DAILY MASS REFLECTIONS MONDAY FOURTH WEEK OF EASTER

This is the Catholic Daily Mass Readings and Reflections for Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter Season. Today’s first reading is from Acts of the Apostles 11:1-18 and Gospel Reading is from John 10:1-10. 

Acts of the Apostles 11:1-18.

The apostles and the brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So, when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” But Peter began and explained to them in order: “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance, I saw a vision, something descending, like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came down to me. Looking at it closely I observed animals and beasts of prey and reptiles and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘No, Lord; for nothing common or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered a second time from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ This happened three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. At that very moment, three men arrived at the house in which we were, sent to me from Caesarea. And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brethren also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house.

And he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon called Peter; he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?” When they heard this, they were silenced. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life.”

Responsorial Psalm.

R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.

As the hind longs for the running waters,

    so my soul longs for you, O God.

Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.

    When shall I go and behold the face of God?

R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.

Send forth your light and your fidelity;

    they shall lead me on

And bring me to your holy mountain,

    to your dwelling-place.

R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.

Then will I go in to the altar of God,

    the God of my gladness and joy;

Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,

    O God, my God!

R. Athirst is my soul for the living God.

Gospel Acclamation.

Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;

I know my sheep, and mine know me.

Alleluia, alleluia.

John 10:1-10.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own 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, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So, Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not heed them. I am the door; if anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Gospel Reflection.

Dear brothers and sisters, in today’s first reading, Peter had a vision by which he was told to receive the Gentiles to follow the way of Christ. The reception of the Gentiles to follow the path of Jesus was not acceptable among the Jewish Christian community. Many believed that the Christian way of life is a new path within the Jewish religion. But Jesus through his death and resurrection opened the door of salvation to the whole of humanity. Now the duty of Peter is to convince the rest of the Apostles that this is indeed the will of the Lord. Embracing the Gentiles, those who were uncircumcised was a pivotal moment of the Church. The entry into the kingdom of God became universal. The Church was not intended to be only for a few but as a flowing stream was to be available to all who would come to her. Through this vision that Peter had, Jesus the Good Shepherd is leading the Church into new and wider pastures.

In the Gospel, Jesus says “I am the door of the sheep.” Yesterday on Good Shepherd Sunday we reflect on the theme, Jesus as the Good Shepherd. We are reflecting today on the same theme. Here the difference is Jesus introduces himself as the door of the sheep, and he says: “if anyone enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” Enter through this door will help us to find good pastures.

Catechism explains to us: “The Church is, accordingly, a sheepfold, the sole and necessary gateway to which is Christ. It is also the flock of which God himself foretold that he would be the shepherd, and whose sheep, even though governed by human shepherds, are unfailingly nourished and led by Christ himself, the Good Shepherd and Prince of Shepherds, who gave his life for his sheep.” Lord Jesus invites us to enter through him to be partakers of his kingdom. And as the Shepherd here on earth Jesus gave the vision to Peter to accept everyone who accepts this invitation. Now it is entrusted to us, to admit everyone wholeheartedly to his kingdom.   

 

DAILY MASS REFLECTIONS MONDAY FOURTH WEEK OF EASTER