Daily Readings - Sun Apr 22 2018

⁷They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?"⁸Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people!⁹If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed,¹⁰then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.¹¹He is "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. '¹²Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

1 John

Chapter 3

¹How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.²Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

John

Chapter 10

¹¹"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.¹²The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.¹³The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.¹⁴"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep.¹⁶I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.¹⁷The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life--only to take it up again.¹⁸No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I 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.