Fourth Sunday of Easter
Reading 1
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.
Ps 23: 1-3a, 3b4, 5, 6Responsorial Psalm
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
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. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
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. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
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. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
1 Pt 2:20b-25Reading 2
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.
Jn 10:1-10Gospel
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.”
Catholic Fundamentalism Interpretation:
Peter and the eleven said loudly, "Let all those descended from Jacob know that The Loving Programmer has made Jesus, Whom you crucified, into God and Messiah."
They were extremely worried, and hurt, asking Peter and the eleven, "What are we supposed to do?"
Peter told 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 Wireless Connector (who will join you to the fullness of God).
That promise is made to you and to your children, and to all those far away (in time, too), whomever The Loving Programmer, our God, will call."
He testified with many arguments (about the divinity of Jesus and what they had to do) and exhorted them (and, us) to "Save yourselves from those who live in error."
Those who accepted his message were baptized (as those who accept still are), and about 3,000 people were added to the number of believers.
The Loving Programmer provides all the programming assistance I need.
The Loving Programmer provides all the programming assistance I need. He provides such wonderfully adequate programming assistance that I am led to places where I may restore my smaller, human program.
The Loving Programmer provides all the programming assistance I need.
He provides assistance so that I do not download and operate with errors. Even though I am in a place where erasure is near, I do not fear being erased because You are at my side. With Your guidance and guides, I have courage to go on.
The Loving Programmer provides all the programming assistance I need.
The good things You have programmed for me are done in sight of enemies, but they are not powerful
enough to take them from me. You keep me close with your Sacraments, so that You allow me to access and download more than I can use.
The Loving Programmer provides all the programming assistance I need.
Only goodness and kindness follow me while my program operates in this world. Beyond, I shall dwell in the place The Loving Programmer has provided for years (all the time there is) to come.
The Loving Programmer provides all the programming assistance I need.
Beloved, your individual programs must be so unalterable that you will be patient when suffering for operating according to The Program.
God considers this a grace before Him, and this is what you are called to do.
Because, Christ also suffered for you, leaving you a programming example that you should download within your own program and operate according to it.
He committed no error, and never wavered from truth. When someone attacked His Program, He did not respond by trying to erase theirs’. Instead, He let Himself (His own program operation) be turned over to The Loving Programmer, who is always just.
He, Himself, took our programming errors within His human program, (and suffered with/for them) on the cross, so that, having been made free from sin, we might live for righteousness.
By His wounds, your own programs have been healed. For you had gone astray, like (erring) sheep, but now,you have returned to He Who programmed you into being, and provides security for your individual, living programs.
Jesus, The Program in perfect, obedient, human form, said, "Amen, amen, I am downloading this key part of the Access Code to you: Whoever does not make proper access to The Program is an accursed egomaniac, trying to steal what he cannot earn.
But, whoever enters by using the proper access and password is the guide and protector of human souls.
The Loving Programmer allows The Living Program, Jesus Christ, to be downloaded on earth, as our tech support (shepherd). He calls the human programs who can make the necessary download for Him to access and leads them out (of error).
When He has driven the responding human programs, He leads them because they recognize the Power of His Download.
But, they won’t follow someone without the proper access code to their own programs; they’ll run away from someone without the access code (predicted by the prophetic downloads), because they don’t access error codes."
Although Jesus, The Program in living, perfect, human form, spoke in parables, the Pharisees were not able to download and operate according to what He was saying.
So, Jesus said, again, "Amen, I say to you, I have the access code and password for the (My) sheep. All who came before want to steal and rob, both goods, services, and souls, but the sheep didn’t make those downloads.
I am The Password. Whoever enters The Kingdom of The Loving Programmer with That Password shall be saved, and will find sustenance for their own program. A thief comes only to steal and erase programs. I come so that the (My sheep) will have more strengthening access to The Source Code.
