First Reading

First Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy (1 Tm 2: 1-8)

I ask that prayers be offered for everyone to God, who wills everyone to be saved.

Beloved:
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.

This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and Apostle
(I am speaking the truth, I am not lying),
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

— The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 28: 2, 7, 8-9

Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.

Hear the sound of my pleading, when I cry to you,
lifting up my hands toward your holy shrine.

The LORD is my strength and my shield.
In him my heart trusts, and I find help;
then my heart exults, and with my song I give him thanks.

The LORD is the strength of his people,
the saving refuge of his anointed.
Save your people, and bless your inheritance;
feed them, and carry them forever!

Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia.

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke (Lk 7: 1-10)

Not even in Israel have I found such faith.

When Jesus had finished all his words to the people,
he entered Capernaum.
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,
and he was valuable to him.
When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,
asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,

“He deserves to have you do this for him,
for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.”

And Jesus went with them,
but when he was only a short distance from the house,
the centurion sent friends to tell him,

“Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, Go, and he goes;
and to another, Come here, and he comes;
and to my slave, Do this, and he does it.”

When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him
and, turning, said to the crowd following him,

“I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”

When the messengers returned to the house,
they found the slave in good health.

— The Gospel of the Lord.

The Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth

At the end of its second General Assembly, held from 15 to 18 October 2024, the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace sent a message to government officials at all levels, as well as to all Malagasy and all people of goodwill.

Read more ...

Love and Salvation

Christmas is a great joy, because it is the love of God that has come to us, proclaims Fr. Bizimana Innocent, Provincial Superior of the Salesians Don Bosco of Madagascar and Mauritius, presenting his Christmas greetings. Salvation is accomplished, so life is not in danger of disappearing. It is this love and this salvation that we wish to fill our life so that we have peace.

Read more ...

Zatti, our brother

The short film "Zatti, our brother" (Argentina, 2020) focuses on one of the most difficult episodes of his life. We are in Viedma, in 1941: at the age of 60, Zatti is forced to leave the hospital he has attended for decades. His faith and strength are tested.

Read more ...