Prayer for the unity of the Churches. Particular memory of the ancient Churches of the Orient. (Syrian Orthodox, Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopic and Syrian from Malabar) and of the Assyrian Church. Read more
Prayer for the unity of the Churches. Particular memory of the ancient Churches of the Orient. (Syrian Orthodox, Coptic, Armenian, Ethiopic and Syrian from Malabar) and of the Assyrian Church.
Reading of the Word of God
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
I am the good shepherd,
my sheep listen to my voice,
and they become
one flock and one fold.
.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
1 Samuel 18,6-9; 19,1-7
On their return, when David was coming back from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul, with tambourines, sistrums and cries of joy; and as they danced the women sang: Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands. Saul was very angry; the incident displeased him. 'They have given David the tens of thousands,' he said, 'but me only the thousands; what more can he have, except the throne?' And Saul watched David jealously from that day onwards. Saul let his son Jonathan and all his servants know of his intention to kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, held David in great affection; and Jonathan warned David, 'My father Saul is looking for a way to kill you, so be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding, stay out of sight. I shall go out and keep my father company in the countryside where you will be, and shall talk to my father about you; I shall see what the situation is and then tell you.' Jonathan spoke highly of David to Saul his father and said, 'The king should not harm his servant David; far from harming you, what he has done has been greatly to your advantage. He took his life in his hands, he killed the Philistine, and Yahweh brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw for yourself. How pleased you were! Why then sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?' Saul was impressed by Jonathan's words. Saul swore, 'As Yahweh lives, I will not kill him.' Jonathan called David and told him all this. Jonathan then brought him to Saul, and David remained in attendance as before.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
I give you a new commandment,
that you love one another.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The text opens with one of the most beautiful descriptions of friendship found in the Bible, the one between David and Jonathan. From their first meeting the two feel immediately "connected" to each other for life. Their friendship reaches a level where they identify with one another. This is the meaning of the "covenant" established between them. Jonathan giving his clothes and armour to David is demonstrating more than just a generous act on the part of a prince toward the young pastor who has neither clothes appropriate for the court nor armour suitable for battle. Jonathan recognizes himself in David in an everlasting bond. Saul also delights in David for his success in the military missions he continues to give to him. The young leader's fame grows increasingly larger. Sau, caught by strong feelings of jealousy, begins to think that David could be a threat; he thinks that the young warrior may dethrone him. Saul, however, needs David because he is the only one who helps him in his illness. But jealousy gnaws at him and he starts having homicide thoughts: first he tries to kill David while he is playing to alleviate his pain. Subsequently, he sends David on more dangerous missions that result only in bringing David more success, in gaining more favour from the people. By now, Saul is convinced that David is an intolerable threat. If earlier he wanted to try to eliminate him discreetly, now he wants to do it openly. Envy blinds people: not only it prevents from seeing goodness but also transforms everything in hatred to the point of eliminating those who, like in this case, do nothing but good. Thanks to the friendship with Jonathan, God prevents in any way Saul from accomplishing his plan. This story reminds us of what Paul wrote to the Romans: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom 12:21)>
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
