Prayer of the Christmas season

Remembrance of Laurindo (+1989) and Madora (+1991), young Mozambicans of the Community of Sant'Egidio who died because of the war. With them we remember all of the young people killed because of conflict and violence.

Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Glory to God in the highest
and peace on earth to the people he loves.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

1 John 2,12-17

I am writing to you, children, because your sins have been forgiven through his name. I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know the One who has existed since the beginning. I am writing to you, young people, because you have overcome the Evil One. I have written to you, children, because you have come to know the Father. I have written to you, parents, because you have come to know the One who has existed since the beginning. I have written to you, young people, because you are strong, and God's word remains in you, and you have overcome the Evil One. Do not love the world or what is in the world. If anyone does love the world, the love of the Father finds no place in him, because everything there is in the world -- disordered bodily desires, disordered desires of the eyes, pride in possession -- is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world, with all its disordered desires, is passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains for ever.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

In a solemn threefold address, the Apostle John addresses all believers. He calls them 'sons' because they have been generated by him to the faith, but also 'fathers' because they themselves must generate new believers to the Church, and also 'young', i.e. strong, because by keeping the Word of God in their hearts they have overcome the power of the evil one. This is an invitation addressed to all generations, but also to every believer who is always 'son', 'father' and 'young' in the faith. The Apostle invites believers not to love the world or the things of the world, because doing so would lead them away from the love of God. In Johannine language, the world does not simply indicate creation, but earthly reality as subjugated to the power of the evil one (Jn 12:31) and therefore opposed to the kingdom of God. It echoes here the opposition outlined by Jesus: "No one can serve two masters, for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth" (Mt 6:24). The believer is careful not to be overwhelmed by the power of the evil one that takes root in the heart through that concupiscence of the flesh that drives those enslaved to it to do evil. John exemplifies: the desire of the flesh manifests itself in the "desire of the eyes and the pride in riches." Therefore, anyone who allows himself to be led by these instincts turns away from God and is overwhelmed by the fallenness of the world. But the world passes away, both John and Paul remind us: "For the present form of this world is passing away" (1 Cor 7:31). On the contrary, those who do God's will "live forever," that is, remain in love.