2ND PETER 3: 12 – 15a, 17 – 18

Beloved: Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire! But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. And count the forbearance of our Lord as salvation. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

The Word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM 
Psalm 90: 2, 3 – 4, 10, 14 and 16 (R.) 1

R/. O Lord, you have been our refuge, from generation to generation.

Before the mountains were born,
or the earth or the world were brought forth,
you are God, from age to age. R/.

You turn man back to dust,
and say, “Return, O children of men.”
To your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday, come and gone,
or like a watch in the night. R/.

Seventy years is the span of our days,
or eighty if we are strong.
And most of these are toil and pain.
They pass swiftly and we are gone. R/.

At dawn, fill us with your merciful love;
we shall exult and rejoice all our days.
Let your deed be seen by your servants,
and your glorious power by their children. R/.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION 
Ephesians 1: 17 – 18

Alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts that we might know what is the hope to which he has called us.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL               
“Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars’, and to God the things that are God’s.”
MARK 12: 13 – 17

At that time: They sent to Jesus some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to entrap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a coin, and let me look at it.” And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were amazed at him.

The Gospel of the Lord.
Chipiri 4 Chikuni – June;

Vhiki 9 regore

Chiverengo chokutanga:
2 Pita 3,12-15.17-18

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mutsamba yechipiri yaPita
12 Vadikanwi, makamirira muchisuwira kuuya
kweZuva raMwari richazoita kuti matenga abatire
moto agoparadzwa uye zvomudenga zvichanyungurutswa nomoto. 13 Asi maererano nechitsidzo
chake tinomirira denga idzva nenyika itsva, ururami muri imo mumusha mawo.
14 Naizvozvo vadikanwi, sezvamuri kumirira izvi,
vavarirai kwazvo kuti akuwanei musina kana
kavara kana chinoshoreka uye mune rugare.
15 Torai mwoyo murefu waTenzi wedu soruponeso.
17 Naizvozvo, imi vadikanwi zvamunoziva izvi
nakare, chenjerai mungadaro mukateteretswa
nokukanganisa kwavanhu ivavo vasina mutemo
muchirasikirwa nechamakasimba nacho. 18 Asi
rambai muchingokura munyasha noruzivo
rwaTenzi wedu, noMuponesi Jesu Kristu. Iye
ngaarumbidzwe zvino nokusingaperi. Ameni.
Shoko raTenzi.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:
Nziyo 90,2.3-4.10.14+16. (D – 1)

(D) – TENZI ndimi manga muri musha wedu pazvizvarwa zvose.
2 Makomo asati aberekwa,
musati masika nyika napasi pose.
Muri Mwari narini narini, chingo nechingo.
(D) – TENZI ndimi manga muri musha wedu pazvizvarwa zvose.
3 Munopindura munhu kuva huruva, munongoti
vanhu, “Dzokerai kune zvamakanga muri.”
4 Nokuti churu chamakore kwamuri
chakangoita sazuro kana chapfuura,
kana sakanguvana kokugaririra usiku.
(D) – TENZI ndimi manga muri musha wedu pazvizvarwa zvose.
10 Makore oupenyu hwedu makumi manomwe,
kune vakasimba vanoita makumi masere.
Asi akanaka acho inongova nhamo
namatambudziko, haatani kupera,
isuwo tobva tobhururuka toenda.
(D) – TENZI ndimi manga muri musha wedu pazvizvarwa zvose.
14 Tiratidzeiwo mwoyochena wenyu mangwanani,
kuti tipembere kufara uye tifare mazuva edu
ose.
16 Ratidzai mabasa enyu kuvaranda venyu,
uye mbiri yenyu kuvana vavo.
(D) – TENZI ndimi manga muri musha wedu pazvizvarwa zvose.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:
VaEfeso 1,17-18

Areruya, Areruya. Dai Mwari waTenzi wedu
Jesu Kristu, Baba vembiri vangotipa Mweya
woungwaru, kuti tizive chitarisiro chaakatidanira.
Areruya.

Shoko Rakanaka: Mariko 12,13-17

Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naMariko
13 Vakuru vavaJudha vatuma kuna Jesu vamwe
vavaFarisei, navamwe vebato rokwaHerodhi kuti
vamubate mukutaura kwake. 14 Vakasvikoti kwaari,
“Mudzidzisi, tinoziva kuti muri munhu ari pachokwadi, uye kuti hamunei nezvokuti uyu ndiani,
zvakare hamunei nezvokuti akamira sei, asi
munodzidzisa gwara raMwari zviri pachokwadi.
Ko, zviri pamutemo here kutera mutero kuna Siza,
kana kuti kwete? Totera here kana kuti torega
kutera?”
15 Asi iye akaziva unyengedzi hwavo akati kwavari,
“Ko, munondiedzereiko? Ndiunzirei dhenari kuti
ndirione.” 16 Ivo ndokuriunza. Iye akavabvunza
achiti, “Ko, mufananidzo uyu norunyoro urwu
ndezvani?” Ivo vakati kwaari, “NdezvaSiza.”
17 Jesu akavati, “Ipai zvaSiza kuna Siza, zvaMwari
kuna Mwari.” Vakashamiswa naye zvikuru.
Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi
GOSPEL REFLECTION: Combating the Deceptions of the World
June 4, 2024

“Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?” Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at.” (Mark 12:14–15)

These Pharisees and Herodians were sent to trap Jesus in His speech. These men were very politically minded and loved to pick sides and find fault with others. They were self-righteous and cared little about the salvation of souls. So they came to Jesus with what appeared to be an innocent question. They appear to presume that Jesus would voice opposition to paying the census tax to Caesar, and, if He did, they were ready to report Him to the civil authorities. They didn’t care about the truth; they only cared about trapping our divine Lord. When they brought the Roman coin to Jesus with the image of Caesar on it, Jesus spoke that profoundly wise line, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

Clearly, if these hypocritical religious leaders would have come to Jesus with humility and sincerity, Jesus would have responded to them much differently. But because they came only to trap, twist and destroy our Lord, Jesus puts them in their place with an act of divine wisdom. He doesn’t show support for paying the census tax, nor does He speak against it. Therefore, this Gospel passage ends with the line: “They were utterly amazed at him.” “Amazement” is the right response. Therefore, in a sense, we can learn from these hypocritical religious leaders. Whenever we come face-to-face with the profound wisdom of God, we should experience awe and holy amazement.

Of course, the amazement they experienced was on account of Jesus thwarting their evil trap. But even though that is the case, we can learn from this that the wisdom of God can never be outdone. God’s wisdom silences the foolishness of the age and reveals the hidden malice behind that evil.

Have you ever been confronted by the trickery of the secular “know-it-alls” of our age. Have you ever been challenged by another, had your faith directly attacked, or your moral convictions called into question? Most likely, if you have chosen to live your faith openly and with confidence, you may have felt the attack of another. For those who lack a deep faith and a clear gift of divine wisdom, such trickery can cause confusion and anxiety. You may find you do not know how to respond and feel trapped by the erroneous “wisdom” of the age. In that case, what do you do? The only answer to the false doctrines and deceptions we will all encounter within the growingly secular and atheist world is the answer that comes from divine wisdom. By ourselves, none of us is wise enough to combat these errors. Therefore, our only recourse is to continually turn to the wisdom of God.

We turn to the wisdom of God through prayer and sacred study. Our prayer opens our minds to the clear voice of God Who speaks pure truth. And sacred study, especially of the Scripture, the teachings of the Church and the lives of the saints, will help to clarify God’s voice and dispel the confusion the world tries to throw at us. In the end, if we are not immersing our minds in the true wisdom of God, we will be unprepared for that which we encounter within the world.

Reflect, today, upon your need to be filled with divine wisdom so as to navigate the trickery and foolishness of the world. Acknowledge that you are not wise enough on your own to cut through the confusion of life. Pray for the gift of wisdom and allow our Lord to bestow it upon you.

PRAYER:
Lord of all Truth, You are wise beyond all worldly wisdom, and You thwart the trickery of the evil one. Open my mind, dear Lord, to Your holy Truth so that I may be able to navigate through the challenges of life. Bestow Your wisdom upon me, dear Lord, so that I may follow You wherever You lead. Jesus, I trust in You.