1ST PETER 5: 5b – 14

Beloved: Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility towards one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you. Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares about you. Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, and strengthen you. To him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen. By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God; stand fast in it. She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings; and so does my son Mark. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you that are in Christ.

The Word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 89: 2 – 3, 6 – 7, 16 – 17 (R.) 2a

R/. I will sing for ever of your mercies, O Lord.
Or:
Alleluia.

I will sing for ever of your mercies, O Lord,
through all ages my mouth will proclaim your fidelity.
I have declared your mercy is established for ever;
your fidelity stands firm as the heavens. R/.

The heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your fidelity in the assembly of your holy ones.
For who in the skies can compare with the Lord,
or who is like the Lord among the heavenly powers? R/.

How blessed the people who know your praise,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
who find their joy every day in your name,
who make your justice their joyful acclaim. R/.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
1st Corinthians 1: 23a – 24b

Alleluia.
We preach Christ crucified; the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL
“Preach the Gospel to the whole creation.”
MARK 16: 15 – 20

At that time: [Appearing to the Eleven,] Jesus said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.

The Gospel of the Lord.
China 25 Kubvumbi – April; China,

Zuvaguru raMariko muVhangeri

Chiverengo chokutanga:
1 Pita 5,5b-14

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mutsamba yokutanga yaPita
5Vadikanwi, pfekai mose kuzvidukupisa mumwe
achizvininipisa kune mumwe, nokuti Mwari
anorwisana navanozvikudza, achitsigira nenyasha
vanozvininipisa. 6Nokudaro zvininipisei pasi poruoko rwaMwari rune simba kuti nenguva yakafanira
azokupembedzai zvikuru. 7 Turirai zvinokudyai
mwoyo zvose kwaari nokuti ane hanya nemi.
8 Garai makagadzikana makarindira, mhandu
yenyu Satani anobvongodza kose kose seshumba
inodzvova ichitsvaka waingadye. 9 Murwisei,
makasimba muchitendero chenyu, muchiziva kuti
kutambudzika kumwecheteko kunofanira kutirirwa nevehama pasi pose. 10 Mushure mokunge
mambotambudzika kwechinguva, Mwari wenyasha
dzose, iye akakudaidzai kumbiri yake isingaperi
muna Kristu, iye pachake achakudzorerai kuva
zvamunofanira kunge muri, mudzike midzi, achikusimbisai. 11 Iye ngaave noumambo narini narini.
Ameni.
12 Ndakunyorerai muchidimbu ndichibatsirwa
naSirivhanusi, hama yakatendeka sokuona kwangu, ndichikukuridzirai ndichitaura pachena kuti
idzi inyasha dzaMwari chaidzo; rambai makasimba
madziri. 13 Sangano revekuBhabhironi rakasarudzwawo semi, rinokukwazisai, uyewo Mako mwana
wangu anokukwazisai. 14Kwazisanai nokutsvodana
kworudo rwechikristu. Rugare ngaruve nemi mose
muna Kristu.
Shoko raMwari.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira:
Nziyo 89,1-2.5-6.15-16. (D – 1)

(D) – TENZI, ndicharumbidza mwoyochena wenyu nokusingaperi.
1Ndichaimba ndichirumbidza mwoyochena
wenyu nokusingaperi, TENZI,
nomuromo wangu ndichaparidza kutendeka
kwenyu kwezvizvarwa zvose.
2Nokuti mwoyochena wenyu uripo nokusingaperi.
Kutendeka kwenyu kwakasimba samatenga.
(D) – TENZI, ndicharumbidza mwoyochena wenyu nokusingaperi.
5Matenga anorumbidza zvinoshamisa zvenyu
TENZI, uye kutendeka kwenyu mugungano
ravakarurama.
6Ndiani mudenga’mu angaenzaniswe nemi
TENZI? Ndiani pakati pavana vamwari
angaenzaniswe naTENZI.
(D) – TENZI, ndicharumbidza mwoyochena wenyu nokusingaperi.
15Vakakomborerwa zvavo vanoziva kupururudza
vachifara, vanofamba muchiedza chokuvapo
kwenyu TENZI,
16 vanofara nezita renyu zuva rose,
uye vanorumbidza ururami hwenyu.
(D) – TENZI, ndicharumbidza mwoyochena wenyu nokusingaperi.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:
1 VaKorinde 1,23a+24b

Areruya, Areruya
Isu tinoparidza Kristu
akarovererwa pamuchinjikwa. Iye simba
raMwari, noungwaru hwaMwari. Areruya.

Shoko Rakanaka: Mariko 16,15-20

Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naMariko
15Mushure mokumuka muvafi, Jesu akati
kuvadzidzi vake,
“Endai kunyika dzapasi pose
mundoparidza Shoko Rakanaka kuzvisikwa
zvose.
16 Anenge atenda akaombekwa achaponeswa, asi
uyo asingatendi achapiwa mhosva.
17 Hezvino zviratidzo zvichava navanotenda:
18Vachadzinga mweya yakaipa nezita rangu.
Vachataura nendimi itsva,
vachabata nyoka namaoko.
Kunyange vakanwa chinouraya
hachizovakuvadzi kwete.
Vachaisa maoko pavarwere, vachibva vapora.”
19Kuzoti Jesu apedza kutaura kwavari, akakwidzwa
kudenga kwaakandogara kurudyi rwaMwari. 20 Ivo
vakaenda vakandoparidza kwose kwose, Tenzi
achivabatsira, achitsinhira shoko ravo nezviratidzo
zvairisimbisa. Ameni.
Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi.
GOSPEL REFLECTION: Continuing the Mission
Thursday, April 25, 2024

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15–16)

Saint Mark, whom we honor today, certainly fulfilled this mission that was given to the Apostles. Though Mark was not one of the Twelve and might not have even known Jesus while He walked the earth, he certainly fulfilled the mission of proclaiming the Gospel to the whole world by writing his Gospel account.

Mark’s Gospel is the shortest of the Gospels, but it is packed with detail. It recounts the life of Jesus vividly and in an almost breathless way. His Gospel presents the central messages of fulfillment found in Christ, the nearness of His Kingdom and the need to repent and believe.

Though not much is known about Mark, our first reading from the Letter of Saint Peter written to the Christian communities in Asia Minor reveals that Mark was a follower of Peter who refers to Mark with affection as his “son.” It is also likely that Mark was a co-worker of Saint Paul (Philemon 1:24).

As we honor this great evangelist, the most notable testament to His work of evangelizing is the Gospel attributed to him. Though he most certainly made a difference in the lives of those with whom he worked, preached to in person and witnessed to by his charity, it’s amazing to ponder the ongoing effect that his Gospel has had upon the world. As you think about his life, try to imagine him sitting and writing out the Gospel account we now have. As he did so, he could never have imagined that the words he wrote would be read by countless millions until the end of the age. For him, he was fulfilling but one small service to the people of his time. He was motivated by a desire to make Jesus known to them, and the best way he knew how to do this was to write down Jesus’ story.

As Mark wrote his Gospel, we can be certain that he did so not only out of his own desire to share the life of Christ with others, but primarily because he was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Mark’s gift of the writing of the Gospel was a response to grace. God gave him this mission, and he listened and obeyed. As a result, his short telling of the life of Christ has become part of the most widely read story in all of human history. And not only that, it is also among the most transformative stories ever written.

Though God will not call you to write a Gospel account, He is calling you to a particular mission. What is that mission? Sometimes we can easily think that what we do is insignificant. But if what we do in life is done through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, then we can be certain that God will use our small effort in great ways. Like Saint Mark, we might never see how God uses us until we enter the glories of Heaven. But make no mistake, if you, like Saint Mark, listen to the will of God and act in obedience to Him, then the little you offer will have eternal and transformative consequences for the good of others.

Reflect, today, upon this simple and humble servant of God. Consider Mark’s limited knowledge about the extent that his contribution would end up making for the entire world. As you reflect upon him writing his Gospel account, ponder your own calling from God to do your small part. Know that you, too, can become an instrument of the gift of salvation for many. The key is to seek out the will of God for your life and commit yourself to the fulfillment of that will with passion and drive. Do not be deterred by any apparent lack of immediate results. Stay faithful to your mission and, from Heaven, you will eternally rejoice as you see the unexpected ways that God used you.

PRAYER:
Glorious Lord Jesus, You gave Your followers the great mission to preach Your Gospel to the ends of the world. I thank You for the ways that Saint Mark responded to Your inspiration and was used in such a powerful way. Please use me, dear Lord, as an instrument of Your grace so that I can share in the mission You have given to the Church. Jesus, I trust in You.