ACTS 4: 8 – 12

In those days: Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a cripple, by what means this man has been healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man is standing before you well. This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The Word of the Lord.

 
RESPONSORIAL PSALM 
Psalm  118: 1 and 5 – 9, 21 – 23, 26, 28 – 29 (R.) 22

R/. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Or:
Alleluia.

Give praise to the Lord, for he is good;
his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in man;
it is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes. R/.

I will thank you, for you have answered,
and you are my saviour.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the Lord has this been done,
a marvel in our eyes. R/.

Blest is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
You are my God, I praise you.
My God, I exalt you.
Give praise to the Lord, for he is good;
his mercy endures forever. R/.

 
SECOND READING
“We shall see God as he is.”
1ST JOHN 3: 1 – 2

Beloved: See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

The Word of the Lord.

 
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
John 10: 14

Alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my own, and my own know me.
Alleluia.

 
GOSPEL
“The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.”
JOHN 10: 11 – 18

At that time: Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this charge I have received from my Father.”

The Gospel of the Lord.
Svondo 21 Kubvumbi – April;

Svondo yechina yoMwaka woKumuka
kwaJesu murufu – B

Chiverengo chokutanga:
Mabasa 4,8-12

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku raMabasa Avapositori
8Pita, azere naMweya Mutsvene, akati, “Imi vatongi vavanhu navakuru vakuru, 9 kana tiri kugadzirwa dare nhasi uno, nebasa rakanaka rakaitwa
kumhetamakumbo iyi, kuti munhu uyu akarapwa
sei, 10 ngazvizivikanwe kwamuri mose, uye kuvanhu
vose veIsiraeri, kuti nezita raJesu Kristu weNazareti, wamakarovera pamuchinjikwa, akamutswa
naMwari kuvakafa, pamusana pake munhu uyu
amire pamberi penyu akasimba. 11 Iri ndiro dombo
rakarambwa nemi vavaki, asi rava dombo guru
rapakona. 12 Hakuna mumwezve munhu anogona
kuponesa, nokuti hakuna rimwezve zita pasi pose,
rakatumidzwa munhu pakati pavanhu, ratinofanira
kuponeswa naro.”
Shoko raTenzi.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:
Nziyo 118,1+8-9.21-23.26+21+29. (D – 22)

(D) – Dombo rakarambwa navavaki, ndiro rakazova dombo guru rapakona.
Tendai TENZI nokuti wakanaka,
mwoyochena wake hauperi narini. 8Zviri nani kupotera kuna TENZI,
panokuvimba nomunhu.
9Zviri nani kupotera panaTENZI,
panokuvimba namachinda.
(D) – Dombo rakarambwa navavaki, ndiro rakazova dombo guru rapakona.
21Ndinokutendai, nokuti makandipindura,
mukava ruponeso rwangu.
22Dombo rakarambwa navavaki,
ndiro rakazova dombo guru rapakona.
23Uku kuita kwaTENZI,
chinhu chinoshamisa.
(D) – Dombo rakarambwa navavaki, ndiro rakazova dombo guru rapakona.
26Ngaarumbidzwe iye anouya muzita raTENZI;
tinokurumbidzai tiri mumba yaTENZI.
21Ndinokutendai, nokuti makandipindura,
mukava ruponeso rwangu.
29Tendai TENZI nokuti wakanaka,
mwoyochena wake hauperi narini.
(D) – Dombo rakarambwa navavaki, ndiro rakazova dombo guru rapakona.

Chiverengo chechipiri:
1 Johani 3,1-2

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mutsamba yokutanga yaJohani
Vadikanwi,
1Tarisai muone kuti rudo rwakadii rwatakaitirwa
naBaba, rwokuti tinzi vana vaMwari,
uye ndizvo zvatiriwo izvozvo.
Chinoita kuti pasi pasatizive ndechokuti
hapana kumuziva.
2Vadikanwi izvozvi tiri vana vaMwari.
Zvatichava hazvisati zvavakuonekwa.
Asi zvatinoziva ndezvokuti kana iye
ozviratidza, tichange takafanana naye, nokuti
tichamuona sezvaari.
Shoko raTenzi.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:
Johani 10,14

Areruya, Areruya. Tenzi anoti: “Ini ndini
mufudzi wakanaka ndinoziva hwai dzangu, uye
hwai dzangu dzinondizivawo.” Areruya.

Shoko Rakanaka: Johani 10,11-18

Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naJohani
Jesu akati kuvaJudha,
11 “Ini ndini mufudzi wakanaka,
mufudzi wakanaka anofira hwai dzake.
12Muronzerwi, asiri mufudzi uye asiri muridzi
wehwai akaona mhumhi ichiuya anosiya hwai
dziya achitiza, mhumhi inobvuta hwai;
dzimwe dzigoti mwanda kupararira.
13Anotiza nokuti muronzerwi chete,
uye haana hanya nehwai.
14 Ini ndini mufudzi wakanaka ndinoziva hwai
dzangu, uye hwai dzangu dzinondizivawo,
15 sokundiziva kunoita Baba, iniwo ndinoziva
Baba, ndokusaka ndichiparadza upenyu
hwangu kuitira hwai.
16Ndine dzimwe hwai dzisiri dzedanga rino,
ndinofanira kudziunzawo.
Idzo dzichanzwawo izwi rangu,
saizvozvo, kuchava nedanga rimwechete,
nomufudzi mumwechete.
17Baba vanondida pamusana pokuti
ndinoparadza upenyu hwangu,
kuti ndizougamuchirazve.
18 Hapana anonditorera,
kuhuparadza kwandinoita kutoda kwangu
zvangu.
Ndine simba rokuhuparadza, uye ndine simba
rokuti ndive noupenyu zvakare.
Ndizvo zvandakaudzwa kuti ndiite nababa
vangu.”
Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi.
GOSPEL REFLECTION: Instruments of the Good Shepherd
April 21, 2024

Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.” (John 10:11–13)

Today, on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday. It is a day when we reflect upon the tender image of Jesus as the Shepherd of us all. It is also a day set aside to pray for more shepherds within our Church who will shepherd God’s flock with the Heart of Christ.

Our Gospel passage comes from John 10 which, in part, is a commentary on the previous chapter that includes the long and detailed story of the healing of the blind man. Recall that Jesus healed this man who was blind from birth. He did this healing “so that the works of God might be made visible through him.” As a result of this man’s healing, the Pharisees cast the blind man out of the synagogue, not believing that Jesus’ healing was from God. After the man was cast out of the synagogue, Jesus spoke with him again and he professed his deep faith in Jesus, the true Shepherd. The healed blind man said, “I do believe, Lord.” Then he worshiped Jesus. Thus, the greater healing of this man was that he became a member of God’s flock, accepting Jesus as his true Shepherd.

Our Gospel today is Jesus’ commentary upon the actions of the Pharisees in contrast to His own. The Pharisees, as religious leaders, were not shepherds. They were “thieves and robbers” who came to “steal and slaughter and destroy.” Jesus, however, came so that those who listened to His voice “might have life and have it more abundantly.”

The Gospel passage quoted above explains why the Pharisees were not true shepherds. It was because they “work for pay” and have “no concern for the sheep.” Think about that statement as it applies to the Pharisees and their treatment of this man who was blind from birth. First of all, the “pay” that these Pharisees worked for was their own self importance—a fleeting and worldly reward. They saw themselves as the true teachers and interpreters of the Law and saw anyone who did not follow them as a threat. The Pharisees clearly perceived Jesus as such a threat to them. For that reason, they took their envy out on this humble and simple blind man. They were not shepherds to him. They did not encourage him, support him, point him to God or act in any way as an instrument of God’s grace. Instead, they condemned this innocent and holy man out of their pride.

Though God shepherds us today through His sacred pastors, we are all called to participate in this shepherding of the Good Shepherd in our own unique way. We are called to lead those within our families, at work, at school, within our neighborhoods, social circles and in every other societal context. But too often we imitate these Pharisees by allowing our own selfishness and desire for self importance to interfere with our ability to put others first and love them with the Shepherd’s heart.

Reflect, today, upon the calling you have received to lay down your life for others in imitation of the Good Shepherd. In order to imitate this love in the Heart of Christ, we must love without seeking love in return. Laying our lives down is an act of sacrificial love that enables us to look only at the needs of those around us. Pride and selfishness must disappear, and the good of the other must become our only goal. Reflect upon how well you do this, and pray that the Good Shepherd will use you to shepherd those in your life who need it the most.

PRAYER:
Divine Shepherd, You came to lay down Your life for us all so that we might have life and have it to the fullest. Like the blind man You cured, I profess my belief in You and worship You. Help me to receive and imitate Your love so that I will lay my life down for others, leading them to You, their holy Shepherd. Jesus, my Good Shepherd, I trust in You.