Memorial of Pope Saint Callixtus (†222). He was a friend to the poor and founded the house of prayer on which later would be built Santa Maria in Trastevere. Lees meer
Memorial of Pope Saint Callixtus (†222). He was a friend to the poor and founded the house of prayer on which later would be built Santa Maria in Trastevere.
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
Romans 1,1-7
From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the service of the gospel that God promised long ago through his prophets in the holy scriptures. This is the gospel concerning his Son who, in terms of human nature was born a descendant of David and who, in terms of the Spirit and of holiness, was designated Son of God in power by resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ, our Lord, through whom we have received grace and our apostolic mission of winning the obedience of faith among all the nations for the honour of his name. You are among these, and by his call you belong to Jesus Christ. To you all, God's beloved in Rome, called to be his holy people. Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The Letter to the Romans, which we are starting to read, occupies the first place in the Pauline writings both in terms of length and the importance of its theme. Paul addresses the community of Rome - which he had not founded but whose faith had been "proclaimed throughout the world" (Rom 1:8) - to explain the meaning of salvation, that is the "righteousness" that saves, which God bestowed on humanity through Jesus Christ, fulfilling the promise made to Abraham. In the greeting, Paul presents himself as a "servant" of Jesus; in fact he belongs to him completely. And it is for this reason that he was "set apart" as an "apostle," that is, with a particular mission and responsibility given to him by the Lord himself in order to build up the Church. The mission is to communicate the Gospel that had been "promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures," whose culmination is the Gospel of Jesus, "declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead." The Lord himself called Paul to communicate this Gospel to the great world of the "gentiles," to which also "all God's beloved in Rome" belong. The apostle knows that the community in Rome is composed in large part by Christians from a pagan background and that they are "holy" precisely because they received and welcomed the Gospel. He then wishes everyone grace and peace, the gifts with which God enriches and protects the lives of His children. It is the grace of a life redeemed from death and enriched by brothers and sisters to love. It is the peace of an existence that finds its fulfilment in following Jesus. Following the example of the apostle, every believer is "a servant of Jesus Christ," and "called to be an apostle."
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.
