Maria Voce: help save the world with love

18 Jul 2020 | Non categorizzato

What have we learned from the pandemic? Which tools can we use to build a new world? What specific contribution can each of us make? From Maria Voce’s spontaneous words to a Focolare community in Italy on 16^th July. For a number of years, July 16^th has been a double celebration for the Focolare communities around the world. It’s the anniversary of the special pact of unity between Chiara Lubich and Igino Giordani in 1949 and also the birthday of Focolare President, Maria Voce. Once again this year the celebration became an opportunity for spontaneous and informal dialogue – in which Maria Voce spoke from her heart about the meaning of that special day, about the life of the Focolare in recent months and the contribution the charism of unity can make at this crucial time for humanity. She had received many greetings, good wishes and much affection from all over the world and for this reason she wanted, and wants, to thank each person in a special way. We publish below part of what she said, with extracts from amateur video footage of that occasion. “… The pandemic has taught us a great lesson, hasn’t it? We must recognise this. It has made us suffer and is still making us suffer. We don’t know how many painful consequences will still come from this pandemic, do we? But it has also been a great lesson. The main lesson was telling us ‘you are all equal’. You are all equal: whether rich or poor, powerful or wretched, children, adults, immigrants … you are all equal. That’s the first thing. Second: even though you are all equal, some people are suffering more than others despite this equality. So what makes you all equal? You are all equal because God made you all equal. You are very different from each other but you are all his children. You have all been created by him with the same love, a great love. Then human beings came and began to differentiate between people, and we keep on doing this. So, yes to one person, no to another; one person is worth more, another less. This person can give me something, but that one can’t; this person is exploiting me, that one isn’t … and we start differentiating between people. What happens when we do that? The result is that there are some countries where hospitals are well-equipped and countries where they are not. There are countries where there are enough masks for everyone and others where there are not. There are places, even here in Italy, with very good internet connection and where distance schooling is possible, and other places that don’t have it. So we are all equal before God but not all equal in the eyes of other people, where real care for all is not there.  Does this hold true for us too? Perhaps I too am more willing to spend time with one person than with another and I differentiate between one person and another. I’ve seen this too and so am I really living the pact if I am like that, the pact that tells us to be ready to die for one another, not only for people I like, but any person at all? Today people are saying we must create a new world, a new humanity. Everyone says that a new world must be created. However, in a small way, Chiara made a new world. Chiara’s family scattered across the globe is already a new world, at least in a small way. Of course it’s just a start, a model, a small sign, but it shows that it is possible. So, if it has been possible for this little group (which is only relatively little because it numbers hundreds of thousands around the world) to do this in a small way, I ask, is this little people, Chiara’s people, ready to tell everyone that a new world is possible? It is possible: we must be convinced that it is possible and remember the thought for today, “Believe in the power of love.” So, first of all, let’s believe that love is a powerful force. Have we experienced it? Yes, we have experienced it very often. But now, it has diminished a little; the thermometer of love has gone down. Let’s put some more mercury in the thermometer and make it rise. Let’s increase the amount of love in the world and you’ll see that everything else will rise up. We will be a reality that goes through the world doing good to all. And we’ll do this without having to say, “You know, we do things in this way; come with us because we are like this.” No, we are who we are; we are just like the others; we are poor wretches like everyone else, but we live in paradise and we don’t want to leave this paradise. But we want to be with others. We don’t want stay among ourselves in paradise. We want to bring this paradise to others and not keep it for ourselves, because it’s comfortable … and let the world get lost. No! The world must be saved; we must help save the world with our love.”

“We are living a time of grace!”

14 Mar 2020 | Non categorizzato

Jesús Morán, Co-president of the Focolare Movement, in his homily during the Mass celebrated behind closed doors and transmitted via streaming shared the following thoughts: (…) In these last few weeks, which have also been during Lent, a thought overwhelmed my soul: the vanity of all things, the insecurity of our ability to deeply understand reality, life and the course of history. In fact, it only took a virus, a non-cellular microorganism, to put in jeopardy all our great reasoning and our security, our economic plans, our political strategies; to trigger panic worldwide and highlight the woes of so-called globalization. As a newspaper headlined a few days ago, using football jargon: Coronavirus 1 – Globalization 0. That is the sad truth. When thinking about the things that have been written in recent years on the phenomenon of culture in our times, the countless analyses and counter-analyses about the evolution of history and so on, I felt dismay and an almost paralyzing sadness. But it was then that I made a formidable rediscovery: Revelation, the Word of God addressed to humanity in human words and intelligence; the thought of God expressed in human words about the depths of life and history; a breath of understanding. In fact, I think that only the Word of God can provide us with answers for the period we are living in, because it alone preserves an eternal wisdom that goes beyond the times without losing its meaning. In the light of Revelation we realize something as overwhelming as it is paradoxical: that we are living a time of grace. Wisdom! This is the right solution. This is indeed the time of wisdom, a time for wisdom; a vision of reality that moves on other tracks, which is extremely imperative and indispensable today. (…) Wisdom that leads to an understanding of reality enlightened by love and that, precisely for this reason, triggers a formidable movement of living as one family. Truly God can do prodigious things, even in the midst of evil. He defeats it with his plan of love. Chiara’s life spanned almost a century and she lived it like a river of wisdom that watered the earth. She was attentive to the events of history and did not stop at what was on the surface of things, but went into depth and looked above to draw on the thought and vision of God and from God. That is why she paid no attention to anything but His Word. Unity, in fact, is God’s plan for humanity; it is the testament of Jesus, the Incarnate Word. Now we can see how much this word, unity, because it is anchored in Revelation, goes beyond the passing events, times and eras of history. It represents a vision of meaning that involves the past, present and future. It is a prophetic perspective that can activate the best energies of men and women of all latitudes, cultures, ethnicities and social conditions. Strengthened in unity we can transform the “globalization of indifference” into the “globalization of fraternity”. The match is not over. Of one thing we are certain: God’s mercy will triumph.

Emergency Coronavirus

22 Feb 2020 | Non categorizzato

The Focolare Movement recommends adopting scrupulously the precautionary and safety measures stipulated by the health authorities of each country Following the detection of cases of Coronavirus infection (COVID-19) also in Italy, the International Centre of the Focolare Movement, having its headquarters in Italy and being the organizer and venue of events attended by people from many countries, invites the great Focolare family around the world to handle this health emergency with the required caution and with a great sense of responsibility in view both of personal health and the common good. In particular, the Focolare Movement recommends adopting scrupulously the precautionary and safety measures stipulated by the health authorities of each country and carefully following the relevant communications. With regard to events organized at the International Centre, the Centre itself is in close contact with the local health and civil authorities to follow developments and take the necessary measures. The International Centre recommends doing the same with regard to large events in other countries. However, what remains valid is the invitation made by Maria Voce (Emmaus) on 1st February, to have – precisely as a worldwide Focolare family – an unconditional love for everyone, a love “that makes no differences between people, and is fearless. Because even a person who can give you the infection is still your brother or sister and you must take care of him or her”.

Gospel living: finding joy again

27 May 2019 | Non categorizzato

The Risen Jesus invites to go beyond ourselves, our frail insecurities and our borders Passing the test You could hear the noise of a fight between two students down the hallway where, waiting to take a test, I was pacing back and forth nervously. I had the idea to go and calm them down, but I held back because I worried that I’d be called and marked as absent. Better to leave that to others… But the shouts kept getting louder, and I could not just be indifferent to my neighbour, which is something important to me. A moment later I ran down to separate the two and have them cool down. Coming back upstairs, after a while I heard my name called. In the study hall I answered all the questions and passed. A passed exam – and I hadn’t failed the other one, either. (Antonio, Italy) In the convent Following a few enthusiastic years after I entered the convent, a feeling that I was living a life without affection, almost without kindness, crept up within me. One day while I was recovering at the hospital, I was completely alone, while all the other sick people around me were surrounded by tenderness and affection. Later, stressed at having made a big mistake with my life, I centred myself in prayer and understood that God had entrusted me with a mission to be a source for others of that affection that I was looking for myself. When I returned, I was “healed” – I had the strength to begin again. And things were not like they had been before! (G. d. G., Slovenia) Technology My husband is interested in all the latest technology, but some devices leave me feeling hopeless, and I am slow to adapt to what’s new. Over time I began to feel inferior, and he would exacerbate it by pointing out what I didn’t understand and even making fun of me in front of our children. This ended with me throwing out my mobile phone and closing myself off in silence. It was my oldest son who explained to his father that something wasn’t right and, as an example, he reminded him that I had been to the doctor and he hadn’t even asked me how the visit had gone, adding, “If your tech distracts you so much, why did you want a family?” When my husband came to apologise shortly after, I told him we should be grateful for the children we have. (E. d. F., Slovakia) Divorce When our daughter confided to us that she was close to divorce, we once again decided to share her pain, doubts, problems, without judging. We would often call her on the phone so she wouldn’t feel alone. When she came to our house with her children for a few days, we welcomed her with extra affection. Having returned home after those few days, she called to say that she no longer wanted to go ahead with divorce proceedings and wanted to do her part to rebuild her marriage. (J. S., USA)

Chiara Favotti