14 May 2011

15 May 2011, Fourth Sunday of Easter

Reading One
Acts 2:14a, 36-41

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven,
raised his voice, and proclaimed:
“Let the whole house of Israel know for certain
that God has made both Lord and Christ,
this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart,
and they asked Peter and the other apostles,
“What are we to do, my brothers?”
Peter said to them,
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is made to you and to your children
and to all those far off,
whomever the Lord our God will call.”
He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them,
“Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
Those who accepted his message were baptized,
and about three thousand persons were added that day.

Ps 23: 1-3a, 3b4, 5, 6
Responsorial Psalm R. (1)

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2
1 Pt 2:20b-25

Beloved:
If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good,
this is a grace before God.
For to this you have been called,
because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.
He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.

When he was insulted, he returned no insult;
when he suffered, he did not threaten;
instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly.
He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross,
so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness.
By his wounds you have been healed.
For you had gone astray like sheep,
but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

Gospel
Jn 10:1-10

Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.

So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

Meditation: John 10:1-10

“The sheep hear his voice.” (John 10:3)

The people who first heard Jesus compare himself to a shepherd had some background knowledge that many of us lack. They knew that when shepherds brought their sheep in for the night, they often put them into pens with other flocks. And how did shepherds distinguish their sheep from all the others when it was time to go out to pasture again? Easy. Each shepherd had a distinctive call, which only his sheep would recognize and follow.

What an apt metaphor for Jesus’ relationship with us! He is the Good Shepherd, whose sheep know to respond when he calls to them.

Or do they? Perhaps this is an area where some of Jesus’ sheep—some of us—need a bit more training. Do you believe that you have the potential of becoming so familiar with Jesus that you can quickly discern his voice from the other voices in the world? This gift of discernment, which is every believer’s inheritance in Christ, is developed as we imitate the first Christians, who “devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers” (Acts 2:42).

Close attention to Scripture and church teaching can help us recognize God’s voice and the kind of things he might tell us. Fellowship with other followers of Christ can build us up and give us a sounding board to help us see if our ideas are on target. Personal prayer can become a conversation where we learn to hear the voice of him who loves us best. And the Eucharist can become an intimate encounter with the Lord, who wants to lead us into a deeper understanding of his will.

Isn’t it comforting that, despite our unworthiness, we can still hear Jesus say, “I love you”? This is our Shepherd’s distinctive call. How can we possibly resist?

“Jesus, open my ears and teach me to recognize your voice in all the ways it comes to me. Then open my lips and let me be your voice to others.”

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(Acts 2:14, 36-41; Psalm 23:1-6; 1 Peter 2:20-25; John 10:1-10)

1. In the first reading from Acts, Peter encourages the people to “Repent and be baptized” so that they will experience “forgiveness” and “the gift of the Holy Spirit.” We as baptized Christian have also received “the gift of the Holy Spirit.” How would you describe what you have done with this gift you’ve received? In what way has it made a difference in the way you live out your life each day as a Christian? What steps can you take to allow the Holy Spirit to take a more active role in guiding and leading you?

2. The responsorial psalm, Psalm 23, reminds us of the first words spoken by John Paul II after his election as Pope: “Do not be afraid.” Even though we know that the “Lord is my Shepherd,” what are the fears that can keep you from being the man of God you are called to be?

3. In the second reading, St. Peter describes Christ’s response to the unjust (“he committed no sin”) insults and sufferings he received. What is your typical response to insults and suffering, especially when you think they are unjust? Do you think it is possible to respond in the way Jesus did? Why or why not? How do you think God wants you to respond?

4. The Gospel speaks of hearing the voice of our shepherd. In what ways does the Lord “speak” to you in prayer? How do you recognize his voice? What practical steps can you take to try to become more open to hearing the Lord’s voice during your times of prayer?

5. The Gospel also gives us an unambiguous description of Satan’s role. In contrast to the role of the Good Shepherd (or Psalm 23), Satan comes “only to steal and slaughter and destroy.” How does Satan, “the father of lies and the accuser of the brethren,” use this role to destroy relationships? How might you counter him?

6. How would you answer this question posed in the meditation: “Do you believe that you have the potential of becoming so familiar with Jesus that you can quickly discern his voice from the other voices in the world?”

7. The meditation goes on to describe some ways to develop more fully this “gift of discernment.” Which of these do you need to do better in? Are there some small steps you can take to cause this to happen?

8. At the end of your meeting, pray for one another that each of you would hear more clearly the Lord’s voice in your life. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.

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