Memorial of Onesimus, slave of Philemon, a brother in faith of the Apostle Paul. Read more
Memorial of Onesimus, slave of Philemon, a brother in faith of the Apostle Paul.
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
Matthew 9,14-15
Then John's disciples came to him and said, 'Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?' Jesus replied, 'Surely the bridegroom's attendants cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is still with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.
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
While moving our first steps on the Lenten path, the Word of God reminds us that the true way is inside, that of the heart, it means progressing in love, friendship, and generosity. The Gospel does not require us to simply do some things more, even if they are good things. In truth, a deep change is requested from us. The fasting the Lord wants is fasting from selfishness and concentration on ourselves and our problems, and directing our hearts to Him, by making caring and love for the poor and the weak grow. The Gospel of Matthew speaks on fasting and explains its deep sense. John's disciples, who lived a more austere life compared to Jesus' followers, wonder about the reason of their joy. The very presence of Jesus among the people created a hopeful and festive atmosphere, in short, a special sense of joy. The disciples were really happy being with him and sharing his life spent in being among people and helping them. Following Jesus is not a sad path based on deprivation and penances. It is exactly the opposite. John's disciples realized it and were scandalized. But Jesus explained that life with him is like the party at the wedding when there is the bridegroom. And indeed, the poor had understood it: the one who freed from abandonment and desperation had come among them. Still, Jesus warns that the advent of the Kingdom also involves the struggle against evil and, as happens in every battle, there will be difficult times. There will be naysayers who will attempt to bring down the disciples who proclaim the Gospel in every way, even illicit and violent ones. In any event, we still need to get dressed to party and drink the wine of mercy; this will make the disciples strong and steady even when they will have to face difficult and suffering moments. Dietrich Bonhoeffer used to say that the Gospel makes disciples not just good but also strong.
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
