Readings for Sunday, May 11, 2025
Lectionary: 51
Ir-Raba’ Ħadd tal-Għid
Reading 1 Acts of the Apostles 13:14, 43-52
Paul and Barnabas continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered the synagogue and took their seats. Many Jews and worshipers who were converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to remain faithful to the grace of God. On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said. Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.” The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe, and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region. The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.
QARI 1 mill-Ktieb tal-Atti tal-Appostli 13:14,43-52
F’dak iż-żmien, Pawlu u Barnaba minn Perge baqgħu sejrin sa ma waslu f’Antjokja ta’ Pisidja. F’jum is-Sibt daħlu fis-sinagoga u qagħdu bilqiegħda. U meta xterdet il-ġemgħa tas-sinagoga, ħafna, kemm mil-Lhud u kemm mill-prosèliti twajba, marru ma’ Pawlu u ma’ Barnaba, u dawn ħeġġewhom biex jibqgħu fil-grazzja ta’ Alla. Is-Sibt ta’ wara, tista’ tgħid il-belt kollha nġabret biex tisma’ l-kelma tal-Mulej. Il-Lhud, meta raw il-folol, imtlew bl-għira u bdew imieru lil Pawlu u jidgħulu. Imma Pawlu u Barnaba bil-kuraġġ kollu qalu: “Hekk kien meħtieġ, li l-kelma ta’ Alla titħabbar lilkom l-ewwel. Billi intom qegħdin twarrbuha, u jidhrilkom li ma tistħoqqilkomx il-ħajja ta’ dejjem, aħna se nduru fuq il-pagani. Għax hekk ordnalna l-Mulej: ‘Jien għamiltek dawl tal-ġnus, biex twassal is-salvazzjoni sa truf l-art’”. Il-pagani, meta semgħu dan, bdew jifirħu u jigglorifikaw il-kelma tal-Mulej, u dawk kollha li kienu magħżula għall-ħajja ta’ dejjem emmnu. Hekk il-kelma tal-Mulej baqgħet tixtered mal-art kollha. Imma l-Lhud xewxu n-nisa twajba u magħrufa u wkoll il-kbarat tal-belt, u qajmu persekuzzjoni kontra Pawlu u Barnaba u keċċewhom ’il barra minn arthom. Huma farfru għal fuqhom it-trab minn ma’ riġlejhom u marru Ikonju. Iżda d-dixxipli mtlew bil-ferħ u bl-Ispirtu s-Santu. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5
come before him with joyful song.
R. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
or: R. Alleluia.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R.We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
or: R. Alleluia.
The LORD is good:
his kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. We are his people, the sheep of his flock.
or: R. Alleluia.
SALM RESPONSORJALI Salm 99(100):2,3,5
R/.(3c): Aħna l-poplu tiegħu u n-nagħaġ tal-mergħa tiegħu.
jew R/. Hallelujah
Għajtu bil-ferħ lill-Mulej fl-art kollha,
aqdu bil-ferħ lill-Mulej,
idħlu quddiemu b’għana ferrieħi. R/.
Kunu afu li Jaħweh hu Alla:
hu ħalaqna, u aħna tiegħu,
aħna l-poplu tiegħu u n-nagħaġ tal-mergħa tiegħu. R/.
Għax twajjeb il-Mulej,
għal dejjem it-tjieba tiegħu;
minn żmien għal żmien il-fedeltà tiegħu. R/.
Reading 2 Revelation 7:9, 14b-17
I, John, had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. Then one of the elders said to me, “These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “For this reason they stand before God’s throne and worship him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will shelter them. They will not hunger or thirst anymore, nor will the sun or any heat strike them. For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
QARI 2 mill-Ktieb tal-Apokalissi ta’ San Ġwann Appostlu 7:9,14b-17
Jiena, Ġwanni, ħarist, u ara, kien hemm kotra kbira li ħadd ma jista’ jgħoddha, minn kull ġens u tribù, minn kull poplu u lsien, weqfin quddiem it-tron u quddiem il-Ħaruf, lebsin ilbiesi twal bojod, u bil-friegħi tal-palm f’idejhom. U wieħed mix-Xjuħ qalli: “Dawn huma dawk li ġejjin mit-taħbit il-kbir, u l-ilbiesi tagħhom ħasluhom u bajduhom fid-demm tal-Ħaruf. Għalhekk jinsabu quddiem it-tron ta’ Alla, lejl u nhar jaqduh fit-tempju tiegħu; u dak li qiegħed fuq it-tron jeħodhom jgħammru taħt il-kenn tiegħu. Ma jbatux aktar ġuħ, anqas għatx ma jagħmel bihom aktar; ix-xemx ma taħkimhomx, u anqas ebda għomma, ladarba l-Ħaruf, li hemm f’nofs it-tron, ikun ir-ragħaj tagħhom; u hu jwassalhom ħdejn ilmijiet tal-għejun tal-ħajja. U Alla jixxuttalhom kull demgħa minn għajnejhom”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
Gospel John 10:27-30
Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”
EVANĠELJU Qari skont San Ġwann 10:27-30
F’dak iż-żmien, Ġesù qal: “In-nagħaġ tiegħi jisimgħu leħni, u jiena nagħrafhom, u huma jimxu warajja. U jiena nagħtihom il-ħajja ta’ dejjem; u huma ma jintilfu qatt, u minn idejja ma jaħtafhomli ħadd. Missieri, li tahomli, hu akbar minn kulħadd, u ħadd ma jista’ jaħtafhom minn id il-Missier. Jien u l-Missier aħna ħaġa waħda”. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej.
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An 8-minute Reflection on Sunday's Readings by Fr Anthony Kadavil
Introduction:
The Fourth Sunday of Easter, known as Good Shepherd Sunday, is also the “World Day of Prayer for Vocations.” Each year on this Sunday, we reflect on the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, devotedly and kindly taking care of his flock. The title "Pastor" means shepherd. A shepherd leads, feeds, nurtures, comforts, corrects, and protects his flock—responsibilities that belong to all Church leaders, parents, civil leaders, and all who are in charge of others.
Scripture lessons summarized:
Today's first reading describes how Paul and Barnabas opted to listen to the voice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd and follow him, and so, to suffer as their Master had done, being rebuffed and rejected by many when they tried to share the good news of salvation. The reading also suggests that the sympathy of the early Christians for the Gentiles occasioned a rupture between those following Jesus and Judaism. The second reading, taken from the Book of Revelation, depicts Jesus as both the glorified Lamb (slain but still standing) and the Shepherd. John's vision encourages his readers with the assurance that every person who has ever followed Christ and led others to him will share everlasting life with him. The Gospel text offers us both comfort and a great challenge. The comforting message is that no one can snatch the sheep out of his Father’s hands. The challenge is that pastors should be good shepherds to those entrusted to their care, while their flock of lay people should respond by being good sheep.
Shepherds in the Bible:
In the Old Testament, the image of the Shepherd is often applied to God as well as to the leaders of the people. The book of Exodus represents Yahweh several times as a Shepherd. The prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel compare Yahweh’s ongoing care of His people to care a shepherd exercises for his flock. Ezekiel represents God as a loving Shepherd who searches diligently for the lost sheep. Psalm 23 is David’s famous picture of God as The Good Shepherd: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
In the New Testament: Jesus introduces himself as the Good Shepherd of his flock and makes these claims in Sunday’s Gospel:
1) He knows his sheep and his sheep hear his voice:
2) He gives eternal life to us, his sheep by giving us Faith in him through Baptism, and then by strengthening that Faith through Confirmation, through nourishing our souls with the Holy Eucharist and the Holy Bible, and by making our society holy through the Sacraments of Matrimony and the priesthood (Holy Orders).
3) He protects his sheep by placing them in the loving hands of his Almighty Father. St. John’s Gospel adds two more claims:
4) He goes in search of stray lambs and heals the sick ones (through the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing of the sick).
5) Jesus died for us, his sheep, to free us from our sins, giving us Life.
Life Messages:
Let us become good shepherds and good sheep, good leaders and good followers.
(1) Let us become good shepherds: Everyone who is entrusted with the care of others is a shepherd. Hence, pastors, parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, government officials, etc. are all shepherds. We become good shepherds by loving those entrusted to us, praying for them, spending our time and talents for their welfare, and guarding them from physical and spiritual dangers.
(2) Let us be good sheep in the fold of Jesus, the Good Shepherd: Our local parish is our sheepfold, and our pastors are our shepherds. Hence, as the good sheep of the parish, parishioners are expected to
a) hear and follow the voice of their shepherds through their homilies, Bible classes, counseling, and advice;
b) receive the spiritual food their pastors provide by regular participation in the Holy Mass, by frequenting the Sacraments, and by attending prayer services, renewal programs, and missions;
c) cooperate with their pastors by giving them positive suggestions for the welfare of the parish, by encouraging them in their duties, by lovingly offering them constructive criticism when they are found misbehaving or failing in their duties, by praying for them always, forgiving them at need; and
d) by cooperating in the activities of the various councils, ministries, and parish associations.
(3) Let us pray for vocations to priestly and religious life so that we may have more good shepherds to lead, feed, and protect the Catholic community.
ADDENDUM -
Since we also celebrate Mother's Day on this Sunday here also follow a few short thoughts from my Mother’s Day homily:
Today we thank our mothers, pray for them, and honour them by celebrating this Mother’s Day, offering our mothers on the altar of God, and praying for them. This is a day to admit gratefully the fact that none of us can return, in the same measure, all the love that our mothers have given us. Our mothers are the good shepherds we all experienced.
They gave us life, nursed us, fed us, taught us, disciplined us and showed Christ’s self-sacrificing agape love for us, their children, practicing Christ’s commandment of love: “Love others as I have loved you.” Let us remember that we have two mothers, one earthly and one Heavenly. Hence, let us entrust our earthly mothers to our Heavenly Mother, Mary, the mother of Jesus as his last gift to us as he was dying on the cross.
////////////////////////////////////// Fr Tony's Homilies © 2025. / https://frtonyshomilies.com /
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