Official International WebsiteFocolare Movement
Official International Website
    • Italiano
    • Deutsch
    • Español
    • Français
    • Português
    • 中文
  • Write to us
  • Chiara Lubich
    • Who is Chiara?
    • Spirituality of Unity
    • Living the charism
  • Focolare
    • History
    • A plan of God
    • A people
    • Choices and commitments
    • Organization
  • Dialogue
    • Catholic Church
    • Christian churches
    • World Religions
    • Persons of no religious affiliation
    • Culture
  • Works and activities
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Focolare Towns
    • Social Commitment
    • Mariapolis
    • Media
    • Study & Formation
  • PRESS
    • Focus
    • Press releases
    • Dossier
    • Media Monitoring
    • Multimedia
    • Contact Us
You are in: Home > The Need for Unity

The Need for Unity

 
Monday, January 14, 2013
A spontaneous prayer with which Chiara opened a plenary session at the World Council of Churches in 2002, Geneva.
3
Chiara Lubich at the World Council of Churches

«Jesus, here we are … first of all to ask you for something great, Lord!

You said: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name [in my love], there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). Kindle in us all a great fraternal respect, help us to listen profoundly to one another, arouse among us that mutual love which allows, indeed, which ensures your spiritual presence in our midst. Because we know, Lord, that without you we can do nothing” (See Jn 15:5).

But, with you in our midst, we will be enlightened by your light and guided on this day ….

You know … the same and yet different calling that has been laid upon us: to work, together with many others in the Christian world so that the full and visible communion among the Churches may one day become a reality. Even though we know that this requires almost a miracle. This is why we need you, Jesus. For our part … we cannot help but open our heart and reveal to you our deepest sentiments.

First of all, we feel the need to ask you for forgiveness on our own behalf, but also on behalf of our Christian brothers and sisters of all times, forgiveness for having carelessly torn your tunic, for having cut it up into so many pieces; or for having kept it this way because of indifference. At the same time, we cannot help but nurture an ardent hope in your mercy, which is always greater than any of our sins and capable not only of forgiving, but also of forgetting. Just as we cannot deny that we have a great faith in your immense love, which is able to draw good from every evil, if we believe in you and if we love you.

All this burns in our heart, Jesus, in this moment, together with gratitude for what Christians of many Churches have been able to do, with your grace, for almost a century. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, they have worked towards mutual reconciliation through a fruitful dialogue of love, intense theological work, and a general sensitization of the people to the need for unity.

And so, allow us to tell you, Lord, that although always in the acutely painful situation of not having achieved full communion yet, we sense in our heart the Christian optimism that your infinite Love cannot help but kindle. We begin our work then confident that you, who know how to win the world, will help us to help you fulfill your testament here on earth one day. Then with unity achieved, your testament will witness to the world that you are the King and Lord of all hearts and peoples. Amen.

Chiara Lubich at the World Council of Churches

Geneva, 28 October 2002

Published by New City Press in in the book entitled Living Dialogue,  Rome 2002, p.47-49 (a collection of Chiara Lubich’s various talks during her trip to Geneva in 2002, with strong ecumenical imprint).

 

  • Recommend on Facebook
  • Tweet about it
  • Tell a friend
Share this on WhatsApp

Click here to cancel reply.

Rules(500)

 

Feedback

  1. marigioi
    Monday, January 21, 2013 at 6:31 PM

    Grazie Chiara! In questa settimana la faccio particolarmente mía.

    Reply
    • Vincenzo
      Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 11:38 AM

      Grazie Chiara per tutto quello che ci hai donato e per il carisma dell’Unità al quale vogliamo rimanere fedeli come Maria è rimasta fedele a Gesù sotto la croce!
      Oggi, 22 gennaio 2013, è anche l’anniversario di Biagino Antoccia, giovane di 22 anni di Santa Margherita di Atri (Teramo) che nel 1965 fu stroncato da una leucemia e che offrì la sua vita per l’Ideale di Chiara.

      Reply
      • Gisella
        Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 3:06 PM

        Mi sono scritta questa bellissima preghiera di Chiara per poterla recitare con le sue stesse parola e soprattutto viverla. Grazie

Related News

Dialogue and Christian unity

Saturday, April 21, 2018
Dialogue and Christian unity

As part of a series of celebrations commemorating the 70th anniversary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Jesús Morán, Focolare Co-President addressed a Conference “WCC, Chiara Lubich and the Focolare” held in Geneva, Switzerland on 18th April. His talk examined cultural, anthropological and ecclesial aspects of dialogue. In summary:

[more]

Genfest 2000: a wave of “Light”

Friday, April 20, 2018
Genfest 2000: a wave of “Light”

ithin the framework of the World Youth Day of 2000 held on 17 August at the Flaminio Stadium of Rome, 25,000 young people from all over the world had given rise to the new Genfest. Among them was Sandro Rojas Badilla from Costa Rica, author of the song dedicated to Blessed Chiara Badano: “Light.”

[more]

Together as a sign of hope

Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Together as a sign of hope

Christians and Muslims get together to focus on shared values and work for the common good in various fields: family, environment, ethics, mass media, art and culture, social commitment. This is the dialogue of life that nourishes concrete experiences of fraternity.

[more]
Areas of interest
Economy
People & Places
Spirituality
Wellbeing & Ecology
Arts & Entertainment
Education & Culture
Communications & The Media
Law & Politics
Tweets by @SIF_en

Recent posts

  • Dialogue and Christian unity
  • Muslims and Christians together

PRESS

  • Focus
  • Press Digest
  • Press releases
  • Dossier
  • Multimedia
  • Contact Us

WEB SERVICES

  • Sitemap
  • Events
  • Multimedia Gallery

CONTACT US

  • Focolare Movement
  • Nearest Focolare
  • Editorial Team

Linked sites

  • Great Britain
  • Ireland
  • Spain
  • Netherlands
  • Poland
  • Serbia
  • Southern Cone America
  • USA
  • Mariapolis Luminosa – USA
  • Mariapolis Victoria – Africa
  • Mariapolis Lia – Argentina
  • New Families

Focolare Worldwide

FOLLOW US ON

  • Diventa un fan
  • feed RSS
  • Tweet with me
  • Guarda i miei video
Creative Commons License
Web hosting by Focolare Movement (P.A.F.O.M.) reg. Trib. Velletri decr. No. 11 of 8 maggio 2006. Privacy comments to webmaster. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 Generic License..
Web development Xcogito. Graphic Design by Gabriele De Sanctis | Privacy Policy
  • RSSRSS
  • Become my Facebook friend
  • feed RSS
  • Tweet with me
  • Watch my videos
This website uses “technical cookies”, including third parties cookies, which are necessary to optimise your browsing experience. By closing this banner, or by continuing to navigate this site, you are agreeing to our cookies policy. Further information about cookies and how to disable them. OkMore information on cookies