The Tender Shepherd: Painting by: Ronald Raab, CSC 2020
TODAY’S HOMILY: CLICK HERE
Gospel
JN 10:1-10
Jesus said:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate
but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber.
But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.
The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice,
as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
When he has driven out all his own,
he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.
But they will not follow a stranger;
they will run away from him,
because they do not recognize the voice of strangers.”
Although Jesus used this figure of speech,
the Pharisees did not realize what he was trying to tell them.
So Jesus said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep.
All who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep did not listen to them.
I am the gate.
Whoever enters through me will be saved,
and will come in and go out and find pasture.
A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy;
I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”
Prayers of the Faithful
Let us pray that our Good Shepherd may wipe away every tear from our eyes and guide us into green pastures of kindness and fidelity in his name. May our Church proclaim the glory of God.
We pray to the Lord.
Let us pray for our Universal Church in this time of crisis and transition. May we learn new ways of serving those in need and to become the message of compassion for those weary from life, from job loss, from ill health and those who feel the stress of isolation.
We pray to the Lord.
Let us pray for our children who look forward to receiving Holy Communion for the first time and for our students who will receive the sacrament of Confirmation upon our return to our church communities. May the Good Shepherd guide them for a lifetime of love and service within the Church.
We pray to the Lord.
Let us listen carefully to the voice of Christ Jesus and imitate his compassionate expressions, especially in times of violence, hatred and uncertainty. May we be in union with divine integrity.
We pray to the Lord.
We pray for nurses and doctors, administrators and support staff, in every hospital across the world who have shepherded the terminally ill during this time of COVID-19. Bring relief to those worn down by this virus and help us all support human life.
We pray to the Lord.
Let us pray for people who face destructive floods and storms especially in our farmlands throughout our nation. May the Good Shepherd bring green pastures and hope for those who plant and harvest our food.
We pray to the Lord.
Let us pray for our beloved dead. We pray our loved ones may now find home in a new land where God’s face and voice are fully revealed.
We pray to the Lord.
Broken But Not Divided 
Thank you for this most beautiful reflection. I pray for myself and all people to receive the Peace that Jesus offers to us. The Peace that he offers us will change our world. I believe we our all searching for that Peace. God help us to find this Peace.