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30 Dec 2014 | Non categorizzato
“It was not a conference, but an experience and, to be more precise and in-tune with the event, I would call it an experience of tikkun, reparation, as explained in the Jewish tradition,” writes Roberto Catalano, from the Focolare’s Centre for Interreligious Dialogue on his return from Salerno.
The three-days of “study, listening, prayer” (24-26 November), looked at several topics, from anti-Judaism throughout the centuries, to the recognition of Israel, the Holocaust, the improvement in Jewish-Christian relations since the Second Vatican II, and the Way to the Tikkun Olam. All the presentations were done in two parts: Christian and Jewish. An occasion, the first of its kind in Europe, which marked a step of “reparation of relations between the Jewish and Christian traditions that in these last two thousand years have experienced tragic moments,” writes Catalan. “The relations between Jews and Christians have for centuries suffered the consequences of these events that guided the history of humanity towards tragedies culminating in the Holocaust. Recently, as we know, the conciliar declaration Nostra Aetate and, then, people like John Paul II and Cardinal Martini, who is repeatedly cited by Jews and Christians alike, have taken up the threads of the relationship and have contributed to a decisive rapprochement by the Christians.”
Planned initially for bishops and diocesan delegates for ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue, it was then opened out to all the coordinators of dialogue, and others, Jews and Christians, secular and religious. There were more than 400 present, including 50 priests: there were Christians mainly from Italy, and Jews from Italy, Israel, and the US.
“The conference of Salerno was an important step on this journey. We have spoken very clearly on one side and the other without ignoring history but being realistically optimistic. It was impressive to see Catholic priests, bishops and cardinals sitting next to rabbis. The Jewish kippah mingled with the red caps of the bishops. Fraternity was the queen of these days: the impression was to have begun a joint project. Speaking with Joseph Levi, the chief rabbi of Florence, we were saying that even just ten years ago it would have been unthinkable to hold an event like this.
The story goes on and, contrary to what the media would have us think or what still tragically happens in different parts of the world in these times, the tikkun of the world has begun or perhaps progresses because it is now enriched with a new dimension, the common contribution of Christians and Jews. It is necessary to have the desire to work together for fraternity: to recompose that family to which we all belong. This was stated so effectively in Nostra Aetate: “All nations are one community and have one origin, because God caused the whole human race to dwell on the whole face of the earth. They also have one final end, God”(NA 1).”
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27 Dec 2014 | Non categorizzato
Fr Fabio Ciardi of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate has been assigned the task of explaining the Word of Life 2015. In an interview with New City published in the 25 November edition, he himself explained the reason for this: “It may be because I worked with Chiara Lubich for years, especially in the field of spiritual theology. During the last period of her illness, I helped her to prepare the comments on the Word of Life. I hope that my long stay in the Abba School – the team that studies the “founder’s writings” on the charism of unity – has helped me to assimilate some of her wisdom and express it also in these new comments.”
Generations of Christians have lived the Word of God. What did Chiara Lubich introduce that was new?
“One usually stops to pray or meditate on the Word. Here, instead, one is asked to put it into practice, and transform it into life, as St James exhorted: “… be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1.22). Authentic listening, with one’s heart and not only with one’s ears, means assimilating and internalizing the Word, so that it imbues one’s whole Christian existence. Chiara furthermore focused on the Word of Life’s social dimension: it should generate a Christian community, that is, its effects should have an impact and be shared among those who live it, so that members of the community may discover its potential.”
“It is not so much we who live the Word, in reality, it is the Word that gives us life,” he continued. “The destiny of the Word, Chiara said, is to be “devoured” to generate Christ’s presence among us.” On recounting the experience at the start of the Movement: “In every instant of life, it was our nutriment. Exactly in the same way as the body breathes in order to live, our soul, in order to live, lived the Word.”
Fr Ciardi stressed in the interview: “Following the tradition set by Chiara, we are called to continue, precisely in the same way she did, and look to the Scriptures because it always has new answers to the most different situations.” And added: “Her comments are a precious treasure chest from which we will continue to draw inspiration, and will always be something we will always meditate on.”
He concluded by saying: “I am aware that my comment will only be a small introduction to the Word of Life, and this, and not the comment is what remains in the heart of the reader, and will bear fruit.”
23 Dec 2014 | Non categorizzato
For humanity to carry on
we need to have the courage to “invent peace”.
Of course we’ve asked ourselves:
Where do the kamikazes get the radicality
such a terrible choice as theirs requires?
Shouldn’t we be ready to give even our life
for the great ideal of love of God and love of neighbor.
Every person can love
because brotherly love is written in our DNA.
The brotherhood that Jesus brought on earth would then flower everywhere.
He became our brother, and made us all brothers and sisters to one another.
Perhaps Divine Providence
makes use of destructive situations
to spark an unexpected moral jumpstart
and unleash unimagined energy
with which to build a whole new peace
and allow humanity to breath again.
Chiara Lubich
(Excerpt of Editorial no. 24/2003 Città Nuova )
