Chishanu 22 Kurume – March;

Vhiki rechishanu renguva rokuTsanya

Chiverengo chokutanga:
Jeremiya 20,10-13

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku roMuporofita Jeremiya
Jeremiya akati:
Ndiri kunzwa vanhu vazhinji vachiita kazevezeve,
mativi ose zvangove zvinotyisa ‘Mumhan’arirei! Ngatimumhan’arirei,’ ndizvo
zviri kutaura shamwari dzangu chaidzo dzose,
dzakangotarisira kuti pangu pandiperere,
vachiti zvimwe angafuririke tikamukurira
tobva tamutsividza.
Asi Tenzi aneni somurwi wehondo anotyisa.
Naizvozvo vanondionesa ndondo
vachagumburwa uye havambondikunda.
Vachanyadziswa zvikuru nokuti havasi
kuzombobudirira.
Kunyadziswa kwavo kusingaperi hakusi
kuzombofa kwakakanganikwa.
Imi Tenzi wehondo nehondo munoedza
wani vakarurama, imi munoona mumwoyo
nomupfungwa dzomunhu,
itai henyu kuti ndione imi muchivatsividza
nokuti ndazviturira mumaoko menyu.
Imbirai Tenzi rumbidzai Tenzi,
nokuti akanunura upenyu hwavasina
chavanacho mumaoko evaiti vezvakaipa.
Shoko raTenzi.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:
Nziyo 18,1-2a.2bc-3.4-5.6. (D – 6)

(D) – Ndakachema kuna Mwari wangu, kuchema kwangu kukasvika kwaari.
1 Ndinokudai TENZI, imi simba rangu.
2 TENZI ndiye bako rangu,
ndiye nhare nomununuri wangu.
Mwari wangu ndiye bako rangu, maari ndimo
mandinopotera.
(D) – Ndakachema kuna Mwari wangu,
kuchema kwangu kukasvika kwaari
Ndiye nhoo yangu, ndiye ane simba rokundiponesa, ndiye nhare yangu yokuzvidzivirira
nayo muhondo.
3 Ndinodaidzira kuna TENZI;
iye anofanira kurumbidzwa,
ndinobva ndatonunurwa kuna vanondivenga.
(D) – Ndakachema kuna Mwari wangu, kuchema kwangu kukasvika kwaari.
4 Nokuti misungo yorufu yakandikomberedza,
mafashamo ohumharadzi akandirwisa.
5 Tambo dzenzvimbo yavachakabvu dzakandikochekera, mariva orufu akandigaririra.
(D) – Ndakachema kuna Mwari wangu, kuchema kwangu kukasvika kwaari.
6 Munhamo yangu iyi ndakachema kuna TENZI.
Ndakachema kuna iye Mwari wangu, kuti
andibatsire muTemberi yake,
iye akanzwa izwi rangu,
kuchema kwangu kukasvika munzeve dzake.
(D) – Ndakachema kuna Mwari wangu, kuchema kwangu kukasvika kwaari.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:
Johani 6,63c+68c

Tinokuomberai, imi Tenzi wedu!
Mazwi enyu Tenzi, mweya noupenyu.
Imi ndimi muna mazwi oupenyu husingaperi.
Tinokuomberai, imi Tenzi wedu!

Shoko Rakanaka: Johani 10,31-42

Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naJohani
VaJudha vakatora matombo kuti vatake Jesu
nawo.
Jesu akavapindura achiti,
“Ndakakuratidzai mabasa mazhinji akanaka
anobva kuna Baba;
amunonditakira ndaapi ipapa?”
VaJudha vakamupindura vachiti, “Hatisi kukutakira basa rakanaka, asi kushonha Mwari, nokuti
iwe uri munhu kudai asi uri kuzviita Mwari.” Jesu
akavapindura achiti,
“Hazvina kunyorwa here mumutemo wenyu
zvichinzi, ‘Ndakati muri vanamwari. Kana akavati ndavanamwari vaya
vakavingwa nezwi raMwari,
saka Magwaro Matsvene haapikiswi.
Zvino munoti uyo akaitwa mutsvene
naBaba, akatumwa pasi pano,
uri kushonha Mwari nokuti ndati ndiri
Mwanakomana waMwari.
Kana ndisiri kuita mabasa aBaba vangu, regai
zvenyu kunditenda.
Asi kana ndichiaita, kunyange zvenyu
musingatendi mandiri,
tendai mabasa kuti muzive,
uye munzwisise kuti Baba vari mandiri uye
kuti Ini ndiri muna Baba.”
Vakaedzazve kumubata asi akapunyuka
mumaoko avo.
Akaendazve kumhiri kwaJorodhani paya
paimboombekera Johani pakutanga, akambogarako. Vanhu vakawanda vakauya kwaari.
Vakati, “Johani haana zvake kuita zvishamiso, asi
zvose zvakataurwa naJohani nezvomunhu uyu
ndezvechokwadi.” Vazhinji vakabva vadavira
maari ipapo.

Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Entering the Desert
March 22, 2024

“If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” (John 10:37–39)

These words spoken by Jesus took place during the feast of the Dedication in Jerusalem. Jesus had been preaching clearly about His relationship with the Father in Heaven, and this was causing some to become outraged to the point of them trying to arrest Him right then and there. But He escaped and went back into the wilderness where He had been baptized by John. As Jesus remained there in the desert, many people came to Him to be with Him and to listen to His words. As they listened, they began to believe.

It’s interesting to note the contrast of reactions. In Jerusalem within the Temple area, among large crowds gathered for the feast of the Dedication, Jesus was increasingly rejected and persecuted. But when He returned to the desert and people had to come to see Him, they listened and believed. This contrast presents us with one way in which we will more easily grow in our faith and help others grow in their faith. Specifically, we are invited to go into the “desert” to encounter our Lord, away from the busyness of life, and we must also invite others to join us in such a journey.

It’s true that, while in Jerusalem, there were people who happened to stumble upon Jesus as He was teaching and were moved by His word and came to believe. But it’s also clear that, when people had to commit to the effort of seeking Him out in a deserted place, His words were even more transformative.

In our own lives, within the ordinary activities of life, such as regular attendance at Mass, we will be given the opportunity to hear the Gospel and deepen our life of faith. But all of us need to take time to seek Jesus out “in the wilderness,” so to speak, so as to be even more disposed to hear Him and believe. These “desert experiences” come in many forms. Perhaps it’s an experience as simple as going into your room alone to pray and ponder the Word of God. Or perhaps it’s a participation in a Bible study, an online devotional program, or parish catechesis event. Or perhaps it’s the choice to go away for a weekend or longer for a guided retreat where all you do for some time is pray and listen to our Lord.

Throughout history, saint after saint has shown us the value of going off to pray to be with our Lord, in a place where the many other distractions of life and the many voices of the world are silenced, so that God can speak to the heart and so that we can more fully respond.

Reflect, today, upon the invitation Jesus is giving you to go out to meet Him in the wilderness. Where is that place? How can you accomplish this short journey while keeping up with the important duties of life? Do not hesitate to seek out the desert to which our Lord is calling you, so that you will be able to meet Him there, listen to His voice, and respond with complete generosity.

PRAYER:
My Lord Jesus, You are calling me to enter deeper into a relationship of love with You, my divine Lord. Give me the grace I need to say “Yes” to You and to enter into the desert of silence and prayer I need so as to hear Your voice. Draw me to You, my Lord, and help me to more fully believe all that You wish to say. Jesus, I trust in You MARCH 22ND 2024.

FRIDAY OF THE FIFTH WEEK OF LENT YEAR B.

FIRST READING
“The Lord is with me as a dread warrior.”
JEREMIAH 20: 10 – 13

I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” say all my familiar friends, watching for my fall. “Perhaps he will be deceived, then we can overcome him, and take our revenge on him.”  But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble, they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonour will never be forgotten. O Lord of hosts, who test the  righteous,  who  see the heart  and the  mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause. Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.

The Word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 18: 1 – 2a, 2bc – 3, 4 – 5, 6 (R.) 6

R. In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he heard me.

I love you, Lord, my strength;
O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my saviour. R/.

My God, my rock where I take refuge;
my shield, my saving strength, my stronghold.
I cry out, “Praised be the Lord!”
and see, I am saved from my foes. R/.

The waves of death rose about me;
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
the snares of the grave surrounded me;
the traps of death confronted me. R/.

In my anguish I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry to him reached his ears. R/.

 
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
John 6: 63c, 68c

Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Your words, Lord, Are Spirit and life; you have the words of eternal life.
Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
 

GOSPEL
“They tried to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.”
JOHN 10: 31 – 42

At that time: The Jews picked up stones again to stone Jesus.  He answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?”  The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”  Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’?  If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?  If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”  Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands. He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained.  And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.”  And many believed in him there.

The Gospel of the Lord