ACTS 17: 15, 22 – 18: 1

In those days: Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed. So Paul, standing in the middle of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To an unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything. And he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’ as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the Deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, a representation by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all men everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead.” Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from among them. But some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them. After this he left Athens and went to Corinth.

The Word of the Lord.

 
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 148: 1 – 2, 11 – 12, 13 – 14.

R/.  Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Or:
Alleluia.

Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts. R.

Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all judges of the earth,
young men and maidens as well,
the old together with the young. R.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted,
his splendour above heaven and earth. R.

He exalts the strength of his people.
He is the praise of all his faithful,
the praise of the children of Israel,
of the people to whom he is close. R.

 
ALLELUIA
John 14: 16

Alleluia.
I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor, to be with you forever.
Alleluia

 
GOSPEL
“The Spirit of truth will guide you into all the truth.”
JOHN 16: 12 – 15

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”

The Gospel of the Lord.
Chitatu 8 Chivabvu – May;

Vhiki yechitanhatu yenguva yePasika –

Chiverengo chokutanga: Mabasa 17,15.22-18,1

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku raMabasa Avapositori
15Vaya vakaperekedza Pauro vakamusvitsa kuAtene. Pavakaudzwa kuti Sairasi naTimoti vanofanira
kuti vauye kwaari nokukurumidza, vakabva vaenda.
22 Nokudaro Pauro akamira pakati peAriopagusi
akati, “Varume veAteni ndinoona kuti muzvinhu
zvose muri vanamati, 23nokuti zvandafamba neguta
ndikaona zvinhu zvamunonamata ndawana imwe
atari yakanyorwa kunzi, ‘KUNA MWARI ASINGAZIVIKANWI.’ Chamuri kunamata musingazivi
ichocho, ndicho chandiri kukuparidzai chokuti,
24 ‘Mwari iyeyo ndiye akasika nyika nezvose
zvirimo. Ndiye Tenzi wedenga napasi. Haagari
muTemberi dzakavakwa navanhu. 25Haashandirwi
namaoko avanhu sokunge ane chimwe chaanoshaya
nokuti ndiye anotopa vanhu vose upenyu nemweya
wavanofema nawo nezvinhu zvose. 26 Akaita
marudzi ose avanhu kubva kumunhu mumwechete
kuti vagare pasi pose. Akatema mwaka, nemiganho,
nenyika dzavanogara, 27 uye kuti vatsvage Mwari
nechitarisiro chokuti vangangomutsvanzvadzira
vagomuwana, asi iye haasiri kure kwomumwe
nomumwe wedu.’
28 Chiripo ndechokuti, ‘Upenyu hwedu huri maari kuti tifambe ndiye
uye kuti tivepo ndiye’ sokutaura kwavanyori
venyu venhetembo vachiti, ‘Zvechokwadi tiri
vana vake.’
29Zvatiri vana vake hatifaniri kufunga kuti Mwari
akafanana nendarama, kana sirivha, kana ibwe,
zvinongova chifananidzo chakaitwa noumhizha
kana zvinongofungwawo navanhu. 30Nguva dzokusaziva dziya, Mwari haana hanya nadzo. Asi iye
zvino anoti munhu wose, kose kose zvako, anofanira
kupinduka, 31 pamusana pokuti akatema zuva
raachatonga pasi pose noruenzaniso, uye nokumunhu waakasarudza. Izvi zvakasimbisiswa kuna
vanhu vose nokumutsa kwaakaita kuvakafa.”
32 Pavakanzwa nezvokumuka kwavafi, vamwe
vakashora vamwewo vakati tichada kukunzwazve
uchitaura nezvezvizvi. 33 Zvadaro Pauro akabva
mukati mavo. 34 Asi vamwe varume vakabatana
naye vakatenda. Mumwe wacho ndiDhionisiusi
webato reAreopagusi, nomumwe mudzimai ainzi
Dhamari, navamwe vavaiva navo.
1 Mushure mezvo akabva kuAteni akaenda kuKorinde.
Shoko raTenzi.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira: Nziyo 148,1-2.11-12.13.14.

(D) – Denga napasi zvizere nembiri yenyu
Rumbidzai TENZI kumatenga;
murumbidzei kumusoro soro.
2 Murumbidzei imi vatumwa vake vose;
murumbidzei imi hondo dzake dzose.
(D) – Denga napasi zvizere nembiri yenyu.
11 Nemi madzimambo apasi nemi vanhu vose,
imi machinda nemi vatongi vose vapasi,
12 nemi majaya nemhandara pamwechete,
imi vakwegura nemi vana.
(D) – Denga napasi zvizere nembiri yenyu.
13 Rumbidzai zita raTENZI nokuti zita rake roga
ndiro riri pamusorosoro, mukurumbira wake,
denga napasi zvinosara pasi.
14 Akaita kuti vanhu vake vave rudzi rune simba,
varurami vake vose ngavarumbidzwe.
(D) – Denga napasi zvizere nembiri yenyu.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:
Johani 14,16

Areruya, Areruya.
Iniwo ndichakumbira
Baba, ivo vachakupai mumwe Murevereri,achava
nemi nokusingaperi. Areruya.

Shoko Rakanaka:
Johani 16,12-15

Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naJohani
Jesu akati kuvadzidzi vake:
12 “Ndine zvizhinji zvandingade kukutaurirai,
asi parizvino hamungakwanisani nazvo.
13Kana Mweya wechokwadi auya,
achakutungamirirai muchokwadi chose,
nokuti anenge asingatauri zvomusoro wake.
Zvaanenge anzwa ndizvo zvaanotaura;
achakutaurirai zvinhu zvichauya.
14Achandiwanisa mukurumbira
achitora zvandinotaura achizvitaura kwamuri.
15Zvose zvaBaba ndezvangu,
ndokusaka ndati achatora zvandinenge
ndataura achikutaurirai.”
Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi
GOSPEL REFLECTION: The Best is Yet to Come
May 8, 2024

Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.” (John 16:12–13)

This passage still rings true for all of us today. God wants to reveal to us, within the depths of our consciences, the deepest, most profound and transforming truths that flow from the mind of the Father in Heaven. But we cannot bear it all now. Not fully. And eternity will be spent continually deepening our understanding of all that God reveals. And the process of this ongoing and deepening discovery will fill us with an ongoing and deepening joy. This will be our Heaven, but it must begin now.

First of all, it’s important to understand that God does “have much more to tell you.” Interestingly, coming to know how much you do not already know is itself a form of knowledge. Knowing that there is so much more, that God’s wisdom is infinitely beyond you, that the mind of God compared to yours is incomparable is itself a beautiful truth that must be understood. This truth should both humble you and also fill you with a holy awe of God and the infinite depth of wisdom, truth, beauty and glory contained within Him. This is an essential first step.

Furthermore, by saying that “you cannot bear it now” does not mean that you should not try to bear more and more of the truth that God wants to reveal. In fact, it’s a form of invitation, in that it indicates that there will come a time when you will be able to comprehend more. This should once again foster a hope and anticipation for all that remains hidden to be revealed. Humility in the face of the infinite God is necessary for growth in wisdom and knowledge of God.

How does this growth in wisdom and the knowledge of God happen? It happens by the power and working of the Holy Spirit. It is the “Spirit of truth” who will “guide you to all truth.” But even this statement, once again, implies that this is a process. It is the Spirit Who will “guide” you. And this guidance will continue throughout this life and on into eternity.

This teaching of our Lord begs the question: Have you begun the process? Have you begun to allow the Holy Spirit to guide you into the truth? Have there been concrete moments in your life when you came to know God in a new and profound way that could only have been possible by the power and working of God Himself?

Reflect, today, upon these essential questions. If you have had God the Holy Spirit speak clearly to You, then humble yourself before that truth. Pray for more wisdom and more knowledge of all that you do not know. And if you cannot relate to the idea of there being so much more that is beyond you, then humbly turn to our Lord and beg Him to begin to open your mind to all that He wants to say to you. The infinite mind of our God awaits you to be discovered and embraced. Begin the process today and let Him guide you into all truth.

PRAYER:
God of all truth, You, Your wisdom, Your love and all of Your glorious attributes are infinite in nature and are beyond my complete comprehension. As I humble myself before these holy truths, dear Lord, please bestow upon me the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, so that I may open my mind more fully to You by Your grace. May the process of deep discovery be one of great joy and become for me a process that continues into eternity. Jesus, I trust in You.