ACTS 7: 51 – 8: 1a

In those days: Stephen said to the people and the elders and the scribes, “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth against him. But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.” But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together upon him. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was consenting to his death.

The Word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 31: 3bc – 4, 6 and 7b – 8a, 17 and 21ab (R.) 6a.

R/. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Or:

Alleluia.

Be a rock of refuge for me,

a mighty stronghold to save me.

For you are my rock, my stronghold!

Lead me, guide me, for the sake of your name. R/.

Into your hands I commend my spirit.

You will redeem me, O Lord, O faithful God.

As for me, I trust in the Lord.

Let me be glad and rejoice in your mercy. R/.

Let your face shine on your servant.

Save me in your merciful love.

You hide them in the shelter of your presence,

secure from human scheming. R/.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION. 

John 6: 35ab

Alleluia.

I am the bread of life, says the Lord; he who comes to me shall not hunger.

 Alleluia.

GOSPEL

It was not Moses, but my Father who gave you the bread from heaven.

JOHN 6: 30 – 35

At that time: The people said to Jesus, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat. ”’ Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Chipiri 16 Kubvumbi – April;

Vhiki yechitatu yokuMuka kwaJesu

Chiverengo chokutanga:

Mabasa 7,51-8,1a

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku raMabasa Avapositori

Sitefani akati kudare ravaIsraeri:

51 Imi vanhu vomusoro wakaoma,

vanhu vomwoyo isinei naMwari,

venzeve dzisingadi kunzwa zvaMwari,

vanhu vokurwisana neMweya.

Zvaiita madzibaba enyu, ndizvowo

zvamunongoita.

52 “Muporofita upi asina kutambudzwa namadzibaba enyu? Vakauraya vaya vakafanotaura zvokuuya komururami, wakamupandukira mukaponda.

53 Imi makagamuchira mutemo sokupiwa kwawakaitwa navatumwa, asi hamuna kuuchengeta.”

54 Pavakanzwa zvinhu izvi vakashatirwa kwazvo

vakamuchenamira mazino. 55Asi iye azere neMweya

Mutsvene, akatarisisa mudenga akaona mbiri

yaMwari, Jesu amire kurudyi rwaMwari 56 akati,

“Tarirai muone, ndiri kuona denga rakazaruka,

Mwanakomana womunhu akamira kurudyi

rwaMwari.”

57Asi vakazhamba nezwi repamusoro vakadzivirira

nzeve vakamuti momote, 58 ndokumuburitsa kunze

kweguta vakamutaka namabwe. Zvapupu zviya

zvakaisa magemenzi azvo patsoka dzerimwe jaya

rainzi Sauro. 59Pavaimutaka namatombo Sitefani akanamata achiti, “Tenzi Jesu, gamuchirai mweya

wangu.” 60 Akapfugama akadaidzira nezwi guru

achiti, “Tenzi, musavape mhosva yechitadzo ichi.”

Paakapedza kutaura akabva avata hope dzokupedzisira.

1Sauro akabvumirana nezvokuuraiwa kwake.

Shoko raTenzi.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:

Nziyo 31,2cd-3.5+6b+7a.16+20ab. (D – 5)

(D) – Mumaoko enyu ndinoisa mweya wangu.

Ivai kwandiri dombo rokupotera naro,

nhare yakasimba, yokundinunura.

3 Imi ndimi dombo rangu, nenhare yangu,

pamusana pezita renyu, ndiratidzei

pokufamba napo munditungamirire.

(D) – Mumaoko enyu ndinoisa mweya wangu.

5 Mumaoko enyu ndinoisa mweya wangu.

Makandinunura, TENZI, Mwari wechokwadi.

Ndinovimba nemi TENZI.

7 Ndinopururudza nokufarira mwoyochena

wenyu.

(D) – Mumaoko enyu ndinoisa mweya wangu.

16 Ndinyevenutsireiwo mwoyo, ini muranda wenyu

mundinunurewo nemwoyochena wenyu.

20 Nokuvapo kwenyu munovahwandisa kune

zvinorongwa navanhu,

munovavanza mudumba renyu.

(D) – Mumaoko enyu ndinoisa mweya wangu.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:

Johani 6,35ab

Areruya, Areruya.

 “Ini ndini chingwa

choupenyu; anouya kwandiri haaiti nzara,

uye anotenda mandiri haambofa akanzwa

nyota.” Areruya

Shoko Rakanaka: Johani 6,30-35

Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naJohani

30VaJudha vakati kuna Jesu,

“Ko, zvino iwe chiratidzoi chaungaite kuti tione

tigotenda mauri; chii chaungaite? 31Madzibaba

edu vakadya mana murenje sokunyorwa kwazvakaitwa zvichinzi, akavapa chingwa chakabva

kudenga kuti vadye.”

32 Jesu akati kwavari:

“Chokwadi chaizvo ndinoti kwamuri,

haasi Mosesi akakupai chingwa chinobva

kudenga. Baba vangu ndivo vanokupai chingwa

chechokwadi chinobva kudenga.

33 Nokuti chingwa chaMwari ndechiya chinobva

kudenga, uye chinopa upenyu kunyika.”

34Vakati kwaari,

“Tenzi tipei chingwa ichocho nguva dzose.”

35 Jesu akati kwavari,

“Ini ndini chingwa choupenyu; anouya kwandiri

haaiti nzara, uye anotenda mandiri haambofa

akanzwa nyota.”

Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi

GOSPEL REFLECTION: The Bread of Life

April 16, 2024

So they said to Jesus, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” (John 6:34–35)

Imagine if you were to never grow hungry or never thirst again. On a natural level, this would be an interesting reality. Of course, if you never had physical hunger or thirst, then you may never enjoy the delight of good food and drink. So why would anyone want to lose out on such delights?

Of course, Jesus was not speaking of natural food and drink, He was speaking of supernatural hunger and thirst. And He was not saying that the spiritual food and drink He came to give us would eliminate our ability to delight in spiritual fulfillment. On the contrary, Jesus was saying that the spiritual food and drink He was to provide would result in never-ending fulfillment and satisfaction.

Chapter 6 of John’s Gospel will continue to be read throughout this week, the Third Week of Easter. This chapter presents us with what is traditionally called the “Bread of Life Discourse.” It’s John’s deep, mystical and profound teaching on the Most Holy Eucharist.

First of all, it’s useful to look at this Gospel within its context. Recall that on the previous day, Jesus performed the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, and a crowd of people who had been fed by Him were now seeking more food. Jesus uses their desire for more food to begin to teach them about the Most Holy Eucharist, and He wants to do the same for you.

Put yourself into this scene. What is it that you hunger and thirst for the most? Perhaps you have plenty of physical food, but perhaps you don’t. If you do, what else do you crave? What do you desire? When you have identified your deepest desires right now, use these desires to allow our Lord to teach you about the Bread of Life. It might be useful to say to our Lord, “Here are my current desires in life…” And then, allow yourself to hear Jesus say to you, “I want to give you so much more. I am what you truly long for. If you come to Me, you will have all your desires fulfilled and more.” This is essentially the conversation Jesus had with this crowd throughout John Chapter 6.

Do you believe that the Most Holy Eucharist is capable of fulfilling you on the deepest level? Too often we approach that Sacrament in a lazy and distracted way. As a result, we often fail to truly receive our Lord on a level that provides this deepest delight and satisfaction.

Reflect, today and throughout this week, upon your approach to Holy Communion. The Eucharist is Christ Himself. It’s a gift that has the potential to not only sustain us in every way but also to draw us into the greatest Heavenly delights. Believe Jesus’ words in this holy chapter of John’s Gospel. For if you deepen your belief in all that Jesus has said, you will begin to realize that all you crave in life will begin to be fulfilled by this precious gift in ways beyond your imagination.

PRAYER:

My Eucharistic Lord, You are the Bread of Life. You are all that I desire in life. Give me the grace of understanding, dear Lord, so that I can come to believe all that You have revealed about the Most Holy Eucharist. I do believe, my God. Help my unbelief. Jesus, I trust in You