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
James 3,13-18
Anyone who is wise or understanding among you should from a good life give evidence of deeds done in the gentleness of wisdom. But if at heart you have the bitterness of jealousy, or selfish ambition, do not be boastful or hide the truth with lies; this is not the wisdom that comes from above, but earthly, human and devilish. Wherever there are jealousy and ambition, there are also disharmony and wickedness of every kind; whereas the wisdom that comes down from above is essentially something pure; it is also peaceable, kindly and considerate; it is full of mercy and shows itself by doing good; nor is there any trace of partiality or hypocrisy in it. The peace sown by peacemakers brings a harvest of justice.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
"Who is wise and understanding among you?" The Word of God always questions those who listen, although not always so directly as James does. He invites readers to examine themselves and their behaviours in the context of wisdom. True wisdom is judged by action. Above all whoever has responsibility must demonstrate wisdom in how they act, without the security which comes from their role. The apostle emphasizes that it is not carnal wisdom which makes the lives of single believers and of the community nice and orderly. In fact that carnal wisdom is rooted in the "devilish" spirit which divides brothers and sisters being made up of envy and selfish ambition. "Envy and selfish ambition" often tie up our society and also Christian communities. The Venerable Bede wrote: "Paul said it too: carnal man cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:14). A litigious and prideful wisdom is justly described as earthly, animal and diabolic, because ever since the soul has sought earthly glory it is without spiritual grace and thinks only of that which comes natural to it since the original sin." Instead "the wisdom which comes from heaven," that is from God, is different. James lists seven characteristics of this wisdom according to God: it is pure, peaceful, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, and without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. The first characteristic "pure," to which also "sincere" is referred at the end, indicates loyalty toward others, the opposite of which are evil-provoking lies. The other adjectives describe a way of living with others that is characterized by sincerity and love. Only by acting with this perspective can we live in peace and produce justice. James helps us understand that wisdom comes from on high, something which remains incomprehensible to learned one of this world and it is revealed to the simple, because it is wisdom of the heart. Along these same lines Paul exhorts the Corinthians: "Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise" (1Cor 3:18).
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
