Memorial of Saint Anthony and Theodosius, founders of the caves of Kiev (†1073). They are fathers of Russian and Ukrainian monasticism. Remembrance of Christians in Ukraine and Russia. Lees meer
Memorial of Saint Anthony and Theodosius, founders of the caves of Kiev (†1073). They are fathers of Russian and Ukrainian monasticism. Remembrance of Christians in Ukraine and Russia.
Reading of the Word of God
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The Spirit of the Lord is upon you.
The child you shall bear will be holy.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Exodus 14,21-31
Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh drove the sea back with a strong easterly wind all night and made the sea into dry land. The waters were divided and the Israelites went on dry ground right through the sea, with walls of water to right and left of them. The Egyptians gave chase, and all Pharaoh's horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea after them. In the morning watch, Yahweh looked down on the army of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud and threw the Egyptian army into confusion. He so clogged their chariot wheels that they drove on only with difficulty, which made the Egyptians say, 'Let us flee from Israel, for Yahweh is fighting on their side against the Egyptians!' Then Yahweh said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand over the sea and let the waters flow back on the Egyptians and on their chariots and their horsemen.' Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and, as day broke, the sea returned to its bed. The fleeing Egyptians ran straight into it, and Yahweh overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea. The returning waters washed right over the chariots and horsemen of Pharaoh's entire army, which had followed the Israelites into the sea; not a single one of them was left. The Israelites, however, had marched through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water to right and left of them. That day, Yahweh rescued Israel from the clutches of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the sea-shore. When Israel saw the mighty deed that Yahweh had performed against the Egyptians, the people revered Yahweh and put their faith in Yahweh and in Moses, his servant.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Look down, O Lord, on your servants.
Be it unto us according to your word.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Moses, strong of God's company, extended his hand over the sea while it was still closed, and the sea opened. The wisdom of Israel collected in the Talmud says that the waters of the sea only opened when the first Hebrew touched his feet to the water. Believers, like Moses, trust God and not wait to be certain, to have all the answers ahead of time. Trusting does not mean being passive. Moses faces the sea, convinces his people, and pushes them forward despite their fears and resistance, both forms of resistance that they openly expressed with nostalgia and those hidden forms of resistance that often smother hope and "grieve" the Spirit, as the Apostle Paul would say. Believers trust the Lord, with the knowledge that God does not leave us alone and that his love is faithful and liberates us from the hands of the enemy. Believers trust the Lord not because they have obtained everything, but because the Lord will not leave us lacking for anything. As we recite in the Easter Liturgy, the waters of the Red Sea are the prefiguring of the future people of the baptized, those whom God chooses and takes with him, snatching them from evil and gathering them in a people. Israel saw the strong arm with which the Lord had freed them from the slavery of against Egypt. Moses was the visible sign of it. This is also true for the community of believers. It also through its work that the Lord frees many people from the slavery of this world. And the Lord continues to perform "miracles' and prodigies even today through the "hands' of his people who listen to and follow the Gospel.
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.
