Hour of Adoration

JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD

To trust more in Jesus as we follow him.

Suggested Song: “Be Thou My Vision,” Adoration, Disc 1, Track 13

Prayer of Presence
by Blessed James Alberione

We adore you, Jesus,

eternal Shepherd of the human race.
You are present in the Eucharist
to dwell continually in the midst of your people.
You nourish us, you guard us,
you guide us to the heavenly fold.
We do not live on bread alone,
but on your word of truth and love.

Hour of Adoration: Jesus the Good Shepherd is intended for use with the two-disc album, Adoration: Favorite Eucharistic Hymns
(ISBN 0-8198-0851-2) by the Daughters of St. Paul Choir. [Link]
tab=0
Scripture quotations from the New Testament used in this work are taken from The New Testament: St. Paul Catholic Edition,
translated by Mark A. Wauck, copyright © 2000 by the Society of St. Paul, Staten Island, New York, and are used by permission.
All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations from the book of Psalms contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition,
copyright © 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States
of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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 We listen to your voice
and follow it with love.
Give us the grace to listen to and love your word,
that it may bear fruit in our hearts.
Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.
Spend a few moments in private adoration.

Adoring Jesus Truth

We ask the Holy Spirit to help us to be attentive to Jesus’ words to us today.
The Good Shepherd is a comforting image, representing God’s fidelity and nurturing love for
us. No matter how we feel, Jesus is always with us on life’s journey.

Reading John 10:1–30

“Amen, amen, I say to you,
Whoever doesn’t go in by the gate
into the sheepfold
but enters by another way,
he’s a thief and robber.
But whoever comes in by the gate,
he’s the shepherd of the sheep.
The gate keeper opens to him,
and the sheep hear his voice,
and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out.
When he drives out all his own sheep
he goes before them,
and the sheep follow him
because they know his voice.
But they don’t follow a stranger,
instead, they flee from him,
because they don’t know
the voice of strangers.”
Jesus told them this figure of speech, but they didn’t realize what it was he was telling them.
So once again Jesus said,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
I am the gate for the sheep!
All those who came before me are thieves and robbers,
but the sheep didn’t listen to them.
I am the gate!

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 Whoever comes in through me will be saved
and will enter and leave and find pasture.
The thief comes only to steal and slaughter and slay;
I’ve come that you might have life and have it abundantly.
I am the good shepherd;
The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.
But since the hired man is not a shepherd—the sheep are not his own—
when he sees the wolf coming he leaves the sheep and flees,
and the wolf carries them off and scatters them,
because he’s a hired man and doesn’t care about the sheep.
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father,
and I lay down my life for my sheep.
I have other sheep who are not of this fold,
and I must lead them,
and they’ll listen to my voice,
and become one flock, one shepherd.
This is why the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me;
on the contrary, I lay it down on my own.
I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again.
This is the command I’ve received from my Father.”
Once again a split arose among the Jews because of these words. Now many of them said, “He
has a demon and is out of his mind! Who can listen to him?” Others said, “These are not the
words of a demon-possessed man! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
At that time Hanukkah was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter and Jesus was walking in
the Temple in the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews surrounded him and said, “How long will you
keep us in suspense? If you’re the Messiah, tell us openly!” Jesus answered them,
“I told you and you don’t believe.
The works I do in the name of my Father—these bear witness to me,
but you don’t believe because you’re not from among my sheep.
My sheep listen to my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me,
and I give them eternal life and they’ll never die,
and no one will snatch them from my hand.
My Father, Who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can snatch them from the hand of the Father.
The Father and I are one.”

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Reflection
This reading highlights many details about the relationship between a good shepherd and
his sheep. The shepherd calls each sheep by name, personally leading them; the sheep recognize
the shepherd’s voice; the shepherd would willingly give his life to save his sheep. It’s a warm,
intimate picture of the trusting relationship between shepherd and sheep.
Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd, who leads and accompanies us wherever we go. Jesus
leads us to the Father, wanting to give us the fullness of life. What is the next step Jesus is asking
us to take? Do we trust that the Lord will be with us? What are the obstacles that prevent us
from stepping forward with Jesus?
As an act of faith, pray Psalm 100, which celebrates our relationship with God as our Shepherd.

Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
Suggested Song: “Gift of Finest Wheat,” Adoration, Disc 2, Track 6

Following Jesus Way

Read the following Parable of the Lost Sheep, picturing yourself as the lamb being picked up with joy
by the Shepherd:

Reading Luke 15:3–7

So he told them this parable, “What man among you who had a hundred sheep and lost one
of them wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the desert and set out after the lost one until he found
it? And when he finds it he puts it on his shoulders, rejoicing, and when he comes home he calls
his friends and neighbors together and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me—I’ve found my lost sheep!’

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I say to you that, likewise, there will be more joy in Heaven at the repentance of one sinner than
at ninety-nine of the righteous who had no need of repentance.”

Reflection
In what ways have you felt shepherded by God? Take a few minutes to express your gratitude.
In what area(s) of your life do you feel lost or hurt? What do you feel unable to cope with or trust
God about? God desires to embrace and heal you, even in your most hidden or wounded places.
Can you bring these areas of your life to God?
Pause to reflect on the challenges of your life, confronting your life with the words and example of
Jesus.
We express our sorrow and trust in the Lord.

Prayer to Jesus, the Good Shepherd

by Blessed James Alberione
We thank you, Jesus Good Shepherd,
for having come down from heaven
to seek out humankind
and bring us back to the way of salvation.
You are the Good Shepherd
who gathers and cares for the scattered sheep.
The shepherd leads and the sheep follow
because they recognize the shepherd’s voice.
You have given your commandments,
your counsels, your examples.
Whoever heeds them is nourished
with a bread that does not perish:
“My food is to do the will of the heavenly Father.”
Have mercy on us when we try to nourish ourselves
on falsehood or empty pleasures.
Recall us to your way.
Sustain us when we waver,
strengthen us when we are weak.
May everyone follow you,
Shepherd and Guardian of our souls.
You alone are the Way,
you alone have words of eternal life.
We will follow you wherever you go.

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 Sharing Jesus Life
Pray Psalm 23 slowly or the words of a favorite hymn based on Psalm 23. As we pray each
phrase, pause to thank the Lord for shepherding us in that way in our lives. Or, if one phrase or
line is particularly meaningful, repeat it slowly and let it become a reminder throughout the next
day or week of God’s goodness. Ask God to bring a deeper trust in his love for you into your daily
life.
(If praying together, the group can pause after each sentence and spontaneously offer aloud their thanksgiving.)

Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.

As we conclude the hour of adoration, we ask God to help us remember and reflect his loving kindness
for us throughout our day or week.
Song Suggestion: “Here I Am, Lord,” Adoration, Disc 1, Track 18

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 Hour of Adoration
I AM WITH YOU

To share a particular sorrow or difficulty with the Lord

Song Suggestion: “Panis Angelicus,” Adoration, Disc 2, Track 5

Introduction
This hour of adoration is meant to be used in time of difficulty or sorrow. Open your heart to
God and ask him to be with you at this difficult time. Spend a few moments in silent adoration.
Ask for the light of the Holy Spirit so that you may feel God’s presence and receive comfort.
If during this prayer time you do not feel the presence of the Lord with you, don’t be dis-
turbed. Feeling that God is far away is a common experience, especially in times of suffering.
Psalm 34 reminds us that God is near to the brokenhearted. If no words come to you during this
time of prayer, just try to remember that you are in God’s loving presence. That in itself is a pow-
erful prayer of faith.

Hour of Adoration: I Am with You is intended for use with the two-disc album, Adoration: Favorite Eucharistic Hymns
(ISBN 0-8198-0851-2) by the Daughters of St. Paul Choir. by the Daughters of St. Paul Choir. [Link]
music-audio/adoration-2-disc#[Link]=0
Scripture quotations from the New Testament used in this work are taken from The New Testament: St. Paul Catholic Edition,
translated by Mark A. Wauck, copyright © 2000 by the Society of St. Paul, Staten Island, New York, and are used by permission.
All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations from the book of Psalms contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition,
copyright © 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States
of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Excerpted from Life of the World © Daughters of St. Paul, 2003. All rights reserved. | 800-876-4463 | [Link] 1
 Adoring Jesus Truth
In this reading, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. But first, he weeps with Martha and Mary
over the loss of their brother. How is God with you in this time of difficulty? Is God weeping with
you? Catching your tears? Embracing you?

Reading John 11:1–44

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, from the village of Mary and her sister
Martha. Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with oil and wiped his feet dry with her
hair—it was her brother Lazarus who was sick. So the sisters sent to tell him, “Lord, behold, the
one you love is sick.” When Jesus heard this he said, “This sickness will not bring death—it is for
the glory of God so the Son of Man may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her
sister and Lazarus, but after he heard that Lazarus was sick he stayed where he was for two more
days. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let’s go into Judea again.” The disciples said to him,
“Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and now you’re going back there again?” Jesus
answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours in a day?
If someone walks in the day he doesn’t stumble,
because he sees the light of this world,
but if someone walks in the night he stumbles,
because the light isn’t with him.”
He said these things, and then he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I’m
going now to wake him up.” So the disciples said to him, “Lord, if he’s fallen asleep, he’ll recover.”
But Jesus had spoken about his death, while they thought he was speaking about natural sleep. So
then Jesus said to them openly, “Lazarus has died, and I rejoice for your sake that I wasn’t there, so
you may believe. But let’s go to him” So Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow dis-
ciples, “Let’s go, too, to die with him!”
When Jesus came he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Now
Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and
Mary to console them over their brother. So Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, met
him, but Mary stayed in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here my brother
wouldn’t have died! But even now I know that whatever you ask God for, God will give you.” Jesus
said to her, “Your brother will rise!” Martha said to him, “I know that he’ll rise at the resurrection
on the last day.” Jesus said to her,
“I am the resurrection and the life!
Whoever believes in me, even if he should die, will live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die!
“Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I’ve come to believe that you’re the Messiah,
the Son of God who has come into the world!”

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 After she said these things she went off and called her sister Mary, saying quietly, “The Teacher
is here and he’s asking for you.” When she heard that, she got up quickly and went to him. Now
Jesus had not yet come to the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. So the
Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, when they saw that Mary had quickly gotten
up and gone out they followed her, thinking, “She’s going to the tomb to weep there.” When
Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you’d been
here my brother wouldn’t have died!” So when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come
with her weeping, he groaned in spirit and was troubled and he said, “Where have you laid him?”
They said to him, “Lord, come and see!” Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, “See how he loved
him!” But some of them said, “Couldn’t the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have
caused this man not to die?”
So Jesus, again groaning within himself, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay
on it. Jesus said, “Take the stone away!” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by
now he’ll smell—it’s been four days!” Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believe you’ll
see the glory of God?” So they took the stone away. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father,
I give you thanks, because you heard me. Now I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for
the sake of the crowd standing around me, so they may believe that you sent me.” And after saying
this he called out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out with his hands
and feet bound with thongs and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Untie him and
let him go!”

Reflection
As Jesus arrives to console Martha and Mary, and to raise their brother, Lazarus, from the
dead, Martha runs to her sister, Mary, and tells her, “The Master is here and wants to see you.”
What powerful words these must have been to the grieving Mary. These words are addressed to
you, too. Jesus Master wants to meet you here, where you are. He wants you to sit with him and
share your shattered hopes and dreams, your fears and your pain.
After some quiet reflection, pray the following act of faith as a response to the reading.
Instrumental Music reflection: “Be Not Afraid,” Adoration, Disc 2, Track 11

An Act of Faith in the Lord’s Presence

Lord, I believe you are here with me right now, loving me.
But it’s dark and I cannot see your radiance.
It’s quiet and I cannot hear the tender whisper of your voice.
My heart is so broken and afraid that I cannot feel
the warmth of your gentle presence.
I can only pray: Be with me, Lord.
I want to see your face.
I want to know that you are with me.
I want to be cradled in your arms.

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 I want to feel your strength, your peace.
Even if I can’t feel you, hold me tight.
Even if I can’t see you, stay right beside me.
Even in the darkest hour, be with me, Lord.
You are the Divine Master: help me to discover your presence in every situation.
You walked the way of suffering during your earthly life: now walk with me.
You are the Resurrection and the Life,
overcoming sin and death: fill me with your grace and love.
I cling to your promise:
“Do not be afraid, for I am with you always, until the very end of time.”
I entrust myself completely to your merciful love.

Following Jesus Way

The night before Jesus died, he went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, and he asked his
three disciples, Peter, James, and John, to watch and pray with him. They fell asleep, and Jesus was
left all alone in the night. Ask Jesus now to “watch and pray” with you as you face this difficult
situation. Ask him not to leave you alone, but to help you discover his presence in your suffering.
Listen to Jesus’ voice, calling you to grow or respond in this situation.
As you confront your life in light of Jesus’ words and example, choose to focus not on your weakness,
but on God’s presence and love for you.

Renew your trust in the Lord by holding in your mind or repeating aloud a phrase that reminds you
that God is with you, such as “God is near to the brokenhearted.”

Sharing Jesus’ Life

At difficult times, one of the best ways to pray is to pour out your heart to the Lord, telling
God your deepest feelings—anger, discouragement, fear, hope—and your desires.
The psalms are wonderful, honest prayers of the heart. After you have talked heart-to-heart
with the Lord, pray Psalm 42 and make it your heart’s cry to the God who loves you.

Psalm 42
As a deer longs for flowing streams
so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and behold
the face of God?
My tears have been my food

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 day and night,
while people say to me continually,
“Where is your God?”
These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I went with the throng,
and led them in procession to the house of God,
with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving,
a multitude keeping festival.
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my help and my God.
My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
at the thunder of your cataracts;
all your waves and your billows
have gone over me.
By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
I say to God, my rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I walk about mournfully
because the enemy oppresses me?”
As with a deadly wound in my body,
my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me continually,
“Where is your God?”
Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my help and my God.

Throughout your day, remember that God is with you.

Song Suggestion: “In God Alone,” Adoration, Disc 2, Track 14

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