Reading of the Word of God
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
This is the Gospel of the poor,
liberation for the imprisoned,
sight for the blind,
freedom for the oppressed.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
1 Timothy 4, 12-16
Let no one disregard you because you are young, but be an example to all the believers in the way you speak and behave, and in your love, your faith and your purity.
Until I arrive, devote yourself to reading to the people, encouraging and teaching.
You have in you a spiritual gift which was given to you when the prophets spoke and the body of elders laid their hands on you; do not neglect it.
Let this be your care and your occupation, and everyone will be able to see your progress.
Be conscientious about what you do and what you teach; persevere in this, and in this way you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
Paul writes to Timothy, but in fact he warns the community not to despise the young age of the disciple, and to welcome him as bishop. Timothy was about thirty years old and had been with Paul for thirteen years. Clearly there was someone who held Timothy in low esteem. But the apostle knows well that in the community authority does not come with age or human qualities; it comes from the call to exercise this service and from the authenticity of the Gospel life of the one who is inducted. Paul therefore presents Timothy as his own envoy and at the same time urges him to set an example in "speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." This spiritual stature, together with his mandate, will give Timothy the authority he needs to lead the community with wisdom and authoritativeness. Paul had already told Timothy that he intended to join him as soon as possible (3:14), but until his arrival, he advises him to fulfil his duties by "reading" Holy Scripture in the church gatherings. The "exhorting and teaching" that the apostle asks Timothy to perform must follow the familiarity with the Scriptures. Sacred Scriptures need to be "taught", that is broken out and made present so that the Word that is in them may reach the hearts of the believers and transform them. It is obvious that in order to speak with authority and to explain the Gospel efficaciously in its preaching the help of the Spirit of the Lord is needed. Paul reminds Timothy of the gift he received through the laying on of hands by the apostle himself and the council of elders. Paul’s exhortations become more pressing so that Timothy be mindful of all these things. The apostle exhorts him to "devote himself to them." By doing so he will grow in wisdom and witness and "all will see his progress." Paul urges Timothy to deepen his study of the Scriptures and live them out every day. His growing knowledge of the Scriptures and his love of the Lord will give him the authority he needs to lead the community. His "salvation" and the salvation of the community depend on how well he can discipline himself, how well he can set a good example, and how well he can proclaim the Gospel.
Prayer is the heart of the life of the Community of Sant'Egidio and is its absolute priority. At the end of the day, every the Community of Sant'Egidio, large or small, gathers around the Lord to listen to his Word. The Word of God and the prayer are, in fact, the very basis of the whole life of the Community. The disciples cannot do other than remain at the feet of Jesus, as did Mary of Bethany, to receive his love and learn his ways (Phil. 2:5).
So every evening, when the Community returns to the feet of the Lord, it repeats the words of the anonymous disciple: " Lord, teach us how to pray". Jesus, Master of prayer, continues to answer: "When you pray, say: Abba, Father". It is not a simple exhortation, it is much more. With these words Jesus lets the disciples participate in his own relationship with the Father. Therefore in prayer, the fact of being children of the Father who is in heaven, comes before the words we may say. So praying is above all a way of being! That is to say we are children who turn with faith to the Father, certain that they will be heard.
Jesus teaches us to call God "Our Father". And not simply "Father" or "My Father". Disciples, even when they pray on their own, are never isolated nor they are orphans; they are always members of the Lord's family.
In praying together, beside the mystery of being children of God, there is also the mystery of brotherhood, as the Father of the Church said: "You cannot have God as father without having the church as mother". When praying together, the Holy Spirit assembles the disciples in the upper room together with Mary, the Lord's mother, so that they may direct their gaze towards the Lord's face and learn from Him the secret of his Heart.
The Communities of Sant'Egidio all over the world gather in the various places of prayer and lay before the Lord the hopes and the sufferings of the tired, exhausted crowds of which the Gospel speaks ( Mat. 9: 3-7 ), In these ancient crowds we can see the huge masses of the modern cities, the millions of refugees who continue to flee their countries, the poor, relegated to the very fringe of life and all those who are waiting for someone to take care of them. Praying together includes the cry, the invocation, the aspiration, the desire for peace, the healing and salvation of the men and women of this world. Prayer is never in vain; it rises ceaselessly to the Lord so that anguish is turned into hope, tears into joy, despair into happiness, and solitude into communion. May the Kingdom of God come soon among people!
For the sick, in memory of the dead, for peace
