Sunday Bible Readings May 3 2009 Fourth Sunday of Easter

May 3 2009 Fourth Sunday of Easter

About the sources used. The readings on this site are from the Haydock Bible according to the daily Lectionary readings for the American Roman Catholic Church. The Haydock Bible contains traditional Catholic commentary and is free from copyright. Due to verse numbering differences and pastoral deletions in the actual Lectionary, these readings may at times vary from the actual readings.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/050309.shtml

Acts 4:8-12
Haydock New Testament

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said to them;

Yes rulers of the people, and ancients, hear: If we this day are examined concerning the good deed done to the infirm man, by what means he hath been made whole, Be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God hath raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you, whole. This is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders; which is become the head of the corner: Nor is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name, under heaven, given to men, whereby we must be saved.

Responsorial Psalm 117:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29 (Ps 118 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

Give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
It is good to confide in the Lord, rather than to have confidence in man.
It is good to trust in the Lord, rather than to trust in princes.
I will give glory to thee because thou hast heard me: and art become my salvation.
The stone which the builders rejected; the same is become the head of the corner.
This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes.
Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.
Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, and I will exalt thee.
I will praise thee, because thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
O praise ye the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

1 John 3:1-2
Haydock New Testament

BEHOLD what manner of charity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and should be the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not: because it hath not known him.

Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God: and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know that when he shall appear, we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint John 10:11-18
Haydock New Testament

Jesus said:

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. But the hireling, and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf snatcheth, and scattereth the sheep. But the hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling: and he hath no care for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd, and I know mine, and mine know me. As the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Therefore doth the Father love me: because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No man taketh it away from me: but I lay it down of myself, and I have power to lay it down; and I have power to take it up again. This commandment I have received from my Father.

Haydock Commentary Acts 4:8-12
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 10. Name of our Lord Jesus. From this, S. Chrysostom takes occasion to make several pathetic exhortations against swearing and profaning this adorable name. What profit do you propose to yourselves by abusing this name? Is it to gain credit to your discourse? So you will tell me; but, believe me, you are mistaken: if people saw you respected oaths, and were afraid to make free with them, then they would believe you. Not when you give them to understand that you undervalue them, by your frequent abuse of them. Break then so profane a custom. It will cost you neither money nor labour to do so: you are not required to part with any gratification for this purpose. Use only at the beginning a little diligence, and you will easily overcome so idle a practice. Wish, and it is done. S. Chrys. super Act. sparsim. A. — Whom you crucified. S. Peter, without fear or apprehension, openly and boldly tells them of their heinous crime: that Christ is the head corner stone, which they had rejected, as Christ himself had told them, (Matt. xii. 10.) and that there is no name under heaven given to men to be saved by. Wi.

Haydock Commentary 1 John 3:1-2

• Ver. 1. Behold what manner of charity (or of love) the Father hath bestowed upon us. S. John had said in the last verse of the foregoing chapter that every one who doth justice, is born of him; i.e. is the son of God by adoption. But the world knoweth us not, nor esteems and values us as such: and no wonder, because they have not known, nor acknowledged, nor reverenced God as they ought. We indeed are the sons of God; we believe it, because God has assured us of it; but it hath not yet appeared what we shall be, (ver. 2) to what glory or happiness we shall thereby be exalted hereafter, for neither eye hath seen, nor the ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for those who love him. 1 Cor. ix. 2. We only know this, that his elect shall be like to him, because they shall see him as he is, when they shall enjoy him in heaven. Wi.

Haydock Commentary John 10:11-18

• Ver. 11. How happy are we in having such a shepherd, so great, so good, so loving, so careful of our true welfare! O he is the true shepherd indeed, that came down from heaven to seek the poor sheep that was lost; and when he found it, took it upon his own shoulders to carry it home with joy to his heavenly fold. How dearly have his sheep cost him, for truly has he made good in himself sentence, that the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. Let us then ever follow and obey, love and embrace this true shepherd of our souls. Meditations for every Day, vol. ii. p. 417. The good pastor gives his life for his sheep; he exposes himself to every danger to save them, no inclemency of the weather, no frost or cold, no rains or tempests, can drive him from looking over his sheep, to defend them from the attacks of wolves, &c. and like Jacob he might say, day and night was I parched with heat, and with cold, and sleep departed from my eyes. Gen. xl. Or, like David speaking to Saul: “Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion or a bear, and took a ram out of the midst of the flock; and I pursued after them, and struck them, and delivered it out of their mouths; and they arose up against me, and I caught them by the throat, and I strangled them, and killed them.” 1 Kings xvii. This is a model of a true pastor. But Jesus Christ has done more than this for us. He has exposed his life and his repose, he has spilled his blood, he delivered himself to the fury of his enemies, and has offered himself as a victim on the cross to his eternal Father, to free us, his lost sheep, from the most cruel wolf, the devil. And ever since his death he has always protected his Church, assisted and consoled his distressed flock under all their sufferings, pouring into their hearts the consolations of the holy Spirit, and sending to them holy teachers, to govern and lead them in the holy path of salvation. Such were the apostles and their successors, the bishops and priests of the holy Catholic Church, whom he has sent, and will continue to send, to govern his flock to the end of time. Calmet.
• Ver. 13. Every bishop and pastor is bound to abide with his flock in the time of danger, and persecution, except himself be personally sought for, rather than his flock, or the flock itself forsake him. In such cases the pastor may fly, as the apostles did, and S. Athanasius and others. Athan. Apol. de suâ fugâ. S. Aug. ep. 180.
• Ver. 14. I know mine, and mine know me. To know, in the style of the holy Scriptures, is to love and approve. Wi.
• Ver. 15. I lay down. That is, in a short time shall lay down my life for my sheep: for all, and in a special manner for my elect. See v. 28. Wi.
• Ver. 16. One fold. In the Greek one flock. The signification is the same that is, there shall be one church of Jews and Gentiles converted. Wi.
• Ver. 17. Therefore doth the Father love me, because I lay down my life, &c. Christ here speaketh of himself, as made man for the redemption of mankind: or rather, as he was our Redeemer, both God and man: for he laid down his life, and died as man, and had power to take it up again, as God. Yet the command of laying it down, he as man received from the Father: thus as man, he was obedient to him even to the death on the cross. See Philip. ii. 8. Wi.