7 Sep 2018 | Non categorizzato
“The Old and the New Testaments form a single tree. The flowering comes about in the fullness of time, and the one flower is Mary. The fruit that follows from it is Jesus. The tree of humanity was created in the image of God. In the fullness of time, at the flowering, there comes about unity between heaven and earth, and the Holy Spirit weds Mary. We have therefore a single flower: Mary. And a single fruit: Jesus. But Mary, although she is one, is the whole creation in synthesis at the apex of its beauty when she is presented as bride to her Creator. […] Thus Mary is the flower blossoming upon the tree of humanity, born of God who created the first seed in Adam. She is daughter of God her son. Looking upon a small geranium plant that bloomed with a red flower, a question came to my mind and I asked: “Why are you flowering in red? Why do you change from green to red?” It seemed so strange to me! Today I understood that all of humanity flowers in Mary. Mary is the flower of humanity. She, the Immaculate – the Unstained One, is the flower of the ‘maculate’ – the stained. Sinful humanity flowers in Mary, the All Beautiful! And as the red flower is grateful to the small green plant, with its dirt-covered roots, that brought it to bloom; so is Mary because it was sin that constrained God into thinking of Mary. To her we owe our health; to us she owes her life.” Source: Chiara Lubich, Mary Flower of Humanity
5 Sep 2018 | Non categorizzato
“I remembered a phrase of my friend: ’The idea of God has to grow with us.’ I haven’t tried to understand something about God for a long time now. I really needed to find out from others who knew more than me.” Three years ago, Andrea, a university student left his homeland where he had a reference group in the parish, and moved to a big city. But here he didn’t immediately find a precise reference point for his faith. In the Congress he met many. “I am still searching and am discovering new aspects of this adventure, but I have certainties, strong points. One of these is surely the awareness that the road opened out before me is a community path, to be experienced with others. At times I forget this and so I need to be corrected, but inside me I know that it shall be this,” Nicolas confirmed. “Committed to the ‘We’” was an initiative that was held in Castel Gandolfo (31 August to 2 September) and promoted by the Diocesan and Parish Movements, branches of the Focolare Movement addressing the youths active in the local Church. These movements aim to irradiate the charism of unity in the parishes and dioceses in which they offer their services, and to work together with other ecclesial organisations in the building of a “Church of communion,” as aspired to in the Novo Millennio Ineunte, the Apostolic Letter John Paul II addressed to the priests and all the laity, at the end of the grand jubilee of 2000. For this purpose, it promotes and nurtures an ever deeper unity of the faithful around the parish priests and bishops cooperating in the various dioceses and promoting a new evangelisation in the parishes, according to a community style. 
“We chose this title – the organisers pointed out – to contribute in fulfilling what Pope Francis often invites us to do: pass from the ’I’ to the ’we,’ through a community discernment which helps us to grow and make common decisions. During the days they spent together, the participants discussed their own faith, but above all the mission they feel called to, that of spreading the ’good news’ of the Gospel. The life experience based on the spirituality of Chiara Lubich acted as a background, since every charism of God is for the entire Church and humanity. The methodology was the culture of encounter: taking time to get to know one another and being together, to feel as ’people of God,’ a community in which one can grow, helped by those who are moving on with us.” The experience of the congress is fully part of the path towards the bishops’ Synod on the youths, to be held next October. “The words that Pope Francis said?? to the Italian youths gathered together last 11 August in Rome resounded strongly in us: ‘Do not be content with the cautious steps of those who settle down at the end of the line.’ We need courage to risk a leap ahead, a courageous and fearless leap to dream and fulfil, like Jesus, the kingdom of God, and commit ourselves to a more brotherly humanity. We need brotherhood: take the risk, and move ahead!”
4 Sep 2018 | Non categorizzato
Emigrants We live in a country unwilling to welcome migrants. One day, while talking about this topic in our family where we try to live the words of Jesus, we realized that even the marginalized are emigrants. Not long after, we learned of a boy who came from the world of drugs and had no one to take care of him. So we welcomed him into our home until he got stabilized, overcoming his addiction and finding a job. Even later we stayed in contact with him. Now he’s a happy father, with a happy family. R. H. – Hungary The Granary Old and childless, Marie spent many afternoons with us. One day, alluding to the barn behind our house, she told us that she would be happy to live there. We talked about it with our children and decided to make her happy. After obtaining the necessary permits, we transformed the granary into a little house connected to ours by an internal door. Not only for Marie, but for our whole family a door has opened, a new way of understanding the solitude of so many people. We feel genuinely enriched. C. J. B. – Belgium Shining For many years I have been paralyzed and bed-ridden. Last Thursday two members of the Focolare came to see me, which gave me great joy. Later, they told a friend of mine that they had found me “shining” and their comment surprised me very much. I thanked God, asking him to help me to always be like that. The next day I woke up with severe back pain. It was an opportunity to stay “shining” even in suffering. The same thing happened a few days later. This is the attitude I try to have now, even if I don’t always succeed, at least I try. N. P. – Venezuela The Milk Amidst the difficult economic conditions across the country, everything was being rationed and markets were empty. Due to a severe bone decalcification, Rosa needed to drink a lot of milk, but it was hard to find. One day a neighbour went to her house, asking for some milk for her baby who had not been drinking for days. Rosa immediately offered her what was left in the bottle, despite her own children’s protests. Just before evening, eight litres of milk arrived. With tears in her eyes, Rosa exclaimed: “God never allows himself to be outdone in generosity!” M. C. – Mexico The Mother-in-Law Rosita and I had taken in my mother-in-law who was living in a home for the elderly and had problems walking. My sister-in-law was with us too. Grateful for the beautiful sunny day, we went for a walk and to have breakfast at a restaurant in the square of a neighboring village. There was an atmosphere of joy and harmony among us. When we asked for the bill, we were told that it had already been paid by another customer who admired the way we cared for the elderly. My mother-in-law, Felice, confirmed it. R. Switzerland
31 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
“In 1984, I was with a group of bishops who came from a number of different Churches. We visited the Basilica of Saint Sofia in Istanbul and were very impressed by this imposing building which seemed to tangibly embody the history of the Church and of humankind. This building dates back to the time of ancient Christianity, to a time when Christians were united and Asia Minor was the centre of the Christian world: it is also the very building where unity was broken through the division between the East and the West. In the sections of the dome that were visible, we saw enormous inscriptions taken from the Koran – a sign of the domination of another religion over lacerated Christianity. There were several signs saying “Prayer is forbidden” right in front of us. It was a museum in which people were wandering around with cameras and binoculars admiring the artistic treasures. The absence of religion in a place that had previously been so sacred was terrible. We felt overwhelmed by this sequence of events: unity, unity broken, the diversity of religious faith, no religion at all. We gazed around in search of help when, all of a sudden, we saw it! Above the dome, quietly glistening, there was an ancient mosaic of Mary offering her Son. Looking at it, I clearly understood that this is the Church: to simply be here and be the first to generate God, that God who seems to be absent. I understood “Theotokos” – the mother of God, the one who generates God – in a completely new way. I understood that we cannot organise faith in the world. If no one wants to hear about God any longer, we cannot hammer on saying “Woe to you!” We just have to be there and be the first to bring the light of God to the world, that God that seems to be absent. We cannot “create” God but we can only shed light upon him; we can’t use argument to prove that God exists but we can be the chalice that contains him, the heaven from which he almost imperceptibly shines forth. I understood not only our task in the Church but also how the Church exists in the figure of Mary and Mary exists in the figure of the Church – how both the figure and the reality are the same.” Klaus Hemmerle, Partire dall’unità. La Trinità e Maria, pp. 124, 125.
31 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
“Holy Father, you can truly count on our full unity and fervid prayer facing these attacks aimed at discrediting your person and your action of renewal,” Maria Voce wrote these words in a letter that was sent to Pope Francis on August 30th in which she expressed prayer and support, following the various attacks that have recently been levelled against him. The Focolare president expressed gratitude to the Holy Father for the recent World Meeting of Families held in Ireland which, among other things, highlighted the rapport that was established between the Pope and those who attended. On behalf of the whole Focolare Movement, Maria Voce acknowledged the Pope’s heartfelt and repeated request for forgiveness from the families of the victims, and also the way his message of love was embraced. “In every wound of the Church and of humanity,” Mary Voce says, “we recognized the crucified and abandoned Christ, and, together with you, we look at Mary in order to live with courage your example as authentic disciples.” Finally, Maria Voce thanked the Pope for his recent “Letter to the People of God” which, in addition to expressing the solicitude and love of the Holy Father for humanity, indicates “how to share in the “cry” that rises to Heaven from those who suffered and still suffer, as well as how to work so that such evils are not perpetuated. Let us embrace both his words and his concern.”
30 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
The World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is celebrated every year on 1 September which is running its 13th edition this year. The initiative started among the Orthodox Churches to which other Christian Churches adhered in their commitment to rediscover ecumenical cooperation in the care of creation. In 2015, also the Catholic Church joined the call to all of mankind to take up their responsibility towards creation and the safeguard of the lives of all the peoples of the earth. In 2017, in a gesture to seal this common commitment, Pope Francis and the ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople signed a document which states among other things, that: “ the human and natural environments are deteriorating together, and this degradation of the planet weighs on the more vulnerable people. The impact of climate change affects, above all, those living in poverty in every corner of the globe. Our duty to use the assets of the earth responsibly implies the recognition and respect of every person and all the living creatures. The urgent call and challenge to take care of creation is an invitation to all of humanity to work for a sustainable and integral development. […] We are convinced that there cannot be a genuine and long-lasting solution to the challenge of ecological crises and climate changes without a united and collective response, and without a shared responsibility that can give an account of the actions taken, giving priority to solidarity and services.”
