Link to Liturgy - 4th Sunday of Easter - Cycle B
The Good Shepherd
| Communion Antiphon | Collect | Gospel Reading | Spiritual Reading | Responsory |
| Lesson | Discussion | Pop Culture Connection | Profession / Devotion | Marian Antiphon |
Communion Antiphon (Jn 20:14) - Simple English Propers
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Collect – Roman Missal
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Almighty ever-living God,
lead us to a share in the joys of heaven,
So that the humble flock my reach
Where the brave Shepherd has gone before.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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Gospel Reading – John 10:11-18 – Roman Missal
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
- Glory to you O Lord
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."
The Gospel of the Lord.
- Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ
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Spiritual Reading
From St. Gregory the Great
O Lord, you say: “As the Father knows me, I know the Father, and I give my life for my sheep” (Jn. 10:15). It is as if you said: the fact that I give my life for my sheep makes it clear that I know the Father and that I am known by him…The charity that makes you die for your sheep, shows how much you love the Father…
Again you say: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life” (ib. 27-28). Shortly before that you had said: “If any one enters by me he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (ib. 9). He will enter through faith, and then go out, passing from faith to vision, from ease in believing to contemplation, and will find pasture in the eternal feast.
Your sheep will find pasture, because whoever follows you with a simple heart is nourished by eternally fruitful pasture. And what indeed is the pasture of these sheep if not the intimate joys of a forever verdant paradise? In truth, the pasture of your elect is the face of the ever-present God. While we contemplate him without ceasing, our minds are fully satisfied with the food of life…
O Lord, make me seek these pastures to enjoy them with all the heavenly citizens…Fill me with ardent longing for the things of heaven, that I may love them and really set out on my way.
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Responsory - Office of Readings - Galatians 3:24-25,23
The law was our guardian until Christ came and made it possible for us to be reconciled to God by faith.
- And now that the time of faith has come, we are under that guardian no longer.
Before the time of faith came, the law kept us strictly in check, watching us closely until faith should be revealed.
- And now that the time of faith has come, we are under that guardian no longer.
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Discussion Questions
(do not use unless within the context of the lesson)
One Flock, One Shepherd
What does Jesus mean by “A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep”?
What is the mission of the Shepherd?
Where do we, the Church, fit in this image of the Good Shepherd?
What does Jesus mean when He says that there are other sheep?
Who are the wolves? What are other examples of “wolves” in Church history?
How do we stay away from the wolves and remain close to Jesus? Where do we hear Jesus’ voice today?
The Image of the Good Shepherd
What does the title “Good Shepherd” mean?
Why does Jesus bring up the image of the Good Shepherd now?
How do we listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd?
Where else in Scripture do we see the image of a shepherd?
Why is Jesus as the Good Shepherd important?
In our life who is the shepherd, the sheep dogs, the other sheep and the gate? What do these images mean to our life?
Love Between God the Father and the Son
What similarities can we see between God the Father and Son?
Why does the Father love Jesus for laying down His life?
How does this Gospel reading confer Jesus’ divinity?
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Profession of Faith or Popular Devotion - Prayers to Christ, the Good Shepherd
This prayer is from one of our Church Fathers, St. Gregory Nazianzen from his prayer book. (Prayer 45:26, 28).
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
O God, we needed you to take our flesh and to die for us in order to give us life. We died with you in order to be justified; we are risen again with you, because we were crucified with you. And since we rose again together, we are glorified with you. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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Marian Antiphon - Regina Caeli - Simple Tone
V. Guade et laetare, Virgo Maria, alleluia.
R. Quia surrexit Dominus vere, alleluia
Let us pray. O God, who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, didst vouchsafe to make glad the whole world; grant, we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. AMEN
English Translation
Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia; For He whom thou didst merit to bear, alleluia, has risen as He said, alleluia: Pray fro us to God, alleluia.
V. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia!
R. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia!
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