Memorial of blessed Giuseppe Puglisi, priest of the Church of Palermo, who was killed by mafia in 1993. Lees meer
Memorial of blessed Giuseppe Puglisi, priest of the Church of Palermo, who was killed by mafia in 1993.
Reading of the Word of God
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
You are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people acquired by God
to proclaim his marvellous works.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Ephesians 3,2-12
You have surely heard the way in which God entrusted me with the grace he gave me for your sake; he made known to me by a revelation the mystery I have just described briefly- a reading of it will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. This mystery, as it is now revealed in the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets, was unknown to humanity in previous generations: that the gentiles now have the same inheritance and form the same Body and enjoy the same promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I have been made the servant of that gospel by a gift of grace from God who gave it to me by the workings of his power. I, who am less than the least of all God's holy people, have been entrusted with this special grace, of proclaiming to the gentiles the unfathomable treasure of Christ and of throwing light on the inner workings of the mystery kept hidden through all the ages in God, the Creator of everything. The purpose of this was, that now, through the Church, the principalities and ruling forces should learn how many-sided God's wisdom is, according to the plan which he had formed from all eternity in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him we are bold enough to approach God in complete confidence, through our faith in him;
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
You will be holy,
because I am holy, thus says the Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The grand plan of God for humanity, namely the unity of all peoples and their access to the Father, is the horizon in which Paul places his mission: "I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles." The Apostle emphasizes the link with Christ who chose him and sent him to the Gentiles, that is, to all those who do not belong to the people of Israel. Paul feels like a "prisoner" of this mission, in the sense that he lives this mission in total dependence on the Lord. He is certainly an apostle like the others (see Eph 2:20), but more than the others, he deserves the title "apostle to the nations." Paul is aware of the greatness of his mission, that of being made a "servant of the Gospel." This is not a matter of personal pride; he is well aware of what life he was pulled from and for what mission he has been chosen. Paul emphasizes his smallness to highlight the greatness of the vocation he received, to communicate "the boundless riches of Christ." This "mystery" made manifest in him is inaccessible to natural experience. Only God reveals it. For Paul it was an overwhelming spiritual experience, a light that penetrated deep into his heart and enabled him in turn to illuminate men and women (see 2Cor 4:6). In Paul's experience we can identify the charismatic dimension of the Church that is still present today, with various modes, different from each other. We are all called to unite ourselves to Christ and become one "new person", i.e. a single family of all peoples. And the Church is the instrument by which Christ wants to bring reconciliation among the peoples of the world. Her internal unity is the leaven of unity among peoples. It is the intention for which Jesus himself prayed: "That they may all be one, ...so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (Jn 17:21). The community of believers becomes a mediator of the new relationship that God has established through Jesus with all humanity. It is a daunting and difficult task. Hence, Paul invites us not to be discouraged. The tribulations of this task are the sign of a new birth, of the generation of a new humanity.
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.
