4th Sunday of Easter, Year A. GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY MASS PRAYERS AND READINGS.

4th Sunday of Easter, Year A.
GOOD SHEPHERD SUNDAY
MASS PRAYERS AND READINGS.

HOLY MASS
Sunday, 4th week of Easter
Good Shepherd Sunday

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON 
The merciful love of the Lord fills the earth; by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, alleluia.
[–» Greeting]
The Gloria in excelsis (Glory to God in the highest) is said.
 

READING I
Acts 13:14, 43–52

“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.
“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
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want..
Or: Alleluia.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows. 
R.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
for years to come.
R.

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.

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.”  

FOR TODAY’S GOSPEL COMMENTARY, SEE
https://catholicsstrivingforholiness.org/daily-mass-gospel-and-commentary-the-good-shepherd-jn-101-10/

FOR TODAY’S GOSPEL REFLECTION, SEE
https://catholicsstrivingforholiness.org/4th-sunday-of-easter-good-shepherd-sunday-and-53rd-world-day-of-prayer-for-vocations/

Universal Prayer

Priest’s Introduction
Dear brothers and sisters, filled with paschal joy, let us pray more earnestly to God that he, who graciously listened to the prayers and supplications of his beloved Son, may now be pleased to look upon us in our lowliness.
Intentions

Priest’s Prayer
O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you; and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Grant, we pray, O Lord, that we may always find delight in these paschal mysteries, so that the renewal constantly at work within us may be the cause of our unending joy. Through Christ our Lord.
[–» Eucharistic Prayer]

Preface I of Easter

The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right and just.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, at all times to acclaim you, O Lord, but on this day above all to laud you yet more gloriously, when Christ our Passover has been sacrificed.For he is the true Lamb who has taken away the sins of the world; by dying he has destroyed our death, and by rising restored our life. And so, overcome with paschal joy, every land, every people exults in your praise and even the heavenly Powers, with the angelic hosts, sing together the unending hymn of your glory as they acclaim:

COMMUNION ANTIPHON
The good shepherd has risen, who laid down his life for his sheep, and willingly died for his flock, alleluia.
[–» Communion]

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Look upon your flock, kind Shepherd, and be pleased to settle in eternal pastures the sheep you have redeemed by the Precious Blood of your Son. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
[–» Concluding Rite]