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.

ENTRANCE SONG: GOD FATHER PRAISE AND GLORY

God Father, praise and glory
Thy children bring to Thee.
Thy grace and peace to mankind
Shall now forever be.
Refrain:
O most Holy Trinity, Undivided Unity,
Holy God, mighty God, God immortal be adored!

ENTRANCE ANTIPHON 
The merciful love of the Lord fills the earth; by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, alleluia.
[–» Greeting]

In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
R. And with your spirit.

PENITENCIAL RITE

Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.

After the silence, all pray

I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, They strike their breast:

through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

The priest says the absolution

May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

The people answer:

Amen.

The priest invites all to repent of their sins. A pause for silent reflection follows:

Lord, have mercy. 
Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. 
Lord, have mercy.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, O God, almighty Father. Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son, Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer; you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us. For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

COLLECT
Almighty ever-living God, tend us to a share in the joys of heaven, so that the humble flock may reach where the brave Shepherd has gone before. Who lives and reigns with you.

READINGS FOR THE 4TH SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR A 2023, 2026, 2029, 2031

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.

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.

READING II
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.

ALLELUIA
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me.

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.”  

FOR THE 4TH SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR A HOMILY REFLECTION, CLICK HERE, HERE AND HERE.

APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, [at the words that follow, up to and including the Virgin Mary, all bow]
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

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

1. For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd, let us pray to the Lord.
2. For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace given by Christ, let us pray to the Lord.
3. For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness which no one can take from them, let us pray to the Lord.
4. For our own community, that it may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ, let us pray to the Lord.

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.

LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST

OFFERTORY: LORD, I OFFER MY LIFE TO YOU

All that I am, all that I have
I lay them down before You, oh Lord
All my regrets, all my acclaims
The joy and the pain, I’m making them Yours

REFRAIN:

Lord, I offer my life to You
Everything I’ve been through, use it for Your glory
Lord I offer my days to You
Lifting my praise to You as a pleasing sacrifice
Lord I offer You my life

Things in the past, things yet unseen
Wishes and dreams that are yet to come true
All of my hope, all of my plans
My heart and my hands are lifted to You. REFRAIN

PREPARATION OF THE GIFTS

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.
–Blessed be God forever.

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work of human hands it will become our spiritual drink
–  Blessed be God forever.

(ALL STAND)

Pray, brethren [brothers and sisters], that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.

The people answer:

 May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of his name, for our good, and the good of all his Church.

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:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of hosts,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER III

You are indeed Holy, O Lord, and all you have created rightly gives you praise, for through your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, by the power and working of the Holy Spirit, you give life to all things and make them holy, and you never cease to gather a people to yourself, so that from the rising of the sun to its setting a pure sacrifice may be offered to your name. 

(ALL KNEEL)

Therefore, O Lord, we humbly implore you: by the same Spirit graciously make holy these gifts we have brought to you for consecration, that they may become the Body and † Blood of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, at whose command we celebrate these mysteries. 

For on the night he was betrayed he himself took bread, and giving you thanks he said the blessing, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples, saying:

TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT OF IT, FOR THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.

In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice, and giving you thanks he said the blessing, and gave the chalice to his disciples, saying:

TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT, FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD, THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.
DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.  
 
The mystery of faith.
We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.

Therefore, O Lord, as we celebrate the memorial of the saving Passion of your Son, his wondrous Resurrection and Ascension into heaven, and as we look forward to his second coming, we offer you in thanksgiving this holy and living sacrifice.

Look, we pray, upon the oblation of your Church and, recognizing the sacrificial Victim by whose death you willed to reconcile us to yourself, grant that we, who are nourished by the Body and Blood of your Son and filled with his Holy Spirit, may become one body, one spirit in Christ.
 
May he make of us an eternal offering to you, so that we may obtain an inheritance with your elect, especially with the most blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with your blessed Apostles and glorious Martyrs [with Saint N: the Saint of the day or Patron Saint] and with all the Saints, on whose constant intercession in your presence we rely for unfailing help.

May this Sacrifice of our reconciliation, we pray, O Lord, advance the peace and salvation of all the world. Be pleased to confirm in faith and charity your pilgrim Church on earth, with your servant N. our Pope and [N.] our Bishop, the Order of Bishops, all the clergy, and the entire people you have gained for your own.

Listen graciously to the prayers of this family, whom you have summoned before you: in your compassion, O merciful Father, gather to yourself all your children scattered throughout the earth.

† To our departed brothers and sisters and to all who were pleasing to you at their passing from this life, give kind admittance to your kingdom.
There we hope to enjoy for ever the fullness of your glory through Christ our Lord, through whom you bestow on the world all that is good. †
 
[–»Through him, and with him…]

(ALL STAND)

COMMUNION RITE

At the Savior’s command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.

Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles:  I leave you peace, my peace I leave you. Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and graciously grant her peace and unity in accordance to your will, who live and reign for ever and ever.  Amen.

The peace of the Lord be with you always.
And with your spirit.

Let us offer each other the sign of peace
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: grant us peace.

Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.

Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

The Body of Christ.
Amen.

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

COMMUNION SONGS: POWER OF LOVE

Lord I come to You
Let my heart be changed renewed
Flowing from the grace
That I’ve found in You
Lord I’ve come to know
The weakness I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love

chorus

Hold me close let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love

Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see You face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me
Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
By the power of Your love (refrain)

SOUL OF CHRIST

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ save me
Water from the side of Christ
Wash me, Passion of Christ
Give me strength

Chorus:
Hear me Jesus
Hide me in thy wounds
That I may never leave thy side
From all the evil that surrounds me
Defend me and when the call of death arrives
Bid me come to thee
That I may praise thee
With thy saints forever.

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]

CONCLUDING RITE

The Mass is ended. Go in peace glorifying the Lord by your life.

Thanks be to God.

PRAYER TO ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL

St. Michael the Archangel, 
defend us in battle. 
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. 
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, 
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, 
by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, 
and all the evil spirits, 
who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

RECESSIONAL: REGINA COELI
(QUEEN OF HEAVEN)

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

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