HOSEA 11: 1, 3 – 4, 8c – 9

Thus says the Lord: When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them up in my arms; but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of compassion, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who raises an infant to his cheeks, and I bent down to them and fed them. My heart recoils within me, my compassion grows warm and tender. I will not execute my fierce anger, I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come to destroy.

The Word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Isaiah 12: 2 – 3, 4bcde, 5 – 6 (R.) 3

R/. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

“Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation. R/.

“Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the nations,
proclaim that his name is exalted.” R/.

“Sing praises to the Lord,
for he has done gloriously;
let this be known in all the earth.
Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” R/.

SECOND READING         
“To know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge.”
EPHESIANS 3: 8 – 12, 14 – 19

Brethren: To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; that through the Church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose which he has realised in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in him. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

The Word of the Lord.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Matthew 11: 29ab

Alleluia.
Take my yoke upon you, says the Lord; and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL
“One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear and at once there came out blood and water.”
JOHN 19: 31 – 37

Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the sabbath (for that sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him; but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness — his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth — that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “Not a bone of him shall be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on him whom they have pierced.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Chishanu 7 Chikuni – June;

Zuvaguruguru roMoyo Mutsvene waJesu – B

(Chishanu chinotevera Zuva Guru Guru Kwazvo
roMuviri neRopa raJesu Kristu)

Chiverengo chokutanga:
Hosea 11,1.3-4.8c-9

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku roMuporofita Hosea
Tenzi anoti: 1 “Isiraeri paakanga achiri mwana mudiki,
ndaimuda. Ndakadaidza mwana wangu iyeyu
kubva kuIjipiti.
3Asi iyeni ndini ndakadzidzisa vokwaEfuremu
kufamba.
Ndaivatakura mumaoko, asi zvokuziva kuti
ndini ndaivarapa, havana kuziva.
4Ndaivatungamirira netambo yengoni, pamwe
neyamabhande orudo.
Ndakavasimudza somwana muduku
pachipfuva changu,
ndikakotama ndichivapa chokudya.
8 Mwoyo wangu unoramba mukati mangu.
Mwoyo wangu wetsitsi uri kutoramba
uchiwedzera kukudai.
9 Handicharatidza hasha dzangu dzinotyisa
vokwaEfuremu, handichavaparadza zvakare,
nokuti ini ndiri Mwari handisi munhu,
iye Anoera, ndiri pakati penyu,uye handisi
kuuya kuzoparadza.
Shoko raTenzi.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:
Isaya 12,2-3.4bcd.5-6. (D -3 )

(D) – Muchafara muchiteka mvura mumatsime oruponeso.
2 Tarisai muone, kuti Mwari ndiye ruponeso
rwangu, ndinovimba naye, handichatyi
nokuti iye Tenzi Mwari, ndiye simba rangu,
ndiye ava ruponeso rwangu.
(D) – Muchafara muchiteka mvura mumatsime oruponeso.
3 Muchafara muchiteka mvura mumatsime
oruponeso.
“Ngatitendei Tenzi tidaidze zita rake
tiparidze mabasa ake kumarudzi avanhu.
Tichivazivisa kuti zita rake izita
romukurumbira.
(D) – Muchafara muchiteka mvura mumatsime oruponeso.
5 Ngatirumbidzei Tenzi nokuti akaita zvinoshamisa, pasi pose ngapazvizive.
6 Pururudzai muchiimba norufaro, imi vagari
veZioni nokuti Anoera weIsiraeri ari pakati
pedu mukuru.
(D) – Muchafara muchiteka mvura mumatsime oruponeso.

Chiverengo chechipiri:
VaEfeso 3,8-12.14-19

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mutsamba yaPauro kuvaEfeso
Hama, 8 kunyange zvangu ndiri mudukuduku
wokupedzisirira kuna vatsvene vose, nyasha idzi
dzakapiwa kwandiri kuri kuti ndiparidze vechirudzi
upfumi husingatauriki hwaKristu, 9 uye kuti
ndionese vanhu vose urongwa hwezvakavandika
zvakanga zvakavanzwa kwezvizvarwa nezvizvarwa
naMwari akasika zvinhu zvose 10 kuitirawo kuti
nomusangano, ungwaru hwaMwari hwakasiyanasiyana huratidzwe zvino kune mweya mikurukuru
neino ushe yomumatenga. 11 Izvi zvaifambirana
nezvirongwa zvavo zvokugara nokugara zvakazozadzikiswa muna Kristu Jesu Tenzi wedu, 12 anotipa
kuti tive nechivindi nechivimbo chokusvika pana
Mwari nokuda kwechitendero chedu maari.
14Nokuda kwaizvozvi ndinopfugama namabvi angu
mberi kwaBaba 15 kunobva chose chinotumidzwa
kuti mhuri, chingave kudenga kana kuti pasi pano.
16Ndinonamata kuti kubva muupfumi hwavo hune
mbiri, akusimbaradzei nesimba nokuna Mweya,
umunhu hwenyu hwomukati 17 uye kuti nechitendero chenyu, Kristu aite musha wake mumwoyo
yenyu kuti imi mudzike midzi yenyu uye kucherera
hwaro hwenyu murudo, 18 kuti muwane simba
rokunzwisisa pamwechete navatsvene vose upamhi, nourefu, nokukwira kumusoro mudenga,
noudzamu uye kuti muzive 19 rudo rwaKristu runopfuura ruzivo kuti muzadzwe naMwari wose
sezvaari.
Shoko raTenzi.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:
1 Johani 4,10b

Areruya, Areruya. Mwari iye ndiye akatida,
akatitumira mwanakomana wake kuti ave
chibayiro chokupfupira matadzo edu. Areruya.

Shoko Rakanaka: Johani 19,31-37

Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naJohani
31 Zvarakanga riri zuva rokugadzirira Pasika,
vaJudha vakakumbira Pirato kuti makumbo avo
atyorwe, uye kuti zvitunha zvibviswe, kuti zvitunha
zvirege kunge zviri pamuchinjikwa pamusi
weSabata, nokuti Sabata iroro rakanga riri Sabata
guru. 32 Saizvozvo masoja akaenda akatyora
makumbo owokutanga, neewechipiri weavo
vakanga varovererwa pamwechete naye. 33 Asi
pavakauya kuna Jesu, vakaona kuti atofa, havana
kumutyora makumbo.
34 Mumwe musoja akamubaya parutivi pake
nepfumo, pakabva pabuda ropa nemvura. 35 Uyo
akazviona nameso anopupura; uchapupu hwake
ndehwechokwadi. Uye anoziva kuti anotaura
chokwadi kuti nemiwo mutende, 36nokuti zvinhu
izvi zvakaitika kuti chinyorwa chitsvene chizadziswe
chinoti, “Hapana bvupa rake richatyorwa.”
37Uyezve chimwe chinoti,
“Vachatarisa uyo wavakabaya.”
Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi
FRIDAY, JUNE 7TH 2024.

NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS.

FIRST READING
“My heart recoils within me.’’
GOSPEL REFLECTION: The Font of Mercy
Friday, June 7, 2024

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. (John 19:33–34)

John’s Gospel is filled with deep spiritual imagery and symbolism. It is clear that this imagery and symbolism was divinely inspired so as to give us spiritual food for reflection and meditation. One such image is given to us today as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

As Jesus and the two criminals on either side of Him hung upon their crosses, the soldiers came to hasten their deaths by breaking their legs to cause them to more quickly suffocate. But when they came to Jesus, He had already died. So one of the soldiers, traditionally known as Longinus, thrust his spear into Jesus’ side, and blood and water flowed forth. Some traditions identify Longinus with the centurion who cried out after Jesus’ death, “Truly, this was the Son of God!” (See Matthew 27:54.) Other traditions state that he converted at that moment, making him the first convert to Christianity. And still other traditions state that Longinus could not see well, and the blood and water from Jesus’ side poured upon his eyes, healing him. Regardless of whether these traditions are true, we know that Jesus’ side was pierced and blood and water flowed forth.

The symbolism of this act was more than a mere human symbol. It was an instrument of the profound spiritual reality that was taking place at that moment. As Jesus’ Sacred Heart was pierced, the blood and water that poured forth was the new sacramental life of the Church. The Blood was the Most Holy Eucharist and the Water was the gift of Baptism. And when Jesus had previously “breathed His last” and “handed over His Spirit,” the Sacrament of Confirmation was bestowed.

When we celebrate those Sacraments today, it is easy to see them as mere symbols of what we partake in. But in our Christian Tradition, the Sacraments are so much more. The symbol is also the reality. It is the instrument of what it symbolizes. Therefore, every time we witness a Baptism or partake in the Holy Eucharist, we are mystically present with Longinus, receiving the grace and mercy of our redemption, pouring forth from Jesus’ wounded side, so as to heal us and make us whole.

The human heart is, physically speaking, a bodily organ responsible for pumping blood throughout. But from a spiritual perspective, given that we are both body and soul, the human heart is also the source of our life. Without it, we physically and spiritually die. So it is with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It was not only a physical heart that was physically pierced by the lance long ago. It is now also the source of our ongoing spiritual life, and, without Jesus’ Sacred Heart of Mercy, we will die in our sins.

Reflect, today, upon the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. See His Heart as the ongoing source of your new life in grace. Understand that His Heart is more than a symbol of His grace and mercy, it is the spiritual source and the font of that mercy. Prayerfully place yourself before His Cross, this day, and allow the blood and water, flowing from His wounded side, to cover you so that you, too, may believe.

PRAYER:
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, You poured out upon the world the love and mercy of Your transforming grace through the instrument of the blood and water pouring forth from Your wounded side. Help me to gaze upon this font of mercy and to be covered with it through the gift of the Sacraments. May I always be open to all that You wish to bestow upon me by these precious and transforming instruments of Your love. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Jesus, I trust in You.