The prayer for peace is held in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere.
Remembrance of the dedication of the Roman basilicas of Saint Peter's in the Vatican and Saint Paul's outside the walls
Lees meer
The prayer for peace is held in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere.
Remembrance of the dedication of the Roman basilicas of Saint Peter's in the Vatican and Saint Paul's outside the walls
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
1 Maccabees 1,10-15.41-43.54-57.62-64
From these there grew a wicked offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes son of King Antiochus; once a hostage in Rome, he became king in the 107th year of the kingdom of the Greeks. It was then that there emerged from Israel a set of renegades who led many people astray. 'Come,' they said, 'let us ally ourselves with the gentiles surrounding us, for since we separated ourselves from them many misfortunes have overtaken us.' This proposal proved acceptable, and a number of the people eagerly approached the king, who authorised them to practise the gentiles' observances. So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, such as the gentiles have, disguised their circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant, submitting to gentile rule as willing slaves of impiety. The king then issued a proclamation to his whole kingdom that all were to become a single people, each nation renouncing its particular customs. All the gentiles conformed to the king's decree, and many Israelites chose to accept his religion, sacrificing to idols and profaning the Sabbath. On the fifteenth day of Chislev in the year 145 the king built the appalling abomination on top of the altar of burnt offering; and altars were built in the surrounding towns of Judah and incense offered at the doors of houses and in the streets. Any books of the Law that came to light were torn up and burned. Whenever anyone was discovered possessing a copy of the covenant or practising the Law, the king's decree sentenced him to death. Yet there were many in Israel who stood firm and found the courage to refuse unclean food. They chose death rather than contamination by such fare or profanation of the holy covenant, and they were executed. It was a truly dreadful retribution that visited Israel.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The first book of Maccabees, which includes Israel's history from 167 B.C. to 134 B.C., opens with a very brief historical summary on Alexander the Macedonian (Alexander the Great) who had his empire stretching throughout the East, "until the ends of the Earth." In order to combine the diverse peoples into one civilization, Alexander made Greek the official language of his empire and ordered that centres of Hellenist civilization be built everywhere, both by building new cities and reconfiguring the existing ones to conform to the Greek model. Hellenism used theatres and gymnasiums, as well as temples, to spread Greek divinities. As a way to show the hegemonic strength and cultural influence of Alexander, the author observes, "the earth became quiet before him." Yet pride for such enormous power took possession of the Emperor's heart and divine justice would check him: Alexander fell sick and died. Beforehand, however, he divided up his kingdom between his officials; one of them was Antiochus Epiphanes "a sinful root," who, among his deeds, would eventually sack Jerusalem. During the reign of Antiochus, a few renegade men of Israel (literally "transgressors of the Law") seduced other Jews into accepting the Hellenist attitude and lifestyle. Defending their connection with God above everything else was the people of Israel's reason for living. Only on the solid basis of their alliance with God could they have relationships with other peoples, otherwise they would jeopardize their very reason for being as a people of Israel. This is a lesson that speaks to us today when we adapt worldly attitudes that only seem to suit ourselves. As believers, we are called to stay faithful to God and friends to men and women, especially to the poor.
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.
