A Christmas of gratitude
The Adventure of Unity / Openness
In the Focolare Movement dialogue is not a matter of personal opinion.Even a brief glimpse at the stages of its development (see timeline) would show that the Movement was not born at a planning table but by an inspiration, through a charism that the Holy Spirit had bestowed on a young woman from Trent, Italy. Since the earliest days of the Movement numerous incidents concerning Chiara Lubich and her first companions show a total acceptance of others, and acceptance is the first step in dialogue. The spreading of the Movement throughout the world, the rapid growth of the spirit of unity cannot only be attributed to words that were spoken by few a people into a microphone, but to the love that was based on the art of loving, which Chiara had always proposed as the “method” for spreading the Gospel: “making yourself one”. This term is borrowed from Saint Paul who writes: “I have become all things to all people”. For the Movement, this has always been the main method of evangelization. Observing the vast spreading of the Movement, it seems obvious that the spirituality of unity conquered hearts and souls of people of every social category, due to its uncompromising openness to the human family; openness expressed primarily through an attitude of dialogue in all fields, times and places. In the Focolare dialogue is meant to be understood in its strongest sense, in its Gospel sense. We do not sacrifice our own identity for the sake of any sort of compromise, but precisely because of our identity, we are able to reach out to another who is “different” from us. On January 24, 2002 Chiara and Andrea Riccardi (founder of the Community of Sant’Egidio) were invited to Assisi. They were to speak on behalf of the Catholic Church in front of the pope and other religious leaders of the world, following the collapse of the Twin Towers. Chiara emphasised that dialogue is the main attitude of the Church. She recalled the Church’s four dialogues: dialogue within the Church; ecumenical dialogue; dialogue with the faithful of other religions; and the dialogue with people who have any religious affiliation. These are the four dialogues identified by the Church during the Second Vatican Council in the Encyclical Letter Ecclesium Suam. 
In 1991 Chiara had written: “Jesus considers as allies and friends all those who battle against evil. Without being aware of it they work for the coming of God’s Reign. Jesus asks for a love from us that is capable of becoming dialogue; that is, a love which, far from closing us proudly within the safe boundaries of our own little worlds, is capable of openness towards everyone, and capable of working with other people of good will for the building of peace and unity in our world. Therefore, may we try to open our eyes to the people we meet, may we admire the good they do no matter what their beliefs may be. May we support them and encourage one another along the path of love and justice.”
The Lure of the Christmas Mystery
Christmas is that sublime mystery of God’s love, who loved us so much as to become one of us. As it is written, the mystery of the Incarnation tells of God’s excessive love. In order to envelope everyone in this love, God was born in a grotto amongst livestock and cattle, putting himself beneath his creatures where the poorest of the poor contemplated Him enveloped in their own wretchedness. Celebrating Christmas means reawakening to consciousness the love brought from Heaven to earth by Jesus, a love He shared through life and word. Nowadays there is a special need to revive – and polish – the concept of love, because the human community risks becoming sadder and sadder due to its lack of love. Love connects a person to the level of Christ. In fact, the good (or the bad) done to a neighbour is judged at the Final Judgment as done to Christ. Out of this shortage of love, incapacity to love each other, only boredom and sadness will be distilled. Returning love to our brothers and sisters today is to return joy, peace and life, and this is perhaps why Christmas resurrects a taste for innocence and simplicity. It uncovers that font of gladness which is Christ in the midst, as at the manger in the midst of Mary, Joseph and shepherds. The Lord was born so that we might be reborn. He is the life and we were – and are in the darkness. We pass from darkness to life because we love our brothers and sisters. Christian commitment requires heroism levied against mediocrity, the victory over compromise. It wants life in freedom, which is freedom from any form of evil; form: lack of physical strength, financial failure, disappointment in human relationships, and desolation in the midst of the world. The important thing is to never give up. Perhaps no one will tell you “Well done!” The medals will be pinned on other chests. Perhaps some will call you fanatical or naive. You’ll have to squeeze out of the desolation you feel, a more fervent longing for God, and this will motivate you even more. There are some profound and simple words drawn from the depths of the divine life that describe your mission. They are the words of Jesus: “You are the salt of the earth” and “You are the light of the world.” Salt flavours by hiding itself in the food. Light illuminates by silently penetrating. A Christian’s behaviour should add flavour (salt) to life (if not, you don’t know what you’re living for) and the direction to life. You cannot ignore the misery in the world that is due largely to a lack of love. Love is the life of humankind. In Jesus, it was Love who was incarnate of the Virgin Mary and took on our humanity and inserted us in the life of God. Igino Giordani in: Città Nuova, December 25, 1967 – No.23/24
Youth for a United World: Christmas of mutual welcome and peace
Christmas in Bethlehem! “It’s a unique opportunity to crown this year through our meeting with the Holy Land Youth for a United World”, shared Maria Guaita, Andrew Camilleri and Claudia Barrero, from the Y4UW international secretariat.
What significance does it have for you to spend Christmas in the Holy Land? We have welcomed this invitation as a proposal to all the Youth for a United World spread all over the planet – narrates Maria Guaita -. The Gospel narrates that Mary and Joseph found no inn to lodge: “the Word came to his own and his own people did not accept him.” We wish to welcome him especially in the lonely ones, the marginalized, the poor and the homeless. Therefore, we commit ourselves to transform each of our cities into a small Bethlehem that hosts the nativity crib that offers a cradle to baby Jesus.”
How have you organized this activity? “We propose to all the Youth for a United World a Christmas that is characterized by mutual welcome and peace. On daily basis, the mass media offer us images of violence and suffering, exclusion, and we want to respond to this with an even greater love: taking advantage of this Christmas Season to carry out concrete acts of love in favour of our brothers and sisters.”
We wish to get as many people as possible involved in this initiative – concludes Maria – also parishes, institutions, other associations and movements, according to each one’s creativity and possibilities – as Chiara Lubich used to say – “nothing is small that is done out of love”.”
One may post photos or short films of these initiatives on the “Youth for a United World – Holy Land” Facebook Page.
“All these fragments of fraternity – adds Claudia -, will give witness and document an important step in the fulfilment of the “United World Project”, thus paving the way to universal brotherhood.”
For more information:
Evangelii Gaudium (EG), Some Thoughts From Maria Voce
What does Pope Francis mean by Church-Communion? This can be found in four points of the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (EG) in the section called No to warring among ourselves. The key phrase is found in (EG, 99): “I especially ask Christians in communities throughout the world to continue to offer a radiant and attractive witness of fraternal communion.” This request, Maria Voce says, is extended “to the Christians who find themselves in communities of the Church. It is a request for the witness they give within the various communities in which they live, “a witness of mutual love and care for one another, a witness of fraternal communion.”
But what community is the Pope talking about? Maria Voce points out that one could at first think that the Pope is referring to specific groups, but then she offered a wider view: “these communities can also be where Christians find themselves in non-Christian communities or in communities in which the Gospel is still to be proclaimed; as well as in convents, associations and families.”
Why this request? “I think he explains why in his concluding statements: “May this fraternal communion become radiant and attractive.” Beneath this witness lies a longing to evangelize, that this be the ‘primary’ form of evangelization or the ‘new’ form of evangelization. Fraternal communion among Christians must attract others simply by its witness.” Then the Pope offered some concrete expressions of this vision. “He invites us to begin. Let’s begin by praying for that person whom we don’t like at the moment. He invites us to take the first step, even just a small step; simply remembering someone in prayer. This helps to overcome all the obstacles that stand in the way of living fraternal communion . . . it makes it possible even for someone destroyed by grudges and hatreds, someone who suffers because of enmities and betrayals, to make a joyful return.” Joy is the characteristic that pervades the entire Apostolic Exhortation: “You give witness to the Gospel in joy.”
What are some of the impediments? Maria Voce refers to the preceding paragraph. The obstacle is spiritual worldliness which consists in “seeking not the Lord’s glory, but human glory and personal wellbeing” (93). Egoism: looking at yourself rather than at God and those around you; seeking security in the things of this world, in money and power, in self-reliance rather than complete trust in God.” This “prevents Christians at the very roots from enjoying fraternal communion.”
“The Pope particularly stigmatizes the contention, envy and jealousy that can arise among Christians, especially if they are in religious communities or communities of people involved in witnessing to the Gospel in some way.” Voce deduces that it is not possible to think about evangelizing in such a way: “There’s no possibility for fruitfulness, if these Christian communities don’t give an authentic witness to fraternal love.”
In conclusion, Maria Voce confided: “A thought of Chiara Lubich comes to my mind. While addressing some animators of parish communities in 2005, she stated: ‘The Lord has given us a charism for the world of today, the charism of unity. I’m certain that it can also help in the renewal of parish communities, so that they become what they are meant to be: the living Church, where everyone can find Jesus. We therefore feel the responsibility of having received such a gift from God and we have the courage to spread the spirituality of unity, especially now when John Paul II presented it to the entire Church as the spirituality of communion (NMI, 43).’” Thus it’s an invitation for us today, to “be conscious of the fact that we bear a charism and can contribute to creating bonds of fraternal communion in all the communities we belong to, both within our Movement and beyond.”
Source: Città Nuova online
Maria Voce, women, Church and equal dignity
Maria Voce, one of the most influential women of the Church, gave a quiet laugh when asked whether she regrets not being able to be a priest, and added: «You see, I know women Evangelical-Lutheran pastors connected to the Movement. They are my friends and exceptional women who do very well in their churches, but I never thought that the possibility of becoming a priest would increase a woman’s dignity. It’s only an extra service. The main point is something else: as women, what I think we should aim at is equal dignity and equal opportunities being recognized in the Catholic Church. Service and not servitude, as Pope Francis himself says….» Since 2008 Maria Voce guides the Focolare Movement, two and a half million adherents in 182 countries. This is the only Movement that is guided by statute by a woman. She succeeded the founder, Chiara Lubich, who called her «Emmaus» and is buried not very far, in the little chapel of the International Centre at Rocca di Papa, with large windows facing her house between the pine trees and in front of the tombstone there is a mosaic that represents Mary as Mother of the Church. On December 7th, 70 years will have passed since Chiara’s «consecration to God». A lay woman who anticipated a few topics of the Vatican Council. «The Church as an opening, communion, mutual love….»
What role do women have in the Church today and how much are they listened to?
«The role is the one every human being has, either man or woman, who belongs to the Church as mystical body of Christ. Whereas, how this is considered by others is something a little different. It seems to me that women don’t have much say in the matter yet. Many times they are acknowledged with the values of humility, docility and flexibility, but this is a bit taken advantage of. However, the Pope said that he’s sorry to see the woman in servitude, not the woman in service: service is a key word of his pontificate, but as a service of love. Not in the sense of service because you are considered inferior and therefore submissive. I think that there is a lot to be done in this.»
The Pope said that we need to think of a «theology of the woman». What does this mean for you?
«I am not a theologian. But the Pope gave the title: “Mary is greater than the apostles.” It’s great that he says so, it’s very strong. But complementarity should emerge from this. Also participating in the teachings of the Church, in a certain way….»
In what way?
«Chiara saw Mary as the blue sky that contained the sun, the moon and the stars. In this vision, if the sun is God and the stars are the saints, Mary is the sky that contains them, that contains even God: precisely because of God’s will he was made flesh in her womb. This is the woman in the Church, she must have this function and she can exist only in complementarity with the Petrine charism. Peter cannot guide the Church alone, but there must be Peter with the apostles and sustained and surrounded by the embrace of this woman-mother: Mary.»
For Francis we need to reflect on the woman’s position «also where authority is exercised». How can this come about?
«Women could guide the Curial departments, I don’t see any difficulty in this. I don’t understand why, for example, at the head of a department on the family there necessarily should be a cardinal. There could very well be a lay couple who live their marriage in a Christian way and, with all respect, they are certainly more informed about family problems than a cardinal. The same could be said for other departments. I think it’s normal.»
What else?
«I’m thinking of the General Congregations before the conclave. The mother superiors of big congregations could participate in them, perhaps elective representatives of the dioceses. If the assembly were vaster, it would also help the future Pope. Besides, why should he only confer with the other cardinals? It’s a limitation.»
Could this also be valid for the Council of Cardinal Advisers wanted by Francis?
«Certainly. I don’t see only a group of women being added. A mixed organism would be more useful, with women and other lay people, and together with the cardinals they could give the necessary information and prospects. This would arouse my enthusiasm.»
And women cardinals? Mother Teresa was mentioned, how would you have seen her?
«I would like to understand how she would have seen herself! A woman cardinal could be a sign for humanity, but not for me nor for women in general, I think. It does not interest me. She would be an exceptional person who has been made cardinal. All right, and then? Great persons, saints and doctors of the Church were appreciated. But it’s the woman as such that does not find her position. What should be recognized is the female genius in daily life.»
The famous complementarity….
«Certainly. I mentioned Petrine charism and Marian charism. But in general I’d say between man and woman, the complementarity written in the divine plan. Human beings in the image of God, “male and female he created them,” otherwise this wouldn’t be fulfilled. The same can be said for consecrated people: even if a person renounces a sexual relationship, relationships in themselves cannot be renounced, the rapport with the other.»
Gian Guido Vecchi
Source: Corriere della Sera, 30.11.2013
Read also: Women and Church, a challenging issue (interview to Città Nuova)