Readings:

Theme:

The theme for this Sunday is the Good Shepherd .

Questions:

Day 1: The first reading continues from last Sunday's first reading. Peter was fulfilling his role as the Shepherd of the Church by calling people to repentance.

• What did Peter want the house of Israel know for certainty?

• What does it mean to call Jesus as Lord?

• What does it mean to call Jesus as Messiah?

• Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Messiah? What do you want to tell Jesus?

Day 2: The first reading continues with the people asking Peter what they should do. Peter's response was repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ

• What does repentance mean?

• Peter also said that once one has repented and been baptized, one will receive the Holy Spirit. He further said that this is a promise. As a promise this will be fulfilled by God. Have you repented of your sins? What is your proof that you have received the Holy Spirit?

• Peter said that the promise is for everyone whom the Lord calls. Do you believe that God is calling you? How should you respond?

Day 3: The responsorial psalm is the Shepherd psalm. It gives a picture of who God is and who we are before him.

• To lie down in green pasture means abundance and to be led to still water means life. Do you believe that God wants to give you this life? If not how can you reconcile that with what scripture is saying?

• The psalm continues saying that God's rod and staff comforted David. This psalm also refers to you. How does God comfort you?

• The last verse says surely, goodness and mercy will follow David, all the days of his life. This also applies to you. What does it mean for goodness and mercy to follow you? Do you believe that they follow you, even now?

• What do you want to tell Jesus?

Day 4: In the second reading St. Peter speaks of suffering. A Christian is called to suffer. Yet, this suffering is not blind suffering where we passively take what other throw us nor is this a call to go out of our way to look for suffering. The suffering he talks about is when we suffer for doing right.

• St. Peter was saying that if we suffer for doing right, we have God's approval. What did he mean by suffering for doing right?

• He said we are called to suffer. What did he mean by that?

• Are you suffering right now? There is always something good that can come up from suffering. Can you see the good in this suffering?

Day 5: The second reading continues, this time, he speaks of the sufferings of Jesus.

• According to St. Peter, how did Jesus handle his sufferings?

• St. Peter said that when we are free from sins, we might live for righteousness. What did he mean by that?

• He also said that, “by his wounds, you have been healed”. How can the wounds of Jesus heal you?

• St. Peter then said, “you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. Who is the Shepherd and Guardian of your soul? What did he mean by that?

Day 6: The gospel reading shows Jesus calling himself as the gate to the sheepfold. He seems to show us how we can identify the good shepherd. This reading immediately follows the episode where Jesus had an argument with the Jewish leaders. They condemned Jesus because he healed a blind man. Jesus then spoke about strangers and thieves.

• Jesus said that the shepherd and thief are identified by the way they enter the sheepfold. How are they different from each other?

• Jesus speaks of the sheep following the voice of the shepherd. What does this mean?

• The problem of committed Christians is not who they choose. They will definitely choose to follow Jesus. However, although Jesus will never lie, the enemy will try to mimic the voice of Jesus to deceive the sheep. How can you distinguish between the voice of the shepherd and the voice of the thief?

Day 7: In the second part of the gospel reading, Jesus identifies himself as the gate for the sheep.

• Jesus describes those who came before him as thieves and bandits. Who was Jesus referring to? Are there thieves and bandits who want to lead the sheep astray in this day and age?

• Jesus said that those who enter by him will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. What did he mean by this?

• Jesus said that he came that the sheep may have life, and have it abundantly. Some translations say (super-abundant) What did he mean by super-abundance? Did he mean it materially, or did he mean it spiritually or did he mean both?

• Do you believe that Jesus came to give you an super-abundant life? What do you want to tell Jesus?