Different people, living and working together. Just like the human body, which is made up of different parts.
And Chiara Lubich, in a Link-up in the year 2000 – 26 years ago – spoke precisely of this: of a “new unity”.
Chiara tells us that a few days earlier she had met with many politicians from the Movement for Unity in Politics. In her address, she had explored the words of the Magnificat in depth, and the figure of Mary had emerged as the model of the politician par excellence. Chiara, in fact, saw in the Magnificat the first and most powerful chapter of Christian social teaching. Not merely a text of praise, but a programme for the realisation of a new society, based on justice and fraternity. A programme which, if lived out, leads us to bring about the revolution of love that draws its inspiration from the Gospel. So, also for us today, singing the Magnificat means a commitment to putting it into practice. And, as the Work of Mary, we are called to do this together: in a more conscious, more mature unity – in a ‘new unity’. Let’s listen.
… It is a new unity, which presents the Work of Mary to the world as being “one,” the Work of Mary as “one” not only in the sense that we normally intend, but – do you remember Saint Paul’s comparison? – the Work of Mary as “one” in the sense that the human body is one, even though it is made up of different parts, even though it has different internal organs.
Although the Work of Mary is made up of many zones (in the way the human body has many parts – arms, legs, head, trunk, and so on) and although there are many internal structures (branches, centres, secretariats for the various dialogues, little towns, schools, etc.), it is not itself, in accordance with the plan of God, if it is not one, made one by the love poured out everywhere by the Holy Spirit, just as blood flows to every part of the human body. The Work of Mary is made one by keeping the presence of Jesus in our midst everywhere.
This new unity which is being asked of the Movement is possible if we base all our relationships on the life of the Trinity, from the Centre to the periphery. A life in conformity with that of the Holy Trinity in which, although there is an origin, the Father, and although the Son is completely turned towards him, the three divine Persons are nonetheless equal.
In this new unity no one will be the “object,” so to speak, of the others’ attention, almost as if each were able to go ahead only because they are supported by others. Instead, each one will be a responsible “subject,” capable of supporting all those entrusted to them. In this new unity, then, no one should allow themselves to be pulled along by others in the life of the Ideal, like a carriage in a train – as the Gen 4 would say – but rather each one should be pulling the others ahead, as an engine.
Also, in this unity, we will not be standing in front of those with particular responsibilities, waiting for them to tell us what to do; rather, we will stand alongside them so as to form together the presence of Mary in the Movement, and to set off – as a true army ready for battle – our revolution of love in the world.
What should we do so that this new unity may become a reality?
Only one thing: constantly generate the presence of Jesus among us everywhere in the Movement.
Not as an end in itself, but as a launching pad in order to love everyone and inflame the world with love, to sow true values in the world and make false ones fade away; to build up the kingdom of God; to enable Mary, through the Movement, to sing her Magnificat anew.
Take courage, then. Let’s not wait a single moment before giving life to Jesus among us, as Mary did within herself. We will see miracles! …
Chiara Lubich
(da Convesazioni, Città Nuova, Roma 2019, pp 593/5)
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