ACTS 18: 1 – 8
In those days: Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they opposed and reviled him, he shook out his garments and said to them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” And he left there and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God. His house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.
The Word of the Lord
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 98: 1 , 2 – 3ab 3cd – 4 (R) 2b
R/ The Lord has shown his deliverance to the nations.
O sing a new song to the Lord,
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have brought salvation. R.
The Lord has made known his salvation,
has shown his deliverance to the nations.
He has remembered his merciful love
and his truth for the house of Israel. R.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song,
and sing out your praise. R.
Gospel Acclamation
John 14: 18
Alleluia
I will not leave you as orphans, says the Lord; I will come to you, and your hearts will rejoice.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy.’’
JOHN 16: 16 – 20
Jesus said to his disciples:
“A little while and you will no longer see me,
and again a little while later and you will see me.”
So some of his disciples said to one another,
“What does this mean that he is saying to us,
‘A little while and you will not see me,
and again a little while and you will see me,’
and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”
So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks?
We do not know what he means.”
Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them,
“Are you discussing with one another what I said,
‘A little while and you will not see me,
and again a little while and you will see me’?
Amen, amen, I say to you,
you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices;
you will grieve, but your grief will become joy.”
The Gospel of the Lord
China 9 Chivabvu – May;
Vhiki yechitanhatu yenguva yePasika
Chiverengo chokutanga:
Mabasa 18,1-8
Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku raMabasa Avapositori
1Pauro akabva kuAteni akaenda kuKorinde.
2Akawana mumwe muJudha ainzi Akwira, mugari
wokuPondusi, akanga achangobva kuItari, nomudzimai wake anonzi Pirisira, nokuti Kiraudiusi
akanga ati vaJudha vose ngavabve muRoma. Saka
akaenda kundovaona 3 pamusana pokuti vaiva
vebasa rimwechetero, akagara akashanda navo nokuti aiita basa rimwechetero navo rokugadzira
matendhe. 4 Pasabata rimwe nerimwe aitaura
musinagogu achikurudzira vaJudha navaGiriki.
5Pakasvika Sirasi naTimoti vachibva kuMasedhonia,
Pauro aiva mubasa rokuparidza, achipupura
kuvaJudha, kuti Mesia ndiJesu. 6 Pavakapokana
naye vachimunyomba, akazunza hanzu dzake akati
kwavari, “Ropa renyu ngarikupfukirei! Ini mhosva
handisisina. Kubvira iye zvino ndavakuenda kune
vechirudzi.”
7Akabvapo akaenda kumba komumwe ainzi Titosi
Jusitusi, munhu aitya Mwari. Imba yake yaiva
pedyo nesinagogu. 8Kirisipusi mukuru wapasinagogu akatenda muna Tenzi pamwechete nemhuri
yake. Vazhinji vomuKorinde pavakanzwa Pauro
vakatenda vakaombekwa.
Shoko raTenzi.
Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:
Nziyo 98,1.4. (D – 2)
(D) – Mwari akaratidza kukunda kwake pamberi pamarudzi.
1 Imbirai TENZI rumbo rutsva,
nokuti akaita zvinhu zvinoshamisa,
simba rorudyi rwake nereruoko rwake
rutsvene ndizvo zvakakupai kukunda.
(D) – Mwari akaratidza kukunda kwake pamberi pamarudzi
2Mwari akaratidza kukunda kwake,
akazivisa kukunda kwake pamberi pamarudzi.
3Akarangarira mwoyochena wake,
nokutendeka kwake kuimba yokwaIsiraeri.
(D) – Mwari akaratidza kukunda kwake pamberi pamarudzi.
Pasi pose kusvika kwayakaperera pakaona
kukunda kwaMwari wedu.
4Pururudzirai TENZI nokufara pasi pose,
shaurai rumbo rworufaro
muimbe muchirumbidza.
(D) – Mwari akaratidza kukunda kwake pamberi pamarudzi.
Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:
Johani 14,18
Areruya,Areruya. Tenzi anoti, “Handikusiyei
muri nherera, ndichauyazve kwamuri, muchazofara kwazvo.” Areruya.
Shoko Rakanaka: Johani 16,16-20
Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naJohani
Jesu akati kuvadzidzi vake:
16 “Kwasara chinguva chiduku imi hamuzondioni,- kozoita chimwe chinguva chidukuzve
mozondiona.”
17Vamwe vadzidzi vakataurirana vachiti
“Ko, chiiko chaanoti kwatiri,
kwasara chinguva chiduku imi hamuzondioni,
uye kozoita chimwe chinguvazve chiduku,
mozondiona nokuti ndiri kuenda kuna Baba?”
18Vakati,
“Anoreveiko nezvaanoti,
‘Kwasara chinguva chiduku.’
Hatizive zvaanoreva.”
19 Jesu akaziva kuti vanoda kumubvunza. Naizvozvo
akati kwavari,
“Muri kubvunzana zvandanga ndichireva here
ndichiti, ‘Kwasara chinguva chiduku imi hamuzondioni. Kwozoita chimwe chinguva chidukuzve
mozondiona.’
20 Chokwadi chokwadi, ndinoti kwamuri,
muchachema nokuungudza asi pasi pari
mumafaro.
Imi muchasuruvara, asi kusuruvara kwenyu
kuchasanduka kuchiva kufara.”
Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi.
THURSDAY, 9TH MAY 2024.
SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER YEAR B.
FIRST READING
He stayed with them, and they worked, and he argued in the synagogue.
GOSPEL REFLECTION: Deepening Your Understanding
So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ of which he speaks? We do not know what he means.” (John 16:17–18)
How about you? Do you know what Jesus means? Or do you find that you are confused by what He said just like these disciples were? Though pride may tempt you to claim that you fully understand all that Jesus taught, the humble and honest truth is that you are probably very much like these disciples in their confusion. And that is not necessarily a bad place to be.
First, the confusion of these disciples shows they took Jesus seriously. They were not indifferent. They cared, were interested, wanted to understand, and must have had some level of faith in Jesus. Otherwise, they would have ignored Him. But they didn’t. They listened, tried to understand, discussed His teaching, thought about His words and humbly concluded that they didn’t understand.
Jesus is not critical of their confusion. He sees that they are trying and that they have some level of faith. And even though these disciples are confused, Jesus continues to speak to them in figures of speech rather than directly and clearly. One of the reasons that Jesus speaks in figurative language is because the message that He is teaching is profound and deep. It’s not something that can be quickly and easily understood and mastered. The mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven are so deep, vast, profound and mystical that the only way to begin to understand them is to first have faith. Faith does not mean you fully understand everything. Faith is a supernatural gift by which you come to believe without fully seeing and understanding. The certainty comes for God, not from your own reasoning ability. But faith always leads to deeper understanding. Therefore, as these disciples professed their faith, they also came to understand. And even though Jesus speaks in this figurative way, these disciples ultimately made the choice to believe. Later in this chapter they conclude, “Now we realize that you know everything and that you do not need to have anyone question you. Because of this we believe that you came from God” (John 16:30).
If you find yourself confused about various matters of faith, God, morality, and the like, or if you find yourself confused about the various mysteries of life itself, or your life in particular, do not be afraid to admit to this confusion. Admitting confusion is the humble admittance of the truth, and this humility will be a helpful step toward the gift of faith.
Reflect, today, upon whether you struggle at all with indifference toward the mysteries of life. If so, commit yourself to be more like these disciples who intentionally grappled with all that Jesus spoke. Do not be afraid to admit your confusion and to place that confusion before our Lord. Strive to have the gift of faith and allow that spark of faith to become the pathway for your deeper understanding of the many mysteries of life.
PRAYER:
My mysterious Lord, You and all the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven are so deep and profound that no one will ever fully comprehend their depth, breadth and beauty. Please open my mind, dear Lord, to a deeper understanding of You so that I may profess my faith in You and in all that You have chosen to reveal. I do believe, my God. Help my unbelief. Jesus, I trust in You.