AUGUST 4TH 2024.

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

FIRST READING      
“I will rain bread from heaven for you.”
EXODUS 16: 2 – 4, 12 – 15

At that time: The whole congregation of the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness and said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. I have heard the murmurings of the sons of Israel; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God. ”’ In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning dew lay round about the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as hoarfrost on the ground. When the sons of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.”

The Word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 78: 3 and 4bc, 23 – 24, 25 and 54 (R.)  24b.

R/. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.

The things we have heard and understood,
the things our fathers have told us,
we will tell them to the next generation:
the glories of the Lord and his might. R/.

Yet he commanded the clouds above,
and opened the gates of heaven.
He rained down manna to eat,
and gave them bread from heaven. R/.

Man ate the bread of angels.
He sent them abundance of food.
So he brought them to his holy land,
to the mountain his right hand had won. R/.

SECOND READING
“Put on the new man, created after the likeness of God.”
EPHESIANS 4: 17, 20 – 24

Brethren: This I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds. You did not so learn Christ! — assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus. Put off the old man that belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new man, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

The Word of the Lord.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION 
Matthew 4: 4b

Alleluia.
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL         
“He who comes to me shall not hunger and he who believes in me shall never thirst.”
JOHN 6: 24 – 35

At that time: When the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labour for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat. ”’ Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

*GOSPEL REFLECTION: Hunger for God*_August 4, 2024__“Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” (John 6:25–27)_The day before, Jesus fed the crowds at the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. The next day, the people were hungry again, so they went looking for Jesus thinking that He might miraculously feed them again. In the passage above, Jesus uses their physical hunger to point them to a deeper spiritual reality.Each one of us is hungry. We continually have cravings that we want satiated. Certainly, food and drink are among our cravings, but the deepest craving we each have is a spiritual one. The problem is that we often try to satiate ourselves in ways that will never satisfy us. Therefore, we each need to hear Jesus say, “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” What is that food that the Son of Man will give to us? Of course, it is His very Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. It is the Most Holy Eucharist.This passage begins the lengthy “Bread of Life Discourse” from which we will read over the next three Sundays. Throughout this discourse, Jesus makes it clear that His flesh is true food and His blood is true drink. Eating Jesus’ flesh and blood is the only way to eternal life. Some who listen to this teaching find that it is too difficult to accept and, as a result, reject Jesus and His teaching. The discourse ends with Jesus asking the Twelve if they want to leave too. Peter gives the perfect response by saying, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”As we ponder this teaching of Jesus over the next few weekends, it is important to start with the foundation. The foundation is our spiritual hunger. We each experience it. We each are aware of it. We cannot escape it. For that reason, look into your own soul. What do you see? Do you see a certain restlessness and unfulfilled desire? Do you sense the cravings within your own soul? When you see this, know that you have discovered the starting point of the life of fulfillment. Unless you can see that hunger within, you cannot turn to the source of satiation.https://youtu.be/M7BQ75Dywbo?si=bVfkgPl5oI7ndYNqThe Eucharist is the source of all that we long for in life; however, too often we fail to see that. We can easily fall into the trap of seeing the Eucharist as an obligation we must meet each week. Sometimes Mass can even be seen as an inconvenience. If this is your struggle, try to use the next few Sundays to reexamine your understanding of the Most Holy Eucharist.Sunday Mass, more than anything else in life, must be understood as the source of our deepest satisfaction in life. It must be seen as the answer to every interior longing and restlessness we have. It is not money, recognition, status, power, or anything else in life that fulfills us. It is God. And God comes to us first and foremost in the celebration of the Mass. Do you believe this? Do you understand?*Reflect,* today, and for the next few weeks, upon the Gift of the Most Holy Eucharist. As you do, try to see it as the answer to every interior longing and hunger that you have in life. Try to make an act of faith in this spiritual truth. If you do not regularly experience the satiation offered by consuming the Eucharist, ask yourself why not. Believe in everything that Jesus teaches in this holy discourse of the Bread of Life. If you do, you will also begin to receive the nourishment that our Lord promises.*PRAYER:*_My Eucharistic Lord, You are the Bread of Life and the source of all satisfaction in life. Your Body and Blood, given to me through my participation in the Holy Mass, is the greatest Gift I could ever receive. Please renew and deepen my love for You in this Gift so that I will find full satisfaction and fulfillment in You alone. Jesus, I trust in You.

Svondo 4 Nyamavhuvhu – August;

Svondo yegumi neyechisere yegore – B

Chiverengo chokutanga:
Kubuda 16,2-4.12-15

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku raKubuda
2Vari murenje reSinai, mhomho yose yavaIsiraeri
yakapopotera Mosesi naAroni ichiti, 3 “Dai Tenzi
akatiuraya hake tichiri kuIjipiti kwataiita zvedu
mabhodho enyama okupfachura, chingwa tichidya
zvedu pataidira. Hezvi makatiunza murenje muno
kuzotiurayisa zvenyu isu tose nenzara.”
4 Tenzi ndokuti kuna Mosesi, “Ndichakunayisirai
chingwa chinobva kudenga. Zuva nezuva vanhu
vose ngavabude vanonge chingwa chinovakwanira
kudya pazuva iroro chete. Ndipo pandichaona kuti
vaIsiraeri vanoteerera mutemo wangu here kana
kuti kwete.”
12Ndanzwa kunyunyuta kwavaIsraeri. Vaudze kuti,
‘Manheru muchange muchidya nyama, mangwanani muchidya chingwa muchiguta. Ndipo pamuchazoziva kuti ini Tenzi ndini Mwari wenyu.’
13Ava manheru kwakauya zvihuta zvizhinji zvikazara pamatendhe avo, mangwana acho dova
rikafuma rakati ware ware panharaunda yamatendhe avo. 14Kuzoti dova riya raoma, kwakaonekwa
zvimwe zvinhu zvidikidiki zvakaita samafefenhwa,
zvakasara zvakati ware ware pasi murenje imomo
zvichinge chando.
15VaIsiraeri pavakazviona, vakabvunzana vachiti,
“Ko, nhaimi, zvinhui izvozvi?” Vakadaro nokuti vakanga vasingamboziva kuti chii. Mosesi akati,
“Ndicho chingwa chamapiwa naTenzi kuti mudye.”
Shoko raTenzi.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:
Nziyo 78,3-4.23-24.25+54. (D – 24)

(D) – Tenzi akavapa chingwa chokudenga.
3Zvinhu zvatakanzwa zvatinoziva,
zvatakaudzwa namadzitateguru edu,
4 tinozvitaurira zvizvarwa zvinotevera:
zviito zvaTENZI nesimba rake nezvishamiso
zvaakaita.
(D) – Tenzi akavapa chingwa chokudenga.
23TENZI akataurira matenga kumusoro,
akazarura makonhi okudenga.
24Akavanaisira mana kuti vadye,
akavapa chingwa chokudenga.
(D) – Tenzi akavapa chingwa chokudenga.
25Vanhu vakadya chingwa chavatumwa,
akavatumira chokudya chakawanda.
54Akavaunza kunyika yake inoera,
kugomo rake raakawana nesimba reruoko
rwake rworudyi.
(D) – Tenzi akavapa chingwa chokudenga.

Chiverengo chechipiri:
VaEfeso 4,17.20-24

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mutsamba yaPauro kuvaEfeso
17 Hama dzadiwa, zvandinotaura ndichisimbisisa
kwazvo muzita raTenzi, ndozvekuti hamufaniri
kunge muchagara savahedheni nepfungwa dzavo
dzisina maturo.
20 Hazvisiri izvo zvamakadzidza pana Kristu. 21Makanzwaka imi nezvake mukadzidziswa maaari
chokwadi sezvachiri muna Jesu. 22Chibvisai humu￾nhu hwenyu homugariro wenyu wakare hwakaodzwa nehavi dzounyengedzi, 23 muvandudzwe
patsva mumweya nomupfungwa dzenyu, 24mupfeke unhu hutsva hwakasikwa hwakatodzana
naMwari, muururami noutsvene huri pachokwadi.
Shoko raTenzi.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:
Mateu 4,4b

Areruya, Areruya. ‘Munhu haararami
nechingwa choga asi neizwi rose rinobuda
mumuromo maMwari.’ Areruya

Shoko Rakanaka: Johani 6,24-35

Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naJohani
24Vanhu pavakaona kuti Jesu akanga asipo pamwechete navadzidzi vake, vakapinda mumagwa vakaenda kuKapenaumu kundotsvaka Jesu.25 Pavakamuwana kumhiri kuya kweGungwa,
vakati kwaari, “Rabhi makauya kuno riniko?”
26 Jesu akavapindura achiti,
“Chokwadi chaizvo ndinoti kwamuri,
hamusi kunditsvaka nokuti makaona zviratidzo,
asi nokuti makadya zvingwa mukaguta.
27Musashandire chokudya chinopera,
asi chokudya chinogara kusvikira kuupenyu
husingaperi, chamunopiwa noMwanakomana
womunhu, nokuti Mwari Baba vakaisa rupawo
rwavo paari.”
28 Ivo ndokuti kwaari, “Chii chatingaite kuti
tishande mabasa aMwari?” 29 Jesu akavapindura
achiti, “Basa raMwari nderiri rokuti: Imi munofa￾nira kutenda muna iye waakatuma.” 30 Saka vakati
kwaari, “Ko, zvino iwe chiratidzoi chaungaite kuti
tione tigotenda mauri? Chii chaungaite? 31Madzibaba edu vakadya mana murenje sokunyorwa
kwazvakaitwa zvichinzi, ‘Akavapa chingwa chakabva kudenga kuti vadye.’
32 Jesu akati kwavari:
“Chokwadi chaizvo ndinoti kwamuri,
haasi Mosesi akakupai chingwa chinobva
kudenga.
Baba vangu ndivo vanokupai chingwa
chechokwadi chinobva kudenga. 33Nokuti chingwa chaMwari ndechiya
chinobva kudenga,
uye chinopa upenyu kunyika.”
34Vakati kwaari,
“Tenzi tipei chingwa ichocho nguva dzose.”
35 Jesu akati kwavari,
“Ini ndini chingwa choupenyu;
anouya kwandiri haaiti nzara,
uye anotenda mandiri haambofa akanzwa
nyota.”
Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi.

*GOSPEL REFLECTION: Hunger for God*_August 4, 2024__“Rabbi, when did you get here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” (John 6:25–27)_The day before, Jesus fed the crowds at the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fish. The next day, the people were hungry again, so they went looking for Jesus thinking that He might miraculously feed them again. In the passage above, Jesus uses their physical hunger to point them to a deeper spiritual reality.Each one of us is hungry. We continually have cravings that we want satiated. Certainly, food and drink are among our cravings, but the deepest craving we each have is a spiritual one. The problem is that we often try to satiate ourselves in ways that will never satisfy us. Therefore, we each need to hear Jesus say, “Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” What is that food that the Son of Man will give to us? Of course, it is His very Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. It is the Most Holy Eucharist.This passage begins the lengthy “Bread of Life Discourse” from which we will read over the next three Sundays. Throughout this discourse, Jesus makes it clear that His flesh is true food and His blood is true drink. Eating Jesus’ flesh and blood is the only way to eternal life. Some who listen to this teaching find that it is too difficult to accept and, as a result, reject Jesus and His teaching. The discourse ends with Jesus asking the Twelve if they want to leave too. Peter gives the perfect response by saying, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”As we ponder this teaching of Jesus over the next few weekends, it is important to start with the foundation. The foundation is our spiritual hunger. We each experience it. We each are aware of it. We cannot escape it. For that reason, look into your own soul. What do you see? Do you see a certain restlessness and unfulfilled desire? Do you sense the cravings within your own soul? When you see this, know that you have discovered the starting point of the life of fulfillment. Unless you can see that hunger within, you cannot turn to the source of satiation.https://youtu.be/M7BQ75Dywbo?si=bVfkgPl5oI7ndYNqThe Eucharist is the source of all that we long for in life; however, too often we fail to see that. We can easily fall into the trap of seeing the Eucharist as an obligation we must meet each week. Sometimes Mass can even be seen as an inconvenience. If this is your struggle, try to use the next few Sundays to reexamine your understanding of the Most Holy Eucharist.Sunday Mass, more than anything else in life, must be understood as the source of our deepest satisfaction in life. It must be seen as the answer to every interior longing and restlessness we have. It is not money, recognition, status, power, or anything else in life that fulfills us. It is God. And God comes to us first and foremost in the celebration of the Mass. Do you believe this? Do you understand?*Reflect,* today, and for the next few weeks, upon the Gift of the Most Holy Eucharist. As you do, try to see it as the answer to every interior longing and hunger that you have in life. Try to make an act of faith in this spiritual truth. If you do not regularly experience the satiation offered by consuming the Eucharist, ask yourself why not. Believe in everything that Jesus teaches in this holy discourse of the Bread of Life. If you do, you will also begin to receive the nourishment that our Lord promises.*PRAYER:*_My Eucharistic Lord, You are the Bread of Life and the source of all satisfaction in life. Your Body and Blood, given to me through my participation in the Holy Mass, is the greatest Gift I could ever receive. Please renew and deepen my love for You in this Gift so that I will find full satisfaction and fulfillment in You alone. Jesus, I trust in You.