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17 Jul 2011 | Non categorizzato
In 1968, Chiara wrote: “Love is light and, like a ray of light that passes through a drop of water, it unfolds into a rainbow of colors for us to admire. All the colors are light and they, in turn, divide into an infinity of shades. And just as a rainbow is red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet – Jesus’ life in us could be said to have different colors, to be expressed in various ways, each different from the other. 
“For example, love is communion, it brings us to communion. Jesus in us, who is Love, could work communion. 
Love is never closed in on itself, it is diffusive by nature. Jesus in us, Love, would irradiate love. 
Love elevates the soul. Jesus in us would raise our soul to God; that’s what prayer is. 
Love heals. Jesus, love in the heart, would be the health of our soul. 
Love heals. Jesus, love in the heart, would be the health of our soul. Love gathers people in assembly. Jesus in us, since he is Love, would unite our hearts again. 
Love is a font of wisdom. Jesus in us, Love, would illuminate us. 
Love brings the many into one; it is unity. Jesus in us would meld us into one. These are the seven principle expressions of the love that we feel called to live, and this number seven signifies something infinite.”
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13 Jul 2011 | Non categorizzato
A meeting with surprises of the Spirit
Interreligious Symposium in Thailand - 2010
In this time of great upheaval, “the walls in which the various civilizations live with their individual culture are crumbling,” and, “a city-world without walls can be seen on the horizon, full of hope.” This was the vision offered by Chiara Lubich in London in 2004, before an audience of representatives of numerous religions, on the topic of the future for a multicultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society of our time, faced with the risk of a clash of civilizations. In the 1970s, speaking at an international congress of young people, Chiara had asked them to, “not close their eyes at the sight of this torment of humanity but to conscientiously enter into the gestation of the new world.” “You are here,” she added, “to be formed in a “world mentality,” to become “world-man.”
Chiara Lubich with a group of Buddhist monks
In these twenty-five years, the road opened by Blessed John Paul II has made great progress thanks to the action of the Holy Spirit. It is He who guides history in this great design of unity, despite the many shadows which fall across our planet. We are witnesses to it. For our Movement, almost as a surprise, the unexplored page of interreligious dialogue was opened. Chiara Lubich recognized a sign of the Holy Spirit in the interest shown in her spiritual experience by representatives of different religions present at Guildhall in London in 1979.
Since then, numerous developments have occurred in more than thirty years. In 1972, when Chiara invited young people to become protagonists in the gestation of a new world, she gave them what she called a “very powerful weapon of love,” “the model capable of re-creating the unity of the world:” Jesus crucified who calls out to his Father in his abandonment. It is He, the Crucified and Resurrected Lord, who is the key which opens dialogue even in the most difficult situations.
Maria Voce with Buddhist grand master Ajahn Thong - Thailand 2010
Today, dialogue between religions cannot be limited only to leaders, scholars and specialists. It must become a dialogue of the people, a dialogue of life. We meet Christians and Muslims everywhere who are testament to the fact that one can progress from fear of the other to the discovery of the other and contribute to a peaceful living together in their cities.
We begin now to pray for the great meeting in Assisi next October; in the hope and expectation of new surprises from the Holy Spirit.
Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement
July 13, 2011
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12 Jul 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Thousands of young people from all over the world in Madrid for the 11th WYD. The events will take place this summer on the streets, auditoriums, public squares, colleges, schools, and parks of Madrid. There will be concerts and exhibits, museum tours, theatrical performances, and a cultural program entitled: “Youth Festival”. Among all the events, there is one that is particularly special – as shown by the great interest of the organizing committee. This is the presentation of Chiara Badano, a young Italian girl, better known as Chiara Luce, who was recently beatified. She will be presented during a show that will weave together music, theatre, acting, and dance. It will be held on 17 August at 22:00 in the Pilar García Peña Auditorium, located in the Pinar del rey Park. Three-thousand persons will be able to attend this event which promises to be unforgettable. 
This presentation would like to manifest that “Love” with a capital “L” that gives happiness, as shown in the life of Chiara Luce who Benedict XVI called a “ray of Light” at the Angelus of 26 September 2010, the day before her beatification. It will be a feast for young people, “who can find in her an example of Christian living,” as the Pope said. Pablo Alcolea, a music professor who is actively involved in the preparation of the event, tells us that it has been an experience of God for him: “It involves a lot of work, matching the tasks to the volunteers, but it’s a beautiful opportunity to let ourselves be taken by the hand of the Father and trust in Him.” Another Spanish youth, Pablo Garrido, who is co-responsible for the music assures us: “The first word that came to my mind was “folly”. In my opinion attempting to prepare something of this caliber falls into the realm of the miraculous, but it’s very gratifying, seeing how everyone immediately got to work in building this experience of unity.” Another member of the music group shares with us how this is something very personal for him, “as if Chiara Luce herself had asked me to participate in this with my own two cents, helping to communicate her lifestyle, her ideal of living for unity even beyond time and space.” “What a fantastic opportunity,” continues Pablo Alcolea, to contemplate through music the life experience of Chiara Luce Badano.” Other events which everyone is looking to are the Gen Rosso concerts, an international musical group of the Focolare Movement whose performance “Indelible Dimension” will be held on the 16th and 18th August. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akWjPRkdgJA.
8 Jul 2011 | Non categorizzato
Contemplating the immensity of the universe, the extraordinary beauty of nature, its power, I was spontaneously turned to the Creator of all things and I seemed to understand something new of God’s immensity. The impression it made on me was so strong and so new that I would have knelt down to worship, praise, and glorify God. I felt the need to do it, as if it were actually my vocation. And, now as my eyes seemed to be opening for the first time, I understood as never before, who it is that we’ve chosen as our Ideal; or rather, who it is who has chosen us. I saw him so great, that it seemed impossible to me that he should think of us. And this impression of his greatness remained in my heart for some days. Now it’s a whole new thing for me when I pray: “Holy be your name” or “Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit”: it has become a necessity of the heart (. . .) We are on the way. And when someone travels, they already think about the place where they will be welcomed when they arrive. We should do the same. Won’t we praise God when we are there? Then let us praise him starting from now. Let us allow our hearts to cry out our love, to proclaim it, together with angels and saints: “Holy, Holy, Holy”. Let us express our praise with our lips and with our hearts. Let us take advantage of this opportunity to revive those daily prayers that have this as their object. And let us also give glory to him with our entire being. (. . . ) Let us praise him beyond nature or in the depths of our hearts. Above all, let us live dead to ourselves and alive to the will of God, to love toward our neighbors. As Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity said, we are also a “praise of his glory”. In this way we’ll anticipate Heaven a bit, and God will be repaid for the indifference of so many hearts who live in today’s world. Chiara Lubich, Rocca di Papa (Rome) 22 January 1987
