Fourth
Sunday of Easter
Apr
26, 2015
Gospel (Jn 10:11-18)
Jesus said: “I
am the good shepherd. A good shepherd (1) lays
down his life for the sheep. A hired man (2),
who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves
the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is
because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good
shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I
know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep
that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my
voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves
me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it
from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to
take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”
The difficult
words
(1) A shepherd is someone in charge of caring for sheep.
(2) A hired man is someone who works for pay.
This week’s
spotlight
Vocations Sunday
This Sunday, we pray
for vocations to the priesthood and the religious life. We pray that men and
women all over the world will hear the call of God to serve their brothers and
sisters by becoming priests, monks, or nuns. You can join in the Church’s
prayer by asking that people hear God’s call to become priests (those who will
give us the sacraments) or religious sisters and brothers who will serve the
poor and the rest of the world through their actions and prayers.
The Pope, bishops, priests, and deacons
The Lord calls
certain men to serve him and all of our brothers and sisters by announcing the
Good News and celebrating the sacraments. In order to do this, these men receive
the sacrament of Holy Orders and become deacons, then priests, and sometimes
bishops. Bishops are the successors of the apostles; they are responsible,
under the Pope, for a geographic area called a diocese. They must govern,
teach, and love their people, like a shepherd cares for his flock. We pray for
our bishop at each Mass, asking God to help him in this important task. He is
our shepherd, assisted by priests and deacons. It is the Pope, the bishop of
Rome, who names all the bishops.
Reflection
The good
shepherd
In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus tells us that he is the
good shepherd. Have you ever seen a shepherd taking care of his sheep? He knows
each one of his animals. He knows what they need and he guides them to the best
pastures. Whether he’s walking in front of them or behind them, he’s always
watching over his sheep. If they are ever in danger, he defends them at any
cost.
He would even take care of a sheep from a neighboring
flock if it were in danger. A good shepherd would never abandon any of his
sheep. Jesus is this good shepherd for each one of us. In making this
comparison, Jesus is showing the kind of love he has for us. Jesus knows you
and loves you. That is why he guides you toward God the Father. He wants what
is best for you. Jesus not only guides you through his word but also through
the people who help you understand it: your parents, your godfather and
godmother, your catechism teachers, priests... Are you willing to let yourself
be guided by Jesus?
Discussion questions
1.Who is the good
shepherd?
2.What does the
shepherd do for his sheep?
3.Who is the hired man?
4.What does the hired
man do when his sheep is in danger?
5.How many flocks and
shepherds will there be?
6.What power does the
good shepherd have?
7.Whom does Jesus
receive the command from?
8.As a sheep in the flock of God, what should we do?
Praying after Communion
After receiving Holy Communion, you can say this prayer silently to yourself. If you
have not yet
received your First Communion, you can still say this prayer because of your desire to
receive Jesus.
Father, through Jesus, in communion with the whole
Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. You have given us your Son Jesus
to be our guide and our shepherd. He gave his life for us. May this communion
with his body and his blood help us to follow him joyfully toward you
throughout the week.
Crossword Puzzle
Unscramble the words
