Focolare Movement

A soul of peace for the world

Oct 7, 2024

Today, 7 October, is the day of fasting and prayer for peace called by Pope Francis. We propose an excerpt from Chiara Lubich's message to the ‘Youth for a United World’ in May 1998.

You strive and work for a united world (a world of peace and fraternity).

What are you doing to reach this goal? You are involved in activities that might appear to be small and, although meaningful, out of proportion with your proposed objective. When you are older, perhaps some of you will be more directly involved in the various organizations aimed at building a united world.

I believe that, although all that you do will be very helpful, it is not one activity or another that will play a decisive role towards this goal.

Instead, the deciding factor is that of offering a soul to the world. And this soul is love. …

Today we must “be love”, we must feel what the other person is feeling, live the other, the others, and aim at achieving unity … all over the globe. …

Therefore, we must build relationships of unity, solidarity, which are rooted in love.

You must live out this love first of all among yourselves.

So as to reach the point of living it with many, many others, wherever you go; when you meet ordinary people for example and with those who govern their future or those in public institutions, and in the smaller or bigger organizations of the world… everywhere. Only then will they fulfil the purpose for which they were established and truly work for a united world, (a world of peace).

Chiara Lubich

This thought was read by Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, during Connection on 28 September 2024. It can be seen by clicking here.

https://youtu.be/sDg3QiQgRVo?si=ZlfSYld_6zer0UW3&t=3413

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