Memory of the blessed (Saint) Brother Charles of Jesus (Charles de Foucauld), the "universal brother," killed in 1916 in the Algerian desert where he lived in prayer and in fraternity with the Tuareg people.

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

Luke 10,21-24

Just at this time, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, he said, 'I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, for that is what it has pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.' Then turning to his disciples he spoke to them by themselves, 'Blessed are the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.'

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Look down, O Lord, on your servants.
Be it unto us according to your word.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

The seventy-two disciples sent in mission by Jesus had experienced the power of the Gospel to change their lives and that of the surrounding world. Once they had returned to Jesus, they told him about their extraordinary experiences as missionaries. They were filled with joy by the wonders they had been able to perform. Also Jesus rejoices "in the Holy Spirit." It is the joy of seeing the Gospel begin to bear its first fruits thanks to his disciples, whom he had called to involve them in his own work, his own dream, the salvation of men and women from the power of evil. Shortly before he said to them: "I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning" (v. 18). Moved by what has happened, Jesus lifts his eyes to heaven and thanks the Father because he chose to entrust his plan of love in those disciples, who have entrusted themselves to him. Faith is living Jesus' dream and having the power to make it true. It is the same dream of the Father. And Jesus explains, "No one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." All of the disciples' joy comes from their familiarity with Jesus and with the Father. Jesus calls them "blessed" because they can take part in his mission. They are blessed because they are entering the heart of the new history God is beginning with humanity.