Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
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Disgust
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Fear
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Joy
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Sadness
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Language Tone
Analytical
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Confident
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Tentative
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Social Tone
Openness
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Conscientiousness
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Extraversion
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Agreeableness
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Emotional Range
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Tone of specific sentences
Tones
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Anger
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SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER – YEAR C – 8AM
When something */strange/* or */unusual/* happens,
for example, a */train/* *wreck*, a */plane/* *crash*,
a *nuclear **/disaster/*, */we/* call for a */public/* *investigation*.
If what happened on */Easter Sunday/* */two thousand/* years ago
were to happen today,
we would */immediately/* call for a *public enquiry*.
*/Fortunately/* for us, the */gospels/* would *hold up in court*.
Jesus’ */death/* could be */established/* without doubt.
It was a *public event*.
~/ There were *numerous witnesses*.
But Jesus’ */resurrection/* is a different story.
*/Here/* the witnesses would be called *one by one*.
*/Mary/* of */Magdala/* would be the *first* to take the *witness stand*.
*/Peter/* would be next, followed by */John/*,
then by the *two disciples* who were on the *road to Emmaus*.
~/
*/Finally/*, */Thomas/* would take the stand.
He was the one who */refused/* to believe all the stories
that */Jesus/* had */risen/* from the */dead/*.
*/He/* demanded */positive proof/*.
What about this */Thomas/*?
The */Gospel/* tells us that Thomas was the */risk-taking man/*.
He once suggested that */ALL/* the disciples
should *go with Jesus to **Jerusalem* and */die/* with him if necessary.
*/Thomas focused/* on the *value of teamwork*.
He was also */honest /*when he said
he did not understand a word Jesus was saying
when Jesus said he was the way to the Father.
So, */Thomas/* was a */truth-seeker/*.
!
But today, we wonder why */Thomas /*was */absent /*after the death of Jesus,
since */he /*/had/ *emphasized* the *value of teamwork*.
Why didn’t he */stay/* with his brothers and wait to find out
whether Jesus’ */prophesy/* of his resurrection would come true?
When */Peter/* told */Thomas/* that */Jesus/* was *truly alive*
and had *appeared* to the whole group, */Thomas/* doubted.
! Why? ~/ */Thomas/* could not believe *anything Peter said*.
*/Peter/* had promised fidelity to Jesus, and then */denied him three times/*.
*/Thomas/* was *disheartened, disillusioned*, and *angry*.
*/He/* was *unwilling* to accept the word of others.
As a truth-seeker, */Thomas/* sought the *evidence* of Jesus’ wounds.
Eventually, it was by the wounds of Jesus, that his *doubts *were *healed*.
When */Thomas/* saw the wounds of Christ, he declared his faith */solemnly/*:
‘*/My Lord and my God/*!’
His search for the */wounded man/*, */Jesus/*,
brought him to the */Christ of glory/*.
This “/doubting/” Thomas led *John* to write */this/* conclusion to his Gospel:
“*/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.”
Like Thomas, are */we/* sometimes a strange mixture of */belief/* and */unbelief/*?
!
In our lives, there are *moments of crisis* when our minds are */darkened/*
and our */vision of God/* is blurred by */clouds of doubt/*.
It is no wonder we can pray like Thomas:
‘*/My Lord and my God/*.’
~/ ‘*/I believe/*.
~/~/ */Help my unbelief/*.’
~/
We want to hear */Jesus/*’ words,
‘*/Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe/*.’
(Pause)
This *Sunday* is also the Sunday of *Divine Mercy*.
Today’s Gospel reveals the *grace *and *mercy of God*
in forgiving */sins/* and in forgiving */Thomas/*.
It wants us to know that in *case of doubt*,
we should always *lean on divine mercy*.
It is said that *our prayer* and *God’s mer*cy
are like *two buckets* in a well;
while the *one ascends* the *other* */descends/*.
It means that while */our prayer/* ascends, */God’s mercy/* descends.
God’s mercy is */boundless/*, */free/*, and */available/* to us.
Saint *Augustine* said, “*/Trust the past to the mercy of God/*.
*/Entrust the present to his love, and the future to his providence/*.”
*Thomas* *entrusted his past *to the *mercy of our Lord*.
He did have a moment of doubt about Jesus’ resurrection,
yet he immediately *worshiped Jesus*: “*/My Lord and my God/*.”
*He entrusted his present* to *Jesus’ love* and *forgiveness*.
And after the moment of regaining faith,
*he entrusted his future* to *Jesus’ providence*.
If *God’s mercy* could *spare* Thomas from his *weakness*,
should *we *expect *anything less*?
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