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The Virtual Chapel - A place of Prayer, Peace and Reflection of orthodox Catholicism. Sunday, August 8, 2010 PRAYER OF THE DAY May God the Father who made us bless us. May God the Son send his healing among us. May God the Holy Spirit move within us and give us eyes to see with, ears to hear with, and hands that your work might be done. May we walk and preach the word of God to all. May the angel of peace watch over us and lead us at last by God’s grace to the Kingdom. Amen. DAILY MASS READINGS Reading 1 The night of the passover was known beforehand to our fathers, that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith, they might have courage. Your people awaited the salvation of the just and the destruction of their foes. For when you punished our adversaries, in this you glorified us whom you had summoned. For in secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution. Responsorial Psalm Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. Exult, you just, in the LORD; praise from the upright is fitting. Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he has chosen for his own inheritance. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, To deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield. May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. Reading 2 Brothers and sisters: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Because of it the ancients were well attested. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise; for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God. By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age —and Sarah herself was sterile— for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore. All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth, for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.” He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol. or Brothers and sisters: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Because of it the ancients were well attested. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise; for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God. By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age —and Sarah herself was sterile— for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore. Gospel Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, the master will put the servant in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish the servant severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” or Jesus said to his disciples: “Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have the servants recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” SAINT OF THE DAY If he hadn’t taken a trip with his bishop, Dominic would probably have remained within the structure of contemplative life; after the trip, he spent the rest of his life being a contemplative in active apostolic work. Born in old Castile, Spain, he was trained for the priesthood by a priest-uncle, studied the arts and theology, and became a canon of the cathedral at Osma, where there was an attempt to revive the apostolic common life described in the Acts of the Apostles. On a journey through France with his bishop, he came face to face with the then virulent Albigensian heresy at Languedoc. The Albigensians (Cathari, “the pure”) held to two principles—one good, one evil—in the world. All matter is evil—hence they denied the Incarnation and sacraments. On the same principle they abstained from procreation and took a minimum of food and drink. The inner circle led what some people regarded as a heroic life of purity and asceticism not shared by ordinary followers. Dominic sensed the need for the Church to combat this heresy, and was commissioned to be part of the preaching crusade against it. He saw immediately why the preaching was not succeeding: the ordinary people admired and followed the ascetical heroes of the Albigenses. Understandably, they were not impressed by the Catholic preachers who traveled with horse and retinues, stayed at the best inns and had servants. Dominic therefore, with three Cistercians, began itinerant preaching according to the gospel ideal. He continued this work for 10 years, being successful with the ordinary people but not with the leaders. His fellow preachers gradually became a community, and in 1215 he founded a religious house at Toulouse, the beginning of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). His ideal, and that of his Order, was to link organically a life with God, study and prayer in all forms, with a ministry of salvation to people by the word of God. His ideal: contemplata tradere: “to pass on the fruits of contemplation” or “to speak only of God or with God. OFFICE OF READINGS And my mouth will proclaim your praise. Invitatory Psalm Come, let us rejoice in the Lord: let us acclaim God our salvation, alleluia. – Come, let us rejoice in the Lord: let us acclaim God our salvation, alleluia. Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us acclaim God our salvation. Let us come before him proclaiming our thanks, let us acclaim him with songs. – Come, let us rejoice in the Lord: let us acclaim God our salvation, alleluia. For the Lord is a great God, a king above all gods. For he holds the depths of the earth in his hands, and the peaks of the mountains are his. For the sea is his: he made it; and his hands formed the dry land. – Come, let us rejoice in the Lord: let us acclaim God our salvation, alleluia. Come, let us worship and bow down, bend the knee before the Lord who made us; for he himself is our God and we are his flock, the sheep that follow his hand. – Come, let us rejoice in the Lord: let us acclaim God our salvation, alleluia. If only, today, you would listen to his voice: “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, on the day of Massah in the desert, when your fathers tested me – they put me to the test, although they had seen my works.” – Come, let us rejoice in the Lord: let us acclaim God our salvation, alleluia. “For forty years they wearied me, that generation. I said: their hearts are wandering, they do not know my paths. I swore in my anger: they will never enter my place of rest.” – Come, let us rejoice in the Lord: let us acclaim God our salvation, alleluia. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. – Come, let us rejoice in the Lord: let us acclaim God our salvation, alleluia. Hymn Hail, day! whereon the One in Three First formed the earth by sure decree, The day its Maker rose again, And vanquished death, and burst our chain. Away with sleep and slothful ease! We raise our hearts and bend our knees, And early seek the Lord of all, Obedient to the Prophet’s call: That he may hearken to our prayer, Stretch forth his strong right arm to spare, And, every past offense forgiven, Restore us to our home in heaven. Assembled here this holy day, This holiest hour we raise the lay; And, O, that he to whom we sing, May now reward our offering! Most Holy Father, hear our cry, Through Jesus Christ our Lord most High Who, with the Holy Ghost and thee Doth live and reign eternally. The greatness and goodness of God I will bless you, O God, day after day. Alleluia. I will praise you to the heights, O God, my king – I will bless your name for ever and for all time. I will bless you, O God, day after day – I will praise your name for ever and all time. The Lord is great, to him all praise is due – he is great beyond measuring. Generation will pass to generation the praise of your deeds, and tell the wonders you have done. They will tell of your overwhelming power, and pass on the tale of your greatness. They will cry out the story of your great kindness, they will celebrate your judgements. The Lord takes pity, his heart is merciful, he is patient and endlessly kind. The Lord is gentle to all – he shows his kindness to all his creation. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. I will bless you, O God, day after day. Alleluia. Lord, your kingdom stands firm for all ages. Alleluia. Let all your creatures proclaim you, O Lord, let your chosen ones bless you. Let them tell of the glory of your reign, let them speak of your power – so that the children of men may know what you can do, see the glory of your kingdom and its greatness. Your kingdom stands firm for all ages, your rule lasts for ever and ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Lord, your kingdom stands firm for all ages. Alleluia. The Lord is faithful in all his words, he is holy in all his deeds. Alleluia. The Lord is faithful in all his words, the Lord is holy in all his deeds. The Lord supports all who are falling, the Lord lifts up all who are oppressed. All look to you for help, and you give them their food in due season. In your goodness you open your hand, and give every creature its fill. The Lord is just in all his ways, the Lord is kind in all that he does. The Lord is near to those who call on him, to all those who call on him in truth. For those that honour him, he does what they ask, he hears all their prayers, and he keeps them safe. The Lord keeps safe all who love him, but he dooms all the wicked to destruction. My mouth shall tell the praises of the Lord. Let all flesh bless his holy name, for ever and ever. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. The Lord is faithful in all his words, he is holy in all his deeds. Alleluia. My son, listen to my words. – Turn your ear to what I am saying. Reading When Israel was a child I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt. But the more I called to them, the further they went from me; they have offered sacrifice to the Baals and set their offerings smoking before the idols. I myself taught Ephraim to walk, I took them in my arms; yet they have not understood that I was the one looking after them. I led them with reins of kindness, with leading-strings of love. I was like someone who lifts an infant close against his cheek; stooping down to him I gave him his food. They will have to go back to Egypt, Assyria must be their king, because they have refused to return to me. The sword will rage through their towns, wiping out their children, glutting itself inside their fortresses. My people are diseased through their disloyalty; they call on Baal, but he does not cure them. Ephraim, how could I part with you? Israel, how could I give you up? How could I treat you like Admah, or deal with you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils from it, my whole being trembles at the thought. I will not give rein to my fierce anger, I will not destroy Ephraim again, for I am God, not man: I am the Holy One in your midst and have no wish to destroy. They will follow behind the Lord; he will be roaring like a lion – how he will roar! and his sons will come speeding from the west; they will come speeding from Egypt like a bird, speeding from the land of Assyria like a dove, and I will settle them in their homes – it is the Lord who speaks. Responsory My heart recoils from it; my whole being trembles at the thought; I will not give rein to my fierce anger, for I am God, not man. I have loved you with an unchanging love, and now in mercy I have drawn you to myself. I will not give rein to my fierce anger, for I am God, not man. Reading From a dialogue On Divine Providence by Saint Catherine of Siena, virgin The bonds of love My sweet Lord, look with mercy upon your people and especially upon the mystical body of your Church. Greater glory is given to your name for pardoning a multitude of your creatures than if I alone were pardoned for my great sins against your majesty. It would be no consolation for me to enjoy your life if your holy people stood in death. For I see that sin darkens the life of your bride the Church – my sin and the sins of others. It is a special grace I ask for, this pardon for the creatures you have made in your image and likeness. When you created man, you were moved by love to make him in your own image. Surely only love could so dignify your creatures. But I know very well that man lost the dignity you gave him; he deserved to lose it, since he had committed sin. Moved by love and wishing to reconcile the human race to yourself, you gave us your only-begotten Son. He became our mediator and our justice by taking on all our injustice and sin out of obedience to your will, eternal Father, just as you willed that he take on our human nature. What an immeasurably profound love! Your Son went down from the heights of his divinity to the depths of our humanity. Can anyone’s heart remain closed and hardened after this? We image your divinity, but you image our humanity in that union of the two which you have worked in a man. You have veiled the Godhead in a cloud, in the clay of our humanity. Only your love could so dignify the flesh of Adam. And so by reason of this immeasurable love I beg, with all the strength of my soul, that you freely extend your mercy to all your lowly creatures. Responsory My song is of mercy and justice: I sing to you, O Lord. I will walk in the way of perfection. O when, Lord, will you come? I will walk with blameless heart within my house. I will walk in the way of perfection. O when, Lord, will you come? Hymn Te Deum God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you! You, the Father, the eternal – all the earth venerates you. All the angels, all the heavens, every power – The cherubim, the seraphim – unceasingly, they cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!” The glorious choir of Apostles – The noble ranks of prophets – The shining army of martyrs – all praise you. Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you. – Father of immeasurable majesty, – True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship, – Holy Spirit, our Advocate. You, Christ: – You are the king of glory. – You are the Father’s eternal Son. – You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb. – You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you. – You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father. – You will come, so we believe, as our Judge. And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood. Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory. The final part of the hymn may be omitted: Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance. Rule them and lift them high for ever. Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever. Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you. In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame. Almighty and eternal God, we presumptuously call you our father. Make us in our hearts truly your adopted children, so that we deserve the inheritance you have promised us. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
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Ulazna pjesma Pogledaj, Gospodine, na Savez svoj, i život svojih siromaha ne zaboravi zauvijek. Ustani, Bože, zauzmi se za svoju parnicu, ne zaboravi vike onih koji te zazivaju. Zborna molitva Svemogući vječni Bože, smijemo te zvati svojim Ocem. Daj da nam u srcu poraste duh sinovstva te uđemo u obećanu baštinu. Po Gospodinu. Darovna molitva Gospodine, prinosimo ti darove koje si nam ti udijelio. Molimo te, primi ih iz ruku svoje Crkve i snagom Duha pretvori u otajstvo spasenja. Po Kristu. Pričesna pjesma Kruh koji ću ja dati tijelo je moje, za život svijeta, govori Gospodin. Popričesna molitva Gospodine, pričestilismo se tijelom i krvlju tvoga Sina. Ta pričest neka nas spasi i utvrdi u svjetlu tvoje istine. Po Kristu. Prvo čitanje Mudr 18, 6-9 Čime si kaznio naše protivnike, time si proslavio nas pozvavši nas k sebi. Čitanje Knjige Mudrosti Noć oslobođenja bijaše unaprijed najavljena ocima našim da bi jasno znali kakvim su prisegama povjerovali, i da budu dobre volje. Tako je tvoj narod očekivao spas pravednika i propast neprijatelja. Jer čime si kaznio naše protivnike, time si proslavio nas, pozvavši nas k sebi. Tada su pobožna djeca pravednikâ žrtve tajno prinijela i složno postavila zakon božanstven da sveti tvoji jednako snose i dobra i pogibelji. I tad su zapjevali svete pjesme otaca. Riječ Gospodnja. Otpjevni psalam Ps 33, 1.12.18-20.22 Pripjev: Blago narodu koji Gospodin odabra sebi za baštinu! Pravednici, Gospodinu kličite! Hvaliti ga pristoji se čestitima. Blago narodu kojemu je Gospodin Bog, narodu koji on odabra sebi za baštinu! ………………. Evo, oko je Gospodnje nad onima koji ga se boje, nad onima koji se uzdaju u milost njegovu: da im od smrti život spasi, da ih hrani u danima gladi. ……………….. Naša se duša Gospodinu nada, on je pomoć i zaštita naša. Neka dobrota tvoja, Gospodine, bude nad nama kao što se u tebe uzdamo! Drugo čitanje Heb 11, 1-2.8-19 Iščekivaše onaj utemeljeni grad kojemu je graditelj i tvorac Bog. Čitanje Poslanice Hebrejima Braćo: Vjera je već neko imanje onoga čemu se nadamo, uvjerenost u zbiljnosti kojih ne vidimo. Zbog nje stari primiše svjedočanstvo. Vjerom pozvan, Abraham posluša i zaputi se u kraj koji je imao primiti u baštinu, zaputi se ne znajući kamo ide. Vjerom se kao pridošlica naseli u obećanoj zemlji kao u tuđini, prebivajući pod šatorima s Izakom i Jakovom, subaštinicima istog obećanja, jer iščekivaše onaj utemeljeni grad kojemu je graditelj i tvorac Bog. Vjerom i Sara unatoč svojoj dobi zadobi moć da začne jer vjernim smatraše Onoga koji joj dade obećanje. Zato od jednoga, i to obamrla, nasta mnoštvo poput zvijezda na nebu i pijeska nebrojena na obali morskoj. U vjeri svi su oni umrli, a da nisu zadobili obećanjâ, već su ih samo izdaleka vidjeli i pozdravili priznavši da su stranci i prido-šlice na zemlji. Doista, koji tako govore, jasno očituju da domovinu traže. Dakako, da su mislili na onu iz koje su izišli, imali bi još prilike vratiti se u nju. Ali sada oni čeznu za boljom, to jest nebeskom. Stoga se Bog ne stidi zvati se Bogom njihovim: ta pripravio im je Grad. Vjerom Abraham, kušan, prikaza Izaka. Jedinca prikazivaše on koji je primio obećanje, kome bi rečeno: Po Izaku će ti se nazivati potomstvo! – uvjeren da Bog može i od mrtvih uskrisiti. Zato ga u predslici i ponovno zadobi. Riječ Gospodnja. Pjesma prije evanđelja Mt 24, 42a.44 Bdijte i budite pripravni jer u čas kad i ne mislite Sin Čovječji dolazi! Evanđelje Lk 12, 32-48 I vi budite pripravni! Čitanje svetog Evanđelja po Luki U ono vrijeme reče Isus svojim učenicima: »Ne boj se, stado malo: svidjelo se Ocu vašemu dati vam Kraljevstvo.« »Prodajte što god imate i dajte za milostinju! Načinite sebi kese koje ne stare, blago nepropadljivo na nebesima, kamo se kradljivac ne približava i gdje moljac ne rastače. Doista, gdje vam je blago, ondje će vam i srce biti.« »Neka vam bokovi budu opasani i svjetiljke upaljene, a vi slični ljudima što čekaju gospodara kad se vraća sa svadbe da mu odmah otvore čim stigne i pokuca. Blago onim slugama koje gospodar, kada dođe, nađe budne! Zaista, kažem vam, pripasat će se, posaditi ih za stol pa će pristupiti i posluživati ih. Pa dođe li o drugoj ili o trećoj straži i nađe ih tako, blago njima!« »A ovo znajte: kad bi domaćin znao u koji čas kradljivac dolazi, ne bi dao prokopati kuće. I vi budite pripravni jer u čas kad i ne mislite Sin Čovječji dolazi.« Nato će Petar: »Gospodine, govoriš li tu prispodobu samo za nas ili i za sve?« Reče Gospodin: »Tko li je onaj vjerni i razumni upravitelj što će ga gospodar postaviti nad svojom poslugom da im u pravo vrijeme daje obrok? Blago onome sluzi kojega gospodar kada dođe nađe da tako radi. Uistinu, kažem vam, postavit će ga nad svim imanjem svojim.« »No rekne li taj sluga u srcu: ‘Okasnit će gospodar moj’ pa stane tući sluge i sluškinje, jesti, piti i opijati se, doći će gospodar toga sluge u dan u koji mu se ne nada i u čas u koji i ne sluti; rasjeći će ga i dodijeliti mu udes među nevjernicima.« »I onaj sluga što je znao volju gospodara svoga, a nije bio spreman ili nije učinio po volji njegovoj, dobit će mnogo udaraca. A onaj koji nije znao, ali je učinio što zaslužuje udarce, dobit će malo udaraca. Kome je god mnogo dano, od njega će se mnogo iskati. Kome je mnogo povjereno, više će se od njega iskati. Riječ Gospodnja. HOMILETSKO RAZMIŠLJANJE Fra Ivan Dugandžić: CRKVA MALO STADO Ne boj se, malo stado! Na prvi pogled Isusova riječ kao da sadrži višestruku nelogičnost. Ako pođemo od općepoznatog iskustva da se ljudi osjećaju sigurnima kad su brojčano nadmoćni i kad su materijalno dobro situirani, moramo se pitati, na čemu Isus temelji svoju riječ ohrabrenja neznatnoj skupini svojih sljedbenika od kojih još k tome traži da prodaju i ono što imaju? Sve manjine, i nacionalne, i vjerske, i kulturne osjećaju se nesigurnima, a često i ugroženima od većine. Zato nerijetko traže saveznike u sličnim skupinama da bi se osjećale jačima. Danas se zrelost neke demokracije mjeri upravo stupnjem sigurnosti koju uživaju njezine manjine. Isus nije mislio na taj oblik sigurnosti i zaštićenosti svoga «malog stada» niti ih je upućivao da traže saveznike s kojima bi se osjećali sigurnijim. Jedini izvor njihove sigurnosti jest u neopozivoj odluci Oca nebeskoga da im dade Kraljevstvo (12,32). I prije Isusa u Bibliji odzvanja Božja riječ ljudima: Ne boj se! Koga god Bog poziva u svoju službu i namjenjuje mu tešku zadaću, daje mu i obećanje: Ne boj se! Ja ću biti s tobom. S tim obećanjem Bog šalje Mojsija moćnom faraonu da od njega traži oslobođenje za svoj narod (usp. Izl 3,7-12); na isti način hrabri svoga proroka kojemu se čini preteškim poslanje što mu ga je namijenio (usp. Tu istu riječ ohrabrenja Bog po anđelu upućuje Mariji u trenutku kad ona ne shvaća što se s njom događa (usp. Biblijski Bog čovjeka uvijek poziva na slobodu i oslobađa ga svakog nepotrebnog straha. A to je posve suprotno od onog što su zlonamjerni «prosvjetitelji» tvrdili, da religija i strah uvijek idu zajedno. Zajednica Isusovih učenika bila je «malo stado» u židovstvu koje nije prihvatilo Isusa, ali je ipak neustrašivo svjedočila za nj. Prešavši uskoro granice židovstva, Crkva je bila «malo stado» u moru poganskog svijeta Rimskog carstva sve do cara Konstantina. Danas, kad se Crkva u mnogim dijelovima svijeta od narodne Crkve ponovo pretvara u manje zajednice vjere, ponovo je aktualna Isusova riječ: «Ne boj se, stado malo!» Svoju sigurnost ona ne smije temeljiti na brojnosti i savezništvu s moćnima, već jedino na vjernosti Isusu, trajno se pitajući, je li i u današnjim uvjetima života «sol zemlji» i «svjetlo svijetu» (Mt 5,13s). Budite pripravni! Uz Isusovo ohrabrenje «malom stadu» da se ne treba bojati nerazdvojivo ide i poziv na trajnu budnost, što također treba ispravno shvatiti. Nije tu riječ o onoj vrsti budnosti koju u čovjeku rađa nesigurnost i strah pred budućnošću, što danas možemo često promatrati. Nije to budnost koja se hrani prognozama, predviđanjima i horoskopima, već nešto posve drugo. Isusov poziv na budnost zapravo smjera na sadašnjost kršćanskog života. On se opet služi jednom malom, ali u svojoj izražajnosti snažnom prispodobom koja govori o slugama kojima je gospodar povjerio svoje blago da njime upravljaju do njegova povratka. U toj priči on polazi od tadašnjeg društvenog poretka u kojemu je svaka imućnija kuća, uz članove obitelji, imala i svoje vlastite robove. Oni nisu bili samo jeftina radna snaga, već im je često povjeravana i uprava nad dobrima njihova gospodara, dakako uz njihovo znanje i svijest da će u svoje vrijeme polagati račun o svome upravljanju. Petar kao da sluti da se ta Isusova riječ u prvom redu odnosi na Apostole, ali on želi biti posve siguran pa pita: «Gospodine, govoriš li tu prispodobu samo za nas ili i za sve?» (Lk 12,41). Doista tu riječ moraju posebno ozbiljno uzeti ponajprije današnji biskupi i svećenici kojima je povjereno upravljanje u Crkvi, u njoj se može prepoznati i svaki obični vjernik, jer svatko ima neku odgovornost za druge. Roditeljima je tako povjerena briga za djecu, djeci za roditelje, odgojiteljima za njihove gojence, učiteljima za učenike, liječnicima za bolesnike itd. Svi oni u svojoj službi djeluju po Božjoj volji, a oni koji su vjernici još i po Božjem poslanju. Zato za sve njih vrijedi Isusovo upozorenje da budu budni i pravedni kako bi primili i obećanu nagradu. MOLITVA VJERNIKA Braćo i sestre, ispunjeni nadom u Kristov ponovni dolazak, zajedničkom se molitvom utecimo nebeskomu Ocu da nam bude svjetlo u svim tamama života: – Za Crkvu, zajednicu vjernika: da budnošću života i poslušnošću evanđelju bude živa riječ o tvojoj prisutnosti u svijetu, molimo te. – Za papu Franju, biskupe i sve pastire Crkve: čuvaj ih u svetosti života i ispuni ih očinskom brigom za tvoj narod i za sve potrebite, molimo te. – Za sve koji ravnaju našim društvom i kojima je povjerena odgovornost za pravedne zakone: pomozi im spoznati i promicati vrjednote koje ne prolaze, kako bi svi mogli iskusiti radost življenja, molimo te. – Za nas, sabrane na gozbi tvoje ljubavi: rasvijetli nas svjetlom svoje milosti da uzmognemo uvijek živjeti pripravni za susret s Kristom koji dolazi, molimo te. – Za braću i sestre koji po smrti napustiše ovaj svijet: po svome milosrđu podari im radost vječnoga zajedništva s tobom, molimo te. Svemogući Bože, u svome velikom milosrđu oslobodio si nas od grijeha i u nas pohranio zalog vječnoga života. Prodahni nas svojim Duhom da naša djela, riječi i misli budu uvijek rasvijetljeni vječnošću u koju nas vodiš. Po Kristu Gospodinu našemu.