JOB 38: 1, 8 – 11

The lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: “Who shut in the sea with doors, when it burst forth from the womb; when I made clouds its garment, and thick darkness its swaddling band; and prescribed bounds for it, and set bars and doors, and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?”

The Word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 107: 23 – 24, 25 – 26, 28 – 29, 30 – 31 (R.) 1

R/. O give thanks to the Lord for he is good; for his mercy endures forever!
Or:
Alleluia.

Some went down to the sea in ships,
to trade on the mighty waters.
These have seen the deeds of the Lord;
the wonders he does in the deep. R/.

For he spoke and raised up the storm-wind,
tossing high the waves of the sea
that surged to heaven and dropped to the depths.
Their souls melted away in their distress. R/.

Then they cried to the Lord in their need,
and he rescued them from their distress.
He stilled the storm to a whisper,
and the waves of the sea were hushed. R/.

They rejoiced because of the calm,
and he led them to the haven they desired.
Let them thank the LORD for his mercy,
his wonders for the children of men. R/.

SECOND READING
“Behold, the new has come.”
2ND CORINTHIANS 5: 14 – 17

Brethren: The love of Christ urges us on, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died. And he died for all, that those who live might live no longer for them- selves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh; even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.

The Word of the Lord.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Luke 7: 16

Alleluia.
A great prophet has arisen among us, and God has visited his people.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL
“Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”
MARK 4: 35 – 41

On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go across to the other side.”. And leaving the crowd, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat. And other boats were with him. And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the. Cushion; and they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care if we perish?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”

The Gospel of the Lord.

23 Chikumi – June; Svondo yegumi neyechipiri yegore – B

Chiverengo chokutanga: Jobhu 38,1.8-11

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku raJobhu

1 Tenzi akataurira Jobhu ari mukati medutu remhepo achiti, 8 “Ndiani akazarira gungwa nemakonhi, parakanga richangobva mukuberekwa? 9 Pandakaita kuti makore ave hanzu dzaro, nerima rakati kwirindindi kuti ririputire, 10 ndikariisira miganhu nezvihuri nemakonhi 11 ndikati, ‘Apa ndipo paunogumira kwete kupfuura ipapa, uye kuti masaisai ako anozvitutumadza ndipo paanomirira?’ ”

Shoko raTenzi.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira: Nziyo 107,23-24.25-26.28-29.30-31. (D – 1)

(D) – Tendai TENZI nokuti akanaka, mwoyochena wake hauperi.

23 Pane vamwe vakaenda kugungwa nengarava vachiita ushambadzi vari mumvura zhinji.

24 Vakaona zvinoita TENZI, zviito zvake zvinoshamisa makadzika.

(D) – Tendai TENZI nokuti akanaka, mwoyochena wake hauperi.

25 Akataurira dutu kuti risimuke rikasimudza masaisai egungwa.

26 Vaimboti mudenga kata, vozomboti pasi pasi vido pakadzika, vakapererwa nechivindi mujambwa ravo rakaipa.

(D) – Tendai TENZI nokuti akanaka, mwoyochena wake hauperi.

28 Vakazochema kuna TENZI munhamo yavo, iye akavanunura kupfumvu yavo.

29 Akanyaradza dutu, masaisai egungwa akabva apomhodzwa.

(D) – Tendai TENZI nokuti akanaka, mwoyochena wake hauperi.

30 Vakabva vafara nokuti vakave norunyararo uye nokuti akavaunza pokumisa ngarava pavaida.

31 Ngavatende TENZI, mwoyochena wake uye zviito zvake kuvanhu zvinoshamisa.

(D) – Tendai TENZI nokuti akanaka, mwoyochena wake hauperi.

Chiverengo chechipiri: 2 VaKorinde 5,14-17

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mutsamba yechipiri yaPauro kuvaKorinde

Hama dzangu, 14 rudo rwaKristu ndirwo runotimanikidza kuita zvinhu nokuti zvatakatoona ndezvokuti, munhu mumwechete akafira vanhu vose, naizvozvo vanhu vose vakafawo. 15 Iye akafira vanhu vose kuti vanorarama varege kuzviraramira asi kuti vararamire iye akavafira akamutswa. 16 Saizvozvo, kubvira zvino hatichaona munhu sokuonekwa kwaanoitwa navanhu; kunyange zvazvo takamboona Kristu sokuonekwa kwaanoitwa navanhu, hatichamuona saizvozvo. 17 Saizvozvo, kana munhu ari muna Kristu ava chisikwa chitsva. Zvakare zvakapera, zvitsva zvakauya.

Shoko raTenzi.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka: Ruka 7,16

Areruya, Areruya. Muporofita mukuru akamutswa mukati medu. Mwari azoshanyira vanhu vake. Areruya.

Shoko Rakanaka: Mariko 4,35-41

Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naMariko

35 Nomusi uyo ava manheru, Jesu akati kuvadzidzi vake, “Ngatichiyambukirai mhiri.” 36 Vakasiya vanhu vazhinji vaya, vakamutora voenda naye ari mugwa sezvaakanga arimo nakare. Kwakanga kuina mamwe magwa aiva naye. 37 Ipapo dutu guru rakamuka, mafungu akaroverera pagwa achipindamo, zvokuti igwa rakanga rotoda kuzara nemvura. 38 Asi iye akanga ari mugwa necheshure akakotsira, akatsamira pamutsago. Vadzidzi vake vakumumutsa vachiti kwaari, “Mudzidzisi hamuna hanya here kuti tava kupera?” 39 Jesu akamuka akakarira dutu achiti kugungwa, “Nyarara! Udzikame!” Dutu rakati zi-i kunyarara, kukabva kwanyatsoti dzikadzika. 40 Zvino Jesu akati kwavari, “Sei muchitya kudai? Hamuna rutendo here?” 41 Ivo vakabatwa nokutya kukuru, ndokutaurirana vachiti, “Ko, uyu ndianiko uyu anoteererwa kunyange nemhepo negungwa?”

Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi.

GOSPEL REFLECTION: God is Speaking
June 23, 2024

Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. (Mark 4:38–39)

Do you desire to hear God speak to you? The most common way this happens is through prayerful meditation on the Gospels. Over the centuries, the saints have prayerfully pondered the Gospels and have offered various insights on the stories and our Lord’s actions. Their insights are not primarily an intellectual exercise. Rather, they are first an exercise of prayer and meditation, revealing that the Scriptures have various layers of depth and meaning.

One Church Father, Saint Bede, explains from his prayerful pondering of today’s Gospel passage that the boat in which Jesus crossed the sea represents the Cross by which safe passage is obtained to arrive at the shores of Heaven. The other boats that followed represent those who have faith in the Cross of Christ and follow. Though they suffer the waves of temptation and hardship, they press on, relying upon the saving power of the Cross. Jesus being asleep represents His sleep of death, and His wakening represents His resurrection. The pleas of the disciples represent our need to turn to Jesus during the storms and temptations of life. The rebuke of the waves and the ensuing calm reveal the grace won by His death and resurrection, which is able to silence the demons and disordered passions. The fear that the disciples encountered points to our own fear that results from a lack of faith and trust in God.

God is able to speak these and many other truths to us through His actions and words contained in the Scriptures. There is no limit to the depth and meaning we can receive through His holy Word. Therefore, though it is useful to reflect upon the saints’ various interpretations of the Gospels, it is also very important to reflect upon these passages ourselves, so as to allow our Lord to speak to us the message we need to hear.

Reflect, today, upon this Gospel scene. Try to find time to slowly read today’s Gospel from beginning to end. Read a sentence and then close your eyes and try to imagine it. See Jesus entering the boat. Ponder the boat being an image of the Cross. See the sea as the many evils within this world. Consider the fear the disciples encountered during the storm. See yourself in that boat, waking our Lord. Listen to Him silence the waves and restore peace. Hear Him say to you about your own struggles in life: “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” As you prayerfully meditate upon this and other Gospel passages, know that God will speak to you and reveal to you the meaning that He wishes to communicate to you today.

PRAYER:
My sleeping Lord, as I endure the many storms of life, may I always have faith in the saving power of Your Cross and Resurrection. May I always call upon You to calm the storms and hear You speak to me the many truths I need to hear. Jesus, I trust in You.