Reading of the Word of God
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
I am the good shepherd,
my sheep listen to my voice,
and they become
one flock and one fold.
.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
John 8, 51-59
In all truth I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.
The Jews said, 'Now we know that you are possessed. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead, and yet you say, "Whoever keeps my word will never know the taste of death."
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? The prophets are dead too. Who are you claiming to be?'
Jesus answered: If I were to seek my own glory my glory would be worth nothing; in fact, my glory is conferred by the Father, by the one of whom you say, 'He is our God,'
although you do not know him. But I know him, and if I were to say, 'I do not know him,' I should be a liar, as you yourselves are. But I do know him, and I keep his word.
Your father Abraham rejoiced to think that he would see my Day; he saw it and was glad.
The Jews then said, 'You are not fifty yet, and you have seen Abraham!'
Jesus replied: In all truth I tell you, before Abraham ever was, I am.
At this they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
I give you a new commandment,
that you love one another.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death. These words that open today’s Gospel passage speak clearly of the liberating power of the Word of God. Jesus had already said, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgement, but has passed from death to life (Jn 5:24). Jesus’ insistence on the importance of listening to and keeping the Gospel shows the disciples what to do in order to be free from the many kinds of slavery of this world, starting with death. And yet, in front of such clear words, like the Jews back then, we often raise many objections. It is truly strange that even though the Lord wants to give us a full life, that is, a life that does not end with death, we resist and oppose him. Indeed we often prefer a life subjected to the harsh law of death - a life enslaved to our love for ourselves - rather than disturb the tranquil normalcy of our days. The Lord is offering each one of us a different life - a more human and meaningful life - and many of us look at him with diffidence and hostility, rejecting such great love. Sometimes we would accept the Gospel, but only if it were a little less demanding, if it would not disturb us too much, or if it would not ask us to change our lives and our habits too much. This is what the words spoken by the Jews questioning Jesus’ authority mean. How often do we join in their critique: Are you greater than Abraham? The not-so-hidden point is to flatten the Gospel, to empty it of its power, and to lower it to the world’s way of thinking. Who do you think you are? They ask him brazenly. Indeed, only God can conquer death. This is the Gospel, the good news, that Jesus came to bring into the world. Consequently, if the Gospel loses its prophetic voice, if it stops being foreign to the world, if it does not point to the goal of heaven, it is as if we have killed it. Once again, Jesus responds by saying that he does not exalt himself. His words come from his direct knowledge of the Father who is in heaven. He is the one who sent him. And Jesus is the first one who listens and obeys. We could say that Jesus clearly professes his faith when he says: If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad. It is a reference to the vision God gave Abraham, which he accepted with joyful faith. Choosing to follow the Gospel requires us to stop living bent over ourselves and to joyfully welcome God’s vision, God’s plan of love, in which he calls us to participate. If instead we give in to our selfishness, we will be like those listeners who bitterly criticize Jesus and then pick up stones to throw at him. The stones are like our feelings and behaviours which impede the Gospel and its strength. The Lord is looking for disciples who know how to listen to him and welcome the Father’s loving plan for the salvation of all.
Prayer is the heart of the life of the Community of Sant'Egidio and is its absolute priority. At the end of the day, every the Community of Sant'Egidio, large or small, gathers around the Lord to listen to his Word. The Word of God and the prayer are, in fact, the very basis of the whole life of the Community. The disciples cannot do other than remain at the feet of Jesus, as did Mary of Bethany, to receive his love and learn his ways (Phil. 2:5).
So every evening, when the Community returns to the feet of the Lord, it repeats the words of the anonymous disciple: " Lord, teach us how to pray". Jesus, Master of prayer, continues to answer: "When you pray, say: Abba, Father". It is not a simple exhortation, it is much more. With these words Jesus lets the disciples participate in his own relationship with the Father. Therefore in prayer, the fact of being children of the Father who is in heaven, comes before the words we may say. So praying is above all a way of being! That is to say we are children who turn with faith to the Father, certain that they will be heard.
Jesus teaches us to call God "Our Father". And not simply "Father" or "My Father". Disciples, even when they pray on their own, are never isolated nor they are orphans; they are always members of the Lord's family.
In praying together, beside the mystery of being children of God, there is also the mystery of brotherhood, as the Father of the Church said: "You cannot have God as father without having the church as mother". When praying together, the Holy Spirit assembles the disciples in the upper room together with Mary, the Lord's mother, so that they may direct their gaze towards the Lord's face and learn from Him the secret of his Heart.
The Communities of Sant'Egidio all over the world gather in the various places of prayer and lay before the Lord the hopes and the sufferings of the tired, exhausted crowds of which the Gospel speaks ( Mat. 9: 3-7 ), In these ancient crowds we can see the huge masses of the modern cities, the millions of refugees who continue to flee their countries, the poor, relegated to the very fringe of life and all those who are waiting for someone to take care of them. Praying together includes the cry, the invocation, the aspiration, the desire for peace, the healing and salvation of the men and women of this world. Prayer is never in vain; it rises ceaselessly to the Lord so that anguish is turned into hope, tears into joy, despair into happiness, and solitude into communion. May the Kingdom of God come soon among people!
For the sick, in memory of the dead, for peace
