Our Sunday Supplication

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Holy Mass is at the very core of our worship as a Catholic community. Nothing can ever be substituted for the celebration of the Eucharist. But in this exceptional time of difficulty for our communities, our nation, and the whole world, this order of prayer can be offered by individuals and families and engages us in our Sunday celebration of the Word of God. We can pray this prayer in our homes—the “domestic churches” which help build up the Body of Christ on earth—and thus be connected to the entire Church at prayer.

During this time of prayer, we include the opportunity to make a Spiritual Communion. Making a Spiritual Communion is a worthy practice, recommended by innumerable saints throughout the ages, which unites our whole selves to God and his Church.

Order of Prayer

Taken from the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours

Introduction

Leader: O God, ✠ come to my assistance.
Response: O Lord, make haste to help me.

Leader: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
Response: as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Hymn

Audio Recording

The King of love my shepherd is,
Whose goodness fails me never;
I nothing lack if I am his
And he is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow,
My ransomed soul he’s leading,
And, where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feeding.

In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
With you, dear Lord, beside me,
Your rod and staff my comfort still,
Your cross before to guide me.

And so, through all the length of days
Your goodness fails me never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing your praise
Within your house forever.

Act of Contrition

Leader: Let us acknowledge our sins, and seek the Lord’s pardon and peace.

Together: I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Leader: Almighty ever-living God,
lead us to a share in the joys of heaven,
so that the humble flock may reach
where the brave Shepherd has gone before.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Together: Amen.

The Sunday Readings

USCCB Audio Recording of Sunday Readings

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 4:8-12)

Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said: “Leaders of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”

The Word of the Lord.
―Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29)

Reader: The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
Together: The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

Reader: Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for 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.
Together: The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

Reader: I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
Together: The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

Reader: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his kindness endures forever.
Together: The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

A Reading from the First Letter of Saint John (1 John 2:1-5a)

Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

The word of the Lord.
―Thanks be to God.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (John 10:11-18)

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. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”

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

For Reflection:

1. As you meditate upon today’s readings, what words, phrases, or images resonate in your mind and heart? What might God be speaking to you today?
2. In today’s First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Peter boldly proclaims that “there is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” Have you ever placed your ultimate trust in someone or something besides Jesus (money, prestige, fame, power, other people, your ego/pride, etc)? What can you do today to place your faith and trust more fully in Jesus Christ?
3. In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.” Is there anyone God has placed in your life who is seeking greater depth and meaning in life? How might you share the Good News of Jesus Christ with them in word or in action?

Response to the Word

Leader: Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us, alleluia, alleluia.
Response: Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us, alleluia, alleluia.

Leader: You have risen from the dead,
Response: alleluia, alleluia.

Leader: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
Response: Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on us, alleluia, alleluia.

Prayer of the Faithful

Leader: God the almighty Father raised Jesus as the firstborn from the dead, and made him our savior. Let us call upon him, saying:
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.

Leader: All-holy Father, you brought your beloved Son Jesus from the darkness of death in the splendor of your glory, bring us also into your marvelous light.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.

Leader: You have given us faith to save us, may we live today by the faith of our baptism.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.

Leader: You command us to seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at your right hand, do not let us be deceived by the allurements of sin.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.

Leader: May our life, hidden with Christ in you, our Father, shine before the world, foreshadowing a new heaven and a new earth.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.

Leader: In your mercy, continue to sanctify all who are afflicted from the present pandemic, and draw us all closer to you, and to one another, in this time of suffering.
Response: Give us, Lord, the glory of your Son.

The Lord's Prayer

Leader: Let us pray together as Jesus taught us:
Together: Our Father, who art in heaven …

Spiritual Communion

Leader: You have given us bread from heaven, alleluia, alleluia.
Response: Containing in itself all delight, alleluia, alleluia.
Together: My Jesus,
I believe that you are present
in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
I love you above all things,
and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there
and unite myself wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you,
my Lord and my God!
Amen.

Canticle of Praise

Canticle of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79)
Together: ✠ Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.

Conclusion

Leader: ✠ May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.
Together: Amen.