Daily Readings - Sun Apr 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.

Second Reading - 1 John 3.1-2

1 John

Chapter 3

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

John

Chapter 10

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.