FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH 2024.

TWENTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

FIRST READING
“The Lord will disclose the purposes of the heart.”
1ST CORINTHIANS 4: 1 – 5

Brethren: This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges rue. Therefore do not pronounce judgement before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then every man will receive his commendation from God.

The Word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 37: 3 – 4, 5 – 6, 27 – 28, 39 – 40 (R.) 39a

R/. From the Lord comes the salvation of the just.

Trust in the Lord and do good;
then you will dwell in the land
and safely pasture.
Find your delight in the Lord,
who grants your heart’s desire. R/.

Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act,
and make your uprightness shine like the light,
the justice of your cause like the noon-day sun. R/.

Then turn away from evil and do good,
and you may abide forever; for indeed,
the Lord loves justice,
and will never forsake his faithful.
The unjust shall be wiped out forever,
and the descendants of the wicked destroyed. R/.

But from the Lord comes the salvation of the just,
their stronghold in time of distress.
The Lord helps them and rescues them,
rescues and saves them from the wicked:
because they take refuge in hint. R/.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
John 8: 12

Alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord; he who follows me will have the light of life.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL        
“When the bridegroom is taken from them, then they will fast.”
LUKE 5: 33 – 39

At that time: The Pharisees and the scribes said to Jesus, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” He told them a parable also: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it upon an old garment; if he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new; for he says, ‘The old is good. ”’

The Gospel of the Lord.

*Chishanu 6 Gunyana – September;* *Vhiki 22 regore -* *Chiverengo chokutanga:* _1 VaKorinde 4,1-5__Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mutsamba yokutanga yaPauro kuvaKorinde_ 1 Hama dzangu, munhu ngaatitore savaranda vaKristu, vatariri vezvakavanzika zvaMwari. 2Vataririwo vanotarisirwa kuti vave vanhu vakatendeka. 3Kwandiri ini chinhu chidukuduku kuti nditongwe nemi kana kutongwa nedare ripi zvaro ravanhu. Hapana chandinozvipa mhosva nacho. 4 Hapana chandinonzwa chinondirovesa hana, asi hazvirevi kuti handina mhosva. Anogona kunditonga chete ndiTenzi. 5 Nokudaro, regai kupa munhu mhosva nguva isati yasvika, Tenzi vasati vauya. Ndivo vachaburitsa pachena zvinhu zvakavandika murima iye zvino, uye vachaburitsa pachena zvinangwa zviri mumwoyo. Ipapo munhu wose achapiwa kurumbidzwa kwake naMwari. *Shoko raTenzi.* *Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:* _Nziyo 37,3-4.5-6.27-28.39-40. (D – 39)_ *(D) – Ruponeso rwavakarurama runobva kuna TENZI.*3 Vimba naTENZI uite zvakanaka, naizvozvo uchagara panyika ugarike. 4 Fara naTENZI, iye achakupa zviri pamwoyo pako. *(D) – Ruponeso rwavakarurama runobva kuna TENZI.* 5 Isa upenyu hwako muna TENZI, vimba naye, iye achaona zvokuita. 6 Achaita kuti ururami hwako hubude pachena sechiedza, uye mamiriro oupenyu hwako sezuva ramasikati. *(D) – Ruponeso rwavakarurama runobva kuna TENZI.* 27 Siana nouipi uite zvakanaka, nokudaro uchagara nokusingaperi, 28 nokuti TENZI anoda ruenzaniso; haarasi varurami vake. *(D) – Ruponeso rwavakarurama runobva kuna TENZI.* 39 Ruponeso rwavakarurama runobva kuna TENZI, ndiye diziro ravo panguva yenhamo. 40 TENZI anovabatsira uye anovanunura. Anovanunura kuvakaipa, achivaponesa, nokuti vanovanda maari. *(D) – Ruponeso rwavakarurama runobva kuna TENZI.**Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:* _Johani 8,12_ *Areruya, Areruya.* Tenzi anoti: “Ndini mwenje wapasi, anonditevera haafambi murima, achave nechiedza choupenyu.” *Areruya.* *Shoko Rakanaka:* _Ruka 5,33-39_ _Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naRuka_ 33 Vanhu vakati kuna Jesu, “Vadzidzi vaJohani vanotsanya kazhinji, vachiita minamato, navadzidzi vavaFarisei vanodarowo, asi venyu vanodya nokunwa.” 34 Jesu akati kwavari, “Mungaite kuti vanhu vari pamuchato vatsanye iye muwani vachinaye here? 35 Asi mazuva achauya avachatorerwa muwani. Pamazuva iwayo ndipo pavachazotsanya.” 36 Akavataurirazve nomuenzaniso achiti, “Hakuna munhu anobvarura jira rechigamba pahanzu itsva achichisonerera pahanzu tsaru. Kana akadaro achabvarura hanzu itsva, uyezve chigamba chehanzu itsva hachipindirani nehanzu tsaru. 37 Hakuna munhu angadururire waini itsva muzvigubhu zvamatehwe zvitsaru. Kana akadaro, waini itsva inoputitsa zvigubhu izvozvo, waini ichadeuka nezvigubhu zvichaparadzika. 38 Asi waini itsva inofanira kudirwa muzvigubhu zvitsva. 39 Uye hakuna munhu anoti kana anwa waini yakare angazoda itsva, nokuti anoti, ‘Yakare ndiyo yakanaka.’ *Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi.

*GOSPEL REFLECTION: Courage to Change*_September 6, 2024__“Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’” (Luke 5:37–39)_This short parable comes at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. He just called Levi, the tax collector, to become one of His disciples, and then Levi invited Jesus to dine at his home with other tax collectors and sinners. When the scribes and Pharisees saw this, they objected and challenged our Lord. In response, Jesus tells this parable as a way of explaining that He came to call everyone to change and to experience a new transformation of their life.The “new wine” spoken of in this parable is the grace poured forth from the Cross. Remember that blood and water sprung forth from His side as He hung upon the Cross. This has been symbolically understood as the grace and mercy given to us from the Cross, which is transmitted today through the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. Baptism transforms us into a new creation, and, as a new creation in Christ, we must desire the new wine of the Most Holy Eucharist so as to be daily transformed by our Lord.Many of the Church Fathers point out that the “old wine” that many prefer is a reference to those who wanted to continue living according to the old law. This is especially true of the scribes and Pharisees to whom Jesus was speaking this parable. Jesus was bringing them a new teaching and preparing them for a new grace. But they rejected it, preferring the old life they were living.One thing this tells us is that if we are to receive this new wine of the grace of God, we must be ready and willing to abandon our old selves and become new. Change can be hard. Even as evangelized Christians who are already living in the grace of Christ, we will be continually called to a deeper and deeper change in our lives. Too often we can easily become complacent and content with the life we are living. When that happens, it will hinder our Lord from pouring the new wine of His grace into our souls in ongoing superabundance.How do you deal with change in life? If you want to grow in holiness, you can be certain that change is the only constant in life. We must become new creations each and every day, growing, being more fully transformed, changing our ways, giving up the old and embracing that which is ever new. This requires a certain amount of courage as we come face-to-face with the daily need to be changed by grace. It means daily death to our old self and daily becoming a new creation in God.https://youtu.be/mJyAz-IPpNU?si=QNJlTufachbsD6Da*Reflect,* today, upon the courage it takes to change. What is it in your life that you may be afraid to change? What “old wine” do you prefer over the “new wine” of God’s grace? What old habits or attachments do you have that our Lord wants you to let go of? Face the changes God wants for you with courage and trust, and You will indeed become more fully the new creation in Christ you are meant to be.*PRAYER:*_My most merciful Lord, I know You call me to continual change in my life. Please give me the courage I need to face all that I need to detach from in life and all that hinders me from becoming the glorious new creation You have called me to become. Pour forth Your abundant grace into my life, dear Lord, making me into Your new and glorious creation in grace. Jesus, I trust in You.