Memorial of Saint Athanasius (+373), Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt.

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 5,34-42

One member of the Sanhedrin, however, a Pharisee called Gamaliel, who was a teacher of the Law respected by the whole people, stood up and asked to have the men taken outside for a time. Then he addressed the Sanhedrin, 'Men of Israel, be careful how you deal with these people. Some time ago there arose Theudas. He claimed to be someone important, and collected about four hundred followers; but when he was killed, all his followers scattered and that was the end of them. And then there was Judas the Galilean, at the time of the census, who attracted crowds of supporters; but he was killed too, and all his followers dispersed. What I suggest, therefore, is that you leave these men alone and let them go. If this enterprise, this movement of theirs, is of human origin it will break up of its own accord; but if it does in fact come from God you will be unable to destroy them. Take care not to find yourselves fighting against God.' His advice was accepted; and they had the apostles called in, gave orders for them to be flogged, warned them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. And so they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name. Every day they went on ceaselessly teaching and proclaiming the good news of Christ Jesus, both in the temple and in private houses.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Gamaliel, a Pharisee of good feelings and respected by all the people, realizes the injustice being done to the apostles. In the midst of the assembly, he gets up and takes the floor to defend them. His speech is wise and full of religious wisdom: he reminds those who are present that it is God who guides history and it is not a good idea to oppose God. Gamaliel is not driven by shrewdness or calculations, and even less by jealousy that had crept into the souls of most of the members of the Sanhedrin. He is a Jewish believer who feels responsible for helping his colleagues to look at that group of Jesus' followers with wise eyes and to judge them wisely. He then makes a very straightforward argument: if the work of these people does not come from God, it will soon come to an end, but if it comes from God you, by opposing them, risk setting yourself against God himself. Touched by Gamaliel's wisdom, the Sanhedrin accepts his advice and lets the apostles go, but first having them flogged and ordering them not to speak of Jesus anymore. In truth, it looks like what Pilate said to Jesus is happening again: "I will therefore have him flogged and release him" (Lk 23:16) Truly they could not silence or keep only for themselves the Gospel of Jesus' love. Rather the apostles went out rejoicing that they had been able to suffer even a little of what Jesus had suffered. With a final note that ends this narration, Luke underlines that the apostles continued to proclaim that Jesus was the saviour every day, in the temple and in people's homes.