Prayer for the sick
The prayer for the sick is held in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere.
Today the Roma people, including those of Islamic faith, celebrate Saint George (+303 ca), who died a martyr to free the Church.
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
John 15,26-16,4
When the Paraclete comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father, he will be my witness. And you too will be witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning. I have told you all this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues, and indeed the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is doing a holy service to God. They will do these things because they have never known either the Father or me. But I have told you all this, so that when the time for it comes you may remember that I told you. I did not tell you this from the beginning, because I was with you;
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
The Lord turns to reassuring his disciples: it is true that soon they will be separated, but they will not be farther away. The love of Jesus, or we could say Christian love, does not end with the end of physical proximity. Jesus himself asks the disciples, after Easter, to confirm each other in the faith and to witness to the world the love that has united them to him and that which continues to guide them on his ways. The love that the Lord pours in their hearts comes down from on high; it is not fruit of their efforts but is a special gift of God and it is an extraordinary love: living it, multiplies it and it shrinks into nothing if not practiced. Jesus told them, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf." The Spirit of love that comes from the Father is transmitted to the disciples by the Son. Its strength evokes a friendship and an affection that connects them in a stable and strong way, rendering them capable of witnessing the same strength of the Spirit. The witnessing of this love by the disciples will always provoke opposition and hostility from those that do not know him--Jesus warns them of this. And enemies will try to endanger the life of the disciples. It is the sad reality of the persecutions that still today are afflicting believers. But the disciples must not be afraid. The Lord does not leave his own to their destinies. Certainly though, the disciples have a great responsibility: that of communicating the Gospel of love to this world of ours so that it distances itself from evil and sin and finds the way of salvation.