EVERYDAY PRAYER

Memory of the Poor
Word of god every day

Memory of the Poor

Memorial of St. Anthony and Theodosius founders of the Monastery of the lavra of Caves of Kiev (+1073) and fathers of the Russian and Ukraine monasticism. We remember Christians in Ukraine and Russia. Read more

Libretto DEL GIORNO
Memory of the Poor
Monday, July 23

Memorial of St. Anthony and Theodosius founders of the Monastery of the lavra of Caves of Kiev (+1073) and fathers of the Russian and Ukraine monasticism. We remember Christians in Ukraine and Russia.


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

Matthew 12,38-42

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees spoke up. 'Master,' they said, 'we should like to see a sign from you.' He replied, 'It is an evil and unfaithful generation that asks for a sign! The only sign it will be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah remained in the belly of the sea-monster for three days and three nights, so will the Son of man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. On Judgement Day the men of Nineveh will appear against this generation and they will be its condemnation, because when Jonah preached they repented; and look, there is something greater than Jonah here. On Judgement Day the Queen of the South will appear against this generation and be its condemnation, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look, there is something greater than Solomon here.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

How often, like the Scribes and Pharisees, we too seek a sign to be sure and safe! This appears to be a reasonable and licit request. Even Philip asked, "Show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Indeed, to have plain evidence and clear signs appears to be normal in order to be convinced. This request is full of ambiguity and shows mistrust. We do not consider Jesus' testimony of his deeds and words is enough. We seek clear evidence that exempts us from the labour of a choice, of a decision. Actually, the Lord performs a lot of miracles for us, as well as for the people in the Gospel. We can see his presence in those miracles, not to be convinced of it, but rather to realize his and our power of love. Jesus himself cannot give any sign except for the sign of Jonah, that is, the mystery of his death and Resurrection. In fact, just as Jonas was kept in the belly of the fish three days, and was then spewed out and sent to Nineveh to preach, so the Son of man would stay three days in the earth and then be raised by his Father to be the Saviour of all. This explains why Jonas has often been portrayed on the gravestones of the catacombs. Jesus is the sign given by God to humankind. This sign is infinitely greater than the sign of Jonas given to Nineveh. Yet, for us, it is difficult to believe in Jesus, to convert to him, and to entrust ourselves to his Word. The Queen of the South made a long journey to hear the Wisdom of Solomon. Yet, we find it difficult even to open the book of the Gospel and read it. Instead of extraordinary, amazing, esoteric signs, today we need a powerful and clear proclamation of the Gospel, with a widespread revelation of mercy, especially towards the weakest. These are the signs that Jesus performed and entrusted to his disciples then and now. This Gospel passage questions every disciple and every Christian community as to whether they really are a sign of love and mercy. This is the task that Jesus still entrusts to the Church: to be salt and light of the world.

WORD OF GOD EVERY DAY: THE CALENDAR

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!

WORD OF GOD EVERY DAY: THE CALENDAR