DO I STILL HEAR THE SHEPHERD?
INTRODUCTORY RITES
Gather as a family/ community; create an environment appropriate for prayer (dress appropriately - switch off your phones...).
We cannot gather as usual for the Eucharist. But we are conscious that Christ is present not only in the Blessed Sacrament but also in the Scriptures and in our hearts. Even when we are on our own, we remain part of the Body of Christ.
Place lighted candles, a crucifix, and the Bible on a covered table. These remind us of the sacredness of our time of prayer and could help us feel connected with our local worshipping communities.
You may sing or play an appropriate hymn. For instance:
The Sign of the Cross
Greeting and Introductory Words
L: The Lord invites us to the table of his Word: let us bless him for his goodness.
A: Blessed be God forever.
L: Today’s liturgy reminds us that God is our shepherd and we are his sheep. We need to listen to him and allow him to shepherd us! We ask the Lord for the grace to be able to hear him above all the noise of our world.
Penitential Rite
L: Today’s liturgy reminds us that God is our shepherd and we are his sheep. We need to listen to him and allow him to shepherd us! We ask the Lord for the grace to be able to hear him above all the noise of our world.
Pause
L: Lord Jesus, you call your sheep by name.
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.
L: Jesus Christ, you walk ahead of your sheep to guide us.
Christ, have mercy.
A: Christ, have mercy.
L: Lord Jesus, you are the Good Shepherd, leading us into everlasting life.
Lord, have mercy.
A: Lord, have mercy.
L: May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.
Gloria
Opening Prayer
L: O God,
you never cease to call even those far away,
for it is your will
that all be drawn into one fold.
Attune our ears to the voice of the Good Shepherd,
who leads us always to you,
that we may find under your tender protection
life in all its fullness.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
A: Amen.
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
Readings
The readings are those assigned for the day in the Lectionary.
Preferably use a Bible/ Lectionary for reading.
Reading 1 Acts 2:14a, 36-41
Psalm Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
Response The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or: Alleluia.
Reading 2 1 Peter 2:20b-25
Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.Gospel John 10:1-10
Reflection on the Readings
Use one of the following ways to reflect on the readings.
Lectio Divina
Imagine the Good Shepherd calling out to you. Do you heed his voice? Why/ Why not?
What does the Lord say to you? How do you respond?
Sunday Snippets
An Amerindian and his friend were walking in midtown New York. Decibel levels were deafeningly high: people chatting, vehicles moving, horns honking. Suddenly, the Amerindian said: “I hear a cricket.” His friend exclaimed: “That’s crazy! You couldn’t possibly hear a cricket in all this noise!”
The Amerindian insisted that he had heard a cricket. He walked to a big plant, looked under the branches and… found a cricket.
His friend was stunned: “That’s incredible! You must have superhuman ears!” The Amerindian said: “My ears are no different from yours. It depends on what you’re listening for!” He pulled out a few coins from his pocket and dropped them on the sidewalk. Every head within twenty feet turned to see if the money that had tinkled on the pavement was theirs!
“See what I mean!” said the Amerindian. “It depends on what your ears are attuned to, and that depends on what’s important for you.”
Today’s liturgy highlights the importance of having ears attuned to God and his word.
The gospel has two parables.
In the first, the imagery is of a sheepfold into which the shepherd and a prowler seek to enter. It is a challenge to Israel’s religious authorities: will they listen to and heed Jesus’ message? Jesus can offer no external credentials for his authority.
The second parable concerns the relationship between the sheep and the shepherd, and between the sheep and a stranger. Jesus indicates that a small group respond in faith to his message because they hear in it the authentic voice of God.
Both parables make the same point: The Lord is our shepherd who cares for us, accompanies us, protects us, and gives us abundant life; we need to listen to him and allow him to be our shepherd. The previous chapter of John had shown Jesus doing the work of the Good Shepherd—healing the man born lame and then seeking him out!
The first reading is an “enactment” of the second parable! The people listen to Peter’s admonishment. “They were cut to the heart” and ask what they must do. They heed Peter’s voice: they repent and are saved.
If Jesus and his word are important for us, we will hear him above the bustle of our lives, above the noise of consumerism and materialism. If our ears are attuned to power, prestige, and pleasure, we will hear those. To whom/what do I listen? Whom do I follow? Do I still hear the shepherd and follow him?
The quality of our life indicates to what our ears are attuned! If we do not live “abundantly”, we are listening to and following not the shepherd but a stranger.
Questions to Ponder
Reflect on some (or all) of the following questions:
Reading 1: Those listening to Peter’s sermon were “cut to the heart.” Does anything affect me this way? They asked: “Brothers, what should we do?” How would I have responded to Peter’s sermon?
Reading 2: Am I patient in moments of suffering? How do I follow Jesus’ path of non-violence?
Gospel: When flocks were mingled, each flock would recognize its shepherd’s voice and come to him, ignoring other shepherds’ voices. Can I tell which “voice” belongs to the Good Shepherd?
How have I experienced Jesus’ care in my life? What spiritual practices help attune my ears to the voice of the Good Shepherd?
The Creed
Prayer of the Faithful
L: Sisters and brothers, with trust in God our Shepherd, who cares for us and our world, we bring our needs to him and pray: Lord, hear our prayer.
R: For the shepherds of the Church: that they may take Christ for their model and courageously lead the People of God to the kingdom of justice and love, we pray to the Lord…
R: For the leaders of nations: that they may promote the dignity of people, and place justice and the quality of life above personal gain and power, we pray to the Lord…
R: For all who are suffering from illness and other disasters: that the Lord may be a shepherd to them, guide them to the help they need, and sustain them, we pray to the Lord…
R: For all who have wandered from the pastures of the Lord: that they may hear God’s voice and open their hearts to respond in hope, we pray to the Lord…
R: For all of us: that we, whom the Lord calls by name, may hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and respond to his call, we pray to the Lord…
L: God, our Shepherd, we entrust our cares, our world and ourselves to you. Guide us, protect us, accompany us through all our trials, and bring us to green pastures and restful waters. Through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
The Lord’s Prayer
Spiritual Communion
A: Jesus, I know and believe in your real presence in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. It is you I desire to love and receive above all things. As I am unable to receive your sacramental presence now, come and be with me in heart and soul. Let my entire self be united with you as I welcome you again and know your loving embrace. Amen.
Post Spiritual Communion Reflection
The shepherd knows his sheep.
And the sheep know him.
He calls each of them by name.
Lord,
we cry out for you to shepherd us right now.
Help us to hear you call our names,
and to listen to your gentle voice
so that we can follow you to a safe place.
Walk ahead of us and we will follow.
Let us offer one another.
your abounding life and love.
CONCLUDING RITE
Concluding Prayer
L: Lord our God,
it is good to hear the voice of our Good Shepherd.
Let us allow him to lead us
to a valley of peace
where we learn from him
to call each other by name,
to have time and space for one another
and to give ourselves.
Through Christ our Lord.
A: Amen.
Blessing
L: The Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and lead us to everlasting life.
A: Amen.
L: Go in the peace of Christ.
A: Thanks be to God.
Conclude with a hymn. For instance:
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