First reading Acts 4:8-12
The name of Jesus Christ is the only name in which we can be saved
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter said: ‘Rulers of the people, and elders! If you are questioning us today about an act of kindness to a cripple, and asking us how he was healed, then I am glad to tell you all, and would indeed be glad to tell the whole people of Israel, that it was by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the one you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by this name and by no other that this man is able to stand up perfectly healthy, here in your presence, today. This is the stone rejected by you the builders, but which has proved to be the keystone. For of all the names in the world given to men, this is the only one by which we can be saved.’
Responsorial Psalm 117(118):1,8-9,21-23,26,28-29
The stone which the builders rejected has become the corner stone.
or
Alleluia!
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his love has no end.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in men;
it is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
I will thank you for you have answered
and you are my saviour.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the corner stone.
This is the work of the Lord,
a marvel in our eyes.
Blessed in the name of the Lord
is he who comes.
We bless you from the house of the Lord;
You are my God, I thank you.
My God, I praise you.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good;
for his love has no end.
Gospel John 10:11-18
The good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep
Jesus said:
‘I am the good shepherd:
the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.
The hired man, since he is not the shepherd
and the sheep do not belong to him,
abandons the sheep and runs away
as soon as he sees a wolf coming,
and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep;
this is because he is only a hired man
and has no concern for the sheep.
‘I am the good shepherd;
I know my own
and my own know me,
just as the Father knows me
and I know the Father;
and I lay down my life for my sheep.
And there are other sheep I have
that are not of this fold,
and these I have to lead as well.
They too will listen to my voice,
and there will be only one flock,
and one shepherd.
‘The Father loves me,
because I lay down my life
in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me;
I lay it down of my own free will,
and as it is in my power to lay it down,
so it is in my power to take it up again;
and this is the command I have been given by my Father.’
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The Good Shepherd’s heart
Today’s gospel contrasts the attitude of the shepherd’s and a hired man towards the sheep. “The good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep” because they are his own, while the hired man “has no concern for the sheep” since they do not belong to him. Unlike the hired man, who places his well-being above the sheep, the shepherd cares for his sheep more than himself, even to the point of giving up his life for them.
Jesus is our Good Shepherd, not a hired man. Let us give thanks for being loved by Jesus as His sheep and for having Him as our Good Shepherd. We also remember with gratitude the human shepherds that God has placed in our lives, such as our mentors, parents, religious, priests, etc., who continue to reflect the Good Shepherd’s self-giving love to us. We pray for those in positions of authority, especially in the Church, and for ourselves that we may grow in selfless love so that our hearts become more and more like Jesus.
Reflective question:
How can I imitate Jesus, the Good Shepherd?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
