to give up the faith. They began to beat him but he prayed: “Lord, forgive my enemies. They do not know what they are doing. Lord Jesus, have mercy on me! Holy Mary, my Mother, help me!”
Fr. Fidelis died a martyr in 1622 at 44 years old.
It is a great honour to be able to help others come to know Jesus and his Church. Let us try to be real apostles through our prayer, good example, and kind words like St. Fidelis.