ORACIÓN CADA DÍA

Memory of Jesus crucified
Palabra de dios todos los dias
Libretto DEL GIORNO
Memory of Jesus crucified
Friday, October 30


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

Philippians 1,1-11

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with their presiding elders and the deacons. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God whenever I think of you, and every time I pray for you all, I always pray with joy for your partnership in the gospel from the very first day up to the present. I am quite confident that the One who began a good work in you will go on completing it until the Day of Jesus Christ comes. It is only right that I should feel like this towards you all, because you have a place in my heart, since you have all shared together in the grace that has been mine, both my chains and my work defending and establishing the gospel. For God will testify for me how much I long for you all with the warm longing of Christ Jesus; it is my prayer that your love for one another may grow more and more with the knowledge and complete understanding that will help you to come to true discernment, so that you will be innocent and free of any trace of guilt when the Day of Christ comes, entirely filled with the fruits of uprightness through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

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

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Paul writes this letter to the community of Philippi while he is in prison. He includes Timothy in his initial greeting - he will soon send him to them - and the two present themselves as "servants of Christ Jesus." Their pastoral ministry is understood as total service to the Gospel. It is striking that the apostle does not speak of his difficulties at the beginning of the letter. Instead, he thanks the Lord for the witness of the Philippians and for their "sharing in the gospel." And he writes that the life of the community and its commitment to communicating the Gospel are a good work begun by the Lord, who "will bring it to completion." The apostle is aware of the centrality of the community in the evangelization of the city of Philippi. And indeed he is so proud of them that he expresses feelings of great affection: "It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God's grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defence and confirmation of the Gospel." The apostle is comforted by the positive reports that reach him from the community of Philippi. He feels joy because of them, along with comfort. Indeed the common passion for the Gospel creates strong and intense bonds that neither distance nor difficulties can decrease and even less eliminate. The growth of the community is always a reason of consolation. While he is in prison, in fact, Paul testifies how the fraternity shared by all the disciples of Jesus gives an extraordinary strength to those living in faith. The secret of this strength is in prayer. If the apostle first showed his prayer of thanksgiving, now he writes to the Philippians that he is praying for them. It is a prayer of intercession: "this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight." Praying for others, praying - like in this case - for the distant community of Philippi, shows the importance of this gesture of communion in faith. The fraternity of Christians in the world is woven and strengthened by the prayer that we offer for each other.

PALABRA DE DIOS TODOS LOS DÍAS: EL CALENDARIO

La oración es el corazón de la vida de la Comunidad de Sant’Egidio, su primera “obra”. Cuando termina el día todas las Comunidades, tanto si son grandes como si son pequeñas, se reúnen alrededor del Señor para escuchar su Palabra y dirigirse a Él en su invocación. Los discípulos no pueden sino estar a los pies de Jesús, como María de Betania, para elegir la “mejor parte” (Lc 10,42) y aprender de Él sus mismos sentimientos (cfr. Flp 2,5).

Siempre que la Comunidad vuelve al Señor, hace suya la súplica del discípulo anónimo: “¡Señor, enséñanos a orar” (Lc 11,1). Y Jesús, maestro de oración, continúa contestando: “Cuando oréis, decid: Abbá, Padre”.

Cuando oramos, aunque lo hagamos dentro de nuestro corazón, nunca estamos aislados ni somos huérfanos, porque somos en todo momento miembros de la familia del Señor. En la oración común se ve claramente, además del misterio de la filiación, el de la fraternidad.

Las Comunidades de Sant'Egidio que hay por el mundo se reúnen en los distintos lugares que destinan a la oración y presentan al Señor las esperanzas y los dolores de los hombres y mujeres “vejados y abatidos” de los que habla el Evangelio (Mt 9,37). En aquella gente de entonces se incluyen los habitantes de las ciudades contemporáneas, los pobres que son marginados de la vida, todos aquellos que esperan que alguien les contrate (cfr. Mt 20).

La oración común recoge el grito, la aspiración, el deseo de paz, de curación, de sentido de la vida y de salvación que hay en los hombres y las mujeres de este mundo. La oración nunca es vacía. Sube incesante al Señor para que el llanto se transforme en alegría, la desesperación en felicidad, la angustia en esperanza y la soledad en comunión. Y para que el Reino de Dios llegue pronto a los hombres.