3 May 2020: Sunday of the Good Shepherd

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Mother/other person lights candle

Ldr:   Christ, our Lord, is risen, alleluia!

All:     He is truly risen, alleluia!

Ldr:   WE PRAY IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER,

AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

All:     Amen!

Ldr:   The Church gathers together here and throughout the world

to celebrate that Jesus is our Good Shepherd,

who leads us to fullness of life.

Let us pause in a moment of silence

  and give thanks for the guidance of the Good Shepherd…

(after the pause, leader continues…)

God of Compassion,

your Son, Jesus Christ, is the Good Shepherd

who never leaves his flock untended.

May we hear his voice today and every day

and follow him with lives of obedient and loving service. 

We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

First reader:

A reading from the first letter of Peter.

Brothers and sisters:
If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good,
this is a grace before God.
For to this you have been called,
because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps.

He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross,
so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness.
By his wounds you have been healed.
For you had gone astray like sheep,
but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

The word of the Lord.               All: Thanks be to God. 

Second reader:  A reading from the Gospel of John

Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”

So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

The Gospel of the Lord.                      All: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

(Reflection:  Many enclosures for sheep did not have a gate, once the sheep were

    guided into the enclosure, the shepherd sat in the entrance and was

    himself/herself the gate; who are the shepherds in your life? 

                   Jesus says that his sheep hear his voice; do you take the time

   to listen to the voice of Jesus?

The Church is always in need of shepherds to serve in the parishes;

   how might you serve as a shepherd for your brothers and sisters? 

  Do you know of someone who would be a good catechist? A good

  priest?  A good lector?  A good volunteer? …)

prayer leader:

With Easter joy we lift up our prayers.  Our response is, “Lord, hear us.”

• That each member of the Church will hear God’s call to serve, using their own special and specific gifts and talents for the glory of God and the wellbeing of others… We pray:

• That we may all listen attentively to the voice of Jesus and allow his abundant life to flow through us… We pray:

• For all who have been called to be shepherds: priests, parents, catechists, religious women and men, deacons, bishops and lay ministers who care for those in need; continue to bless and guide them  (especially ___ ) …                      We pray:

• Bless all doctors, nurses and medical/emergency workers; give them strength and comfort… We pray:

• We place in the loving hands of our Good Shepherd those who are sick, those who have died and those who mourn (especially ___ ) …  We pray:

• (other prayers?)

We bind our prayers together with the words Jesus taught us: OUR FATHER…

Ldr:

Bless us, Divine Shepherd.

Grant us strength to serve you, put purpose in our days.

Give us understanding, enough to make us kind,

so we may judge all people with our heart, not only our mind.

Teach us to be patient in everything we do,

content to trust your wisdom and to follow after you.

Help us when we falter, hear us when we pray,

and receive us in your kingdom to dwell with you forever. Amen.

May the Lord bless us with peace

     and protect us from all harm.  Amen.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God…

All:   That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.