_*SEPTEMBER 15TH 2024.*__*TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.*__*FIRST READING*_     _“I gave my back to those who struck me.”__*ISAIAH 50: 5 – 9a*_The lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, turned not backward, I gave my back to those who struck me and turned not my cheek to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty?_*The Word of the Lord.*__*RESPONSORIAL PSALM*__Psalm 116: 1 – 2, 3 – 4, 5 – 6, 8 – 9 (R.) 9__*R/. I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.*_Or:  _*Alleluia.*_I love the Lord, for he has heard my voice, my appeal;for he has turned his ear to me whenever I call. *R/.*They surrounded me, the snares of death;the anguish of the grave has found me;anguish and sorrow I found.I called on the name of the Lord:“Deliver my soul, O Lord!” *R/.*How gracious is the Lord,and just; our God has compassion.The Lord protects the simple;I was brought low, and he saved me. *R/.*He has kept my soul from death,my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.I will walk in the presence of the LORDin the land of the living. *R/.*_*SECOND READING*_ _“Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.”__*JAMES 2: 14 – 18*_What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith but has not works? Can his faith Save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But some one will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith._*The Word of the Lord.*__*GOSPEL ACCLAMATION*_ Galatians 6: 14Alleluia. _Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world._Alleluia._*GOSPEL*__“you are the Christ… the Son of man must suffer many things.”__*MARK 8: 27 – 35*_At that time: Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “who do men say that I am?” and they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “you are the Christ.” And he charged them to tell no one about him. And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said, “get behind me, Satan! For you are not on the side of God, but of men and he called to him the multitude with his disciples and said to them, “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 and the Gospel’s will save it.”_*The Gospel of the Lord.

_*Svondo 15 Gunyana September;* *Svondo yemakumi maviri neyechina yegore – B* *Chiverengo chokutanga:* _Isaya 50,5-9a_ _Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku roMuporofita Isaya_ Muranda waTenzi anoti: 5Tenzi Mwari akazarura nzeve dzangu, ini handina kupanduka kana kufuratira. 6 Ndakarega vanhu vachindirova musana ndikatendeutsira matama angu kune vaindidzura ndebvu. Handina kuvanza chiso changu pamusana penyadzi kana nokupfirwa mate. 7 Sezvo Tenzi Mwari anondibatsira naizvozvo handimbopazana musoro, ndokusaka ini ndakaruma shaya uye ndinoziva kuti handizombonyadziswa. 8 Anondipipirira ari padyo. Ndiani angapikisane neni? Ngatimirisanei. Ari kundipa mhosva wacho ndiani? Ngaauye pano pandiri. 9 Chinzwa, Tenzi Mwari anondiyamura. *Shoko raTenzi.* *Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:* _Nziyo 116,1-2.3-4.5-6.8-9. (D – 9)_ *(D) – Ndinofamba ndiina TENZI, munyika yavapenyu.* 1 Ndinoda TENZI nokuti akanzwa izwi rangu nechichemo changu; 2nokuti akarerekera nzeve yake kwandiri, naizvozvo ndichadaidzira kwaari, chero ndichiri mupenyu. *(D) – Ndinofamba ndiina TENZI, munyika yavapenyu.* 3Misungo yorufu yakandikomba, kurwadza kwenzvimbo yavakafa kwakandibata. 4Ndakazodana zita raTENZI ndichiti, “Ndinokukumbirai TENZI, ndinunureiwo!” *(D) – Ndinofamba ndiina TENZI, munyika yavapenyu.* 5TENZI wakanaka, akatendeka; Mwari wedu ane tsitsi. 6TENZI anochengeta vanhuwo zvavo. Pandakanga ndasakadzwa nenhamo, akandinunura. *(D) – Ndinofamba ndiina TENZI, munyika yavapenyu.* 8Makandinunura kurufu, mukandipukuta misodzi, mukanditsigira kuti ndirege kuwa. 9Ndinofamba ndiina TENZI, munyika yavapenyu. *(D) – Ndinofamba ndiina TENZI, munyika yavapenyu.* *Chiverengo chechipiri:* _Jemusi 2,14-18_ _Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mutsamba yaJemusi_ 14Hama dzangu, zvinobatsireiko kana munhu achiti ane chitendero asi iye asina mabasa? Chitendero chingamuponese here? 15 Ngatitii hamarume kana hamakadzi haina chokupfeka isina chokudya chamazuva ose, 16 mumwe wenyu oti kwavari, “Endai zvenyu norugare mudziirirwe uye mugute” asingavape zvinodikanwa nomuviri zvinobatsirei? 17Nokudaro chitendero pachacho chisina mabasa chakafa. 18 Mumwe angati “Iwe une chitendero ini ndina mabasa.” Ndiratidze chitendero chako iwe usina mabasa, ini namabasa angu ndikuratidze chitendero changu. *Shoko raTenzi.* *Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:* _VaGaratiya 6,14_ *Areruya, Areruya.* Hapana chandingazvirovere dundundu, kunze kwomuchinjikwa waTenzi Jesu Kristu, sokurovererwa kwenyika pachiri kuti ini ndishaye maturo kwairi. *Areruya.* *Shoko Rakanaka:* _Mariko 8,27-35_ _Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naMariko_ 27 Jesu akaenda navadzidzi vake kumisha yokuSezariafiripi. Vachiri munzira, akabvunza vadzidzi vake achiti, “Vanhu vanoti ndini ani?” 28 Vakamupindura vachiti, “Johani Muombeki, vamwewo vanoti, ndiEriya, vamwewo vachiti, mumwe wavaporofita.” 29 Akazovabvunza achiti, “Ko, imi, munoti ndini ani?” Pita akapindura achiti, “Imi ndimi Kristu chaiye.” 30 Jesu akavatsindidza kuti vasambozviudza ani naani zvake nezvake. 31Akazotangisa kuvadzidzisa kuti Mwanakomana womunhu anofanira kutambudzika zvikuru, agorambwa navakuru vakuru, navapristi vakuru, nenyanzvi dzoMutemo, ozouraiwa; asi agomukazve mushure memazuva matatu. 32 Akataura izvi pachena. Ipapo Pita akamutora parutivi ndokutanga kumutsiudza. 33 Jesu akatendeuka akaona vadzidzi vake, ndokubva atsiudza Pita achiti, “Ndibvirepo, Satani womunhu! Mafungiro akadai haasi aMwari asi avanhu.” 34Akazodaidza chita chavanhu pamwechete navadzidzi vake akati kwavari, “Kana munhu achida kunditevera, ngaazvirambe, atakure muchinjikwa wake anditevere. 35Nokuti ani naani anoda kuchengetedza upenyu hwake, acharasikirwa nahwo; asi ani naani anorasikirwa noupenyu hwake pamusana pangu napamusana peShoko Rakanaka, achahuponesa. *Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi.

*GOSPEL REFLECTION: A Spiritual U-Turn*_September 15, 2024__He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:34–35)_Practically speaking, how do we follow Jesus and save our souls? Is it enough to profess that we believe in Jesus? If we were to arrive at the conclusion that Jesus is God and the Savior of the World, would we then be saved? Certainly not. Even the demons believe this truth. Jesus is quite clear that salvation requires action on our part. We must deny ourselves, take up our crosses, and follow Him. Furthermore, the road to salvation requires that we lose ourselves for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. What exactly does this mean, practically speaking?To answer this question, let’s first consider the way that many people live. We tend to desire that which is the easiest in life, the most enjoyable, the greatest, and the most consoling. We often seek out those things that make us feel good and the path of least resistance. For example, if you could choose to fast on bread and water or feast on the most delicious foods, which would you choose? If you could choose between a vacation in the most exotic and luxurious location or a week of very difficult work, which would you choose? If you could choose to drive a brand new, high-end car or a very old beater, which one would you prefer? Most people would quickly pick the nice food, luxurious vacation and fancy new car.In his spiritual classic, the Ascent to Mount Carmel, Saint John of the Cross outlines a very different path. He gives a series of spiritual maxims to use for prayer and meditation to help purify your soul of every unhealthy attachment so that you can become more fully attached to God and His holy will. St. John says, “Strive always to prefer, not that which is easiest, but that which is most difficult; Not that which is most attractive, but that which is most unpleasant; Not that which gives most pleasure, but rather that which gives least…” These spiritual maxims, when read in their entirety, challenge us to the core of our being. They quickly reveal to those who are honest that they often prefer the easiest, most pleasant and best that this world has to offer. But what is best for your eternal soul?https://youtu.be/0e-QsKDTRNg?si=qhbTvExq6KuVl0MDJesus’ teaching, that we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him, is the road map to saving your eternal soul and to discovering a spiritual fulfillment that far surpasses anything this world or our flesh have to offer. But in order to understand this road map and then to follow it, we often need to make a “spiritual U-turn” so to speak. This U-turn begins with us choosing the Cross on every level of our being and concludes with God stripping away all selfish desires and replacing them with a desire for sacrificial love.If you were to carefully examine your thoughts throughout the day, you might find that you think about yourself a lot. “I like this, don’t want to do that, am angry about this, and am trying to avoid that…” Very often, our thoughts begin with “I” and end with “me.” Denying yourself, taking up your cross, and losing your life means that you no longer think about yourself. It means that the eyes of your soul have turned away from yourself and focus exclusively upon the will of God and the love of others. But this will never be possible until we are freed of the numerous selfish desires that often direct most of our actions day in and day out.*Reflect,* today, upon that which you desire throughout your day. What occupies your thoughts the most? What are you drawn to the most? Do you spend most of your day thinking about how you can better serve God and His holy will? Or do you spend most of your day thinking about yourself? Do the eyes of your soul most often turn to the selfless service of others? Or do they more often think about what you want in a selfish way? Reflect upon these difficult questions and seek to eradicate everything within you that is selfish. Doing so will enable you to make a spiritual U-turn so that you can carry the glorious and transforming Cross of Christ.*PRAYER:*_My sacrificial Lord, You lived a selfless life in which Your only concerns were the glory of the Father in Heaven and the salvation of the world. Please free me from all selfishness so that I will be more able to deny myself in every way, run toward every cross in life, and follow You into the beautiful life of selfless and sacrificial love. Jesus, I trust in You._