DAILY- HOMILY

May 7, 2017 - 4th SUNDAY OF EASTER

White

Acts 2: 14a, 36- 41 / 1 Pt 2: 20b- 25 / Jn 10:1- 10

1ST READING:    Acts 2: 14a, 36- 41

     Peter said, "Let Israel then know for sure that God has made Lord and Christ this Jesus whom you crucified."

     When they heard this, they were deeply troubled. And they asked Peter and the other apostles, "What shall we do, brothers?"

     Peter answered, "Each of you must repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise of God was made to you and your children, and to all those from afar whom God may call."

     With many other words Peter gave the message and appealed to them saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." So those who accepted his word were baptized; some three thousand persons were added to their number that day.

FROM THE 2ND READING:     1 Pt 2: 21 - 25

     This is your calling: remember Christ who suffered for you, leaving you an example so that you may follow in his way. He did no wrong and there was no deceit in his mouth. He did not return insult for insult and, when suffering, he did not curse but put himself in the hands of God who judges justly. He went to the cross burdened with our sins so that we might die to sin and lead an upright life. For by his wounds you have been healed. You were like stray sheep, but you have come back to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

GOSPEL READING:     Jn 10:1 - 10

     Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber. But the shepherd of the sheep enters by the gate. The keeper opens the gate to him and the sheep hear his voice; he calls each of his sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow him for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, rather they will run away from him because they don't recognize a stranger's voice."

     Jesus used this comparison, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, I am the gate of the sheep. All who came were thieves and robbers, and the sheep did not hear them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved; he will go in and out freely and will find food.

     "The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy, but I have come that they may have life, life in all its fullness."

REFLECTION

     What are we afraid of? We all have our own fears. A psychologist has listed at least 330 "phobias." Even a well-placed police superintendent has admitted he is very fearful of ghosts. He said that, when he was young, whenever he passed by a cemetery at night, he would close his eye and run until he got past the cemetery.

     In today's Gospel reading we hear Christ calling himself the Good Shepherd who nourishes, protects and heals his sheep.

     In the Responsorial Psalm from Psalm 23, what did King David mean saying "thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me"? The shepherd's rod was a short heavy club, sometimes with metal spikes, used by shepherds against predators that threaten to attack their sheep. It was used against wolves, lions and wolves which roamed the land of Judah. The staff was a long pole with a crook or a big hook at the end to gently bring into line straying sheep.

     Yes, we may have our fears but Jesus assures us that in him we have a strong and dependable shepherd who is stronger than all our enemies.

     Jesus is our Good Shepherd; we shall not fear.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     ARNEL P. PARAGSA 

     BOOGIE BOYDON 

     CARLOS MACEDA

     CRISELDA P. MARIN

IN MEMORIAM (†) 

     YLDEFONSO PT YANG

OTHER INTENTIONS:

For the healing & recovery of William Uy

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

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