Sep 28, 2018 | Non categorizzato
“Whatever you did to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me” (Mt 26:40). This sentence from the Gospel is the most definitive word on what a human being is. This definition is no less scandalous than Jesus declaring himself Son of God. In the name of their personal freedom, identity and uniqueness, human beings think that they have a right to contest the fact that they are so identified with Jesus Christ. Human beings want to be loved for themselves, for who they are, and not to be degraded as some sort of mask for Jesus. Human beings fear that the “bit more” of love that they receive out of love for Jesus might not take them into account, might rob them of the love they need and desire for themselves. But who could neglect their neighbours while trying to love Jesus in them (and in this way also neglect Jesus)? And who could claim that acknowledging the presence of Jesus in others means diminishing their human dignity; in that case they have not understood the presence of Jesus in their neighbours. Since Jesus has identified himself with humankind – God himself who is Love – he has also identified himself with every individual human being. But love is never an affirmation of oneself that consumes and annihilates others. It’s something that gives of itself, and, in its self-giving, provides others with the freedom to be themselves. Jesus never leaves me alone. He is on my side, he accepts me just as I am, and whatever concerns me, also concerns Him. I remain myself. Indeed, I become my fullest self precisely because I never remain alone. The mystery of Christ is the mystery of every human being. What does this mean for the people I meet, and what does it mean for me and my life? For what regards other people, it means that I am never dealing merely with a link in the chain, a cog in the wheel, or just a number in the huge numbers of people that exist. Each time I look upon a human face, I meet God in his unconditioned state, I encounter that voice that still declares over the face of every human being, what was said of Jesus during the Transfiguration on that mountaintop: “This is my beloved son!” (Mk 9:7). There are no exceptions… A human cannot rob itself of its ultimate reality. Whether he is a criminal or a scoundrel, I can never again write him off as a lost case. I encounter Christ in every person not because the person is good or deserving, not even because he or she draws upon the divine light in their personal lives, but because God has irrevocably adopted them as his own sons and daughters. Certainly the human being is immense because of the Divine life that he and she have let into their souls because of their personal choice to believe, which took place in baptism in the name of Jesus. Belonging to Jesus is something “automatic.” When a person is born, Christ has already assumed into himself that person’s living and dying, fault and self-inflicted wounds: everything is assumed into the life and death of Christ who gave his life for each one of us. This is why we encounter Jesus in every human being. And we encounter him in a particular way in the least, in those who seem to be farthest from Him, in the people in whom his face seems to be most overshadowed. Why? Because on the cross, during his abandonment by God, even becoming sin (2 Cor 5:21), Jesus identified himself with what is farthest from God, what seems most opposed to God. [It is only by] discovering Christ in our neighbours and giving to each of them that human love with which you turn towards every neighbour, with an indivisible love that is therefore directed to Christ himself, that will enable every neighbour to discover his and her own identity with Jesus, their own nearness to Jesus, being completely assumed by Him.” (From “Offene Weltformel”, by Klaus Hemmerle, Neue Stadt, 1970)
Sep 27, 2018 | Non categorizzato
Dates: 27, 28 and 29 October: workshop with young people 30 october: Concert From the Inside Outside – Conservatoire de la Ville de Luxembourg 31 october: Feedback GenVerde Tours
![Politics as a vocation]()
Sep 26, 2018 | Non categorizzato
The event saw the participation of members of the Italian parliament and the European Parliament, ambassadors, teachers, academics and many people who knew Giordani also through his writings. Promoted by the Focolare Movement with the Chiara Lubich Center, Igino Giordani Center and the political Movement for unity, for years now universities of the five continents, associations and local entities, have been supporting and sharing the fundaments of the cultural, social and political project, which are based on the vital encounter between Chiara Lubich and Giordani. We can thus say that the meeting in Rome was the expression of a long partnership and synergy amongst many. Upon opening the convention, Donato Falmi, Co-Director of the Focolare in Rome, read the greeting and message of the President of the Italian Republic to the Focolare President, Maria Voce: “…in expressing my appreciation for this initiative, aimed at nurturing the example of men and women who worked to promote the universal values of peace, brotherhood and solidarity, President Mattarella is conveying to you and the entire Focolare Movement, his best regards and greetings.” “I had the fortune of meeting Igino Giordani because in my youth,” affirmed Steni Di Piazza, Senator of Palermo. “I met the young people of the Focolare, and attended educational congresses with them. In July 1979, I met Igino Giordani and he told me that when he met Chiara, he felt something new. After many years I understood that with that phrase, Giordani was referring to politics in the fraternal cooperation and dignity of all the members. And maybe the vocation to politics began to grow in me after that meeting with Igino.” “This is a good moment to discuss and commemorate that 18 September of 70 years ago, in order to try to highlight those values that marked such an occasion,” underlined Stefano Fassina, Congressman of Rome. “Politics as a vocation should be felt and lived by every citizen, since every citizen is called to be responsible for the public good.” 
Going back to 18 September 1948, Giordani recounts the meeting with Chiara in his Memoirs: “I felt something new in the first words of that young lady. There was a note of deep and secure conviction which arose from a supernatural sentiment. So suddenly my curiosity was aroused and a fire inside me started to burn…” In that encounter Chiara brought with her the Ideal of unity. “She simply spoke about the divine adventure that had started a few years earlier in Trent, which already triggered the birth of a new Christian community,” Maria Voce affirmed in her speech. “From the beginning, the first focolare women and then the men, nurtured themselves on the Light of this Ideal, as also Igino Giordani, who Chiara spiritually fed through a prolific correspondence.” In the era of Catholic politics, Giordani was a leader. He not only worked in the Parliament but also in the Vatican. But the meeting with Chiara transformed him deeply. “He discovered unity in a new way, as the principle and value of human relationships, especially in politics,” stated the political scientist, Alberto Lo Presti. “That is, he understood that all the partial truths he had believed were decisive in doing good politics, were fulfilled in unity. (…) Unity is the banner of his political vocation.” Rocco Pezzimenti, Professor of the History of political doctrines in the Lumsa University of Rome reminds us of Giordani’s two publications: the first, published in 1949 entitled Dehumanism and the second, published in the 1960s, entitled The Two Cities, both of rare and also prophetic depth. Giordani clearly says that from St. Augustine, he acquired a fundamental characteristic: politics is not an improvised event. What occurs in politics is first developed interiorly.” “If there is a theme we should reflect on today, starting from that encounter between Igino and Chiara,” recalled Marina Sereni, former vice president of the House of Representatives – “it is precisely unity in politics today. And politics is a vocation if it centers on the Common Good, with those values which are not the property of one party, but which target unity.” Her words were shared by Beatrice Lorenzin, former Minister for Health, who affirmed how “Igino and Chiara were two masters in the history of the Italian Republic and who initiated something extraordinary. We need these reference points to help us make a dynamic and not hypocritical analysis.” Lastly, four testimonials. “The first time I heard about Giordani was in the summer of 1946,”recalls Congresswoman, Rosa Russo Iervolino, “when my parents were elected in the constituent assembly. Giordani’s interventions in the chamber were always respectful of the others but at the same time harsh in making the truth emerge. Giordani was so humble that his humility almost hid his intelligence which was dynamic and always popped up in other ways.” 
The following intervention was by Patience Lobe, first Cameroon woman to have been appointed in the Ministry as the Director of Public Works: “From the Focolare spirituality I learned coherence between life and words, and the importance of loving and serving the others. Having Chiara, a woman, as a model, gave me strength and courage, without ever making compromises. Chiara has opened my soul and intelligence to the Gospel.” To conclude, Luca Basile, President of the Town Council of Arzano in the province of Naples: “Thanks to the Focolare, I was able to live important experiences like cultural exchange and using it as a stimulus to my political commitment in the territory. My two predecessors resigned because the town council was dissolved due to mafia infiltration. You can fully understand how difficult it is to operate in such a territory, but we cannot lose hope when we have Chiara and Igino as our models.” “To implement what was generated from the encounter between Chiara Lubich and Giordani, we need to take upon us what the Country and humanity are going through,” affirmed Letizia De Torre, international coordinator of the Movement for Unity in Politics (MPPU). “May our commitment, imbued with the charism of Chiara Lubich, offer in a complex world, amazing possibilities for unity.” Lorenzo Russo
Sep 26, 2018 | Non categorizzato
The International Day established by the UN in 2013 reminds us of the necessity to totally eliminate nuclear weapons, to achieve the fundamental objective of peace and security. Atomic weapons, in fact, continue to represent an unacceptable menace to the world population. The date chosen by the UN recalls the evening of 26 September 1983, when the Soviet Colonel, Stanislav Petrov decided correctly, to retain as an error, the missile alarms from the Unites States that appeared on the screens, despite the contrary opinion of the technicians. Petrov chose, in the span of a few minutes, to not follow the procedure that would have led to the reaction of the Soviet Union with the launching of its own atomic bombs. The man who saved the world from a real nuclear holocaust, died in absolute anonymity in 2017, in a town not far from Moscow.
Sep 25, 2018 | Non categorizzato
A cloudy and humid day, and a sensation of emptiness. Only the day before I had celebrated my birthday, and made an ambitious wish: do all I can to make the new year shine as never before, imbuing each thing with love. I knew I would have had to start over again a thousand times, but I wanted to give my utmost. It was a sign of gratitude to Jesus for the gift of life. Not an isolated gift, but an intention valid for the entire year. He himself would have helped me. And yet, while going to an appointment, I felt that the cloudy sky was also inside me. I had allowed to silently creep into my heart a judgment of a brother who had once again disappointed me. It didn’t matter whether I was right or not. Inside me, charity was missing. I felt it with pain and I asked myself how I had gotten to that point. I came across a boy I often met. Dirty, stinky, with the usual bottle in hand. He was barefoot and shivering from the cold. He looked at me without a word. I greeted him courteously, thinking that in that way I was doing all I could, and continued my path. In that moment the Parable of the Good Samaritan came to mind. “Am I also like that Pharisee? Or do I let myself be challenged by that boy’s countenance of abandonment? I took off my sweater and went back. “Do you feel cold? “Yes, very” he answered. “Try on my sweater, let’s see if it fits.” He was so bewildered, but I almost didn’t dare touch him, since his hands really needed a good wash. “C’mon, try it on.” The size was perfect and his face seemed like that of a child on Christmas Eve. I greeted him and continued along my way, certainly feeling a bit cold, but happy. While waiting to meet my friend, a subtle voice spoke inside me. “What you did was nice, but what about that judgment you have?” “But Jesus – I answered – that person may not even have noticed it….” “But I did notice, I was in him.” One by one the arguments and excuses that came to mind were erased. Going home I decided to call him. A serene conversation, without any hard feeling on his part. Full unity was re-established, even if, to tell the truth, something inside me had snapped. A great, unmistakable peace invaded me. Two hours later, the doorbell rang. It was a dear friend, returning from his hometown with a gift for my birthday: a sweater! It was Jesus who was saying: “Raise the stakes!” From: “La vida se hace camino”, Urs Kerber, Ciudad Nueva Ed., Buenos Aires 2016, pp 41-42
