Year A – Easter 2
Full-text of the Appointed Lessons (RSV and NRSV), with instructions for lectors
April 12 – 2 Easter, Year A – RCL
ILLUMINATION for the First Lesson
The Second Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 12, 2026
Acts 2:14a, 22-32
Peter proclaims Jesus’ resurrection publicly to the people of Jerusalem for the first time, then tells the people that Jesus has lived out God’s plan for salvation.
A reading (lesson) from the Acts of the Apostles:
(Lead in with) RSV and NRSV: Peter, standing with the eleven…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed the multitude, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. But God raised him up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will dwell in hope. For thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades, nor let thy Holy One see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou wilt make me full of gladness with thy presence.’ Brethren, I may say to you confidently of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.
New Revised Standard Version
Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed the multitude, “You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know– this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying , ‘He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.’ This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.”
ILLUMINATION for the Second Lesson
The Second Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 12, 2026
1 Peter 1:3-9
Peter reassures early Christians that despite their fears and hardships, the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives them new life and the promise of glory to come.
A reading (lesson) from the First Letter of Peter:
(Lead in with) RSV and NRSV: Blessed be the God…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls.
New Revised Standard Version
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith– being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire– may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
ILLUMINATION for the Gospel Lesson
The Second Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 12, 2026
John 20:19-31
The risen Lord reveals himself to several of the disciples. Thomas is only convinced of the resurrection when he personally encounters Jesus, as the Savior joins the twelve for a second time.
A reading (lesson) from the Gospel according to John:
(Lead in with) RSV: On the evening…; NRSV: When it was evening…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc. If read by an ordained person as the eucharistic gospel, conclude with The gospel of the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
On the evening of the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
New Revised Standard Version
When it was evening on the day of Resurrection, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then 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.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told 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 in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
April 12 – 2 Easter, Year A – BCP
ILLUMINATION for the First Lesson
(And for the Alternate Second Lesson)
The Second Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 12, 2026
Acts 2:14a, 22-32
Peter proclaims Jesus’ resurrection publicly to the people of Jerusalem for the first time, then tells the people that Jesus has lived out God’s plan for salvation.
A reading (lesson) from the Acts of the Apostles:
(Lead in with) RSV and NRSV: Peter, standing with the eleven…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed the multitude, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. But God raised him up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will dwell in hope. For thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades, nor let thy Holy One see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou wilt make me full of gladness with thy presence.’ Brethren, I may say to you confidently of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants upon his throne, he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.
New Revised Standard Version
Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed the multitude, “You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know– this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying , ‘He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.’ This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.”
ILLUMINATION for the Alternate First Lesson
The Second Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 12, 2026
Genesis 8:6-16; 9:8-16
The great flood in the time of Noah comes to an end. God makes his covenant with all creatures, in the form of a rainbow, promising that water will never again destroy the earth.
A reading (lesson) from the Book of Genesis:
(Lead in with) RSV and NRSV: At the end…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made, and sent forth a raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. Then he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground; but the dove found no place to set her foot, and she returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put forth his hand and took her and brought her into the ark with him. He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; and the dove came back to him in the evening, and lo, in her mouth a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. Then he waited another seven days, and sent forth the dove; and she did not return to him any more. In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried from off the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry. In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. Then God said to Noah, “Go forth from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you.” Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will look upon it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.”
New Revised Standard Version
At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made and sent out the raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. Then he sent out the dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground; but the dove found no place to set its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took it and brought it into the ark with him. He waited another seven days, and again he sent out the dove from the ark; and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. Then he waited another seven days, and sent out the dove; and it did not return to him any more. In the six hundred first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and saw that the face of the ground was drying. In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. Then God said to Noah, “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you.” Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
ILLUMINATION for the Second Lesson
The Second Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 12, 2026
1 Peter 1:3-9
Peter reassures early Christians that despite their fears and hardships, the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives them new life and the promise of glory to come.
A reading (lesson) from the First Letter of Peter:
(Lead in with) RSV and NRSV: Blessed be the God…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc.
Revised Standard Version
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls.
New Revised Standard Version
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith– being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire– may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
ILLUMINATION for the Gospel Lesson
The Second Sunday of Easter, Year A, April 12, 2026
John 20:19-31
The risen Lord reveals himself to several of the disciples. Thomas is only convinced of the resurrection when he personally encounters Jesus, as the Savior joins the twelve for a second time.
A reading (lesson) from the Gospel according to John:
(Lead in with) RSV: On the evening…; NRSV: When it was evening…
Conclude with The word of the Lord or Here endeth, etc. If read by an ordained person as the eucharistic gospel, conclude with The gospel of the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
On the evening of the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
New Revised Standard Version
When it was evening on the day of Resurrection, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then 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.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told 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 in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Scripture quotations labeled NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The Living Word | Lectionary Preaching Aids
Exploring the Texts
“Recently I heard of the phenomenon of monster repellent. One gets a generic spray bottle, fills it with water, and then creates a label that reads ‘Monster Spray.’ Before bed, a fearful child can spray it around her room. Only later in life do fears grow more complicated and the comforts of monster spray no longer work.”
“The appearance of the risen Lord to Thomas reclaims the story of the Lord’s pain. … The wounds remain in the risen body of Christ. This is true resurrection for the long road of trial and doubt and suffering. In some measure, every Christian bears both the suffering and the new life of Christ.”
“In a sense, we are not so different from the first disciples. Faith must be drawn out of us, and only the power of Christ can do that. Mere physical sight is not enough. It was not enough for the first disciples, who often did not recognize the Risen Lord, and it is not enough or even possible for us.”
Preaching Today
Jessica Martin: Time and Meaning
“Our scriptural records of his presence shine through the corruptions of time and memory but are still framed and faded by those corruptions in bewildering ways. They are like photos: records that both show and conceal the truth they tell. The Jesus who speaks to each of us is within Scripture but also in the world and in each loving heart: ‘although you have not seen him, you love him.’”
Sarah Hinlicky Wilson: I Touched His Wounds
“I figured that depression and fear had just made the other disciples lose their minds. Probably they were seeing things. Maybe Jesus had sent a ghost version of himself to comfort them. Maybe some other spirit had deceived them. But a raised, living body? The resurrection? The life?”
George Westhaver: The Eighth Day
“Christ has said, ‘Let there be light.’ We are raised with him, he has breathed the Spirit into us. And yet we all know how imperfectly we seek those things which are above, we all know how much of us still needs to be remade. So, we are given the gift of this weekly return to what is beyond the week.”
Classic Texts
Rufinus: The Splendor of Everything
“The glory of his resurrection brought out in Christ the splendor of everything that previously seemed feeble and weak. If a few moments ago you thought it impossible for one who was immortal to reach death, you can now perceive the impossibility of his being mortal who is declared to have vanquished death and to have risen again.”
John Cosin: Soon Out of Breath
“Christ breathed upon them here to show that otherwise they might have been soon out of breath to have run this message over the world; that it was not in the power of man, nor in the breath of his nostrils (God knows) to throw down those strongholds of the devil which they were now to encounter, but that by the Spirit of the Lord and the breath of his mouth it must be done.”
Heinrich Bullinger: My Lord and My God
“Nor does he cry out, ‘You are the Lord and God,’ but ‘My Lord and my God!’ For true faith believes that the Lord God is its own Lord and God, that is, believes that the omnipotent, supremely wise, and merciful God and Lord is well-disposed toward the believer, and that he freely disperses and liberally pours out all his good things for the use of believers.”
Articles on “Doubting Thomas”
Elizabeth Baumann: Colorful Thomas
“St. Thomas is also transparent in a really appealing way. … If St. Thomas himself were to join us today over curry, I think he’d tell us to stop worrying about our intellectual limits or our doubts, and just be honest with Jesus, because he will meet us where we are.”
Boone Porter: Thomas Sunday
“Here, St. John suggests, the followers of Jesus are learning where and when to meet him: in the assembly of his followers on the first day of the week, the day they soon came to call the Lord’s Day. This is what all the Sundays of Eastertide are about, and they in turn provide the pattern for all other Sundays of the year. On the Lord’s Day we assemble in God’s name, united to the Risen Christ and to one another, by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Paul Kolbet: The Grace of Being Seen
“Could it be, though, that what was most transformative in the moment where he encountered the risen Christ wasn’t so much what Thomas saw as the experience he had of being seen?”
Articles on Gladness
Jordan Hillebert: Use, Enjoyment, and the Order of Things
“In locating our true enjoyment in God, we begin to learn what it means to use and enjoy the world around us aright, that is, for God’s sake. If God is the supreme object of our enjoyment, then everything else is useful insofar as it puts us in relation to him. The things we buy, and eat, and wear, and use all have the capacity to elicit thanksgiving, to spur us toward acts of generosity, and to deepen our sense of dependence upon our creator.”
Bruce Robison: Easter Communion
“One poem I remember year after year is Easter Communion, by Gerard Manley Hopkins … as I watch the crowds on Sunday assemble in lines to approach the Holy Table — the sanctoral parade of kids and grandkids, moms and dads, collegians home for the week, old friends and new: all the bright spring dresses and wide-brimmed hats, new sport coats, freshly shined shoes.”
Elisabeth Kincaid: An Elusive Joy at Easter
“Easter joy is the joy that comes out of tribulation, as Paul writes in Romans 5:3-5, the joy that comes out of the harvest (cf. Isa.9:3), the joy that comes after (and out of) Lent and Good Friday. Christians do not come to Easter, then, unbruised and unaffected by the events of the world around us.”
Articles on the Defeat of Death
Mark Clavier: Christ the Lily of Humanity
“The wood anemone, daffodils, crocuses, and bluebells erupt from their winter’s tomb and the warmth of the April sun shout ‘Χριστός ἀνέστη!’ (Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!) as loudly as any ceremony. Our glad Creator is also our glad Redeemer — nature seems to know this far better than we do.”
Bryan Owen: Too Good to Be True
“The resurrection gives us the assurance that not even the power of death can thwart God’s desire that there be life in abundance. And the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a reality that opens ‘every moment of our history … to a future of healing and promise.’”
Molly Jayne Layton: The Body of Christ in the Tomb of Christ
“In that moment, I saw three things at once: Christ’s dead body once buried in that tomb, his resurrected body in heaven, and his sacramental body in the host. It was a profound glimpse of the real presence of Christ. His sacrifice, his resurrection, and his sacramental grace all fused together in the simple host in the hand of the priest in front of me.”
