Memorial of Mary of Clopas who stood near the cross of the Lord with the other women. Prayer for all women in every part of the world who follow the Lord in difficulties and with courage.
We remember Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was killed by the Nazis in the concentration camp of Flossenbürg.
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Memorial of Mary of Clopas who stood near the cross of the Lord with the other women. Prayer for all women in every part of the world who follow the Lord in difficulties and with courage.
We remember Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was killed by the Nazis in the concentration camp of Flossenbürg.
Reading of the Word of God
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Whoever lives and believes in me
will never die.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Acts 6,1-7
About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom, to whom we can hand over this duty. We ourselves will continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.' The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, and after prayer they laid their hands on them. The word of the Lord continued to spread: the number of disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increased, and a large group of priests made their submission to the faith.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
If you believe, you will see the glory of God,
thus says the Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The sixth chapter of Acts opens with the story of the first major problem that arose in the Christian community, just as it was beginning. It is not a matter of doctrine, but a question related to charity, to the service to the poor that was one of the central dimensions of Christian life. Shortly before, in describing the life of the community, Luke had said, "There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold...and it was distributed to each as any had need" (4:34-35). In reality, something unfortunate had begun to happen: a clear distinction was made in the help given to the widows from the city and those from outside, from the diaspora. The first were helped on a regular basis, while the others were often overlooked. This discrimination caused as strong reaction among the Hellenists of the diaspora. After all, how could charity be allowed to show a preference between the widows from the city and the widows from the diaspora? It was clearly a scandal. A little while later Peter himself will say that "God shows no partiality" (Acts 10:34). In order to settle the issue, the apostles gathered an assembly to discuss the problem and decided to reorganize the life of the community, including the element of assistance. To the primary task of announcing the Gospel was added the equally essential task of charity. It was not possible for the preaching not to flow into charity: charity is a confirmation of what is preached. Therefore they chose seven deacons (servants) with the task of organization of the service of charity for the poor, the widows, and whomever was in need. But it is important to be clear. It is not that the service to the poor was entrusted to the deacons alone: it was - and is - the responsibility of all Christians. The deacons had the task of urging everyone else to be generous towards the poor and ensuring that everything was done in the best possible way, that is, with love. Charity is a primary duty of all believers, and everyone has to find his or her way to practice it. Because it is on our charity, as the apostle Matthew reminds us, that we will all 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
