China 21 Kurume – March;

Vhiki rechishanu renguva rokuTsanya

Chiverengo chokutanga: Mavambo 17,3-9

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku raMavambo
3Tenzi akazviratidza kunaAbhuramu. Abhuramu
akati pasi gwadagwa akatyora uso, Mwari ndokuti,
4 “Chitenderano changu newe ndechichi: uchava
baba vendudzi zhinji zhinji dzavanhu. 5 Zita rako
harichanzi Abhuramu, asi rava kunzi Abhurahamu
nokuti ndakuita baba vendudzi zhinji dzavanhu.
6 Ndichakupa vana vakawanda, mauri muchabva
ndudzi dzakawanda, uye muchabudawo madzimambo mazhinji.
7 “Ndichaita chitenderano changu newe chichagara
nokusingaperi, chinosvikira kuvana vako pazvizvarwa zvavo zvose zvichauya chokuti ndichava
Mwari wako nowavana vako vachauya. 8Ndichapa
iwe navana vako vachauya nyika ino yauchiri
kumboti apa garei, tamei, apa garei. Nyika yose yeKanani ichava yavana vako narini wose, ini
ndichava Mwari wavo.”
9Mwari akataurira Abhurahamu kuti, “Unofanira
kuchengeta chitenderano changu newe, iwe navana
vako vachauya pazvizvarwa zvavo zvose.
Shoko raTenzi.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira: Nziyo 105,4-9. (D – 8)

(D) – TENZI anorangarira nokusingaperi chitenderano chake.
4 Nekairai kutsvaka TENZI, mutsvakewo simba
rake. Shungu yokuda kuva pana TENZI ngaive
mugariro.
5 Rangarirai zvishamiso zvaakaita, zviratidzo
nemirao yakabuda mumuromo make.
(D) – TENZI anorangarira nokusingaperi chitenderano chake.
6 Imi chizvarwa chaAbhurahamu, muranda wake,
imi vana vaJakobho, vasarudzwi vake.
7 Iye TENZI ndiye Mwari wedu,
mirao yake hakuna kwaisiri pasi pose.
(D) – TENZI anorangarira nokusingaperi chitenderano chake.
Anorangarira nokusingaperi chitenderano chake,
chitsidzo chaanochengeta kusvikira
kuchizvarwa chechiuru.
9 Chitenderano chaakaita naAbhurahamu,
chitsidzo chaakaita kuna Isaki.
(D) – TENZI anorangarira
nokusingaperi chitenderano chake.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:
Nziyo 95,8

Mbiri kwamuri Kristu, mwanakomana waMwari mupenyu.
Nhasi kana monzwa izwi raTENZI,
musaomese mwoyo yenyu.
Mbiri kwamuri Kristu, mwanakomana waMwari mupenyu.

Shoko Rakanaka: Johani 8,51-59

Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naJohani
Jesu akati:
“51 Zvechokwadi chokwadi ndinoti kwamuri,
munhu akachengeta shoko rangu, haambofa
akaona rufu.”
52VaJudha vakati kwaari, “Zvino tava kuziva kuti
une mweya wakaipa, Abhurahamu akafa, vaporofitawo vakafa; asi iwe unoti munhu akachengeta
shoko rangu haambofa akaona rufu. 53Uri mukuru
here pana baba vedu Abhurahamu akafa iwe, uye
vaporofita vakafa? Unozviti ani iwe?” 54 Jesu akati “Ini ndikazvirumbidza mbiri yangu haina
maturo, Baba vangu ndivo vanondirumbidza,
ivo vamunoti ndivo Mwari wenyu.
55 Imi hamundizivi asi ini ndinovaziva. Kana
ndikati handizivi, ndingatova munyepi semi; asi
ini ndinovaziva, uye ndinochengeta izwi ravo.
56 Tateguru venyu Abhurahamu vakafarira kuti
dai aizongoonawo nguva yangu akaiona
akafara.”
57VaJudha vakati kwaari, “Iwe hausati wava namakore makumi mashanu ndopaungati wakaona
Abhurahamu iwe?” 58 Jesu akavati,
“Zvechokwadi chaizvo Abhurahamu asati ambovapo INI NDIRI.”
59Naizvozvo, vakanonga matombo kuti vamutake
nawo asi Jesu akavanda akabva abuda muTemberi.
Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi
MARCH 21ST 2024.

THURSDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF LENT YEAR B.

FIRST READING
“You shall be the father of a multitude of Nations.”
GENESIS 17: 3 – 9.

In those days: Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come forth from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. And I will give to you, and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.”

The Word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 105: 4 – 5, 6 – 7, 8 – 9 (R.) 8a

R/. The Lord remembers his covenant forever.

Turn to the Lord and his strength;
constantly seek his face.
Remember the wonders he has done,
his marvels and his words of judgement. R/.

O children of Abraham, his servant,
O descendants of  the Jacob he chose,
he, the Lord, is our God;
his judgements are in all the earth. R/.

He remembers his covenant forever:
the promise he ordained for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac. R/.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Psalm 95: 7d, 8a

Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Today, harden not your hearts, but listen to the voice of the Lord.
Glory and praise to you, O Christ.

GOSPEL
“Your father Abraham rejoice that he was to see my day”
JOHN 8: 51 – 59

Jesus said to the Jews, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, ‘If any one keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you claim to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God. But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” The Jews then said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple.

The Gospel of the Lord.
GOSPEL REFLECTION: Living in the Moment
March 21, 2024

Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area. (John 8:58–59)

When Moses encountered God in the burning bush, God revealed His name: I AM. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that this revelation of God’s name “​​is at once a name revealed and something like the refusal of a name.” It expresses that God is “infinitely above everything that we can understand or say.” He is the “hidden God.” He is also a “God who makes himself close to men” at each and every moment of our lives (See CCC #206).

In our Gospel today, Jesus identifies Himself with this hidden God. He states that He alone knows His Father and that the Father glorifies Him because He is the great I AM. To the people of that time, this was a shocking revelation, at least to those who failed to comprehend this truth in faith. But that mysterious name reveals to us not only the essence of God, it also reveals how we ought to relate to this infinite, hidden, exalted and glorious God.

As Jesus revealed His identity, He did not say, “before Abraham came to be, I was.” He says, “I AM.” This reveals that Jesus not only existed before Abraham, but that His existence transcends all time. He always and everywhere IS. Though this might seem overly philosophical to some, it is an important concept to understand for two important reasons. First, it gives us greater insight into God. But, second, it reveals to us how we ought to relate to God every day.

God is not a God of the past. He is not a God of the future. He is a God of the present moment. If we are to enter into a relationship with God, then we must realize that we can only encounter Him in the present moment. He is the Here and Now, so to speak. And we must seek Him here and now, in this present moment alone.

Sometimes we find ourselves dwelling on the past. To the extent that our past has helped or hurt us in this present moment, we need to address it. But the way this is done is by seeking God’s healing grace today, allowing the past to disappear into His abundant mercy. Other times we try to live in the future, becoming anxious about what is to come. But God does not dwell in the future for, to Him, all time is here and now. Therefore, we ought not to become anxious about the future, worry about it or try to live in it now. All we have is this present moment, and it is in this moment that God comes to meet us. He is here, and we must meet Him here, turning to Him and His grace today.

Reflect, today, upon this deep and mysterious revelation from our Lord. Think about his identity as the great “I AM.” Ponder that name. Ponder its meaning. See it as a way by which Jesus is inviting you to encounter Him in this present moment alone. Live in this moment. The past is gone; the future is not yet here. Live where God exists, here and now, for that is the only place that you will meet our Lord.

PRAYER:
My Lord, You are the Great I Am. You transcend all time. Help me to meet You today, to let go of the past, to look forward to the future, and to live with You in this moment alone. As I meet You here, dear Lord, help me to love You with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.