Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection May 11, 2025
Fourth Sunday of Easter
11th May 2025 (Sunday)
Psalter: Week 4
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Acts 13:14, 43-52
In those days: Paul and Barnabas went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, 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.
Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5 (R. 3c)
R/. We are his people, the sheep of his flock. Or: Alleluia.
Second Reading: Revelation 7:9, 14b-17
I John, looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. And one of the elders said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; 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.”
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
V/.I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my own and my own know me.
R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Gospel : John 10:27-30
At that time: Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will 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.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
Fourth Sunday of Easter
Opener: God is our good shepherd. We are all His sheep. We belong to Him and we are fed and led by Him.
1. Today we celebrate the Good Shepherd Sunday. We are reminded of our identity and duty. Our identity is being sheep to the supreme shepherd. Our duty is to walk like good sheep and to shepherd over other sheep.
2. First of all, we must always remember that God is our greatest good shepherd. He is not one among many. He is not one of the many alternatives. He is one and unique. He is the best and the highest. He is incomparable and irreplaceable.
3. Therefore, our first and primary loyalty is to the Lord, who alone is our chief shepherd. We need to seriously question whether we are faithful to the one true shepherd or the many false shepherds.
How easily many forsake the true shepherd and run behind the false shepherds! How thoughtlessly many sheep are carried away by the false directions, attractions, pulls and pressures of the false shepherds!
4. Good sheep hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and they follow him. But How often we give deaf ear to the direction and leading by the Good Shepherd? How often we resent and resist and reject to follow him? How quickly we allow ourselves to be easily trascinated and misguided by the false shepherds?
5. We are not sure whether there is a deep belonging and bonding between the Good Shepherd and the sheep. How many sheep are shallow and superficial in their intimacy with the Good Shepherd? Allegiance to the fold of the good shepherd is no guarantee of our closeness and faithfulness to him.
6. Another very important note is we should be able to distinguish between our core identity and role identity. Our core identity is being sheep to the supreme shepherd. And our role identity is shepherding others. This may look rather superfluous. But this is crucial. We may do the duty of shepherding others. This means that we protect others, nourish and guide others. This is the role of a faithful shepherd. But just because we shepherd other sheep, we will not become shepherds.
7. Now some may be annoyed about this unnecessary distinction. But I believe this is very important. This can keep us always humble as sheep. Otherwise there are many who act arrogantly as shepherds. This can also remind us strongly about our duty to shepherd others. Otherwise there are many who completely forget about their mission towards others and become self- centred.
Direction: There are no two categories like shepherds and sheep. There is only one shepherd, the Lord, and all of us are sheep. Let us be true and faithful sheep. Let us hear and follow the one and the only one Good Shepherd. Let us not allow ourselves to be snatched away by the evil and perish
