Jesus The Good Shepherd – Catholic Daily Reading + Reflection, 8th May 2022
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THE GLORIA
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
FIRST READING
“Behold, we turn to the Gentiles.”
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 13: 14.43-52)
In those days: Paul and Barnabas passed on from Perga and came to Antioch of Pisidia. And on the sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. And many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God. The next sabbath almost the whole city gathered together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted what was spoken by Paul, and reviled him. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.”’ And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of God; and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord spread throughout all the region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
The word of the Lord
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 100:1-2.3.5 (R. 3c)
R/. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Or: Alleluia.
Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing for joy. R/.
Know that he, the Lord, is God.
He made us; we belong to him.
We are his people, the sheep of his flock. R/.
R/. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
Or: Alleluia.
Indeed, how good is the Lord,
eternal his merciful love.
He is faithful from age to age. R/.
SECOND READING
“The Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water.”
A reading from the Book of Revelation (Revelation 7:9.14b -17)
I, John, looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. Then one of the elders said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night within his temple; and he who sits upon the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
The word of the Lord
ALLELUIA (Gospel Acclamation) John 10: 14
Alleluia. I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my own, and my own know me. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“I give my sheep eternal life.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 10:27-30)
At that time: Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
The Creed (I Believe)
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
Christ the Good Shepherd
PRIEST: We pray to God our Father and trust that he will answer our petitions which we make in the name of Christ, the Good Shepherd, who died for us and rose again from the dead to bring us the living waters of eternal life.
READERS:
FOR THE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH, (pause) may they, like their Risen Lord, lead us to the spring of living waters of grace, and feed us with the truths of the Gospel and the living bread of Christ’s body. (pause) Father, in your mercy; guard and guide us we pray Oh Lord.
FOR THE CIVIC LEADERS OF OUR SOCIETY, (pause) may they listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and realize their responsibility in guarding our society from those elements which corrupt the morals of young people. (pause) Father, in your mercy; guard and guide us we pray Oh Lord.
FOR THOSE IN OUR WORLD WHO FEEL LOST AND BETRAYED, (pause) may the light of the Risen Lord shine in their hearts and warm them by its presence, so that they may know that they are not abandoned by the Good Shepherd, who gave his life for everyone. (pause) Father, in your mercy; guard and guide us we pray Oh Lord.
FOR THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, (pause) may we, like Paul and Barnabas, be a light of faith to our neighbours, so that they, too, may learn to believe in the love and power of the Good Shepherd. (pause) Father, in your mercy; guard and guide us we pray Oh Lord.
We make our private petitions to God our Father.
PRIEST: Father, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we trust that you will answer our prayers, and continue to guard and guide us. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
The scene that forms the text for today is found only in Matthew’s Gospel. Through the appearance of the risen Christ, Matthew stresses a point he made earlier through the Emmanuel prophecy (Matthew 1:23), in the mission discourse (10:40) and in other parts of his Gospel, that Jesus would accompany his disciples on mission. His presence with them would be a constant and eternal presence. This is not only because of the promise of Jesus to his disciples and us, but also because of the fact that whenever love is made present Jesus is; whenever concern for another is shown, Jesus is; and whenever we reach out in love and forgiveness, optimism and hope, Jesus is and continues to be. Has Jesus risen in your heart? How will you show this today?
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL:
Day 8 May Devotion
The power of prayer and praise can never be over emphasized and it is something we see in the life of our Mother Mary, we are expected to let the Spirit of prayer and praise possess us. She was very apt and sincere in her praise to God. She sang the magnificat in thanksgiving to God for all He has done in her life (Luke 1:46-55).
We must learn from her to be children of praise no matter the circumstances or situations we may pass through in life both good and bad. Make sure the praise of the Lord is on your lips and He will definitely make a way for you.
MEDITATION: Acts 16:22-34
Let Us Pray,
Heavenly Father, pour out your Spirit upon me so that He will help me to praise you in good times and in bad. May my prayer and praise win souls to you and may it make your glory to be made manifest in my life. Amen. And May the Almighty God bless you: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.