DOA HARIAN

Memory of the Church
Firman tuhan setiap hari
Libretto DEL GIORNO
Memory of the Church
Thursday, October 29


Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

I am the good shepherd,
my sheep listen to my voice,
and they become
one flock and one fold.
.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Ephesians 6,10-20

Finally, grow strong in the Lord, with the strength of his power. Put on the full armour of God so as to be able to resist the devil's tactics. For it is not against human enemies that we have to struggle, but against the principalities and the ruling forces who are masters of the darkness in this world, the spirits of evil in the heavens. That is why you must take up all God's armour, or you will not be able to put up any resistance on the evil day, or stand your ground even though you exert yourselves to the full. So stand your ground, with truth a belt round your waist, and uprightness a breastplate, wearing for shoes on your feet the eagerness to spread the gospel of peace and always carrying the shield of faith so that you can use it to quench the burning arrows of the Evil One. And then you must take salvation as your helmet and the sword of the Spirit, that is, the word of God. In all your prayer and entreaty keep praying in the Spirit on every possible occasion. Never get tired of staying awake to pray for all God's holy people, and pray for me to be given an opportunity to open my mouth and fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel of which I am an ambassador in chains; pray that in proclaiming it I may speak as fearlessly as I ought to.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

I give you a new commandment,
that you love one another.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

At the end of the Letter Paul turns again to the Ephesians and tells them that Christian life is a struggle. The struggle is difficult and hard because it is against threatening and insidious powers, against the multifaceted face of evil that manifests itself in so many ways, in so many events, and in so many historical conditions. Paul speaks of "cosmic powers of this present darkness" and "spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places," forces that dominate human beings in a subtle but strong way. This is why we need "the whole armour of God," that is fighting with the weapons that come from God Himself. The Apostle exhorts us to "fasten the belt of truth around your waist," that is to have a strong knowledge of the Gospel, and put on the "breastplate of righteousness" that is, to accept God's justification. The description continues with the image of military boots to wear in order to be ready to march, to communicate to all the Gospel of peace, which Jesus obtained on the cross. The shield that protects the entire body of the soldier is faith, as it is written: "The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts" (Ps 28:7). The helmet means the certainty of salvation. Finally the Christian receives from God the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: it has a power of judgment, a penetrating effectiveness, a creative force, a destructive capacity. And it is the true strength of believers. It is just to think of the "word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation" that not only works effectively in the struggle to overcome the enemy, but also that knows, with the power of love, how to establish the Kingdom of God among men and women. Part of the struggle against evil is prayer, particularly insistent prayer. Paul speaks of "prayer and supplication" to underline indispensable perseverance in it. The prayer for the "saints", to support and defend the life of the community, allows us to remain vigilant and gives strength to communicate the Gospel. Paul asks for prayers for himself so that when he speaks "a message may be given to [him]," meaning that he may communicate the "mystery of the gospel," that is the greatness of God's love for us. The letter ends with a blessing of peace and grace that come from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The final farewell is wide and solemn: to "peace" is associated "love"; there is not one without the other. And in these two dimensions the strength of Christians rests today.

FIRMAN TUHAN SETIAP HARI: KALENDER

Doa merupakan jantung kehidupan Komunitas Sant'Egidio dan merupakan prioritas yang paling penting. Di penghujung hari, setiap Komunitas Sant'Egidio, besar maupun kecil, akan berkumpul di sekeliling Tuhan untuk mendengarkan sabda-Nya. Sesungguhnya Sabda Allah dan doa merupakan landasan seluruh kehidupan Komunitas. Para rasul tidak bisa tidak selain tetap di sekitar kaki Yesus, seperti yang dilakukan oleh Maria dari Bethani, untuk menerima kasih dan belajar cara-Nya (Fil. 2:5).

Sehingga setiap malam, ketika Komunitas kembali ke kaki Tuhan, Komunitas mengulangi kata-kata dari rasul tak bernama: "Tuhan ajarkanlah kami cara berdoa" Yesus, Sang Guru, terus menjawab: "Ketika kamu berdoa, katakanlah: Abba, Bapa". Hal itu bukanlah satu seruan sederhana. Dengan kata-kata ini, Yesus membiarkan para murid untuk berperan serta dalam hubungan mereka sendiri dengan Bapa. Oleh sebab itu, fakta bahwa sebagai anak-anak Bapa yang bertahta di surga, muncul sebelum kata-kata yang mungkin kita ucapkan. Jadi doa di atas segalanya merupakan cara untuk menjadi manusia. Ini untuk mengatakan bahwa kita anak-anak yang berpaling kepada Bapa dengan iman, dan yakin bahwa hal itu akan didengar.

Yesus mengajar kita memanggil Allah dengan sebutan "Bapa Kami" Tidak hanya "Bapa" atau "Bapaku" Para murid, meskipun mereka berdoa dengan cara mereka, tidak pernah terisolasi tidak juga menjadi yatim; mereka selalu menjadi anggota keluarga Tuhan.

Dalam doa bersama, di samping misteri anak Allah, ada juga misteri persaudaraan, seperti Bapa Gereja mengatakan: "Kamu tidak bisa memiliki Allah sebagai Bapa tanpa memiliki gereja sebagai ibu". Ketika berdoa bersama, Roh Kudus menyatukan para rasul di ruangan atas bersama dengan Maria, Bunda Allah, sehingga mereka dapat memusatkan pandangan mereka kepada wajah Tuhan dan belajar dari Dia rahasia hati-Nya.

Komunitas Sant'Egidio di seluruh dunia berkumpul bersama di berbagai tempat doa dan menghamparkan di hadapan Tuhan harapan dan penderitaan manusia yang lelah dan letih seperti yang di katakan oleh Injil (Mat. 9:37). Dalam kumpulan di masa lalu ini kita bisa melihat jumlah massa yang sangat besar di kota-kota modern ini, jutaan pengungsi yang terus melarikan diri dari negeri mereka, orang miskin yang terpinggirkan ke tepi kehidupan dan mereka yang menantikan seseorang yang akan merawat mereka. Berdoa bersama termasuk di dalamnya tangisan, seruan, permohonan, keinginan bagi damai, penyembuhan dan penebusan manusia di dunia ini. Doa tidak pernah sia-sia, doa terus menerus kepada Tuhan sehingga mengubah kecemasan menjadi harapan, air mata menjadi kegembiraan, putus asa menjadi kebahagiaan, dan kesepian menjadi persatuan. Semoga Kerajaan Allah hadir segera di antara manusia.