Chiara Lubich: The most beautiful thing I can do

The pandemic is still ongoing, while the economic and social crises generated by it are worsening. The environmental situation in the world is dramatic and conflicts in some areas of the globe do not seem to diminish. And so, what can be done? For Chiara Lubich there is only one remedy: universal fraternity. To make humanity a single family and to do so by starting from the small, concrete, daily steps that each of us can take.

In the face of the multiple difficulties in the relationships among people with such different mentalities, among peoples that are so different, cultures that are so distant from one another and religions distorted by the presence of extremists, there is only one remedy: universal brotherhood, to make humanity one family in which God is the Father and all people are brothers and sisters.

How can this be done? Who is qualified for this task?

There is no doubt about it: there is someone who also died for his ideal, but who then rose and made it possible for everyone. It’s Jesus. We must aim at bringing him back on earth, through us, by being another Christ, another incarnate Love, Holiness, Perfection, as he is.

Now is the time in which to resolutely strive for perfection.

But what does perfection consist in?

Recently I re-read a paper on the spiritual life in which there were wonderful words of great Church Fathers and saints. Perhaps we already know these things, but it will be helpful to remember them now.

All these eminent figures in the life of the Church agree that perfection consists in never stopping our growth, because whoever does not go forward, goes backward. And, considering that we are on a journey of love, perfection consists in always growing in charity.

Let’s love, then and always love better, always better.

How? By keeping before us our perfect model: … God who is Love.

… St. Francis de Sales says: “St Francis de Sales says: “Whoever does not gain, loses; whoever does not ascend, descends; whoever does not win, is defeated”*

We are struck by the radicalness demanded by love. But everything in God is radical. …

Is it difficult? Is it easy?

Try it and see. Give yourself to the will of God in each moment, to others, to the brother or sister you must love, while working, studying, praying or relaxing, while doing any activity. And we must continually improve in this: otherwise we will go backwards.

To help us do this, we can say with every action, even the most simple and commonplace: “This is the most beautiful thing I can do in this moment.” …

In this way we too will train ourselves for the task that awaits us and which is typically ours: universal fraternity.

Chiara Lubich

 From “Conversazioni in collegamento telefonico” [Telephone link up conversations] Citta Nuova ed. p. 620 – Castel Gandolfo, 27 September 2001

* St Francesco di Sales, Trattato dell’amor di Dio, [Treatise on God’s love] III, 1, Città Nuova, Roma 2011, p. 222.