WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21ST 2024.

TWENTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

MEMORIAL OF SAINT PIUS X, Pope.

FIRST READING    
“I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.”
EZEKIEL 34: 1 – 11

The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Oh, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the crippled you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live, says the Lord God, because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd; and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep; therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my sheep at their hand, and put a stop to their feeding the sheep; no longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them. “For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.”

The Word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 23: 1 -3a, 3b – 4, 5, 6 (R.) 1

R/. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
where he gives me repose.
Near restful waters he leads me;
he revives my soul. R/.

He guides me along the right path,
for the sake of his name.
Though I should walk in the
valley of the shadow of death,
no evil would I fear, for you are with me.
Your crook and your staff will give me comfort. R/.

You have prepared a table before me
in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is overflowing. R/.

Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life.
In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell
for length of days unending. R/.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION 
Hebrews 4: 12

Alleluia.
The word of the Lord is living and active, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL  
“Do you begrudge my generosity?”
MATTHEW 20: 1 – 16a

At that time: Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing; and he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’  “They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ “He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ “And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the labourers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the householder, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. ’“But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you, and go; I choose to give to this last as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

21 Nyamavhuvhu – August

Kurangarira Papa Piyo wegumi Mutsvene –
Chitatu

Chiverengo chokutanga: Ezekieri 34,1-11
Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku
romuporofita Ezekieri
Izwi raTenzi rakauya kwandiri richiti,
2 “Iwe mwanakomana womunhu, porofita waka-
nangana navafudzi veIsiraeri, porofita uti kwavari,
kuvafudzi ivava uti, zvanzi naTenzi Mwari, ‘Nhaimi
vafudzi veIsiraeri, imi munozvifudza zvenyu. Vafu-
dzi havafaniri kufudza hwai here?’ 3 Munodyaka
imi mafuta, muchizvipfekedza zvenyu newuru,
muchiuraya zvenyu hwayana dzakakodzwa, asi
kufudza hwai musingafudzi. 4 Dzakarukutika
hamuna kudzisimbisa, dzinorwara hamuna kudzi-
rapa, dzakatyoka makumbo hamuna kudzisunga
kasekete, dzinotetereka hamuna kudzidzora, dza-
karasika hamuna kudzitsvaga. Uye makadzitonga
nechisimba nehasha. 5 Naizvozvo dzangopararira
zvadzo pamusana pokuti pakanga pasina mufudzi,
dzikava zvadzo chokudya chezvikara zvose zve-
sango. 6 Hwai dzangu dzakapararira, dzakatete-
rekera mumakomo mose nomuzvikomo zvose
zvirefu. Hwai dzakapararira nenyika yose, dzisina
anodzironda kana kudzitsvaka.
7 Naizvozvo imi vafudzi, chinzwai shoko raTenzi.
8 Zvanzi naTenzi Mwari, hezvino ndakadai, pamu-
sana pokuti hwai dzangu dzakava zvadzo nyama, hwai dzangu dzakava chokudya chezvikara zvose
zvesango, pamusana pokuti pakanga pasina
mufudzi, uye pamusana pokuti vafudzi vangu
havana kutsvaka hwai dzangu, asi vafudzi vakato-
zvifudza ivo pachavo, asi hwai dzangu havana
kudzifudza, 9 naizvozvo imi vafudzi chinzwai shoko
raTenzi; 10 zvanzi naTenzi Mwari, ‘Chionai ndana-
ngana navafudzi. Wandichabvunza wacho ndivo
vafudzi. Ndichavamisa kufudza hwai dzacho, zvo-
kuzvifudza ivo vafudzi zvichapera. Ndichanunura
hwai dzangu pamiromo yavo kuitira kuti dzirege
kuva chokudya chavo.’
11 Chiripo ndechokuti, zvanzi naTenzi Mwari,
chionai, ini iyeni pachangu, ndini ndicharonda
hwai dzangu ndidzitsvake.”
Shoko raTenzi.
Rwiyo rwokutsinhira: Nziyo 23,1-6. (D – 1)
(D) – TENZI ndiye mufudzi wangu,
hapana chandinoshaya.
1TENZI ndiye mufudzi wangu,
hapana chandinoshaya,
2 anondirarisa mumafuro manyoro.
Achinditungamirira kumvura inozorodza.
(D) – TENZI ndiye mufudzi wangu,
hapana chandinoshaya.
3Anondimutsiridza mwoyo, achinditungamirira
munzira dzoururami, pamusana pezita rake.
4Kunyange ndikafamba mumupata werima rakati
kwirindindi,
handingatyi chakaipa nokuti imi muneni.
(D) – TENZI ndiye mufudzi wangu,
hapana chandinoshaya.
Tsvimbo yenyu, nomudonzvo wenyu
zvinondinyaradza.
5 Munondigadzirira tafura pamberi pangu,
vavengi vangu vachiona,
munozora musoro wangu mafuta,
mukombe wangu unotofashukira.
(D) – TENZI ndiye mufudzi wangu,
hapana chandinoshaya.
6Chokwadi kunaka kwenyu nomwoyochena
wenyu,
zvicharamba zvineni upenyu hwangu hwose,
uye ndichagara mumba maTENZI nokusingaperi.
(D) – TENZI ndiye mufudzi wangu,
hapana chandinoshaya.
Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka: VaHebheru 4,12
Areruya, Areruya. Shoko raMwari ibenyu,
uye rine simba. Rinopatsanurawo pfungwa
nezvinovavarirwa nomwoyo. Areruya.

Shoko Rakanaka: Mateu 20,1-16
Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naMateu
Jesu akataurira vadzidzi vake muenzaniso uyu
achiti; 1Umambo hwedenga hwakaita sasamusha
akafumoenda kundotsvaka vashandi vokushanda
mumunda wake wamagirepisi. Akawirirana nava-
shandi mari yapazuva yedhenari, ndokuvatuma
kumunda wake wamagirepisi. Akazobudazve
paawa yechipfumbamwe mangwanani akaona
vamwe vakamira zvavo pamusika. Akavati, “Imi
endaiwo mumunda wamagirepisi. Ndichakupaiwo
zvinokodzera.” Saizvozvo vakaenda.
Akazobudazve paawa yegumi nembiri masikati
neawa yechitatu masikati akaita zvimwechetezvo.
Panguva inenge yechishanu zuva ravakuda
kudoka akabuda akaona vamwe vakamira zvavo.
Iye akati kwavari, “Ko, munodarirei kungomira
zvenyu kudai zuva rose musina chamuri kuita?”
Vakati kwaari, “Nokuti hapana atitora kuti ati-
pewo basa.” Iye akati, “Nemiwo endaiwo mumunda
wamagirepisi.”
Kumanheru muridzi womunda wamagirepisi
akati kuno mutariri wake, “Chidaidza vashandi
uvape mibayiro yavo utangise novokupedzisira,
uchigumisira nevokutanga.” Vaya vakapiwa basa paawa yechishanu manheru pavakauya, mumwe
nomumwe wavo akagamuchira mubayiro wapazuva
uya wedhenari. Vokutanga vaya pavakauyawo,
vakafunga kuti vachagamuchira yakawanda, asi
mumwe nomumwe wavo akagamuchira dhenari.
Pavairigamuchira vakanyunyutira saimba uya
vachiti, “Ava vokupedzisira vashanda kweawa
imwechete chete asi imi mavaenzanisa nesu, isu
tabinduka zuva rose tichipiswa nezuva.”
Asi iye akapindura mumwe wavo achiti, “Shamwari, handisi kukutadzira. Hauna kubvumirana
neni here mubayiro wemari yedhenari? Iwe
ingotora yako uende. Ndini ndasarudza zvangu
kupa uyu wokupedzisira yakaenzana neyandakupa.
Handibvumirwi here kuita madiro nezvinhu
zvangu kana kuti une shanje nemwoyochena
wangu here? Saizvozvo vokupedzisira vachava
vokutanga, vokutangawo vachava vokupedzisira.”

Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi.

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Overcoming Envy
August 21, 2024

Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, “Why do you stand here idle all day?” They answered, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You too go into my vineyard.” (Matthew 20:6–7)

These are very generous words spoken by the landowner. As the parable explains, this landowner hired workers for his vineyard early in the morning, and then again at nine o’clock, noon, three o’clock and finally at five o’clock. But at the end of the day, he paid them all the same daily wage as if they had all been working since early morning. The ones hired first were upset thinking it was unfair that those who worked just an hour were paid the same wage as they were. But the landowner concludes, “What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?” God, in His mercy, is generous beyond comprehension. But we, as fallen humans, are constantly examining whether we are getting our fair share and comparing ourselves to others. We tend to want more and more and easily become envious when we see others succeed or receive blessings that we do not have. For example, if someone is more popular than us on social media, or drives a nicer car, or has a bigger home, or goes on an expensive vacation, we often tend to notice with a sort of sorrow that we do not have what they do. And that is envy.

The cure for envy is wholehearted generosity. Not just generosity with our money but generosity with our affections and our ability to rejoice in the blessings that others receive. For example, if someone were to tell you that they were going on a nice vacation next month to a place you always wanted to go, how would you react? You might jokingly say, “Wow, I’m jealous!” Jealousy can quickly turn into envy, which is a form of sorrow over the blessings another has that you do not. And that sorrow over the blessings of another can subsequently turn to anger.

These workers in the vineyard who worked all day and received the same amount as those who worked only one hour could have responded by congratulating the later workers and could have even jokingly said, “Lucky you, I wish I would have shown up at five o’clock!” But instead, they grumbled and tried to interfere with the generosity of the landowner saying, “These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.” Again, this is envy, in that their sorrow over the generosity of the landowner led them to try to interfere with the blessing the others received.
https://youtu.be/TzXtpd1GLag?si=srF0AelQNkOyboS_

Whenever you notice this form of unholy sorrow within you, take notice. It means that you lack a selfless generosity toward others. And if you see God blessing another in spiritual riches, try to generously rejoice in that. Offer praise and thanks to God for His goodness. Don’t dwell on yourself and dismiss every temptation to compare. In many ways, everyone of us is represented by those who worked only one hour and received the full daily wage. This is because we could never earn the grace of salvation. The one and only reason we are able to receive the gift of eternal salvation and every other grace given to us by God is because God is infinitely generous. Therefore, the goodness and generosity of God must be our constant focus, and we must rejoice in that generosity when it is given to us and when it is also given to others.

Reflect, today, upon any tendency you have toward envy. Think about the blessings that others have been given that you have not. Sincerely look at your interior reaction to that and pray that God will grant you the gift of being able to be generous in your rejoicing in those blessings. Every blessing given by God must be the cause of our joy, no matter if those blessings are bestowed upon us or upon others.

PRAYER:
My most generous Lord, You bestow Your blessings upon all in superabundance. When I witness the ways that others are blessed by You, help me to foster a sincere gratitude for all that they have received. Help me truly rejoice in the many ways You bless all Your people. Free me from envy, dear Lord, so that I am not burdened down by that ugly sin. Jesus, I trust in You.