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Between heaven and earth

Between heaven and earth

14 Sep 2018 | Non categorizzato

© Ave Cerquetti, ‘Crocifissione’ – Lienz (Austria) 1975

“Mary did not faint at the foot of the cross, but raised her eyes and heart to the Father. She offered him her Son, as a pledge of the re-established pact and as the guarantee of the change achieved, as a precious offering, a priceless sacred host. She stood between heaven and earth: Mary of sorrows, the desolate one, the woman who was suffering the most. However, unbowed by tragedy and aware of the service to be given by the handmaid of the Lord to his children, she stood there like a priest at the altar, the altar of the cross, to offer to eternal justice, in adoration, her innocent son, sacrificed for all. Her brave resistance held firm later, too, when the soldiers took down the body from the cross. They placed him in her arms and went away, with the rest of the crowd, into the alleys and sleep laden houses of the dark night. By the light of the few remaining lamps and the first stars, in the silence that had fallen on the completed tragedy, she remained alone, continuing her offering to the Father of that innocent victim, the Son without compare. She held him her arms immediately after his death, just as she had held him in her arms, the child beloved of angels, in her arms immediately after his birth in Bethlehem. Having come into the world to be held in a virgin’s hands, he had left this life in a virgin’s hands. Virgo altare Christi [Virgin altar of Christ]. Then, he was new-born, now he had just died: that was the price with which he ransomed all from suffering, the result of the fault. This is the sublime attitude of the Christian virgin who, being rooted in God, does not fear. How often has the persecuted Church – Christ the victim – been gathered into the arms of humble and strong virgins, while around them most people fled and hid away! Virgins, whether consecrated or not, and mothers with virginal hearts, and a few men, who follow John’s example, have often witnessed the renewed butchery of Calvary and kept the mystical Christ alive in their hearts. Trusting in God, Mary offers the Son to the Father, handing him back, to identify herself with his will. In that moment, her graceful feminine form stood straight, like an altar, on which her son was sacrificed for all, the unblemished lamb. Hers is the faith of a priest who makes sacrifices at a tragic hour, the most decisive of all the hours that ever struck as the world went on. St Augustine taught that every soul is virgin, in so far as they are part of the Church which is virgin. This mystery connects us with Mary’s desolation, because it unites us to the passion of Jesus; a passion which virginises repentant souls, gathered at the foot of the cross with Mary’s heart. Mary at the foot of the cross, who offers her Son to the Father, incarnates the universal priesthood of the Church. She fulfils its first deed, which the Church never ceases to repeat. She incarnates the Church and is a symbol of the Church, (it too virgin and mother) which continues the work of Mary, united with that of Jesus. Right from the start, the Church was compared to Mary, so as to signify its beauty and purity, and at the same time its nature and mission. The Church was almost seen as the Virgin Mary present in the universe to lead all souls to Christ. The Church repeats the unique beauty of Mary’s virginity, to start anew, unceasingly, the redemptive work of Christ.” Igino Giordani, Maria modello perfetto, [Mary, model of perfection] Città Nuova, Roma, 2012, pp.139-141

Islamic New Year

11 Sep 2018 | Non categorizzato

This year’s Islamic New Year’s is celebrated on September 12th, the first month of the Muharram calendar, (المحرم in Arabic), and one of the four holy months of the year. According to some, this feast celebrates the passing of Moses as he fled from Pharoah through the Red Sea. Others say that Adam and Eve, Heaven and hell and life and death were created on the tenth day of Muharram. This feast is celebrated in different parts of the Sunni world, such as North Africa where it has a particularly joyous character. The Shiites fast during the first ten days of Muharram; whereas for the Shunni, it is a voluntary fast as it is for Ramadan.

Chiara Lubich’s prophetic vision for society

Chiara Lubich’s prophetic vision for society

10 Sep 2018 | Non categorizzato

“…On the day set by you, God, I will come towards you… I will come towards you, my God (…) with my wildest dream: to bring you the world in my arms.” (The Cry, New City Press). Ten years after Chiara’s death we are once more astonished by the prophetic vision for society of this extraordinary woman who, with her ideal of “may they all be one” (Jn 17:21) starting from her own town of Trent, reached the whole world. However, one cannot understand her prophetic nature without considering the historical context in which she was born and lived, and her sharing in the destiny of humanity. She was born in Trent, an existential periphery with great historical and social significance; she experienced poverty and the tragedy of world wars. Set amongst the affairs of her day, a specific charism began to manifest itself in her, the charism of unity: “Above all, each of us must keep our gaze fixed on the One Father of many children, and then consider all people as children of that One Father. Our thoughts and affections should always go beyond every human limitation and acquire the habit of aiming constantly towards being on family in our one Father: God.” In these notes, written on the 2nd December 1946, it is possible to grasp key pillars in Chiara Lubich’s prophetic vision for society. In fact, Chiara was not a social reformer, just as Jesus was not one. Her dream in fact aims higher and goes into greater depth, to the anthropological and theological foundation underlying any kind of social reform: one universal family and unity as envisaged by the man-God, Jesus. This is why we could say that the first social project that Chiara founded was in fact the first community of the Focolare that began in Trent immediately after the war. This community took the words of the Acts of the Apostles literally Acts 2:42-48). They practiced a radical communion of goods and did all they could to care for the poor and the thousands of suffering people the war had left in its wake. This underlying experience has never been lost. Indeed, it is the inspiration behind all the activities and social projects that have been undertaken over the years by Chiara herself and all those who, in following her, have made their own the Ideal of unity. In all of this Chiara’s human and ecclesial genius is clear. Her human genius is clear in the context of resolving social problems. Despite appearances and technological progress there is a scandalous and growing number of people all over the world who are deprived, marginalised and forced to flee or migrate. These ever more serious social problems are the outcomes of iniquitous systems and a type of globalisation put at the service of the dominant powers in this world. Resolving these problems does not in fact depend, according to the most enlightened minds of both past and present, on sociological strategies and actions effective only at the most superficial levels of human reality (accepting that these are relevant and necessary) but rather they are resolved through the fundamental options and the deeper values that motivate consciences. Chiara’s ecclesial genius is evident because the Church’s mission cannot be summed up in charity and care for the least (however necessary they are). Rather its mission is to proclaim, in the light of the incarnation of the Word of God, the dignity of each and every person as a child of God.Without these two driving forces, the anthropological and the ecclesial, we cannot grasp the true social dimension of Chiara Lubich’s charism, which is informed by an intrinsic sociality that develops into life, action and study (see the Social Schools of the Sophia University Institute). What are the practical consequences of this perspective, for all of us? If we want it, a story is awaiting us. We too have a story ahead of us. Chiara takes us out of anonymity to make us the main characters in a dream: all of us are main characters, no one is excluded. Guislain Lafont, a great Dominican theologian, speaks of the “principle of littleness” that in his opinion sums up the practical philosophy of Pope Francis. It concerns the belief that “salvation comes from below rather than from above”. Chiara knew how to apply this “principle of littleness” magnificently, in commitment to true social renewal, set in motion by the paradigm of unity. This is her greatness. From: Italian New City n. 6, June 2018

Jewish New Year

10 Sep 2018 | Non categorizzato

On 10-11 September, the Jewish communities worldwide celebrate the festival of the Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year of the year 5779, with festivities starting on the eve, 9 September. “The atmosphere of the feast – explained the UCEI, Union of Italian Jewish Communities – differs greatly from that in force in the ’civil’” New Year. It is considered a day of reflection, introspection, self-examination and spiritual renewal. It is the day on which, according to tradition, the Lord examines all of mankind and takes into account the good or bad deeds each has done in the previous year.” In fact, the Talmud says, “During Rosh Hashanah all creation is judged before the Lord.” It is not by chance that in Jewish tradition it is also called “Yom HaDin,” Day of Judgement.  Divine justice will be sealed on the day of Kippur, Day of Atonement. These two dates are separated by seven days which sum up to two of the Rosh Hashanah, and those of Kippur are the so-called “ten days of penance.” Rosh Hashanah regards the single individual, the relationship one has with one’s neighbour and with God, and each one’s intentions to improve.”