Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist and author of the Acts of the Apostles. According to tradition, he was a physician and a painter. Lees meer
Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist and author of the Acts of the Apostles. According to tradition, he was a physician and a painter.
Reading of the Word of God
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
If we die with him, we shall live with him,
if with him we endure, with him we shall reign.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Luke 1,1-4
Seeing that many others have undertaken to draw up accounts of the events that have reached their fulfilment among us, as these were handed down to us by those who from the outset were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, I in my turn, after carefully going over the whole story from the beginning, have decided to write an ordered account for you, Theophilus, so that your Excellency may learn how well founded the teaching is that you have received.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
If we die with him, we shall live with him,
if with him we endure, with him we shall reign.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Today the church remembers Luke, author of the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. The words we have heard are the beginning of Luke's Gospel account. From them, already we catch a glimpse of the reverence with which Luke approaches the Word of God. He is far from seeking to promote himself or make his presence noticed. He does not even state his name. He certainly belongs to the educated class of his time and knows the great historical and literary works. He however considers himself a minister at the service of the Word that he wants to transmit with absolute fidelity to all those who, like him, may have not known Jesus personally, but who have experienced him in faith within the Christian community. Some affirm that he may be one of the seventy-two or one of the disciples of Emmaus. He is also said to have painted the first portrait of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Church, receiving this work of his among the holy Books, has recognized in him a believer inspired by God who tried to connect the Christian message with the culture of his time. Luke, mentioned in the second Letter to Timothy (4:11), collects in his writings the witness of the apostles to the Lord and to the first communities, especially those founded by Paul, of whom he had become a follower. In his Gospel, Luke communicates to us the growth of the community of disciples, who were attracted by Jesus' mercy, by his limitless compassion for the poor and sick, no one excluded. Luke attests to the miracle of this merciful love that still today, also through his written work, continues to heal the hearts of many. His Gospel, which reports on what Jesus said and did, and the Acts of the Apostles, which follow the events of the Christian community from Jerusalem to Rome, are a living witness of the history of the Church, which, moved by the Holy Spirit, has no fear of trusting in the Lord and of communicating the good news until the ends of the earth.
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.
