Sunday Readings
April 13, 2008 :: Fourth Sunday of Easter
Scripture
ACTS 2:14, 36 — 41
Baptism and the Holy Spirit will keep us from going astray.
1 PETER 2:20 — 25
We have returned to the shepherd and guardian of our souls.
JOHN 10:1 — 10
Jesus is the sheepgate, the door; enter through him and be saved.
THEME
We do no want to stray from the fold, we want to be with our shepherd and guardian. Only shepherds enter through the sheepgate; true shepherds come by way of Jesus, call us forth, and lead us in right paths. Those who would call to us and lead us that do not come by way of Jesus are thieves and robbers, leading us astray.
FOCUSING OBJECT
A figure of a sheep, or a wool scarf, wool socks, or the like
REFLECTIONS
Jesus is the front door. Anyone else sneaking arond, climbing fences, going through the back door, or doing anything in secret means trouble. Be up-front, do what you do in broad daylight, and it is usually the right thing. You are proud of what you do when it is the right thing. If you are sneaking because you do not want to get caught, you are probably doing something wrong! Doing the right thing brings abundant life! Doing wrong things can hurt your ability to enjoy life abundantly.
• What is “abundant life” or “life to the full”? Do you think you can get it through Jesus? Do you think you can get it sneaking around, trying back doors, and climbing over fences? Why or why not?
Sheep pretty much follow the crowd. Not too many sheep are “individuals”. Being an individual is fine, especially when the crowd is not a good bunch to follow. But following the crowd can be fine too, especially when the crowd is a fine crowd and is doing good things.
• Are you usually an individual? Or do you prefer to follow the crowd? Give an example of when you have been either an individual or crowd follower.
• How can you tell if someone who wants you to follow them is really following the way of Jesus?
CLOSING
Jesus liked to tell stories about nature. To get his point across, he often chose themes people could relate to, and everyone can relate to stories of nature. That is why so many stories involve rocks, seeds, vines, branches, trees, and sheep.O’ Great Spirit,
Whose voice I hear in the winds,
And whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me!
I am small and weak, I need your strength and wisdom.
Let me walk in beauty, and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.
Make my hands respect the things you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Make me wise so that I may understand the things you have taught my people.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
I seek strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to fight my greatest enemy-myself.
Make me always ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes.
So when life fades, as the fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.
For complete Sunday reading go to http://www.usccb.org/nab/
In Touch With the Word: Lectionary-Based Prayer Reflections, by Lisa-Marie Calderone-Stewart (Winona, MN: Saint Mary’s Press, 2004).
Copyright © 2004 by Saint Mary’s Press, www.smp.org.
All rights reserved. Used with permission of the publisher.