GEBED IEDERE DAG

Memory of the apostles
Woord van god elke dag

Memory of the apostles

Feast of the apostle Barnabas, companion of Paul in Antioch and in his first apostolic journey. Lees meer

Libretto DEL GIORNO
Memory of the apostles
Thursday, June 11

Feast of the apostle Barnabas, companion of Paul in Antioch and in his first apostolic journey.


Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

If we die with him, we shall live with him,
if with him we endure, with him we shall reign.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Acts 11,21-26

The Lord helped them, and a great number believed and were converted to the Lord. The news of them came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas out to Antioch. There he was glad to see for himself that God had given grace, and he urged them all to remain faithful to the Lord with heartfelt devotion; for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. And a large number of people were won over to the Lord. Barnabas then left for Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. And it happened that they stayed together in that church a whole year, instructing a large number of people. It was at Antioch that the disciples were first called 'Christians'.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

If we die with him, we shall live with him,
if with him we endure, with him we shall reign.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Today the Church remembers Barnabas. A native of Cyprus, he lived in Jerusalem where he embraced the Gospel, becoming a model disciple: he had sold all his possessions and placed the proceeds at the feet of the apostles. They sent Barnabas to Antioch, the third city of the Roman Empire, where the Gospel was preached not only to Jews, but also to pagans: for the first time, the community was composed not only of believers of Jewish origin. The apostles chose Barnabas, precisely to help with the organization of this new and promising community. It was in this city that Jesus' disciples were for the first time called "Christians." On learning of Paul's conversion, Barnabas invited him to Antioch to give witness before every one of his encounter with Christ. Barnabas also brought Paul to Jerusalem to present him to the other apostles and to have him defend the preaching of the Gospel to pagans, without having them submit to circumcision. Together with Paul, Barnabas undertakes the first great apostolic journey. His nephew, John Mark, a young witness of the Lord's passion, also accompanies them. The Church's task of communicating the Gospel does not arise out of human planning or the desire for expansion. It is the Spirit of the Lord that impels the apostles and the disciples of every age to travel the pathways of the world and of human hearts to communicate the Gospel of love. Today, too, the Christian communities should listen to the Spirit, and they will once again hear the voice which says, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." And each one can apply to him or herself this invitation of the Lord, for the disciple is by nature always sent, always in mission.

WOORD VAN GOD ELKE DAG: DE KALENDER

Het gebed is het hart van het leven van de Gemeenschap van Sant’Egidio. Het is haar eerste “werk”. Aan het einde van de dag komt elke Gemeenschap, of die nu klein of groot is, samen bij de Heer om het Woord te beluisteren en zich tot Hem te richten in het gebed. De leerlingen kunnen niet anders dan aan de voeten van Jezus zitten, zoals Maria van Bethanië, om het “betere deel” te kiezen (Lc 10, 42) en van Hem zijn gezindheid te leren (vgl. Fil 2, 5).

Elke keer dat de Gemeenschap zich tot de Heer richt, maakt ze zich die vraag eigen van de anonieme leerling: “Heer, leer ons bidden!” (Lc 11, 1). En Jezus, meester in het gebed, antwoordt: “Wanneer jullie bidden, zeg dan: Abba, Vader”.

Wanneer we bidden, ook in de geslotenheid van ons eigen hart, zijn we nooit alleen of verweesd. Integendeel, we zijn leden van de familie van de Heer. In het gemeenschappelijk gebed wordt naast het mysterie van het kindschap, ook dat van de broederschap en zusterschap duidelijk.

De Gemeenschappen van Sant’Egidio, verspreid over de wereld, verzamelen zich op de verschillende plaatsen die gekozen zijn voor het gebed en brengen de hoop en het verdriet van de “uitgeputte en hulpeloze mensenmenigte” waarover het Evangelie spreekt (Mt 9, 37) bij de Heer. Deze oude menigte omvat de inwoners van onze hedendaagse steden, de armen die zich bevinden in de marge van het leven, en iedereen die wacht om als dagloner te worden aangenomen (vgl. Mt 20).

Het gemeenschappelijk gebed verzamelt de schreeuw, de hoop, het verlangen naar vrede, genezing, zin en redding, die beleefd worden door de mannen en vrouwen van deze wereld. Het gebed is nooit leeg. Het stijgt onophoudelijk op naar de Heer opdat verdriet verandert in vreugde, wanhoop in blijheid, angst in hoop, eenzaamheid in gemeenschap. En het rijk Gods zal spoedig temidden van de mensen komen.

WOORD VAN GOD ELKE DAG: DE KALENDER