FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER - Jn 10:11-18 - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVEYONE

READING OF THE DAY

First reading from the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 4:8-12

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said:

"Leaders of the people and elders:

If we are being examined today

about a good deed done to a cripple,

namely, by what means he was saved,

then all of you and all the people of Israel should know

that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean

whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;

in his name this man stands before you healed.

He is the stone rejected by you, the builders,

which has become the cornerstone.

There is no salvation through anyone else,

nor is there any other name under heaven

given to the human race by which we are to be saved."

Second reading from the first Letter of John

1 Jn 3:1-2

Beloved:

See what love the Father has bestowed on us

that we may be called the children of God.

Yet so we are.

The reason the world does not know us

is that it did not know him.

Beloved, we are God's children now;

what we shall be has not yet been revealed.

We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,

for we shall see him as he is.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to John

Jn 10:11-18

Jesus said:

"I am the good shepherd.

A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

A hired man, 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."

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER - Jn 10:11-18

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVEYONE

Dear People of God,

In the Word of God today, God the Father presents an absolute and unique example of a shepherd, which is Jesus Christ, the only son of God the Father who came to earth to become a human being. He is the infinitely good shepherd, the infinitely loving One, and the infinitely powerful One, who covers and tends to all humanity with infinite love. There is no love greater than the love of the shepherd Jesus Christ, the only son of God the Father.

This is a way to introduce the good shepherd of God the Father. He is extremely merciful, compassionate, and tolerant, therefore, He calls all mankind to run to the good shepherd, who is the image of Jesus Christ. Come to Him and abide in Him, follow the path of justice, charity, and love, and obey Him completely.

Through the calling of Jesus Christ, the shepherd loves all and cares for all mankind. Those who know how to open their hearts to receive the grace and holy will of God the Father and put them into practice will not be devoured by wolves. He has absolute power, He can do everything. Therefore, with wisdom and discernment, follow the will of God the Father and follow the good shepherd, Jesus Christ. Then give up our evil lifestyle, give up our sinful path, and give up our bad habits that have been imprisoned by Satan for a long time. Be determined to stand up, follow Jesus' teachings in the Gospel, and put them into practice.

Besides, God the Father also calls on the shepherds of God the Father, of Jesus Christ in today's world: to be kind, tolerant, merciful, and take care of your flock until the end. Please protect them from the ravenous beasts that are Satan. The shepherds of Jesus must follow the example of the shepherd Jesus: by obeying the will of God the Father in all places and at all times. They must be alert to Satan's temptations, must give up worldly pleasures, earthly glory, and honor to live in obedience; must sacrifice themselves, deny themselves, and sacrifice themselves to death to care for and protect the flock of God the Father. That is the true shepherd of Jesus Christ; that is the worthy shepherd placed by God the Father to take care of His flock.

For the shepherds in today's world, God the Father wants to emphasize to them that: They must die to themself, must abandon their sinful ways, and live in chastity and purity with holiness and simplicity. With obedience, meekness, and humility following the example of Jesus Christ, then they can take care of and protect the flock from the temptations of Satan.

They must conquer Satan's tempting schemes, then satan will lose, retreat, and release the sheep they captured.

For the good shepherds of God the Father, of Jesus Christ. God the Father calls all of them to go out and preach the Gospel.

- To Protect souls from the captivity of Satan.

- Calling people to repent.

- calling people to believe in Jesus Christ, to believe in His death and resurrection. So that God Himself will save their souls from the captivity of Satan.

- calling them to abandon their sinful path with absolute trust in the teachings of Jesus Christ, so that eternal life can be brought to them.

In today's Word of God, God the Father warns those shepherds who are falling into the sinful path of the world, falling into the temptations of Satan to:

- Wake up, stand up, and return to God, return to the image of the good shepherd, Jesus Christ.

- They must protect and take good care of the flock that God has entrusted to them.

- must not fall into Satan's traps of lustful temptation anymore!

-Must not fall into Satan's temptations of glory, honor, and power anymore!

-Yet return to being a meek, simple, and humble shepherd, serving God the Father. Resolutely abandon the sinful path.

- They must keep their bodies and souls truly chaste and pure.

- To Have absolute confidence in the power of God the Father, and be faithful to God the Father in all places and at all times. Then Satan will let go of their bodies and souls and release the sheep they were holding captive.

Thanks be to God. Amen.