Reading of the Word of God
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Whoever lives and believes in me
will never die.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
2 Corinthians 12,1-10
I am boasting because I have to. Not that it does any good, but I will move on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago -- still in the body? I do not know; or out of the body? I do not know: God knows -- was caught up right into the third heaven. And I know that this man -- still in the body? or outside the body? I do not know, God knows- was caught up into Paradise and heard words said that cannot and may not be spoken by any human being. On behalf of someone like that I am willing to boast, but I am not going to boast on my own behalf except of my weaknesses; and then, if I do choose to boast I shall not be talking like a fool because I shall be speaking the truth. But I will not go on in case anybody should rate me higher than he sees and hears me to be, because of the exceptional greatness of the revelations. Wherefore, so that I should not get above myself, I was given a thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan to batter me and prevent me from getting above myself. About this, I have three times pleaded with the Lord that it might leave me; but he has answered me, 'My grace is enough for you: for power is at full stretch in weakness.' It is, then, about my weaknesses that I am happiest of all to boast, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me; and that is why I am glad of weaknesses, insults, constraints, persecutions and distress for Christ's sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
If you believe, you will see the glory of God,
thus says the Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
This is a crucial passage of the letter. Paul reveals an extraordinary spiritual experience without delineating the content that he has not even fully understood. It is strange that the apostle does not speak in the first person anymore, but of "a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven-whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows" (v.2). He does not describe in detail the experience which he has not even fully understood. The mysterious encounter he was almost dispossessed of himself: it is not the carnal I who speaks but "a man in Christ." That encounter changed him deeply so that he says in another occasion: "It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me" (Gal 2:20). The Christian is on the path of the identification in Christ. It is a spiritual journey that continues for our entire life till its fulfilment. A full and saved life is nothing other than communion with Christ. At this point the apostle splits his defence. He boasts about the man who allowed himself to be seized by Christ, "but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses" (v.5). The Apostle then reveals to the Corinthians a personal experience of weakness that was quite weakening him: the "thorn" in the "flesh." We do not know exactly what the apostle refers to, but the consequences must have been so hard that three times he asked the Lord to be freed of it. Paul, however, received God's answer that allowed him to build his life not on his own wisdom and strength, but on the power that comes from the Lord: "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness" (v.9). The apostle discovered that, precisely in the weakness of his life in service of the Gospel, the strength of the Lord was manifested. This is a great spiritual and pastoral lesson often, sadly, often rejected. So many times in our lives weakness and difficulty become a reason to withdraw from the Gospel or constitute a justification for not being committed. But it is precisely in weakness that the disciple discovers the extraordinary strength of the Lord and of his grace.
Het gebed is het hart van het leven van de Gemeenschap van Sant’Egidio. Het is haar eerste “werk”. Aan het einde van de dag komt elke Gemeenschap, of die nu klein of groot is, samen bij de Heer om het Woord te beluisteren en zich tot Hem te richten in het gebed. De leerlingen kunnen niet anders dan aan de voeten van Jezus zitten, zoals Maria van Bethanië, om het “betere deel” te kiezen (Lc 10, 42) en van Hem zijn gezindheid te leren (vgl. Fil 2, 5).
Elke keer dat de Gemeenschap zich tot de Heer richt, maakt ze zich die vraag eigen van de anonieme leerling: “Heer, leer ons bidden!” (Lc 11, 1). En Jezus, meester in het gebed, antwoordt: “Wanneer jullie bidden, zeg dan: Abba, Vader”.
Wanneer we bidden, ook in de geslotenheid van ons eigen hart, zijn we nooit alleen of verweesd. Integendeel, we zijn leden van de familie van de Heer. In het gemeenschappelijk gebed wordt naast het mysterie van het kindschap, ook dat van de broederschap en zusterschap duidelijk.
De Gemeenschappen van Sant’Egidio, verspreid over de wereld, verzamelen zich op de verschillende plaatsen die gekozen zijn voor het gebed en brengen de hoop en het verdriet van de “uitgeputte en hulpeloze mensenmenigte” waarover het Evangelie spreekt (Mt 9, 37) bij de Heer. Deze oude menigte omvat de inwoners van onze hedendaagse steden, de armen die zich bevinden in de marge van het leven, en iedereen die wacht om als dagloner te worden aangenomen (vgl. Mt 20).
Het gemeenschappelijk gebed verzamelt de schreeuw, de hoop, het verlangen naar vrede, genezing, zin en redding, die beleefd worden door de mannen en vrouwen van deze wereld. Het gebed is nooit leeg. Het stijgt onophoudelijk op naar de Heer opdat verdriet verandert in vreugde, wanhoop in blijheid, angst in hoop, eenzaamheid in gemeenschap. En het rijk Gods zal spoedig temidden van de mensen komen.
