|
I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my own know me
|
Today’s Liturgy of the Word Today is the day on which is read in the Gospel Acclamation, I am the Good Shepherd, says the Lord, I know my sheep and my own know me. In the reading from Acts we hear that Paul and Barnabas went to Antioch and many Jews and Gentiles heard and received the Word with joy, glorifying the Lord. They were appointed to eternal life, those whom the Good Shepherd knew and who knew him. They are the ones in the Psalm who know that he, the Lord, is God, who are his people, the sheep of his flock.
The second reading from Revelation identifies the great number of those who stand before the throne of God as those washed in the blood of the Lamb. They are cleansed of their sins by Christ’s sacrifice of his blood and the Lamb will be their shepherd and every tear will be wiped away from their eyes.
In the Gospel, Jesus says that his sheep hear his voice, he knows them and they follow him. So we hear the Word who is Jesus and we follow him and know him. When we stand for the Gospel reading, we are to listen and hear the voice of the Lord as it is proclaimed. Reading the words should be an aid, but we should hear them as spoken directly to us. This is how we come to know Jesus, to love and trust him. Knowing Jesus is not knowing about him, knowing things about him, it is knowing him as a person who speaks to us in the gospels. Pope Francis said ‘Everything changes if you have truly come to know Jesus! Everything changes.’ Finally in the reading today, Jesus tells us plainly who he is when he says I and the Father are one. This he will repeat again in John’s Gospel when he speaks to Philip and says if you have seen me, you have seen the Father.
Journey in Faith The next session will be on Monday 18th May at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre.
School Early Years Provision In response to the impending closure, o 18th July, of the privately run St. Peter's Pre-school, based on St. Peter's School site, we are proposing to incorporate a Teacher-led Pre-school class for children aged 3-4 years, into our school Early Years Provision. This is an exciting opportunity to develop our Early Years Provision at St. Peter's. Please see www.stp.magnificat.org.uk for further information.
Christian Aid Week is 11 - 17 May. The project this year is to help the people of Burundi. 70% of people there face poverty and hunger every day. We shall have our usual ‘2 Envelope Scheme’ - one for you and one for friends & family.
Justice and Peace: Modern Slavery is one of the themes of the Jubilee Year. Our Justice & Peace Group is showing a short film with opportunities for discussion & taking concrete action to combat trafficking and exploitation on Tuesday 20 May 7.30pm in the Centre. Please, support by attending if you can.
200 Club Week 1066 Winner of £100 Pat Wright winning no. 109 Quarterly Payers Please collect the letters awaiting you at the back of church and pay.
Sick You, O God, are my strength. Fill the lives of the sick with the warmth of your love: Fr Tony Rohan, Gabriel Brown, Frank Campbell, Jean Chadwick, Jill Davies, Eileen Derrington, Tim Donovan, Judy Grant, Jim Griffith, Meg Hart, Andrew Joyce, Patrick Maddox, Ian Mounter, Eileen Murphy, Ellen Paine, Lily Rahim, David Sapier, Carol Spooner, Yvonne Telford, Nicola Westby, all those in hospitals, Care Homes and the housebound. Dear Father in Heaven, look down on those who are sick and let them be assured of your special love in their time of need. Lord, hear us. Amen.
Deceased: Lord, welcome all those who have died recently. Be mindful of those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Cyril Perrins(1968), Hugh Mooney(1981), Harold Hadlington (1984), Laurence Gilmurray(1989), Fr Cathal Cassidy(1995) Curate at St Peter’s 1957-61, Ellen Neenan(2003), James McVicar(2004), Mary Marshall(2007), Richard Wilson(2009), Ann Boyd(2009) & Arlinda Pinto(2024). May all who have died rest in the peace of the Risen Lord. Amen.
The second reading from Revelation identifies the great number of those who stand before the throne of God as those washed in the blood of the Lamb. They are cleansed of their sins by Christ’s sacrifice of his blood and the Lamb will be their shepherd and every tear will be wiped away from their eyes.
In the Gospel, Jesus says that his sheep hear his voice, he knows them and they follow him. So we hear the Word who is Jesus and we follow him and know him. When we stand for the Gospel reading, we are to listen and hear the voice of the Lord as it is proclaimed. Reading the words should be an aid, but we should hear them as spoken directly to us. This is how we come to know Jesus, to love and trust him. Knowing Jesus is not knowing about him, knowing things about him, it is knowing him as a person who speaks to us in the gospels. Pope Francis said ‘Everything changes if you have truly come to know Jesus! Everything changes.’ Finally in the reading today, Jesus tells us plainly who he is when he says I and the Father are one. This he will repeat again in John’s Gospel when he speaks to Philip and says if you have seen me, you have seen the Father.
Journey in Faith The next session will be on Monday 18th May at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre.
School Early Years Provision In response to the impending closure, o 18th July, of the privately run St. Peter's Pre-school, based on St. Peter's School site, we are proposing to incorporate a Teacher-led Pre-school class for children aged 3-4 years, into our school Early Years Provision. This is an exciting opportunity to develop our Early Years Provision at St. Peter's. Please see www.stp.magnificat.org.uk for further information.
Christian Aid Week is 11 - 17 May. The project this year is to help the people of Burundi. 70% of people there face poverty and hunger every day. We shall have our usual ‘2 Envelope Scheme’ - one for you and one for friends & family.
Justice and Peace: Modern Slavery is one of the themes of the Jubilee Year. Our Justice & Peace Group is showing a short film with opportunities for discussion & taking concrete action to combat trafficking and exploitation on Tuesday 20 May 7.30pm in the Centre. Please, support by attending if you can.
200 Club Week 1066 Winner of £100 Pat Wright winning no. 109 Quarterly Payers Please collect the letters awaiting you at the back of church and pay.
Sick You, O God, are my strength. Fill the lives of the sick with the warmth of your love: Fr Tony Rohan, Gabriel Brown, Frank Campbell, Jean Chadwick, Jill Davies, Eileen Derrington, Tim Donovan, Judy Grant, Jim Griffith, Meg Hart, Andrew Joyce, Patrick Maddox, Ian Mounter, Eileen Murphy, Ellen Paine, Lily Rahim, David Sapier, Carol Spooner, Yvonne Telford, Nicola Westby, all those in hospitals, Care Homes and the housebound. Dear Father in Heaven, look down on those who are sick and let them be assured of your special love in their time of need. Lord, hear us. Amen.
Deceased: Lord, welcome all those who have died recently. Be mindful of those whose anniversaries occur about this time: Cyril Perrins(1968), Hugh Mooney(1981), Harold Hadlington (1984), Laurence Gilmurray(1989), Fr Cathal Cassidy(1995) Curate at St Peter’s 1957-61, Ellen Neenan(2003), James McVicar(2004), Mary Marshall(2007), Richard Wilson(2009), Ann Boyd(2009) & Arlinda Pinto(2024). May all who have died rest in the peace of the Risen Lord. Amen.
