Reading of the Word of God
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
This is the Gospel of the poor,
liberation for the imprisoned,
sight for the blind,
freedom for the oppressed.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Galatians 6, 1-10
Brothers, even if one of you is caught doing something wrong, those of you who are spiritual should set that person right in a spirit of gentleness; and watch yourselves that you are not put to the test in the same way.
Carry each other's burdens; that is how to keep the law of Christ.
Someone who thinks himself important, when he is not, only deceives himself;
but everyone is to examine his own achievements, and then he will confine his boasting to his own achievements, not comparing them with anybody else's.
Each one has his own load to carry.
When someone is under instruction in doctrine, he should give his teacher a share in all his possessions.
Don't delude yourself: God is not to be fooled; whatever someone sows, that is what he will reap.
If his sowing is in the field of self-indulgence, then his harvest from it will be corruption; if his sowing is in the Spirit, then his harvest from the Spirit will be eternal life.
And let us never slacken in doing good; for if we do not give up, we shall have our harvest in due time.
So then, as long as we have the opportunity let all our actions be for the good of everybody, and especially of those who belong to the household of the faith.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Previously, Paul emphasized the fact that the Christian’s freedom consists in love. Now he gives some concrete instructions about the need for forgiveness and correction as an integral part of love. If one of the brothers or sisters makes a mistake, he or she should not be condemned but corrected "in a spirit of gentleness," with love and gentleness. In correcting our brothers and sisters we should not forget that we are also weak and sinners. Paul, who knows the human spirit well, reminds us, as he did with the Corinthians, "So if you think you are standing, watch that you do not fall" (1 Cor 10:12). Evangelical wisdom drives us to "bear one another’s burdens." Christians are free from every yoke and every bond, except the bond of fraternal love. And the apostle affirms that in this love we "will fulfil the law of Christ." This is the exact opposite of the common way of thinking, which drives people to think only about themselves, perhaps sadly carrying their own weight and certainly leaving others alone to carry theirs. There is something like a "gospel of the world" that makes people everywhere and of all ages repeat, "think of you!" But in truth we need to support each other. All those who let themselves be tempted by pride fool themselves because they hide their radical weakness. We only have to reflect on ourselves a little to discover our limits and the need we have for others. The apostle urges his readers to listen to the Word of God because it will not only give us the truth about ourselves, it will also give us strength to overcome evil and work for good. Those who let themselves be guided by the Word of God and by his Sprit will reap spiritual fruits. On the contrary, those who sow selfishness will gather the bitter fruits of the flesh. Paul exhorts the Galatians to work for the "good of all," none excluded, and to do so right away, "whenever we have an opportunity." We cannot delay or put off love. On this we will be judged.
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
