FRIDAY, AUGUST 9TH 2024.

EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

MEMORIAL OF SAINT THERESA BENEDICTA OF THE CROSS, Virgin & Martyr.

FIRST READING
“Woe to the bloody city.”
NAHUM 1: 15; 2: 2; 3: 1 – 3, 6 – 7

Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace! Keep your feasts, O Judah, fulfil your vows, for never again shall the wicked come against you, he is utterly cut off. (For the Loco is restoring the majesty of Jacob as the majesty of Israel, for plunderers have stripped them and ruined their branches.) Woe to the bloody city, all full of lies and booty — no end to the plunder! The crack of whip, and rumble of wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot! Horsemen charging, flashing sword and glittering spear, hosts of slain, heaps of corpses, dead bodies without end — they stumble over the bodies! I will throw filth at you and treat you with contempt, and make you an object of scorn. And all who look on you will shrink from you and say, Wasted is Nineveh; who will moan over her? Whence shall I seek comforters for her?

The Word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Deuteronomy 32: 35cd – 36ab, 39abcd, 41 (R. 39c.

R/.  I kill and I make alive

For the day of their calamity is at hand,
and their doom comes swiftly.
For the Lord will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants. R/.

“See now that I, even I, am he, 
and there is no god beside me;
I kill and I make alive; 
I wound and I heal.” R/.

“If I sharpen my glittering sword,
and my hand takes hold on judgement,
I will take vengeance on my adversaries,
and Will repay those who hate me.” R/.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Matthew 5: 10

Alleluia.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL               
“What shall a man give in return for his life?”
MATTHEW 16: 24 – 28

At that time: Jesus told his disciples, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Chishanu 9 Nyamavhuvhu – August;

Vhiki 18 regore –

Chiverengo chokutanga:
Nahumu 1,15; 2,2; 3,1-3.6-7

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku
romuporofita Nahumu
15 Inzwai munzwe tsoka dzenhumwa inouya
namashoko akanaka ichiparidza nezvorugare!
Imi vokwaJudha, chengetai mazuva enyu
makuru, itai zvamakatsidza nokuti hazvizo￾itika zvakare, nokuti muipi haachauyezve
kuzokurwisa, anyatsoparadzwa chaizvo.
2 (Chikonzero ndechokuti Tenzi ari kudzosera
pakare vokwaJakobho umambo soumambo
hwokwaIsiraeri nokuti vapambi vakavarozva
vakaparadza matavi avo.)
3 Nhoo dzamagamba ake itsvuku, varwi vake
vehondo vakapfeka hanzu dzakati piriviri
kutsvuka, ngoro dzacho dzehondo dzinovakuma
serimi romoto dzaunganidzwa dzaronganiswa,
varwi vemabhiza vorimbinyuka. 1
Zvakuwana iwe guta reropa!
Guta rose rizere manyepo, rizerewo nezvinhu
zvokupamba, kupamba kwacho kusingaperi!
2 Heko kurira kwetyava!
Nokuvhiririka kwemavhiri, nokukakatika kwamabhiza, nokunjanjarika kwengoro dzehondo.
3 Ivo varwi vamabhiza vachiuya kuzorwisa,
vachivhevhetedza bakatwa nepfumo rinopenya.
Vafi hero zararira, mirwi nemirwi yezvitunha,
zvitunha zvisingaverengeki vachitogumburwa
nezvitunha!
6 Nyika dzikuonerere zvinonyadzisa zvako
ndichakuti tsvina pororo, ndikuite sechinhu
chisina maturo, uve chinhu chinokatyamadza.
7
Vose vachakuona, vachakukanuka,
vachikusuduruka vachiti, ‘Ninivhe yaparara.
Ndiani achaichemawo, ndichaiwanira
kupikowo vokuinyaradza.’
Shoko raTenzi.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:
Kutsinhira Mutemo 32,35-36.39.41. (D – 39)

(D) – Ndini ndinouraya, uye ndini ndinopa upenyu.
35 Zuva renjodzi yavo rava kusvika,
kuparara kwavo kuchaitika nokukurumidza.
36 Asi Tenzi achanunura vanhu vake,
achanzwira tsitsi varanda vake.
(D) – Ndini ndinouraya, uye ndini ndinopa upenyu.
39 Zvino chizivai kuti Ini Iyeni pano ndini iye.
Hakuna mumwe mwari kunze kwangu.
Ndini ndinouraya, uye ndini ndinopa upenyu.
Ndinokuvadza uye ndinoporesa.
(D) – Ndini ndinouraya, uye ndini ndinopa upenyu.
41 Pandicharodza bakatwa rangu rinohwituka
kupenya, ndinenge ndongoda kuona kuti
ruenzaniso rwaitwa here!
Ndichatsividza vavengi vangu,
ndigoranga vanondivenga.
(D) – Ndini ndinouraya, uye ndini ndinopa upenyu.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:
Mateu 5,10

Areruya, Areruya. Vakakomborerwa zvavo
vanotambudzirwa ururami, nokuti umambo
hwedenga ndohwavo. Areruya.

Shoko Rakanaka: Mateu 16,24-28

Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naMateu
24 Jesu akataurira vadzidzi vake achiti, “Kana
munhu achida kunditevera ngaazvirambe atakure
muchinjikwa wake anditevere, 25 nokuti uyo anoda kuponesa upenyu hwake acharasikirwa nahwo.
Uyo anorasikirwa noupenyu hwake pamusana
pangu, achahuwana. 26 Nokuti zvinobatsirei munhu
kuwana zvinhu zvapasi pose, iye achirasikirwa
noupenyu hwake. Kana kuti angabvisei chokutsinhanisa noupenyu hwake? 27Nokuti Mwanakomana
womunhu achauya navatumwa vake mumbiri
yaBaba vake, achizopa munhu nomunhu mubayiro
wezvaakaita.
28 Zvirokwazvo ndinoti kwamuri, kuna vamwe
vamire pano vasingambofi vakaona rufu, vasati
vaona Mwanakomana womunhu achiuya noumambo hwake.”

Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi.

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Purifying Worldly Desires
August 9, 2024

“What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?” (Matthew 16:26)

Would you like to “gain the whole world?” Many people daydream about becoming exceptionally rich and being able to purchase everything they ever wanted. Others dream of doing heroic acts that thrust them into the public spotlight and lead to public admiration. Still, others dream of having great power in this world and being a person of great importance. Though none of these are bad in and of themselves, the inordinate desire for them will damage your relationship with God. And when one of these desires becomes the dominant and all-consuming desire within, the result is that you forfeit your eternal soul.

When we speak of the “world,” we can understand different things. First, this is a reference to all the material things of this world—for example, the best of food and drink, self-indulgence, fleshly pleasures, material wealth, and all that is temporary and passing in this life. Second, the “world” can refer to pride and desire for attention and praise. This is when we become consumed with concern about what others think and say about us. Third, the “world” can refer to the desire for power so as to insert our own will. At a very high level, this is often the cause of wars among countries. One leader has a desire for domination and control. This desire for power and control can also affect each person within any part of that person’s life, including family, friends, work, social circles, etc.

The common thread among all three of these examples of worldly desires is the deception that obtaining more of them will satisfy you. Though they may satisfy you in a temporal and passing way, these desires will also have the effect of destroying your soul. This is because we have to choose. Either we seek to satiate the spiritual yearning of our souls, or we will seek to satiate ourselves with the passing promises of the world. We cannot have both.

It should be noted that obtaining wealth, being publicly praised, or being put in a position of power is not evil in and of itself. In fact, any one of these offers potential for good. The problem arises when a person seeks one of these worldly desires for selfish reasons and under the delusion that it will provide fulfillment. Truth be told, any one of those situations imposes a true cross on the person who is seeking to serve God alone. The responsibility that comes with wealth, prestige, or power is real. Therefore, when one or more of these are obtained, they must be handled with detachment and humility.

For example, if one becomes quite wealthy, the precept to live spiritually detached from material things still remains. Thus, in this case, material wealth poses a certain burden in the form of temptation. While this temptation certainly can be overcome and wealth can be used for good, the danger is real and must be regularly acknowledged. Or, if you are praised by many for something you did, or if you are given much responsibility and authority over others, humility and detachment must also increase so that God and God alone remains the single object of your desire.

Reflect, today, upon your desires. What do you want in life? Do you want to “gain the whole world?” Do you desire to gain even some of the worldly ambitions? If so, be careful. Reflect honestly upon your interior desires and work to purify them so that you desire God’s will alone. Once that happens, it will not matter to you if you are rich or poor, publicly praised or criticized, entrusted with earthly power or not. All that will matter is that you use all for the glory of God, in accord with His perfect and fulfilling will.

PRAYER:
Most glorious God, Your will is perfect and is the one and only source of fulfillment in life. Please purify my soul of all desires pertaining only to this world. May my one and only desire in life be the fulfillment of Your holy will so that all I have will only be used for Your glory. Jesus, I trust in You.