Fourth Sunday of Easter Worship Aid
Entrance Song – Christ, the Lord, Is Risen Today
1. Christ, the Lord, is ris’n today, Alleluia! All on earth with angels say. Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing ye heav’ns and earth reply, Alleluia!
2. Lives again our glorious King; Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
3. Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won. Alleluia! Death in vain forbids him rise; Alleluia! Christ has open’d paradise. Alleluia!
4. Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia! Foll’wing our exalted head; Alleluia! Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies. Alleluia!
First Reading – Acts 2:14A, 36-41
Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed: “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call.” He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day.
Responsorial Psalm
This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.
Second Reading – 1 PT 2:20B-25
Beloved: If you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.
When he was insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten; instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
Gospel Reading – 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.”
Offertory Song – Like A Shepherd
Refrain: Like a shepherd He feeds his flock and gathers the lambs in His arms, holding them carefully close to His heart, leading them home.
1. Say to the cities of Judah: Prepare the way of the Lord. Go to the mountaintop, lift your voice; Jerusalem, here is your God.
2. I Myself will shepherd them, for others have led them astray. The lost I will rescue and heal their wounds and pasture them, giving them rest.
3. Come unto Me if you are heavily burdened, And take My yoke up on your shoulders, I will give you rest.
Spiritual Communion – St. Vincent Pallotti
Jesus, Infinite Love, truly God and truly man, my food and drink, I desire you and I wish to desire you with the fullness of love with which you are desired by the Angels, the Saints and their Queen, the Most Holy Mary, with the fullness of love of her own heart. And relying on your infinite mercy which does not reject even the most miserable – indeed it seeks them out, I wish to receive you in every moment, forever; and I wish to make as many acts of love and of adoration as you deserve and for all the goals that are pleasing to you. Amen.
Closing Song – Alleluia! Alleluia! Let the Holy Anthem Rise
1. Alleluia! Alleluia! Let the holy anthem rise, And the choirs of heaven chant it In the temple of the skies; Let the mountains skip with gladness, And the joyful valleys ring With hosannas in the highest To our Savior and our King!
2. Alleluia! Alleluia! Like the sun from out the wave, He has risen up in triumph From the darkness of the grave. He’s the splendor of the nations, He’s the lamp of endless day; He’s the very Lord of glory Who is risen up today!
3. Alleluia! Alleluia! Blessed Jesus, make us rise From the life of this corruption To the life that never dies. May your glory be our portion, When the days of time are past, And the dead shall be awakened By the trumpet’s mighty blast!