_*SEPTEMBER 29TH 2024.*__*TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.*__*FIRST READING*_    _“Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets.”__*NUMBERS 11: 25 – 29*_In those days: The Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses, and took some of the spirit that was upon him and put it upon the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did so no more. Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested upon them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and  Medad are prophesying in the camp.” And Joshua the son of Nun, the minister of Moses, one of his chosen men, said, “My lord Moses, forbid them.” But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!”_*The Word of the Lord.*__*RESPONSORIAL PSALM*__Psalm 19: 7, 9, 11 – 12, 13 (R.) 8ab__*R/. The precepts of the Lord are right; they gladden the heart.*_The law of the Lord is perfect;it revives the soul.The decrees of the Lord are steadfast;they give wisdom to the simple. *R/.*The fear of the Lord is pure, abiding forever.The judgements of the Lord are true;they are, all of them, just. *R/.*So in them your servant finds instruction;great reward is in their keeping.But who can detect their own errors?From hidden faults acquit me. *R/.*From presumption restrain your servant;may it not rule me.Then shall I be blameless,clean from grave sin. *R/.*_*SECOND READING*_  _“Your riches have rotted.”__*JAMES 5: 1 – 6*_Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. Behold, the wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have killed the righteous man; he does not resist you._*The Word of the Lord.*__*GOSPEL ACCLAMATION*_ John 17: 17baAlleluia. _Your word, O Lord, is truth; sanctify us in the truth._ Alleluia._*GOSPEL*__“He that is not against us is for us. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.”__*MARK 9: 38 – 43, 45, 47 – 48.*_At that time: John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”_*The Gospel of the Lord.

Svondo 29 Gunyana – September;

Svondo yemakumi maviri neyechitanhatu yegore – B

Chiverengo chokutanga: Kuverengwa 11,25-29

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mubhuku roKuverengwa
25 Namazuva iwayo Tenzi akauya ari mugore akataura naMosesi. Akatora mweya pamweya waiva muna Mosesi akaupa vatungamiriri makumi manomwe. Mweya iwoyo pawakapinda mavari, vakatangisa kuporofita asi havana kuzoramba vachiporofita.
26 Zvino vamwe varume vaviri vakasara vari kumatendhe, mumwe ainzi Eridhadhi, mumwe achinzi Medhadhi. Mweya waTenzi wakauya pavari. Varume ivava vakanga vachiverengerwa pavakuru vakuru vaya, asi vakanga vasina kuenda kutendhe ikoko. Vakatanga kuporofita vari kumatendhe ikoko. 27 Rimwe jaya rakamhanya kundoudza Mosesi kuti Eridhadhi naMedhadhi vari kuporofita mumatendhe.
28 Joshuwa mwanakomana waNuni mubatsiri waMosesi akati: “Changamire dzivisai vanhu avo.”
29 Mosesi akati, “Ko, wava kuvaitira shanje nemhaka yangu here? Ini ndinodisa kuti dai vanhu vose vaTenzi vave vaporofita, vose zvavo. Dai Tenzi angoisa Mweya wake pavari!”
Shoko raTenzi.

Rwiyo rwokutsinhira: Nziyo 19,7.9.11-12.13. (D – 8)

(D) – Zvirongwa zvaTENZI zvakarurama, zvinofadza mwoyo.
7 Mutemo waTENZI mutemo uzere,
unomutsiridza munhu.
Kupupurira kwaTENZI ndokwechokwadi,
kunopa ungwaru kuna vasina njere.
(D) – Zvirongwa zvaTENZI zvakarurama, zvinofadza mwoyo.
9 Kutya Mwari chinhu chakachena,
chinogara nokusingaperi,
mitemo yaTENZI iri pachokwadi,
uye yakarurama kwazvo.
(D) – Zvirongwa zvaTENZI zvakarurama, zvinofadza mwoyo.
11 Uyewo unoyambira muranda wenyu,
kuichengeta kunowanisa mubayiro mukuru.
12 Ndiani angaone zvikanganiso zvake?
Ndicheneseiwo kune zvikanganiso zvakavanda.
(D) – Zvirongwa zvaTENZI zvakarurama, zvinofadza mwoyo.
13 Ndidzivirireiwo ini muranda wenyu, kuzvitadzo zvokuita ndichida.
Ngazvirege kunditonga.
Ndichava munhu asina mhosva,
uye asina kupara mhosva huru.
(D) – Zvirongwa zvaTENZI zvakarurama, zvinofadza mwoyo.

Chiverengo chechipiri: Jemusi 5,1-6

Inzwai chiverengo chinobva mutsamba yaJemusi
1 Imi vapfumi, chemai muridze mhere nokuda kwenhamo dzichakuwirai. 2 Upfumi hwenyu huri kuora, uye hanzu dzenyu dziri kudyiwa nezviundudzi. 3 Ndarama yenyu neSirivha zviri kuita ngura. Ngura yazvo ndiyo ichakuwanisai mhosva. Ichakudyai nyama yenyu somoto. Makazviunganidzira upfumi kuitira mazuva okupedzisira.
4 Chinzwai munzwe kuchema kuri kuita mibayiro yavashandi vaikohwa minda yenyu yamakachengeta zvokubiridzira, uye kuchema kwavakohwi kwakasvika munzeve dzaTenzi wehondo nehondo. 5 Makagara panyika mumutambaratede nomumafaro. Makazvikodza nezvapamwoyo kuitira zuva rokubaiwa. 6 Makapa mhosva mukauraya mururami asi haana kukudzivisai.
Shoko raTenzi.

Kupemberera Shoko Rakanaka:
Johani 17,17b+a

Areruya, Areruya.
Izwi renyu Tenzi ichokwadi.
Itai kuti tive vatsvene muchokwadi. Areruya.

Shoko Rakanaka:
Mariko 9,38-43.45.47-48

Inzwai Shoko Rakanaka rakanyorwa naMariko
38 Johani akati kunaJesu, “Mudzidzisi takaona munhu achidzinga mweya yakaipa muzita renyu, tikamurambidza nokuti akanga asiri wenzira imwechete nesu.”
39 Asi Jesu akati, “Musamurambidze nokuti hakuna munhu anoita zvishamiso muzita rangu, pedzezvo ogona kutaura zvakaipa nezvangu; 40 nokuti munhu asingapikisane nesu ndowedu.
41 Ani naani anokupai mukombe wemvura yokunwa pamusana pokuti muri vanhu vaKristu, zvirokwazvo ndinoti kwamuri, haazorasikirwa nomubayiro wake kwete.”
42 “Ani naani anofurira mumwe wavana vaduku ava, vanotenda mandiri, kutadza zvinotova nani kwaari kuti asungirirwe ziguyo mumutsipa wake agokandwa mugungwa. 43 Kana ruoko rwako ruchikukonzera kuti utadze rudimure. Zviri nani kuti upinde muupenyu uri wakaremara pano kupinda mugehena, muvira romoto usingadzimiki, uina maoko maviri. 45 Kana tsoka yako ichikonzera kuti utadze, idimure, nokuti zviri nani kuti upinde muupenyu wakaremara pano kukandwa mugehena uine tsoka mbiri. 47 Kana ziso rako richikurasisa, risvukunure, zviri nani kuti upinde muumambo hwaMwari une ziso rimwechete pano kukandwa mugomba romoto, uina maziso maviri, 48 mune honye dzavo dzisingafi nemoto usingadzimiki.”
Shoko Rakanaka raTenzi.

*GOSPEL REFLECTION: Eliminating Occasions of Sin*_September 29, 2024__“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out…” (Mark 9:43–47)_Sometimes we need to wake up to the horror of sin. Sin and sin alone is capable of sending you to hell. Hell is real, and going there for eternity is a real possibility. Therefore, we must do whatever it takes to avoid that frightful possibility. This teaching from Jesus might not, at first, be thought of as one of His most inspiring teachings, but it should be. It’s not inspiring in the sense that it is quite graphic. But it is very inspiring in the sense that it has the potential to motivate us to action.Are you motivated to do all that you can to avoid sin? Would you even go so far as to cut off your hand or foot, and to pluck out your eye so as to avoid sin? First of all, this should not be seen as a literal command in which Jesus is telling us to mutilate ourselves. But He is the one Who chose such graphic language. Therefore, we should not shy away from pondering these images in a prayerful way so as to more clearly see those things that lead us into sin. When we see them, we must take the radical step of completely eliminating them from our lives.Many of the Church Fathers say that the hand, foot and eye in this teaching refer to our friends. Just as a hand, foot and eye are good in and of themselves, so also are friends. We are made for friendship with God and with others. However, not every friendship helps us grow closer to God. Therefore, when an earthly friend becomes a source of sin, we must eliminate that friendship.Friendship is different from charity. We owe charity to all people, even those who are the most sinful. But acting with charity toward others is different from being friends with them. To be a friend implies mutual giving and receiving. And though we must always give of ourselves to others, we ought not always receive from them when what they have to offer is an invitation to sin. This is how we “cut it off” and “pluck it out.” When another person tries to relate to us in such a way that they lead us into sin, we must take that temptation very seriously and reject it with much vigor.The hand, foot and eye in this teaching also represent every situation in life that tempts us to sin. For example, consider material possessions. If buying a very expensive car, house, or electronic gadget tempts you to become more materialistic, then you must avoid buying it. People are drawn to nice things. But does possessing nice things help your soul to become holy? One could argue that they can have nice things, while at the same time remain spiritually detached from them. But this is difficult to live. The more luxurious our material possessions, the more tempted we will be to rely upon them for our happiness. Therefore, choosing to live simply is almost always better for your soul than choosing to live in luxury. This teaching also applies to anything else that could become a source of temptation.https://youtu.be/m0zXwbE8hOE?si=NLR082s-KrNmwBpk*Reflect,* today, upon those things or persons in your life that have become an occasion of sin for you. Do not fool yourself into believing that you can handle the temptation. If you have some source of ongoing temptation in your life, you need to eliminate it. Ponder this very graphic teaching from Jesus and try to apply it to your life. Identify those things that lead you into sin and eliminate them with much determination.*PRAYER:*_My radical Lord, You call all of Your children to a life of holiness and perfection. Please help me to take Your teachings seriously so as to eliminate all occasions of sin from my life. May I have the eyes to see these temptations and the courage to reject them with all my might. Jesus, I trust in You.