Fourth Sunday of Easter. -Year B - Sunday, 21 April 2024 (EPISODE:474)

Fourth Sunday of Easter. -Year B -  Sunday, 21 April 2024  (EPISODE:474)

Readings for Fourth Sunday of Easter.- Year B
FIRST READING: Acts 4:8-12
Psalm 118:1+8-9, 21-23, 26+21+29. "The stone rejected by the builders has become the corner stone."
SECOND READING: 1 John 3:1-2
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 10:14). Alleluia, alleluia! I am the good shepherd, says the Lord. I know my sheep and mine know me.
GOSPEL: John 10:11-18

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 2417373833 - Zermatt, Switzerland - September 23, 2023: Stained glass window with the image of the Christ, the Good Shepherd in the parish church of Saint Maurice in Zermatt. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Taljat David
++++
Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Fourth Sunday of Easter. Year B - Sunday, 21 April 2024 - by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-fourth-sunday-of-easter-year-b-episode-474/s-0XjjU1WykJL  
(EPISODE:474)
+++++
As disciples of Jesus, we're not trying to merely imitate God's actions, as commendable as that would be, nor are we merely trying to do what God in Jesus did, as far as any human beings could possibly imitate God made flesh, but rather we're ultimately striving to become more connected to the motivations that our Lord had that caused him to act the way he did, the reason and cause for all his actions, all his words, all his ministry, which at its core and centre is of course his identity as God and God's nature as infinite love. We're called to become instruments of God's love, servants of God's love, and to become the love of God inside and out for others. Here's the critical truth about our faith.

It's grounded in God's wondrous love for us and for all people. We may not feel worthy to be loved, we may even push that love away at times, but we cannot keep God from loving us. That's God's prerogative and that's God's very nature.

God is a Today we remember the truth that God always searches for the ones who are lost and who feel unworthy or unloved, and he carries them in his arms when he's found them, with joy. Anyone who would follow Jesus, the Good Shepherd, as a disciple in the vocations of priesthood or religious life, but in any vocation really, must be prepared to have the love of God's precious ones in their heart, after the example of the Good Shepherd himself. Jesus tells us he will lay down his life for us.

He's already died for us, but every day Jesus was willing to lay down his life for his people. Salvation is not something in the past, salvation is today and every day. The second reading from the first letter of Saint John is a wonderful prophecy of what heaven will be like.

We keep that wonderful vision in our minds as we think of all the loss during times of war, all the sacrifice. Saint John reminds us that in heaven we will be like him and we will see him as he is. So much of our life here on earth is spent trying to be like him, trying to live as he lived, trying to love as God loved in Jesus.

In heaven we shall be like him and we will love like him. That's the goal of all discipleship and all vocations, to love like God. If we love as God does, then all other things flow from it.

Jesus offers healing for us each and every day in so many different ways. True, sometimes we ask for help and healing in a certain specific way and we don't always get what we specifically ask for, but God promises us he always answers our prayers in one way or another. And even if God does not take all our burdens from our shoulders, we know that God loves us and God is faithful utterly to us and will never abandon us.(A).

God does not will any bad thing for us or anyone. God only wants to cherish us always, through the good times and through the terrible times. Let's rejoice and be glad.

Let's be still and listen and look for the signs of God's love and healing in our lives. Let's be aware of how much healing God has already done in our lives and continues to do. And may God keep transforming us into more and more effective instruments of his love and grace, that we might show God's love and care to every other person we meet and slowly but surely be transformed from hired workers into full shepherds after the Lord's heart, with love, divine love, which never ceases to give of itself at its very centre.
+++++
References:

(A) MONASTERY OF CHRIST IN THE DESERT. ABBOT'S HOMILY. Abbot Philip, OSB

Fr Paul W. Kelly

Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 2417373833 - Zermatt, Switzerland - September 23, 2023: Stained glass window with the image of the Christ, the Good Shepherd in the parish church of Saint Maurice in Zermatt. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Taljat David

Fourth Sunday of Easter.  Year B  -(Sunday, 21 April 2024)  (EPISODE:474)
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
+++++++++++++
{{May God's Spirit of Knowledge and reverence}} welcome everyone, we gather -  Reflect upon the Holy Scriptures and the values of the Lord. On this Fourth Sunday of Easter.

As we prepare to celebrate the great Sacramental feast of Gods love, let us pause, recall our sins, and trust in Gods infinite mercy.
Lord Jesus, you raise us to new life: Lord, have mercy Lord Jesus, you forgive us our sins: Christ, have mercy Lord Jesus, you feed us with your body and blood: Lord, have mercy
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Memorial Acclamation
1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Psalm 118:1+8-9, 21-23, 26+21+29. "The stone rejected by the builders has become the corner stone."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 10:14). ). Alleluia, alleluia! I am the good shepherd, says the Lord. I know my sheep and mine know me.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
PREFACE: Easter 3
Eucharistic Prayer various occasions 3
(theme variation: theme 1 )

(post version: v1-short)

++++
{8. Bless you all and May God's grace guide you each and every day of this week.}

1. Go forth; the Mass is ended.

++++++++
Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks


Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:

"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993). (Sydney Australia).

Sung "Mass in Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria,  Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

"Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly.  Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly.

Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser. /  Rode Nt-1 + AI-1 Sound Mixer.

Editing equipment:    -- MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software v10.49 (NCH Software).

NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 17.63 (NCH Software)

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 10 Audio Editor (Izotope Inc.)

[Production -  KER -  2024]

May God bless and keep you.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++