Memorial of Saint Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem (+387). Prayer for Jerusalem and for peace in the Holy Land. 阅读更多
Memorial of Saint Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem (+387). Prayer for Jerusalem and for peace in the Holy Land.
Reading of the Word of God
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
The Spirit of the Lord is upon you.
The child you shall bear will be holy.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
Isaiah 1,10.16-20
Hear what Yahweh says, you rulers of Sodom; listen to what our God teaches, you people of Gomorrah. wash, make yourselves clean. Take your wrong-doing out of my sight. Cease doing evil. Learn to do good, search for justice, discipline the violent, be just to the orphan, plead for the widow. 'Come, let us talk this over,' says Yahweh. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing to obey, you shall eat the good things of the earth. But if you refuse and rebel, the sword shall eat you instead -- for Yahweh's mouth has spoken.'
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
Look down, O Lord, on your servants.
Be it unto us according to your word.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
Evoking the city of Gomorrah, the prophet recalls the imminence of God's judgment also on the people of Jerusalem. He warned everyone sternly: "Hear the word of the Lord... Listen to the teaching of our God!" (v. 10). The Lord does not turn to his people with generic exhortative words. He does not perceive the relationship with them as something irenic or coldly ritualistic. Many times in Scriptures, the Lord makes it clear that he does not love ritualistic worship, detached from the pursuit of justice and love for the poor. The prophet does not fail to remind all God's thoughts: "Remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes" (v. 16). And he adds: "Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow" (v. 17). This is the way to truly worship God. There can be no division between the liturgical worship on the altar and the worship of being close to the poor. The two forms of worship are inseparable, impossible to divide. And those who practice them enter into the horizon of that infinite mercy that saves us from any sin. In fact, the Lord says, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool" (v. 18). It is the victory of God's love over every sin, as long as we let him embrace us, as long as we let him love and teach us: "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land (v.19).
这群年轻人,通过阅读圣经,並将圣经作为生命的中心,激励他们度真正信仰的生活,接受耶稣基督自古以来,世世代代的邀请,成为祂的门徒。这邀请呼籲人悔改,放弃只是为自己而生活的态度,开始自由自在地成为泛爱众人的工具,爱人不分男女,而特别是爱那些最贫穷的人。聆听及生活天主的圣言,是人生命中的最重要的事,就是承认人应跟随耶稣,而非跟随自我。
在这个团体中,最真情流露的景象就是大家聚集一起祈祷,聆听天主的圣言,像当年的门徒,有如一家人般聚集在耶稣身旁一样。同心合意的祈祷(宗2:42)是简单的祈祷方式,它要求团体所有成员献出自己。如同圣咏一样,祈祷是熟识耶稣的说话和祈祷的门径,融合了前人的祈祷,将穷人的需要、我们的需要、以及整个世界的需要,呈献给上主。
因此,在罗马及在意大利、欧洲、以至在全世界的其他城市中,我们的团体都尽可能经常聚会,一起祈祷。我们在很多城市中,每晚都会有团体的祈祷,並开放给普罗大众参与。我们也期望团体内的每个成员,都有个人祈祷的理想地方,在生活中阅读圣经,並要从福音开始阅读。