Reading of the Word of God
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Whoever lives and believes in me
will never die.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
1 Kings 19,19-21
Leaving there, he came on Elisha son of Shaphat as he was ploughing behind twelve yoke of oxen, he himself being with the twelfth. Elijah passed near to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left his oxen and ran after Elijah. 'Let me kiss my father and mother, then I will follow you,' he said. Elijah answered, 'Go, go back; for have I done anything to you?' Elisha turned away, took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He used the oxen's tackle for cooking the meat, which he gave the people to eat. He then rose and, following Elijah, became his servant.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
If you believe, you will see the glory of God,
thus says the Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
After the encounter with God on Horeb, Elijah begins his return journey. He immediately meets Elisha, the successor chosen by God, while he is tilling the fields. Prophets did not come from a certain sector or particular group. Some, like Isaiah, were born in the city; others came from rural areas, like Amos and Micah; still others belonged to priestly families, as Jeremiah and Ezekiel did. Elisha was called while he was tilling his fields. In general calls are marked by a particular gesture which manifest a sign from God. For Elisha, the prophet Elijah put a mantle on his shoulders: "Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him." Everything happened suddenly: we do not know if the two knew each other, but as soon as Elisha received the mantle "He left the oxen, ran after Elijah." So what happened? That mantle was not a regular mantle. Elisha understood that he was wrapped up in the spirit of the Lord, and that an inheritance which he was responsible for had been placed on his shoulders. He understood that he was not the one who chose, but that he was chosen by the Lord to announce His Word. In fact, the prophet never speaks about himself or for himself: everything is about God. The same will happen on the banks of Lake Galilee when Jesus began to call his first disciples. They too immediately left their nets and followed him. It is very true that Elijah welcomes Elisha's desire to go and take leave of his parents. And there is no doubt that it is different from what Jesus said in an analogous circumstance: "To another he said, 'Follow me.' But he said, 'Lord, first let me go and bury my father.' But Jesus said to him, 'Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.' Another said, 'I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.' Jesus said to him, 'No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.'" (Lk 9: 58-62). The Gospel contains a radical feature that cannot be dulled or diluted. What counts, above all, is following the Lord. Having returned from his parents Elisha begins to follow Elijah. The mission of the prophet-of every disciple-is about welcoming on one's shoulders "light yoke" of the Word of God and communicating it wherever the Lord sends us.
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.
