JUDE 17: 20b – 25

You must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. Build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And convince some, who doubt; save some, by snatching them out of the fire; on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you without blemish before the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God, our Saviour through   Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen.

The Word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 63: 2, 3 – 4, 5 – 6 (R.) 2b
R/. For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord, my God.

O God, you are my God; at dawn I seek you;
for you my soul is thirsting.
For you my flesh is pining,
like a dry, weary land without water. R/.

I have come before you in the sanctuary,
to behold your strength and your glory.
Your loving mercy is better than life;
my lips will speak your praise. R/.

I will bless you all my life;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet;
with joyful lips, my mouth shall praise you. R/.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Colossians 3: 16a, 17c

Alleluia.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL
“By what authority are you doing these things?’’
MARK 11: 27 – 33

At that time: Jesus and the disciples came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” Jesus said to them, “I will ask you a question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men? Answer me.” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘From men’?” — they were afraid of the people, for all held that John was a real prophet. So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mugovera 1 Chikuni – June;

Kurangarira Jastini, Mufiri wechitendero

Chiverengo chokutanga:
Judha 17.20b-25

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mutsamba yaJudha
17 Munofanira kuyeuka hama dzangu zvakafanotaurwa navapositori vaTenzi wedu Jesu Kristu.
20 Ibvai mazvivaka pachitendero chenyu chinoera
kwazvo kwazvo. Namatai muine Mweya Mutsvene.
21 Rambai muchingodana naMwari. Rambai
makangotarisira kuti Tenzi Jesu Kristu achakuitirai
nyasha dzinokusvitsai kuupenyu husingaperi.
22 Itirai ngoni vanokahadzika, 23 mununure vamwe
vavo nokuvabura muchoto. Vamwe vaitirei zvenyu
tsitsi asi muchivatya, muchitovenga kunyange
hanzu dzavo dzakaita mavara mavara nokutadza,
dzakasvibiswa nemiviri yavo.
24 Zvino kuna iye anokwanisa kukuchengetedzai
musina kuputsika, achikusvitsai musina chinoshoreka, muchifara paari mumbiri yake 25 kuna iye
Mwari mumwechete Mununuri wedu, nokuna Jesu
Kristu Tenzi wedu ngakuve nembiri, noukuru,
nesimba nechiremera sezvakanga zviripo nakare
kose, zviripo iye zvino, uye nokusingaperi. Ameni.
Shoko raTenzi.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:
Nziyo 63,1.2-3.4-5. (D – 1)

(D) – Mwari, ndimi Mwari wangu, ndinokutsvakai.
1 Mwari, ndimi Mwari wangu, ndinokutsvakai,
ini ndinokufirai nenyota.
Nyama yangu inokutakwairirai,
senyika yakaoma yerenje, isina mvura
(D) – Mwari, ndimi Mwari wangu, ndinokutsvakai.
2 Regai ndikuonei zvangu munzvimbo yenyu
inoera, ndione simba renyu nembiri,
3 nokuti mwoyochena wenyu uri nani kupinda
upenyu, miromo yangu ichakurumbidzai.
(D) – Mwari, ndimi Mwari wangu, ndinokutsvakai.
4 Saka ndichakurumbidzai upenyu hwangu hwose.
Ndichasimudza maoko angu ndichidaidza zita
renyu.
5 Mweya wangu uchadyiririra sokunge ndiri
kudya mwongo namafuta,
muromo wangu uchakurumbidzai norufaro.
(D) – Mwari, ndimi Mwari wangu, ndinokutsvakai.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:
VaKorose 3,16

Areruya, Areruya. Shoko raKristu noupfumi
hwaro ngarinyatsoti tindindi mamuri, muchitenda Mwari mumwoyo menyu. Areruya.

Shoko Rakanaka: Mariko 11,27-33

Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naMariko
27 Jesu navadzidzi vake vakasvika zvakare Jerusaremu. Zvaakanga achifamba muTemberi, vapristi vakuru nenyanzvi dzoMutemo navakuru vakuru
vavaJudha vakauya kwaari 28 vakati kwaari,
“Unoita izvi nesimba raani? Ndiani akakupa simba
rokuita izvi?”
29 Jesu akati kwavari, “Ndombokubvunzaiwo mubvunzo mumwechete; mundipindure, ndozokuudzaiwo kuti ndinoita izvi nesimba raani.
30 Ruombeko rwaJohani rwakabva kudenga here
kana kuvanhu? Ndipindurei”
31 Ipapo vakataurirana pachavo vachiti, “Kana
tikati, ‘Rwakabva kudenga;’ achati, ‘Ko, makaregerei kutenda kwaari?’ 32 Asi toti here, ‘Rwakabva
kuvanhu? Vakanga vachitya vanhu nokuti vose
vaiti Johani muporofita chaiye.’ ” 33 Saka vakapindura Jesu vachiti, “Hatizivi.”
Jesu ndokuvati, “Kana neniwo handikutaurirei
kuti ndinoita izvi nesimba raani.”
Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi

GOSPEL REFLECTION: The Danger of Obstinacy
June 1, 2024

“I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.” (Mark 11:29–30)

This is Jesus’ response to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders when they approached Jesus in the Temple area and asked Him by what authority He did the things He did. And what was it that Jesus did? The day before, Jesus had been in the Temple and drove the money changers out, telling them, “Is it not written: ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples’? But you have made it a den of thieves.” This outraged the religious leaders, and they immediately began to discuss how they could put Jesus to death.

Consider, first, the tension in the air. They literally were plotting to put Jesus, the Son of God, to death. They were filled with hatred and jealousy and refused to believe in Him. Jesus saw their hardness of heart and put them on the spot to first answer His question before He would answer theirs. Why would Jesus do this?

The question Jesus asked them was actually an act of great mercy on His part. He gave them an opportunity to repent. If they had only answered His question with humble faith and honesty, they could have saved their lives. Instead, they discussed among themselves His question and gave the politically correct answer. If they had said John’s baptism was of human origin, and not from God, they were afraid that the people would turn on them. So they simply said, “We do not know.” But imagine if they would have given the right answer. What if they had discussed it among themselves and concluded that John’s baptism truly was from God and that they should have believed in him? If they would have only humbled themselves, admitted that they had gravely erred in regard to John, then Jesus would have answered their question, and their life of true faith could have begun. But they didn’t. They remained obstinate. They could not admit they were wrong.

Obstinacy is among the most dangerous of sins. It’s a sin that cannot be forgiven, because, in essence, it’s a refusal to change. And when a person refuses to admit their sin, and refuses to change, then God cannot help them. They remain lost in their sin and suffer the consequences.

Do you struggle with obstinacy in your life? Do you find it difficult to admit when you are wrong? Do you find it difficult to apologize to another and seek to change?

Reflect, today, upon anything you remain obstinate about. Are there matters of faith that you refuse to believe? Are there broken relationships that you refuse to humbly restore? Do you justify your sin and refuse to admit your guilt and need to change? Pray to our Lord for the gift of a humble heart. Humility, in many ways, is nothing other than being completely honest with yourself and others before God. Do not follow the example of these religious leaders. Humbly seek to remove all obstinacy from your heart so that Our Lord can enter in and bring His mercy into your life.

PRAYER:
My unwavering Jesus, You confront those who are proud, arrogant and obstinate with much strength and love. You do so to help them overcome their stubbornness of heart. Give me the grace of humility, dear Lord, so that I will always be able to admit my sin and turn to You in love. Jesus, I trust in You.