I have found you in so many places, Lord! I have felt you throbbing in the perfect stillness of a little Alpine church, in the shadow of the tabernacle of an empty cathedral, in the breathing as one soul of a crowd who loves you and who fills the arches of your church with songs and love. I have found you in joy. I have spoken to you beyond the starry firmament, when in the evening, in silence, I was returning home from work. I seek you and often I find you. But where I always find you is in suffering. A suffering, any sort of suffering, is like the sound of a bell that summons God’s bride to prayer. When the shadow of the cross appears the soul recollects itself in the tabernacle of its heart and forgetting the tinkling of the bell it “sees” you and speaks to you. It is you who come to visit me. It is I who answer you: “Here I am, Lord, I desire you, I have desired you.” And in this meeting my soul does not feel its suffering, but is as if inebriated with your love: suffused with you, imbued with you: I in you and you in me, that we may be one. And then I reopen my eyes to life, to the life less real, divinely drilled to wage your war. Chiara LubichEssential Writings New City Press 2007 p. 91
This past March 25th was the 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome, which gave rise in concrete terms to the “community of peoples” which Robert Schuman had already so clearly envisaged. In fact, on the 7th May 1950, he had suggested to Konrad Adenauer a “solidarity in coal and steel production”, which would make any form of war impossible between France, Germany and other countries that would have joined. It was an extraordinary step to reconcile peoples shattered by the most terrible conflict ever experienced.Europe had been devastated and over 35 million people had died. There was not only physical destruction but social, political and moral destruction too. There was absence of law, public order and public services. At the time, it would already have been an achievement to secure borders and maintain the peace agreements. How, then, could they imagine such a deep healing of wounds as to bring together many opposing peoples into one European people? Who inspired Schuman, Adenauer, De Gasperi and others? We would like to believe that God gave the ideas and the strength for Europe. God had shown his love for people to the point of dying a terrible and shameful death for them. He had identified himself with all the pain of humanity, including those resulting from violence and wars. Today too, God urges peoples to be reconciled and become a single universal family. The founders of Europe had their own experience. They did not allow themselves to be crushed by the absurdity of evil, by inhuman dictatorships, by conflict and the Shoah. Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement, spoke of the culture that arises from profound reconciliation: “…every person can give his or her particular contribution in each field, whether it is in science, the arts, politics, communications or other areas. Each will be more effective if he or she works together with others united in the name of Christ. It is the incarnation that continues, the complete incarnation that encompasses all the members of the Mystical Body of Christ. This gives rise to and extends what we could call the “culture of Resurrection” in the world: the culture of the Risen Lord, of the new Person and in Him, of a new humanity.[1] If this was to some extent the adventure of Europe’s founders, we can – and I would say we must – aspire to continue their work. All of us are called to this. The unity of European peoples is a path to be followed simultaneously in the fields of education, culture and spirituality; and also in politics, economics, social structures and communications. Here, therefore, are some further steps that could be taken: First, we Christians are asked not only to be reconciled but also to pursue a path of shared witness, one that has recently seen historic meetings at Lund, Sweden; in Lesbos, Greece; in Cuba. All of us have the task to enable steps towards full and visible communion, knowing how decisive this will be for the unity of Europe and to better serve humanity. We also want to extend our vision to the whole of Europe – from the Atlantic to the Urals – and this means mutual recognition of values and contexts that allow collaboration between North and South, East and West. Wars, totalitarian regimes and injustices have left wounds that need healing. If we truly want to build European unity, we must be able to recognise that what we are today is the outcome of a shared history and a European destiny that we must fully own. If, then, as a result, relationships can be renewed between the European Union and European countries that are not part of the Union, this would already be an important step ahead for peace, especially in the Middle East. In Europe, there is a great need for citizens to be fully engaged in the life of their cities and of the whole continent. This means, in other words, giving new life to democracy, which began in Europe but today needs a new dimension, one that is more incisive, more engaging, more suited to our times. Furthermore, in a European context that is both multicultural and multifaith there is great need for a new capacity for dialogue. Dialogue can be founded on the “Golden Rule” which says, “Treat others as you would have them treat you”[2] (Cf Lk 6:31), a rule shared by the world’s major religions and accepted by those who do not have religious beliefs. Additionally, it will be necessary to review and apply the motto chosen for the European Union “unity and diversity” also at the level of institutions. It would be a gift for peoples in other continents who are seeking ways to unite. The founding fathers never envisaged Europe as closed in on itself, but instead they saw it open to the unity of the entire human family. It is particularly meaningful to be able to reaffirm this here in Malta, the southernmost European state, set by its very vocation, food and language, in the Mediterranean. From being a watery graveyard this sea must become once more “Mare nostrum” for a united Europe, Africa and Middle East. Many ongoing international crises give us a clear picture of the long road ahead in order truly to reach this goal. Chiara Lubich also said, “What is needed, then, is patient study, what is needed is wisdom. Above all, we mustn’t forget that ‘Someone’ is following our history, Someone who desires – if we collaborate in good will – to fulfil His plan of love for our continent and for the entire world.”[3] We can conclude that it is certainly worthwhile spending our whole lives for such a high goal. My wish is that this Forum may contribute to establishing: “Europe – a family of peoples” which, according to Pope Francis, is “A Europe capable of giving birth to a new humanism based on three capacities: the capacity to integrate, the capacity for dialogue and the capacity to generate.”[4] Maria Voce President of the Focolare Movement Malta – St John’s Cathedral, 7 May 2017 ____________________________________________ [1] Chiara Lubich, 23rd September 2006, “Jesus Forsaken and the Collective and Cultural Night”, to the Ecumenical Meeting of Bishops. [2] Lk 6:31 Do to others as you would have them to do you”. [3] Chiara Lubich to the European Movement in Spain, Madrid, 3rd December 2002. [4] Address of Pope Francis, Conferral of the Charlemagne Prize, 6th May 2016.
“Contemplating the immensity of the universe, the extraordinary beauty and power of nature, my mind rose spontaneously to the Creator of it all, to a new sort of understanding of the immensity of God. It made a new and strong impression on me; I felt like falling on my knees to adore, praise, and glorify God. I felt a great need of this, as if it were my actual vocation. It was as if my eyes had been opened, to understand as never before who it is that we have chosen as our ideal; or rather, who has chosen us. I saw that he is so great, so great, so great, that it seemed impossible that he thinks of us. This impression of God’s immensity stayed in my heart for several days. Now, saying, “Hallowed be thy name,” or “Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,” is different for me: it has become a need of the heart. (Rocca di Papa, 22.1.87) “… Contemplating perhaps an endless stretch of sea, a high mountain range, an impressive glacier or the night sky dotted with stars. What majesty! The immensity of it! And through the dazzling splendour of nature, we would find our way to its author: God, the King of the universe, the Lord of the galaxies, the Infinite. … He is everywhere: beneath the sparkle of a glittering stream, within the blossoming of a flower, in a bright dawn or a red sunset, on a snow-covered peak. Nature is rarely preserved in our concrete cities, built by human hands in the midst of the noise of the world. Yet, if we want, a glimpse of blue sky between the skyscraper peaks is enough to remind us of God; a ray of sunlight, which does not fail to pierce even through the bars of a prison, is enough; a flower is enough, a meadow, a child’s face. … This will help us go back into the midst of humanity, which is where we belong, strengthened, as Jesus certainly was when having prayed all night to the Father on the mountainside under the starry sky, he went back among people to do good. (Mollens, 22.9.88) From Chiara Lubich – “Cercando le cose di lassù” [Seeking the things that are above]– Città Nuova Editrice, Roma 1992, pagg. 5 – 111,112.
Ecumenism is important for peace. Can you explain why and how? “Ecumenism is important for peace because ecumenism is unity. Unity is peace. Unity means being one heart and one soul. It means loving. It means sharing belongings, sorrows, joys. This is what generates peace. What is peace? Peace is not the absence of bombardments. It’s not just a signed truce. This is not what peace is all about. Peace is the unity of hearts. Ecumenism serves to build and to spread this union of hearts and therefore it serves peace; it takes peace ahead. When Christians show they are united, they certainly have more impact. Together they can embark on peace initiatives, especially since peace is continually threatened. They can help put into practice the sharing of goods in the world, give help to those who flee from war-torn countries in search of a better life, show welcome. But they can only help if they are united. And if they are united, they can instigate the necessary steps for the realization of peace filled.” What contribution does Pope Francis give to the ecumenical movement and what kind of style is he communicating to the Churches? “I saw his commitment the very first moment he appeared on the balcony when he presented himself to the world as the Bishop of Rome. It was the Pope’s first contribution to the ecumenical journey of the Churches. His is an ongoing commitment; this is evident in his desire to reform the Church by leading it towards greater collegiality and participation, both of the pastors and of the faithful, as well as in engendering mutual humility and acknowledgment of the past errors. It’s a process that goes in the direction of the ecumenical journey.” The participants at the Ecumenical Week 2017 attended the General Audience at the Vatican, during which Pope Francis spoke of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as a the one who remained alongside her son throughout his Passion. Is Mary a model of the ecumenical journey? “I would say ‘yes’, because Mary is a mother; she was the Mother of God and Mother of Jesus and, therefore, mother of all human beings. And surely a mother wants to see her children united. She tries her best to bring her children together, to help them recognize that God had come down from heaven for them. She wants them to love one another, not to quarrel or speak badly about each other; she helps them find new ways to understand each other. Mary gives us a hand in this. And then I believe that Mary helps us to remain standing underneath the cross, through the example of her own desolation. It seems to me that there, underneath the cross, she herself lost her greatest treasure and she wants to teach us to lose something too, to lose the richness which every Church has in order to embrace the richness of all the others. If Mary was able to lose her Son, the we can lose an idea, the recollection of past wounds, which we still carry within us, in order to be builders of unity.” Interview by M. Chiara Biagioni – Source: S.I.RSee Part 1
“The Revolution of the Gospel. A return to the Gospel and the Life of the Gospel in the World.” The putting into practice of the Word of God today as the early Christians did, contains therein the ecumenical journey that began 50 years ago by Chiara Lubich and taken ahead by the Focolare Movement all over the world. It is a journey in which Christians of all Churches fully partake in as seeds of peace in a world wounded by wars and divisions. Maria Voce, president of the Focolare Movement spoke about this recently. We met her at a press conference with journalists of various newspapers, at the end of the 59th Ecumenical Week, which took place at the international Mariapolis Centre in Castel Gandolfo during 11-13 May. The hall was jam packed. There were about 700 Christians belonging to 69 Churches and ecclesial communities, from 40 countries around the world. The translation booths were in full swing with 17 different language interpreters. The participants were of all ages and races, and the clothes they wore showed their different backgrounds and affiliations. A highlight of the Ecumenical Week was the recital of the prayer for unity in the Catacombs of St Sebastian in Rome, in the very place where the first Christians and martyrs used to meet. Here, they made the so-called ‘Pact of Mutual Love’ through the exchange of the sign of peace, asking forgiveness for the harm inflicted in the past and so that “renewed by love, we take this witness lived between us to our communities in our countries, and in our society”. “We have built so much together,” commented Maria Voce. “Now it is about accelerating the pace, so that communion is full and visible. We need to go forward.” The world yearns for universal brotherhood as never before. Do you think it is possible? Is it possible in this century?“I know it’s possible, though I can be sure it will happen in this century. One thing is certain that we will reach this goal, because it is God’s wish. God wants the whole human family to be a family of brothers and sisters. And if God wants it, then this plan of unity for humankind will be fulfilled. Perhaps it won’t succeed in this century. But what’s important is that that we take the steps that God asks of us today, and today God asks us to work in this direction and as Christians to at least recognize each other as brothers and sisters. In the ecumenical world, one perceives the suffering of Christians belonging to different Churches of not being able to participate in the same Eucharistic celebration. How do you respond? “It’s undoubtedly a suffering for everything. However, we believe that the presence of Jesus in the world is not limited to a Eucharistic presence. Jesus is present in the world in so many ways. He is present with his love; he is present in the people around us because we recognise Jesus in every neighbour; he is present in the poor, in those who guide us in the Church’s magisterium, and in the various Churches and institutions. We, as the Focolare Movement, feel that two things are particularly important. The first is that suffering is the presence of Jesus in the world. Jesus has taken upon himself all the sufferings of humanity, and hence the pain of division. It is a suffering that Jesus himself endured when he was crucified and abandoned. The second thing, which is of utmost importance, is contained in the words of Jesus: “Where two or more are gathered in my name …”. He did not say gathered in the Eucharist, but rather he said “in my name”. And what does it mean to be united in the name of Jesus? It means to be united in reciprocal love which he brought on earth. So where two or more are united in his name, there is his presence. This presence of Jesus in the world is in a way proof that we already live a true communion, and therefore we could also say: “Who can separate us from the love of Christ?” While it’s not possible to receive the Eucharist together, we can’t but receive the love of God, we can’t but live this love among us in the hope that one day we can arrive to that full communion which will be added to the communion that we already live.” (to be continued) Interview by M. Chiara Biagioni – Source: S.I.RSee Part 2
This past March 25th was the 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome, which gave rise in concrete terms to the “community of peoples” which Robert Schuman had already so clearly 
