Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter
Open Church: All Are Called
Liturgical Cycle: A, B, C | Lectionary Cycle: I, II
Introduction
Opening Prayer
you sent your Son, Jesus Christ among us
to reveal to us that you care about people
and that your love extends to all,
without any distinction of race or culture.
Give us a great respect for all people,
whatever way they come,
and let your Church embrace all cultures,
that Jesus may truly be
the Lord and Shepherd of all,
now and forever.
First Reading
Peter’s Report in Jerusalem
News reached the apostles and the brothers and sisters in Judea that even foreigners had accepted the word of God.
So, when Peter traveled to Jerusalem, these Jewish believers started to argue with him:
“You went to the home of uncircumcised people and ate with them!”
So Peter began to share the facts as they had happened:
“I was praying in the city of Joppa when, in a trance, I saw a vision. Something like a large sheet came down from the sky and drew near to me, landing on the ground by its four corners.
As I stared at it, I saw four-footed creatures of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds of the sky.
Then I heard a voice saying to me: ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat!’
I replied, ‘Certainly not, Lord! No common or unclean creature has ever entered my mouth.’
A second time, the voice from the heavens said, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call unclean.’
This happened three times, and then it was all lifted back into the sky.
At that moment, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying.
The Spirit told me to go with them without hesitation; so these six brothers went with me, and we entered the man’s house.
He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house and telling him, ‘Send someone to Joppa and fetch Simon, also known as Peter.
He will bring you a message that will save you and your entire household.’
I had begun to address them when suddenly the Holy Spirit came upon them, just as it had come upon us at the beginning.
Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
If then, God had given them the same gift that he had given us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to resist God?
When they heard this, they calmed their minds and praised God, saying:
“Then God has granted life-giving repentance to the pagan nations as well.”
Responsorial Psalm
R. (see 3a) Athirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
As the hind longs for the running waters,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place.
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, abandons the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and runs away; then the wolf snatches and scatters the sheep.
This is because he works for pay and cares nothing for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me,
as the Father knows me and I know the Father. Because of this, I give my life for my sheep.
I have other sheep, which are not of this fold. These I must lead as well, and they shall listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd.
The Father loves me because I lay down my life to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down freely. It is mine to lay down and to take up again: this mission I received from my Father.”
Prayers of the Faithful
– Lord Jesus, let our Church keep its gates wide-open for all, from however far come those who are attracted by your voice, we pray:
– Lord Jesus, make our communities open its bolted doors to strangers and to people who are different, we pray:
– Lord Jesus, do not allow us to close our ears and hearts to people who cry out to us their pains and their needs, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord, our God,
in these signs of bread and wine,
we recognize your care for all
and we welcome your Son, Jesus Christ.
Give us, the Holy Spirit of your Son,
that our love may become
as wide as the world,
and that all people may share
in the life and joy you offer to all
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord God, source of all life,
we thank you for the presence
of your Son, Jesus Christ, in our midst.
Do not allow us to withhold
his Word and his person
from all who hunger for him,
whether they know it or not.
Let us be his word and his body
to the world of today,
that our words and deeds
may echo his voice
and that we may be the door to you,
our God, for ever and ever.
Blessing
Let Jesus not be a stranger to us, but someone whose voice we recognise when he calls out to us in the needy, in loners, in people who have not experienced much justice and love. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
The sheepfolds in the Palestinian settings of Jesus’ times were enclosures surrounded by stone walls on which were placed bundles of thorns. Brambles are allowed to grow on it to prevent sheep from exiting and thieves from entering. The enclosure could be in front of a house, built outdoors, or on the slope of a mountain. In the latter case, it was typically used by most shepherds who brought their sheep at night; one of them would be awake while others slept.
Armed with a stick, he was positioned at the entrance of the fold, which had no door. He squatted and, in that position, blocking the access to the sheepfold, he himself became “the door.” Typically, he dozed off, but his presence was enough to deter the raiders from approaching the fold and to keep the wolves out of the enclosure. The sheep could be approached only by whoever he allowed to pass. In the later part of today’s gospel, Jesus says he is “the Gate.”
In the morning, when every shepherd stood at the door, the sheep would immediately recognise his step and voice and follow him. From this experience of his people’s life, Jesus sets this parable.
The true shepherd knows his sheep by name and calls them “one by one.” For Jesus, anonymous masses do not exist. He takes an interest in each of his disciples. He pays attention to the gifts, strengths, and weaknesses of each. “He carries the lambs in his bosom, gently leading those that are with young” (Is 40:11). He understands their difficulties, helps and respects them.
In contrast to this shepherd, the thieves and bandits appear. Who are they? They could be the religious and political leaders who were posing as attentive guides of the people’s welfare, but in reality, they were seeking domination, personal prestige, and exploitation; their methods were violence and lies. They steal, kill and destroy. Three verbs summarise the work of death.
Today’s Gospel has an insistence on the “voice of the shepherd” that is “heard”, “recognised”, and immediately distinguished from that of the strangers. After the resurrection, the disciples could not recognise Jesus when they saw him face to face, but they recognised him by his voice.
The eyes of the disciples will be misled: He will be taken as a wayfarer, a ghost, a fisherman; but who heard him could not be mistaken. His voice was unmistakable.
Today, this voice continues to resound, crisp and alive in the word of the gospel. It is the only one that sounds familiar to the disciple.
Who is “taught by the Spirit” is able to discern the voice of the shepherd. Let us be attentive to that voice that ensures us green pastures, an abundance of water, and protection from the impostors.
===============
John 10: 11-18
The Voice of the Shepherd
The enclosures for sheep in Jesus' time in Palestine were surrounded by stone walls with bundles of thorns on top. Brambles were allowed to grow on the walls to stop sheep from leaving and to prevent thieves from entering. These enclosures were usually used by shepherds who brought their sheep at night; one shepherd would stay awake while the others slept.
In the morning, when each shepherd stood at the door, the sheep immediately recognised his step and voice and followed him. Jesus uses this experience from his people's lives to set this parable.
The true shepherd knows each of his sheep by name and calls them individually. The followers of Jesus are not nameless crowds. Jesus cares about each one of us. He notices our unique gifts, strengths, and weaknesses and understands our struggles.
Unlike the caring shepherd, there are thieves and bandits. These could include religious and political leaders who employ violence and deceit in their actions: stealing, killing, and destroying. These three verbs sum up their destructive activities.
Today's Gospel emphasises the importance of recognising the "voice of the shepherd" and distinguishing it from that of strangers. After the resurrection, the disciples could not recognise Jesus when they saw him face to face, but they recognised him by his voice.
The disciples mistook Jesus for a gardener, a traveller, a ghost, or a fisherman, but when they listened to his voice, he could not be mistaken.
Those who are "taught by the Spirit" can discern the voice of the shepherd. Let us pay attention to that voice, which leads us to green pastures, abundant water, and protection from impostors.