The prayer for peace is held in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere.
Memorial of blessed Giuseppe Puglisi, priest of the Church of Palermo, who was killed by mafia in 1993.
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The prayer for peace is held in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere.
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
This is the Gospel of the poor,
liberation for the imprisoned,
sight for the blind,
freedom for the oppressed.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Romans 4,20-25
Counting on the promise of God, he did not doubt or disbelieve, but drew strength from faith and gave glory to God, fully convinced that whatever God promised he has the power to perform. This is the faith that was reckoned to him as uprightness. And the word 'reckoned' in scripture applies not only to him; it is there for our sake too -- our faith, too, will be 'reckoned' because we believe in him who raised from the dead our Lord Jesus who was handed over to death for our sins and raised to life for our justification.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The apostle writes to the Romans that the experience of Abraham is directly relevant to us Christians who "believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead" (v.24). In a Jewish Midrash it is written that: "Everything that has been written about Abraham is repeated in the history of his children." Paul writes to the Romans that the Lord who revealed himself to Abraham and made him righteous because of his faith. The apostle explains that through his death on the cross, Jesus took all the sins of the world on himself and justified us through his resurrection: "Who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification" (v.25). With this explanation, the apostle interprets Abraham's faith by linking it to the mystery of Jesus himself, who dies and who rises. The God of Abraham is revealed in his fullness in Christ Jesus. Consequently, the story of Abraham is emblematic for all believers, and, in particular, for Christians, because it demonstrates the radical nature of faith: it is through faith that we too are bound to God, just like the first of the patriarchs, who believed, "hoping against hope." That faith, which has also become our own, asks us to trust completely in the Son of God and his mystery of salvation. Christian trust is like Abraham's. That means that faith is not primarily a work for us to carry out, it is above all and first of all the giving of ourselves to God, who calls us; it is trusting in God's will and in his loving plan, in which he makes us take part. The mystery of faith and salvation was unveiled in its fullness in the coming of Christ, with his death and resurrection. Abraham, the prototype of the Christian, is the "father of all believers."
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.
