Posted on 05/06/2006 8:28:41 PM PDT by Salvation
Fourth Sunday of Easter
Reading 1
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.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29
R. (22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his kindness endures forever.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading II
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 Gods 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
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.
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
Psalm 117 (118) |
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A cry of rejoicing and triumph |
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, and his kindness is for ever. Now let Israel say, he is good and his kindness is for ever. Now let the house of Aaron say it too: that his kindness is for ever. Now let all who fear the Lord say it too: that his kindness is for ever. In my time of trial I called out to the Lord: he listened, and led me to freedom. The Lord is with me, I will fear nothing that man can do. The Lord, my help, is with me, and I shall look down upon my enemies. It is good to seek shelter in the Lord, better than to trust in men. It is good to seek shelter in the Lord, better than to trust in the leaders of men. All the nations surrounded me, and in the Lords name I slew them. They crowded in and besieged me, and in the Lords name I slew them. They surrounded me like swarms of bees, they burned like a fire of dry thorns, and in the Lords name I slew them. They chased and pursued me, to make me fall, and the Lord came to my help. The Lord is my strength and my rejoicing: he has become my saviour. A cry of joy and salvation in the dwellings of the righteous: The Lords right hand has triumphed! The Lords right hand has raised me up; the Lords right hand has triumphed. I shall not die, but live, and tell of the works of the Lord. The Lord chastised me severely but did not let me die. Open the gates of righteousness: I will go in, and thank the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; it is the upright who enter here. I will thank you, for you listened to me, and became my saviour. The stone that the builders rejected has become the corner-stone. It was the Lord who did this it is marvellous to behold. This is the day that was made by the Lord: let us rejoice today, and be glad. Lord, keep me safe; O Lord, let me prosper! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, he shines upon us! Arrange the procession, with close-packed branches, up to the horns of the altar. You are my God, I will give thanks to you; my God, I will give you praise. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, and his kindness is for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
Canticle | Daniel 3 |
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Let every creature praise the Lord | |
Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers, praised and exalted for ever. Blessed is the holy name of your glory praised above all things and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory praised and glorious above all things for ever. Blessed are you who gaze on the depths, seated on the cherubim, praised and exalted for ever. Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven praised and glorious for ever. Bless the Lord, all his works, praise and exalt him for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
Psalm 150 |
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Praise the Lord |
Praise the Lord in his sanctuary, praise him in his mighty firmament. Praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him for all his greatness. Praise him with trumpet-blasts, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dance, praise him with strings and pipes, praise him with cymbals resounding, praise him with cymbals of jubilation. All that breathes, praise the Lord! Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
A short Bible reading and responsory may follow here. |
Canticle | Benedictus |
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The Messiah and his forerunner | |
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear freed from the hands of our enemies in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
Some short prayers may follow here, to offer up the day's work to God. |
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
A concluding prayer may follow here. |
May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
A M E N |
Pray for A Voice in the Desert |
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The stone rejected by the builders |
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Most Reverend Harry J. Flynn Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA This action of the Archbishop is not related to any scandal We regret any inconvenience and humbly ask for your prayers. Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Most Reverend Harry J. Flynn |
There are some beautiful hymns with the Good Shepherd theme, aren't there?
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
Psalm 109 (110) |
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The Messiah, king and priest |
The Lord has said to my lord: Sit at my right hand while I make your enemies into your footstool. From Sion the Lord will give you a sceptre, and you will rule in the midst of your foes. Royal power is yours in the day of your strength, glorious and holy; from the time of your birth, before the dawn. The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: You are a priest for ever, a priest of the priesthood of Melchisedech. The Lord is at your right hand, and on the day of his anger he will shatter kings. He will judge the nations, he will pile high their skulls; he will drink from the stream as he goes he will hold his head high. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
Psalm 111 (112) |
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How blessed are the just |
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord and loves his commands above all things. His seed will be powerful on earth: the descendants of the just will be blessed. Glory and riches will fill his house, and his righteousness will stand firm for ever. He rises up in the darkness, a light for the upright, compassionate, generous, and just. Happy the man who takes pity and lends, who directs his affairs with wisdom he will never be shaken. The just man will be remembered for ever, no slander will he fear. His heart is ready, hoping in the Lord; his heart is strong, it will not fear, until he looks down on his defeated enemies. He gives alms and helps the poor: his righteousness will endure for ever, his future will be glorious. The transgressor will see, and be enraged: he will grind his teeth and fade away. The desires of the wicked will perish. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
Canticle | Apocalypse 19 |
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The wedding of the Lamb | |
Alleluia. Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgements are true and just. Alleluia. Alleluia. Praise our God, all his servants, and you who fear him, small and great. Alleluia. Alleluia. For the Lord reigns, our God, the Almighty: let us rejoice and exult and give him glory. Alleluia. Alleluia. The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his spouse has made herself ready. Alleluia. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
A short Bible reading and responsory may follow here. |
Canticle | Magnificat |
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My soul rejoices in the Lord | |
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, my salvation. For he has shown me such favour me, his lowly handmaiden. Now all generations will call me blessed, because the mighty one has done great things for me. His name is holy, his mercy lasts for generation after generation for those who revere him. He has put forth his strength: he has scattered the proud and conceited, torn princes from their thrones; but lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, he has remembered his mercy as he promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. |
A concluding prayer may follow here. |
May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life. |
A M E N |
Sunday, May 07, 2006 Meditation John 10:11-18 If youve ever admired a famous painting, you were probably struck by two things. First is the thought of how much sacrifice was required of the artist. Second, you were probably awed at the intricacy of the painting, and you wondered how the artist could have planned his or her work in such detail. Great sacrifice and awesome planningwe see these same two elements in todays reading from the Gospel of John. The sacrifice Jesus made is great because he made it freely. Jesus was clear that no one would take his life from him: I lay it down of my own accord (John 10:18). As Paul wrote, Jesus willingly laid his privileges aside, coming to earth as a man, and accepting even death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-9). The thought that the God who made the vast universe chose to become one of us and then died a shameful death for our sake is one we can hardly comprehend. Its comforting to know that the Father didnt just send Jesus down to earth and hope for the best. He planned the whole thing from the beginning. Jesus himself understood the sacrifice of his cross as a command from my Father (John 10:18). Many times in his description of Jesus last days, John wrote that the Lord made his journey to Calvary in order to fulfill the words of the prophets. In other words, Jesus suffering, death, and resurrection were in the mind of God even before the Scriptures were written! Could any design be more awesome than that? The genius of the worlds greatest paintings is nothing compared to what Gods artistry has worked out for us in the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. Even our own lives are part of this great masterpiece, for we are inscribed in Gods book (Psalm 139:16)! Let us rejoice and rest secure, knowing that we too are part of Gods magnificent plan! Thank you, Jesus, for the incredible love that drew you to the cross to give me eternal life. Thank you for fulfilling exactly every detail of the Fathers plan for my salvation. Acts 4:8-12; Psalm 118:1,8-9,21-23,26,29; 1 John 3:1-2 |
I like that one!
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Reflection on the First Reading
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Jesus Only |
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05/08/06 |
Its not politically incorrect to believe in God. Just so long as you acknowledge that all are Gods children, and that there are many, equally honorable paths to the Most High. After all, thats only fair. How conceited it would be to claim that your way is the only way. |
O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.
This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited. |
A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.
Psalm 90 (91) |
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The protection of the Most High |
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. |
He who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells under the shade of the Almighty. He will say to the Lord: You are my shelter and my strength, my God, in whom I trust. For he will free you from the hunters snare, from the voice of the slanderer. He will shade you with his wings, you will hide underneath his wings. His faithfulness will be your armour and your shield. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day; nor the plague that walks in the shadows, nor the death that lays waste at noon. A thousand will fall at your side, at your right hand ten thousand will fall, but you it will never come near. You will look with your eyes and see the reward of sinners. For the Lord is your shelter and refuge; you have made the Most High your dwelling-place. Evil will not reach you, harm cannot approach your tent; for he has set his angels to guard you and keep you safe in all your ways. They will carry you in their arms in case you hurt your foot on a stone. You walk on the viper and cobra, you will tread on the lion and the serpent. Because he clung to me, I shall free him: I shall lift him up because he knows my name. He will call upon me and for my part, I will hear him: I am with him in his time of trouble. I shall rescue him and lead him to glory. I shall fill him with length of days and show him my salvation. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. |
Reading | Apocalypse 22:4-5 |
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They will see the face of the Lord, and his name will be marked on their foreheads. There will be no more night: they will not need sunlight or lamp-light, because the Lord God himself will shine upon them. And they will reign for ever and ever. |
Short Responsory | ? |
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Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness, alleluia, alleluia. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit, alleluia, alleluia. |
Canticle | Nunc Dimittis |
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Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. Alleluia. | |
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. |
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Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. Alleluia. |
Prayer | |
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Let us pray. Today we have celebrated the mystery of the Christs resurrection, and so now we humbly ask you, Lord, that we may rest in your peace, far from all harm, and rise rejoicing and giving praise to you. Through Christ our Lord, Amen. |
May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. |
A M E N |
Final Antiphon | |
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Queen of Heaven, be joyful, Alleluia. You who were worthy to bear him. Alleluia. He has risen, as he promised. Alleluia. Pray for us to God. Alleluia. |
Jn 10:11-18 | ||
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# | Douay-Rheims | Vulgate |
11 | I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. | ego sum pastor bonus bonus pastor animam suam dat pro ovibus |
12 | But the hireling and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and flieth: and the wolf casteth and scattereth the sheep, | mercennarius et qui non est pastor cuius non sunt oves propriae videt lupum venientem et dimittit oves et fugit et lupus rapit et dispergit oves |
13 | And the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling: and he hath no care for the sheep. | mercennarius autem fugit quia mercennarius est et non pertinet ad eum de ovibus |
14 | I am the good shepherd: and I know mine, and mine know me. | ego sum pastor bonus et cognosco meas et cognoscunt me meae |
15 | As the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep. | sicut novit me Pater et ego agnosco Patrem et animam meam pono pro ovibus |
16 | And other sheep I have that are not of this fold: them also I must bring. And they shall hear my voice: And there shall be one fold and one shepherd. | et alias oves habeo quae non sunt ex hoc ovili et illas oportet me adducere et vocem meam audient et fiet unum ovile unus pastor |
17 | Therefore doth the Father love me: because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. | propterea me Pater diligit quia ego pono animam meam ut iterum sumam eam |
18 | No man taketh it away from me: but I lay it down of myself. And I have power to lay it down: and I have power to take it up again. This commandment have I received of my Father. | nemo tollit eam a me sed ego pono eam a me ipso potestatem habeo ponendi eam et potestatem habeo iterum sumendi eam hoc mandatum accepi a Patre meo |
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