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Saint Gertrude Parish - Lasne
April 26, 2026
On this page you will find:
The readings for Mass, the Mass leaflet with the choice of hymns
A sample universal prayer available for download, in PDF and editable Word formats.
A meditation on the Sunday Gospel, a spiritual text and commentary by Marie-Noëlle Thabut
4th Sunday of Easter
Good Shepherd Sunday
Day of Prayer for Vocations
The Lord is my shepherd:
I lack nothing.
On meadows of fresh grass,
He makes me rest.
Psalm 22:1-2ab
Readings from the Mass
Mass leaflet
Universal Prayer
Consult the Lectio Divina page, which invites you to read the Gospel in a prayerful atmosphere so that you may be touched in your heart. It is important not to rush to read commentaries or homilies before having this personal experience of encountering Christ in Scripture.
Next, if you wish, you can read the meditations below which will enrich your personal reading and meditation.
Méditation
Homily of Pope Francis
The last words Jesus speaks in the Gospel we have just heard summarize the meaning of his mission: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). This is what a good shepherd does: he lays down his life for his sheep. Thus, Jesus, like a shepherd searching for his flock, came to find us when we were lost; like a shepherd, he came to rescue us from death; like a shepherd who knows his sheep one by one and loves them with infinite tenderness, he brought us into the Father's fold, making us his children.
Let us therefore contemplate the image of the Good Shepherd and focus on two actions which, according to the Gospel, he performs for his sheep: first he calls them, then he leads them out.
Homily
Draw from the source
The biblical texts for this Sunday show us the beginnings of Peter's preaching, surrounded by the other apostles. They left their hiding place to proclaim the good news of the Gospel: “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” The response was immediate: “What should we do?” People were moved by Peter's preaching. Many were baptized. For them, it truly was “the joy of the Gospel.” Once you have embraced it, nothing can ever be the same again.
In his first letter, Peter addresses established communities facing difficulties. He urges them to turn to Christ as their model: On the day of his baptism in the waters of the Jordan, he entered the water, pure from all sin; he came out bearing all the sins of the world. He took them upon himself to free us from them. Unjustly treated, he entrusted himself to God. It is by his wounds that we are healed. The oppressed person who is aware of sharing in the destiny of their Lord will never again have a slave's soul. They will discover that the Lord is their shepherd and that with him, they will lack nothing (Psalm 22).
It is precisely this image of the shepherd that Jesus uses in this Sunday's Gospel. Throughout his ministry, we see him traveling from town to town and village to proclaim the Good News. There he encounters crowds who are “like sheep without a shepherd.” He is deeply moved by their plight. The religious authorities who should have been caring for them have practically abandoned them. The prophet Jeremiah denounces these “wretched shepherds who let the sheep from the pasture perish and be scattered.” Today, Christ denounces the Pharisees who are driving the sheep out of God's flock.
Understanding the readings
with Marie-Noëlle THABUT
Une parole pour la route
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