Daily Readings - Sun Apr 25 2021
Acts
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
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
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
In today’s readings, we encounter profound reflections on faith, identity, and the boundless love of God. The first reading from Acts 4:7-12 presents Peter and John before the Sanhedrin, where they boldly declare that the healing of the man was through the power of Jesus Christ. Peter’s testimony underscores Jesus as the cornerstone of salvation, emphasizing that there is no other name through which we can be saved. This moment highlights the early Church’s courage in the face of adversity and the central role of Jesus in their mission.
The second reading from 1 John 3:1-2 shifts our gaze to the profound love of the Father, who calls us His children. John reminds us that our true identity as sons and daughters of God is not fully realized yet, but we will see Him as He is when He appears. This passage invites us to live with hope and anticipation, knowing that our transformation into His likeness is forthcoming.
In the Gospel, John 10:11-18, Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. He distinguishes Himself from a hired hand, who flees in danger, by emphasizing His deep concern and love for His flock. Jesus extends His mission beyond the current fold, envisioning a unified flock under one shepherd. His voluntary sacrifice and authority to lay down and take up His life again are acts of divine love, fulfilling the Father’s command.
These readings interweave to reveal the universal scope of God’s salvation and our identity as His children. They remind us to trust in Jesus’ care and to live as His followers, guided by His example of selfless love. As we navigate life’s challenges, may we draw strength from the Good Shepherd, embrace our divine identity, and share the hope of eternal life with others, trusting in the transformative power of God’s love.