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

Acts 13,26-33

'My brothers, sons of Abraham's race, and all you godfearers, this message of salvation is meant for you. What the people of Jerusalem and their rulers did, though they did not realise it, was in fact to fulfil the prophecies read on every Sabbath. Though they found nothing to justify his execution, they condemned him and asked Pilate to have him put to death. When they had carried out everything that scripture foretells about him they took him down from the tree and buried him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had accompanied him from Galilee to Jerusalem: and it is these same companions of his who are now his witnesses before our people. 'We have come here to tell you the good news that the promise made to our ancestors has come about. God has fulfilled it to their children by raising Jesus from the dead. As scripture says in the psalms: You are my son: today I have fathered 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 apostle underlines the "fraternity" that links Jews and Christians because of the common descendance from Abraham. It is a dimension that should not be forgotten, but rather re-proposed in the contemporary context for a new encounter between the believers of the three great Abrahamic religions in order to rediscover the responsibility they have today to promote peace and encounter among peoples. At this point in his discourse, the apostle announces the heart of Gospel preaching, namely, the death of Jesus and his resurrection. Paul presents this mystery - which is salvation - as the "fulfilment" of ancient prophecies. In the Gospels it is often repeated that the death and resurrection of Jesus took place so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. Here the apostle is not addressing his listeners and accusing them of Jesus' death. Rather, he wants to lead them to contemplate Easter as the culmination of the history of salvation that is also for them. He tells them succinctly: "And we bring you the good news that what God promised to our ancestors he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising Jesus." He speaks in the plural because his testimony is the same as that of the other apostles and the many other disciples to whom Jesus appeared after the resurrection. And as if to invite his listeners to read in depth the passages of Holy Scripture with which they are familiar, he quotes Psalm 2:7: "You are my son; today I have begotten you." Peter had already quoted this psalm in his speech at Pentecost. Paul reiterates that through his resurrection from the dead Jesus brings his kingship over history and the world to its climax.