Daily Catholic Mass Readings for April 22, 2018
First Reading: Acts 4.7-12
7And stationing them in the middle, they questioned them: "By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Leaders of the people and elders, listen9If we today are judged by a good deed done to an infirm man, by which he has been made whole10let it be known to all of you and to all of the people of Israel, that in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God has raised from the dead, by him, this man stands before you, healthy11He is the stone, which was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner12And there is no salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, by which it is necessary for us to be saved.
Psalm 118
1Alleluia. Confess to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy is forever2Let Israel now say: For he is good, for his mercy is forever3Let the house of Aaron now say: For his mercy is forever4Let those who fear the Lord now say: For his mercy is forever5In my tribulation, I called upon the Lord. And the Lord heeded me with generosity6The Lord is my helper. I will not fear what man can do to me7The Lord is my helper. And I will look down upon my enemies8It is good to trust in the Lord, rather than to trust in man9It is good to hope in the Lord, rather than to hope in leaders10All the nations have surrounded me. And, in the name of the Lord, I have been avenged over them11Surrounding me, they closed in on me. And, in the name of the Lord, I have been avenged over them12They surrounded me like a swarm, and they burned like fire among the thorns. And, in the name of the Lord, I have been avenged over them13Having been pushed, I was overturned so as to fall. But the Lord took me up14The Lord is my strength and my praise. And he has become my salvation15A voice of exultation and salvation is in the tabernacles of the just16The right hand of the Lord has wrought virtue. The right hand of the Lord has exalted me. The right hand of the Lord has wrought virtue17I will not die, but I will live. And I will declare the works of the Lord18When chastising, the Lord chastised me. But he has not delivered me over to death19Open the gates of justice to me. I will enter them, and I will confess to the Lord20This is the gate of the Lord. The just will enter by it21I will confess to you because you have heard me. And you have become my salvation22The stone which the builders have rejected, this has become the head of the corner23By the Lord has this been done, and it is a wonder before our eyes24This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us exult and rejoice in it25O Lord, grant salvation to me. O Lord, grant good prosperity26Blessed is he who arrives in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you from the house of the Lord27The Lord is God, and he has enlightened us. Establish a solemn day amid a dense crowd, even to the horn of the altar28You are my God, and I will confess to you. You are my God, and I will exalt you. I will confess to you, for you have heeded me. And you have become my salvation29Confess to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy is forever
Second Reading: 1 John 3.1-2
1See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we would be called, and would become, the sons of God. Because of this, the world does not know us, for it did not know him2Most beloved, we are now the sons of God. But what we shall be then has not yet appeared. We know that when he does appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is
Gospel: John 10.11-18
11I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd gives his life for his sheep12But the hired hand, and whoever is not a shepherd, to whom the sheep do not belong, he sees the wolf approaching, and he departs from the sheep and flees. And the wolf ravages and scatters the sheep13And the hired hand flees, because he is a hired hand and there is no concern for the sheep within him14I am the good Shepherd, and I know my own, and my own know me15just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for my sheep16And I have other sheep that are not of this fold, and I must lead them. They shall hear my voice, and there shall be one sheepfold and one shepherd17For this reason, the Father loves me: because I lay down my life, so that I may take it up again18No one takes it away from me. Instead, I lay it down of my own accord. And I have the power to lay it down. And I have the power to take it up again. This is the commandment that I have received from my Father.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound truth of our salvation through Jesus Christ and our identity as His children. In the first reading from Acts, Peter boldly proclaims to the religious leaders that the healing of the man was through the power of Jesus, whom they had crucified but God raised from the dead. Peter emphasizes that salvation is found in no one else but Jesus, making Him the cornerstone of our faith. This passage, set in the early days of the Church, shows the courage of the apostles as they spread the message of salvation despite opposition.
In the second reading from 1 John, we are reminded of the incredible love of the Father that makes us His children. John encourages us to live with hope, knowing that we will one day see Christ as He is and be transformed into His likeness. This letter, written to strengthen the faith of early believers, underscores our identity and future hope in Christ.
The Gospel from John presents Jesus as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. Jesus highlights the difference between a hired hand, who abandons the flock in danger, and the Good Shepherd, who willingly sacrifices for His sheep. He also speaks of other sheep not yet part of His fold, indicating His mission to unite all people under His care. This passage, part of Jesus' teachings, emphasizes His role as the selfless and loving shepherd.
These readings are interconnected through the theme of salvation and the unique role of Jesus. Peter's bold declaration, John's encouragement, and Jesus' own words all point to the central truth that Jesus is our only Savior. As we apply this to our daily lives, we are called to trust in Jesus' care and live as His children, reflecting His love and hope. The moral lesson is clear: our salvation is through Jesus alone, and we should live with the hope and assurance of being His children, striving to follow His example of selfless love.