ACTS 25: 13b – 21

In those days: Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus. And as they stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man left prisoner by Felix; and when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews gave information about him, asking for sentence against him. I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to give up any one before the accused met the accusers face to face, and had opportunity to make his defence concerning the charge laid against him. When therefore they came together here, I made no delay, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man brought in. When the accusers stood up, they brought no charge in his case of such evils as I supposed; but they had certain points of dispute with him about their own superstition and about one Jesus, who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. Being at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wished to go to Jerusalem and be tried there regarding them. But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be held until I could send him to Caesar.”

The Word of the Lord

 
RESPONSORIAL PSALM  
Psalm 103: 1 – 2, 11 – 12, 19 – 20ab (R.) 19a

R. The Lord has fixed his throne in heaven.
Or:
Alleluia.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, 
and all within me, his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and never forget all his benefits. R.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so strong his mercy for those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far from us does he remove our transgressions. R.

The Lord has fixed his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom is ruling over all.
Bless the Lord, all you his angels,
mighty in power, fulfilling his word. R.

 
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
John 14: 26

Alleluia.
The Holy Spirit will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL
“Feed my lambs, tend my sheep.”
JOHN 21: 15 – 19

When [Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and] they had finished breakfast, he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you fastened your own belt and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will fasten your belt for you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, “Follow me.”

The Gospel of the Lord.
[23:05, 5/16/2024] Mr Takaona: 17 Chivabvu – May; Vhiki yechinomwe
yenguva yePasika – Chishanu

Chiverengo chokutanga: Mabasa 25,13b-21
Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku
raMabasa Avapositori

Agiripa akauya naBhenisi kuSezaria kuzogamuchira Fesitusi. Sezvavakagara mazuva mazhinji, Fesitusi akapira mhosva yaPauro pana mambo
achiti, “Pane murume akasiiwa ari muusungwa
naFerekisi. Zvino pandaiva kuJerusaremu vaPristi vakuru navakuru vakuru vavaJudha vakandi-
zivisa nezvake vachikumbira kuti ndimutonge.
Ndakavapindura kuti, haisiri tsika yavaRoma
kuturira munhu kuti arangwe asati atongesana
akatarisana navakamumhan’arira achiwaniswa
nguva yokuzvidavirira nezvemhosva yaanenge
achipiwa. Naizvozvo, pavakaungana kuno
handina kunonoka, asi kuti pazuva rakatevera
ndakagara pachigaro changu chokutonga ndikati
murume wacho auiswe. Vamhan’ari pavakasi-
muka, havana kuunza mhosva panyaya iyi dzine
uipi hwandaifunga, asi vaiva nezvimwe zvavaikakavadzana nezvechitendero chavo, uye nezva-
Jesu akafa anonzi naPauro mupenyu.
Pandakazvishaira pazvo kuti ndobvunza ndichiti
kudini, ndakamubvunza kuti angade here kuenda
kuJerusaremu kuti andotongwa nezvezvinhu izvi.
Pauro paakakumbira kuti achengetwe ari muusu-
ngwa kusvikira nyaya yake yapedzwa naSiza,
ndakati achengetwe kusvikira ndamutumira kuna
Siza.”

Shoko raTenzi.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:
Nziyo 103,1-2.11-12.19-20. (D – 19)
(D) – TENZI akaisa mudenga chigaro
chake chokutonga.
1 Rumbidza TENZI iwe mweya wangu uye zvose
zviri mandiri, rumbidzai zita rake rinoera.
Rumbidza TENZI iwe mweya wangu;
usakanganwe zvikomborero zvake zvose.
(D) – TENZI akaisa mudenga chigaro
chake chokutonga.
Sokukwira kwakaita denga kubva pasi,
ndokukura kwakaita mwoyochena wake kuna
vanomutya.
Sokutaramukana kwakaita kumabvazuva noku-
madokero, ndokutaramutsa kwaanoita zvika-
nganiso zvedu kubva kwatiri.
(D) – TENZI akaisa mudenga chigaro
chake chokutonga.
TENZI akaisa chigaro chake chokutonga mude-
nga, umambo hwake hunotonga zvose.
Rumbidzai TENZI imi vatumwa vake vose,
imi magamba munoita zvaanoreva,
muchiteerera izwi rake.
(D) – TENZI akaisa mudenga chigaro
chake chokutonga.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka: Johani 14,26
Areruya, Areruya. Mweya Mutsvene, iye
achakudzidzisai zvinhu zvose, achikuyeuchidzai
zvose zvandakataura kwamuri. Areruya.

Shoko Rakanaka: Johani 21,15-19
Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa
naJohani
Pavakapedza kudya kwamangwanani, Jesu akati
kuna Simoni Pita, “Nhai Simoni mwana waJohani,
unondida here kupfuura ava?” Iye akati kwaari,
“Hongu Tenzi munoziva wani kuti ndinokudai.”
Jesu ndokuti, “Fudza hwayana dzangu.”
1Akamutizve rwechipiri, “Simoni mwana waJohani, “Unondida here?” Akamuti, “Hongu Tenzi
munoziva kuti ndinokudai.” Jesu akamuti, “Fudza
hwai dzangu.”
Akati kwaari kechitatu, “Simoni mwana waJohani
unondida here?” Pita zvikati zvamurwadza, nokuti
akamuti rwechitatu, unondida here?” Pita akati
kwaari, “Tenzi inga munoziva zvose wani, munoziva
imi kuti ndinokudai.” Jesu akamuti, “Fudza hwai
dzangu. Zvechokwadi, chokwadi ndinoti kwauri,
“Pawakanga uchiri mudiki waipfeka uchienda
kwaunoda, asi kana wachembera uchatambanudza maoko ako, mumwe achikusunga achienda newe kwausingadi.” (Izvi akazvitaura kuratidza rufu rwaaizorumbidza
narwo Mwari). Mushure mezvo akati kwaari,
“Nditevere.”

Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi.
GOSPEL REFLECTION: True Love
May 17, 2024

“Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 21:18–19)

On this, the third time that Jesus appeared to His disciples, Jesus enters into a threefold discourse with Peter. Each time that Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him, Peter responds that he does. And Jesus responds back each time, “Feed my lambs,” “Tend my sheep,” and “Feed my sheep.” The passage quoted above concludes Jesus’ discourse with Peter using very powerful language. Jesus tells Peter that when he grows old, “someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” This was Jesus’ way of saying to Peter that he would ultimately express his love of Jesus by dying for Him. As we know, tradition states that Peter was ultimately crucified. And at Peter’s request, he was crucified upside down because he felt unworthy of dying in the exact same way Jesus died.

As we consider this conversation between Jesus and Peter, it is clear that Jesus’ understanding of love is very different from the way many others understand it today. Jesus was not only telling Peter that he would die for Jesus, but Jesus was clearly offering His approval of this act of love Peter would one day offer. Most often when we love someone, we would do all we can to keep them from any such fate. In fact, when a loved one suffers, we often will do all we can to look for a way to relieve them of that suffering. So which approach is most loving?

Clearly, Jesus sees suffering differently than most of us. For Jesus, suffering is not opposed to love when the suffering is freely embraced for a higher purpose. Suffering in and of itself is of no value. But when suffering is embraced sacrificially out of love for another, it is able to take on tremendous power. And when Jesus offered His clear support to Peter who would one day die out of love for Jesus, Jesus was focusing upon the eternal merit that would be won by Peter’s cross. The fact that Jesus did not shy away from Peter’s future sacrificial suffering is one of the clearest signs of Jesus’ more perfect love for Peter.

Reflect, today, upon your attitude toward the sufferings that your loved ones endure. Do you find that your primary goal is to rid them of their sufferings? Or do you understand that even their sufferings have the potential to become a source of their own holiness and the source of grace for others? Strive to see suffering as Jesus sees it. Look at the sacrificial love that is made possible when your loved ones unite their sufferings to the Cross of Christ and try to commit yourself to the mission of helping them embrace that sacred gift of love.

PRAYER:
My most compassionate Jesus, in Your great love for us all, You desire that we unite our sufferings to Your Cross so that all suffering shares in Your redemptive love. Give me the grace I need to not only embrace my own sufferings in life out of love for You but to also help those whom I love to live sacrificially by embracing the crosses they carry out of love. Jesus, I trust in You.