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
Luke 21,29-33
And he told them a parable, 'Look at the fig tree and indeed every tree. As soon as you see them bud, you can see for yourselves that summer is now near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that the kingdom of God is near. In truth I tell you, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place. Sky and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The Lucan page is part of the last pericope of the eschatological discourse of Luke's Gospel. And in a certain way it links us to the thoughts of Jesus for whom his "last days" are approaching. He is aware of them and is preparing to live them in order to bring the Father's will to completion. And he does not fail to warn the disciples so that they too may be aware of the times they must face. We could say that in the complexity of this world of ours, torn apart by conflicts, wars, injustice, disease, hunger and so many other tragedies, Jesus also warns us not to let ourselves be taken in by fear and withdrawal into ourselves, with the consequence of resigning ourselves to the power of evil. Jesus came to save us from all slavery, even from resignation to evil. With his presence, the new time of liberation from evil and the establishment of salvation has begun. He is the dawn of a new world: his life, his love, his miracles, his resurrection are those shoots that manifest the new springtime in the world. That is why he exhorts the disciples: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees: as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near." Reading the Gospel and contemplating Jesus' work, we know that a new world has already begun, Jesus' one. And looking also at the many signs of love, perhaps as small as sprouts, which are affirming themselves in our time, we see in them already present and operative the new future, the one outlined by the Gospel, which Jesus continues to make mature and grow. Where love germinates, where forgiveness is manifested, where mercy grows, where dialogue is practised, there peace is established. There are the sprouts of the kingdom of God.
这群年轻人,通过阅读圣经,並将圣经作为生命的中心,激励他们度真正信仰的生活,接受耶稣基督自古以来,世世代代的邀请,成为祂的门徒。这邀请呼籲人悔改,放弃只是为自己而生活的态度,开始自由自在地成为泛爱众人的工具,爱人不分男女,而特别是爱那些最贫穷的人。聆听及生活天主的圣言,是人生命中的最重要的事,就是承认人应跟随耶稣,而非跟随自我。
在这个团体中,最真情流露的景象就是大家聚集一起祈祷,聆听天主的圣言,像当年的门徒,有如一家人般聚集在耶稣身旁一样。同心合意的祈祷(宗2:42)是简单的祈祷方式,它要求团体所有成员献出自己。如同圣咏一样,祈祷是熟识耶稣的说话和祈祷的门径,融合了前人的祈祷,将穷人的需要、我们的需要、以及整个世界的需要,呈献给上主。
因此,在罗马及在意大利、欧洲、以至在全世界的其他城市中,我们的团体都尽可能经常聚会,一起祈祷。我们在很多城市中,每晚都会有团体的祈祷,並开放给普罗大众参与。我们也期望团体内的每个成员,都有个人祈祷的理想地方,在生活中阅读圣经,並要从福音开始阅读。