_*THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH 2024.*__*TWENTY-FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.*__*FIRST READING*__“So we preached and so you believed.”__*1ST CORINTHIANS 15: 1 – 11*_I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received,  in which you  stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast — unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed._*The Word of the Lord.*__*RESPONSORIAL PSALM*_ _Psalm 118: 1 – 2, 15c – 17, 28 (R.) 1a__*R/. Give praise to the Lord, for he is good.*_Or: _*Alleluia.*_Give praise to the Lord, for he is good;his mercy endures forever.Let the house of Israel say,“His mercy endures forever.” *R/.*“The LORD s right hand has done mighty deeds;his right  hand  is exalted.The Lord’s right hand has done mighty deeds.”I shall not die, I shall   liveand recount the deeds of the Lord. *R/.*You are my God, I praise you.My God, I exalt you. *R/.*_*GOSPEL ACCLAMATION*_Matthew 11: 28Alleluia. _Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, says the Lord._Alleluia._*GOSPEL*_      _“Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.”__*LUKE 7: 36 – 50*_At that time: One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learnt that he was sitting at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon; I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “What is it, Teacher?” “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning towards the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”_*The Gospel of the Lord.

*China 19 Gunyana – September;* _Vhiki 24 regore -_*Chiverengo chechiposhi:* _1 VaKorinde 15,1-11__Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mutsamba yokutanga yaPauro kuvaKorinde_1 Hama dzangu, ndingade kukuyeuchidzai Shoko Rakanaka randakakuparidzai ramakagamuchirawo, ramumire naro 2 rinokuponesai kana mukaribatisisa, kusatoti makatenda mariri pasina.3 Ndakakugamuchidzai sechinhu chikuru kwazvo chokutanga chandakanga ndakagamuchirawo, chokuti Kristu akafira zvitadzo zvedu sokutaura kunoita Magwaro Matsvene, 4 uye kuti akavigwa akamutswa nezuva retatu sokutaura kwamagwaro matsvene, 5 uye kuti akazviratidza kuna Kefasi, ndokuzozviratidzawo kuna vane gumi navairi.6 Akazozviratidza kune vehama vanopfuura mazana mashanu panguva imwecheteyo. Vazhinji vavo vachiri vapenyu kunyange zvazvo vamwe vakafa. 7 Akazozviratidza kuna Jemusi, ndokuzotevera kuvapositori vose. 8 Pokupedzisira, sokune munhu akazvarwa nguva yake isati yasvika, akazviratidzawo kwandiri. 9 Chikonzero chacho ndechokuti ini ndiri wokupedzisira kuvapositori, ndisingakodzeri kudaidzwa kunzi mupositori nokuti ndakashusha sangano raMwari.10 Asi nenyasha dzaMwari ndiri zvandiri. Nyasha dzake kwandiri hadzina kushaya basa. Zvakatoitika ndezvokuti ndakashanda zvakaomarara kupinda vose. Kunyange zvazvo ndakanga ndisirini, asi nyasha dzaMwari mandiri. 11 Hazvina mhosva kuti ndivo here kana kuti ini, zvatinoparidza ndizvozvo uye ndizvo zvamakatenda.*Shoko raTenzi.**Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:* _Nziyo 118,1b-2.16ab+17.28. (D – 1)_*(D) – Tendai TENZI nokuti wakanaka, mwoyochena wake hauperi narini.*1 Tendai TENZI nokuti wakanaka, mwoyochena wake hauperi narini.2 Isiraeri ngaiti, “Mwoyochena wake hauperi narini.”16 Simba rorudyi rwaTENZI rinosimudzira kukunda,simba rorudyi rwaTENZI rinoita zvinogara zvakadaro.*(D) – Tendai TENZI nokuti wakanaka, mwoyochena wake hauperi narini.*17 Handimbofi asi ndichatoraramandigorondedzera mabasa aTENZI.28 Imi ndimi Mwari wangu uye ndichakutendai;ndimi Mwari wangu ndinokukudzai.*(D) – Tendai TENZI nokuti wakanaka, mwoyochena wake hauperi narini.**Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:* _Mateu 11,28_*Areruya, Areruya.* Uyai kwandiri imi mose makaremerwa,makatakura mutoro unorema, ini ndichakuzorodzai. *Areruya.**Shoko Rakanaka:* _Ruka 7,36-50__Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naRuka_36 Mumwe weboka ravaFarisei akakoka Jesu kuti azodya naye. 37 Zvakaitika kuti mumwe mukadzi womugutamo aiva mutadzi paakanzwa kuti Jesu agere pakudya mumba yomuFarisei uya, akauya nechinu chomunyakwe wearabhasita chiina mafuta okuzora. 38 Akasvikomira nechokumashure kwaJesu, kutsoka dzake, achisvimha misodzi, ndokutanga kunyorovesa tsoka dzake nemisodzi yake achidzipukuta nevhudzi romusoro wake, uye akatsvoda tsoka dzake, nokudzizora namafuta aye.39 Pakuona izvi, muFarisei uya akanga amukoka, akazviti nechomumwoyo, “Dai munhu uyu anga ari muporofita, angadai aziva kuti mukadzi uyu anomubata ndiani, uye kuti mukadzi worudzii, nokuti mutadzi.”40 Jesu ndokudavira akati, “Simoni, ndine zvandinoda kutaura kwauri.” Simoni ndokumuti, “Taurai henyu, Mudzidzisi.”41 “Mumwe mukweretesi aiva navakwereti vaviri. Mumwe akakwereta mazana mashanu amadhenari mumwewo makumi mashanu. 42 Sezvavakanga vasisagoni kudzorera, akavaregerera vose vari vaviri. Ko, ndoupi pavanhu ava achamuda kupinda mumwe?” 43 Simoni akamupindura achiti, “Ndinofunga kuti ndouya akaregererwa zvizhinji.”Jesu ndokumuti, “Wapindura zvazviri.” 44 Zvino akatendeukira kumukadzi uya ndokuti kuna Simoni, “Unoona mukadzi uyu? Ndapinda mumba mako, hauna kundipa mvura yokugeza tsoka dzangu, asi iye anyorovesa tsoka dzangu nemisodzi yake, akadzipukuta nevhudzi rake. 45 Iwe hauna kunditsvoda, asi iye kubvira zvandapinda muno haana kurega kutsvoda tsoka dzangu. 46 Iwe hauna kuzora musoro wangu namafuta, asi iye azora tsoka dzangu namafuta anonhuhwirira. 47 Ndinoti kwauri, zvitadzo zvake zvizhinji zvaregererwa nokuti aratidza rudo rukuru; asi uyo anoregererwa zvishoma anoratidza rudo rushoma.”48 Jesu ndokuti kumukadzi uya, “Zvitadzo zvako zvaregererwa.” 49 Ipapo vaya vakanga vagere naye pakudya vakatanga kuzviti, “Uyu ndianiko anoregererawo kunyange zvitadzo?” 50 Iye ndokuti kumukadzi, “Kutenda kwako kwakuponesa, chienda zvako murugare.”*Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi.

*GOSPEL REFLECTION: Awe at the Forgiveness of Sins*_September 19, 2024__He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:48–50)_These loving words from Jesus were spoken to a sinful woman who showed up unannounced at a dinner Jesus was having at the house of a Pharisee. The Pharisee looked down upon her in judgment, but she didn’t care. In sorrow for her sins, she anointed Jesus’ feet and humbled herself before Him, bathing His feet with her tears and drying them with her hair.The conversation ends with Jesus looking at her and telling her “Your sins are forgiven.” Note the reaction of those who were at the table. We are given an insight into their interior thoughts. They said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Those who have been born and raised within the faith have always understood that God forgives. We were taught this from an early age, learned much about it in preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and have heard this message throughout our lives in one form or another. But imagine never hearing about or experiencing the forgiveness of God throughout your life, and then suddenly one day you do. Imagine what these people must have been experiencing as they encountered the forgiveness of sins for the first time in the Person of Jesus as He forgave this sinful woman. They may have been a bit confused by this, but, perhaps more than anything else, they would have experienced a holy awe and amazement at what God had done. They saw this sinful woman come in, they sensed the judgment and demeaning attitude of the Pharisees, they saw her express sorrow and humiliation, and then they saw Jesus forgive her.Are you amazed at the gift of the forgiveness of your sins and the sins of others? Or do you take forgiveness for granted? The wonder and awe that the people manifested at the forgiveness of the sins of this woman should help us to examine our own attitude toward God’s mercy and forgiveness. We need to continually foster within ourselves the same amazement at God’s mercy that these people had. We must work to never take forgiveness for granted or to see it as just one more normal part of life. Rather, we must see it as extraordinary, ever new, ever glorious and forever awe inspiring.*Reflect,* today, upon the awe-inspired words of these first followers of Jesus: “Who is this who even forgives sins?” As you do, let God fill you with the deepest gratitude for the forgiveness He has offered you. Renew your appreciation for this unmerited gift from God and allow that gratitude to become the source of your ongoing amazement at the mercy of God.*PRAYER*_My forgiving Lord, Your mercy and compassion for the sinner is truly awe-inspiring. Thank You for loving me and all Your followers with a love so deep. Please fill my heart with a holy awe at Your incredible mercy. May I always be amazed at Your forgiveness and always be filled with the deepest gratitude as I experience it in my life. Jesus, I trust in You._https://youtu.be/5iYxNzMo0XE?si=gKZuKgS2uZ0V2LgT