10 Aug 2002 | Non categorizzato
We are in Innsbruck, in the middle of winter. It’s 10:00p.m. and it’s freezing cold outside. I put on my warm windbreaker and set out quickly for home. A young man stops me and asks me to buy his heater for 300 shillings. He explains to me that if he doesn’t pay up his boarding expenses by the end of the day, the landlady is going to put him out on the street. My first reaction is: “I’m sorry, but I can’t.” I have in my wallet exactly 323 shillings, enough money to cover my expenses for the second half of February. Every shilling is already accounted for to buy what I need like bread, butter, and so on. My friends are away for a winter holiday and I can’t ask anyone else for a loan. While I continue walking, it occurs to me that I have at least a warm room, whereas that man has nothing at all. I remember the words of the Gospel: “Give and gifts will be given to you”. I turn around and call out to him; I give him the 300 shillings; he can keep the heater for himself. While I’m on my way home, a sense of anxiety begins to come over me: I really don’t know how I am going to reach the end of the month. But as soon as I arrived, what do I find? A large travelling bag hanging on the door of my room. Surprise! It contains bread, smoked ham, eggs, cheese, honey, butter: all things that a hungry student dreams of. To this day I don’t know who hung that travelling bag on the door of my room.
31 Jul 2002 | Non categorizzato
At the WYD in Toronto, inter-religious dialogue played an important role in opening horizons in the consciousness of the young people at a time in history when the encounter between faiths and cultures appears to be the only antidote to the tensions threatening the world.
For three days St Patrick’s Church set the stage for songs, dances, sketches, video’s and a fireworks of testimonials of young members of different religions who shared the Focolari spirit of unity. In fact, the Canadian Church had asked the Movement to organize the event. North American media was surprised to discover Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist youth participating at WYD in Toronto.
Personal stories told how the ’art of loving’ transforms one’s life, heals wounds, opens new avenues, unites youth of different cultures and creeds, and still respects everyone’s own identity.
They described how the art of loving is rooted in the golden rule, that is “do onto others as you would have them do onto you”, which is common to all religions: Metta, a Thai Buddhist once accused of being brain washed by Christians, later convinced the Buddhist school of his ideas. The Hindu, Avinash, described how his encounter with “Teens for a United World” in Bombay led to the discovery of a life rich with values.
A Jewish journalist and a Muslim Imam from the United States also spoke. One of the Christian witnesses was Alice from Burundi. She told the story of how she forgave those who killed part of her family.
Together with members of the other tribe, she has become a point of reference at the University for youth from the two ethnic groups in conflict. The youth welcomed with great joy the President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, Cardinal Francis Arinze, who said, “At this point, dialogue is an irreversible component of the Catholic Church.”
31 Jul 2002 | Non categorizzato, Word of
Lake Tiberias, also known as the “Sea of Galilee”, is 21 kilometers in length and 12 in width. But when the wind comes down violently from the Bekáa Valley even the fishermen who are used to navigating in it are afraid. And that night the disciples of Jesus were really afraid: the waves were high and the wind was against them. They could barely control the boat.
And then an unexpected event took place. Jesus, who had remained on land, alone, to pray, suddenly appeared walking on the sea. Already upset by the weather conditions, the Twelve began to cry out, terrified, believing that they were seeing a ghost. It couldn’t possibly be Jesus they were seeing in front of them. Only God, it is written in the book of Job, walks on the sea (See Job 9:8). And then the words of Jesus: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” He got into the boat and the sea became calm. The disciples not only regained peace, but for the first time they recognized him as the “Son of God”: “Truly, you are the Son of God!” (Mt 14:33).
«Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid»
That boat being tossed by the wind and beaten by the waves has become for all times the symbol of the Church. Sooner or later the moment of fear arrives for every Christian traveling through life. Perhaps you too have sometimes found your heart in the midst of a storm; perhaps you felt thrown by an adverse wind in the opposite direction from where you wanted to go; you were afraid that your life or that of your family would be shipwrecked.
Is there anyone who doesn’t go through trials? They can be experiences of failure, poverty, depression, doubt, temptation…. At times, what hurts the most is the suffering of someone close to us: a son dependent on drugs or unable to find his way in life, a husband who is an alcoholic or unemployed, the separation or divorce of people dear to us, elderly or sick parents…. We are also frightened by the materialistic and individualistic society around us, by wars, violence, injustice…. In the face of these situations a doubt can creep in: what ever happened to the love of God? Was it all an illusion? A figment of our imagination?
There is nothing worse than feeling alone in the moment of trial. When there is no one with whom we can share the suffering, no one capable of helping us resolve difficult situations, every suffering seems to be unbearable. Jesus knows it, and that is why he appears on the stormy sea of our life. He comes up to us and once again repeats:
«Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid»
It is I, he seems to say, in this fear of yours: when I was on the cross, when I cried out my abandonment, I, too, was taken by the fear that the Father had abandoned me. It is I in this discouragement you feel: there on the cross, I, too, had the impression that I no longer had the comfort of the Father. Are you confused? So was I, to the point of crying out “why?” Like you, and more than you, I felt alone, doubtful, wounded…. I felt burdened with the suffering of human wickedness…
Jesus really entered into every suffering. He took all our trials on himself, he identified with each one of us. He is beneath all that hurts us, that frightens us. Every pain, every frightening circumstance is a countenance of his. He is Love and love chases away all fear.
Whenever we are assailed by fear, suffocated by suffering, we can recognize the true reality hidden there: it is Jesus who becomes present in our life. It is one of the many faces with which he manifests himself. Let us call him by name: it is You, Jesus forsaken-doubt; it is You, Jesus forsaken-betrayed; it is You, Jesus forsaken-sick. Let’s allow him to get into our “boat”, let’s welcome him, let him enter into our life. And then, let’s continue to live whatever God wants from us, plunging ourselves into loving our neighbor. We will discover that Jesus is always Love. Then we will be able to say, like the disciples: “Truly, you are the Son of God!”
If we embrace him, he will become our peace, our comfort, courage, equilibrium, health, victory. He will be the explanation and solution to everything.
Chiara Lubich
1 Jul 2002 | Non categorizzato
“Brotherhood as a political category is the most innovative answer to the tensions and conflicts in the world today, both in individual states as well as local administrations,” a key passage from the message Chiara Lubich launched from Rimini where she was invited by Mayor Alberto Ravioli. The city and provincial administrators desired that this message take off from their city, which is a capitol of tourism and hospitality, cosmopolitan by tradition.
Rimini’s congress building was filled with more than 5000 people, including many youths, on June 22. Present were around 40 politicians: mayors and members of parliament as well as Bishop Mariano De Nicolò. Introducing Chiara Lubich, Sergio Zavoli highlighted how the wealth of her interior charisma has incarnated into a system of values for everyday reality as well as for the political sphere. He called her a “witness and protagonist of a new, reasoned out, hope”. Hope was well expressed by the Founder of the Focolari in her message which centered on “Brotherhood and peace for the unity of people”. Three words she defined as “tremendously pertinent today after they paradoxically emerged in many people’s minds as an absolute necessity in the aftermath of the Sept. 11th tragedy.” She recalled the “many networks which are already working to connect peoples, cultures and diversities” thanks to the ecclesial communities growing not only in Europe, but all over the world.
Chiara called the “Movement of Unity”, comprised of politicians who take on brotherhood as a political category, a concrete example. Emanating from the Focolari in 1996, the “Movement of Unity”, she said, is “not a new party, but a vehicle for a new political praxis and culture.” Members of the majority are enabled to dialogue with the opposition, for example. “Those in government recognize the positive contributions of the opposition which helps them exercise their governmental control. Opposition is channeled through a criticism that is constructive and tends to correct and improve the functioning of government instead of obstructing it. This favors the search for the best solutions for the community, the well-being of which can only be fully guaranteed if both the government and the opposition are allowed to exercise their proper role.” She noted such striking political results as those seen in the opposing factions of Northern Ireland”. She cited the imbalance between the rich and poor nations as a fundamental cause for terrorism, “an imbalance that cries out for a greater sharing of wealth. But such a response is impossible until humanity is overtaken by an ardent desire for, and commitment to, universal brotherhood”. Prof. Stefano Zamagni then presented the ’Economy of communion’ project, calling it a new economic paradigm. Launched by Chiara Lubich over ten years ago, today it inspires more than 750 companies throughout the world. A presentation of the business park soon to be realized near the Loppiano Citadel followed. Jorge Braga De Macedo, President of the United Nations Economic Cooperation and Development Organization called it an “important proposal for economists working for development in the world’s poorest nations”. In an interview with Città Nuova, Mayor Ravioli said, “Today Chiara showed us – and Rimini is proud to have launched this message – that new instruments are necessary. The Economy of Communion together with brotherhood and unity among peoples are new instruments. They are concrete steps towards peace and unity.”
