April 21, 2024 Fourth Sunday of Easter

+ From the Gospel according to John (10, 11 – 18)

At that time, Jesus said: «I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. The mercenary – who is not a shepherd and to whom the sheep do not belong – sees the wolf coming, abandons the sheep and runs away, and the wolf kidnaps them and scatters them; because he is a mercenary and does not care about the sheep.
I am the good shepherd, I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that do not come from this pen: I have to lead them too. They will listen to my voice and become one flock, one shepherd.
This is why the Father loves me: because I give my life, to then take it back again. Nobody takes it away from me: I give it from myself. I have the power to give it and the power to take it back again. This is the command I received from my Father.”

Word of the Lord