Oct 19, 2021 | Non categorizzato
Signing a blank cheque, making a leap in the dark … trusting in God can often appear just too big a challenge to us and we don’t find the courage or strength to try. By recognising how small we are, asking help and allowing someone to take care of us with tenderness, we can find a way to recognise the providential Love of a Father who will never abandon us. And we in turn can circulate this love in the world. Sharing Our house was half-destroyed by an earthquake, so my children and I were sleeping out in the open air and we had next to nothing to eat. One morning I had literally nothing to cook, but placing my trust in God who is our Father, I set a pot of water on the fire. Just as it was about to boil, someone arrived carrying a bag full of fruit and vegetables. No sooner had I started to cook soup than another friend knocked at the door bringing us some meat and a little rice! When my children came home from school they couldn’t believe it and asked, “What’s happened, Mum? You told us there wouldn’t be anything to eat today”. So I told the whole story to them, and even though they claim not to believe in God any more, they heard how my prayers had been answered. However, it didn’t end there. After lunch, I felt drawn to ask Jesus to send me someone in need so I could share the food we’d received with them. The very next day I met a young man who asked me if I could give him a piece of bread. I welcomed him with love, and even if he was anxious not to abuse our hospitality because he could see how poor we were, I made him sit down at our table and I served lunch to him. (Lusby – Colombia) A circuit of Love Arriving at university one day, I bumped into an old man dressed in rags, nearly blind, covered in open wounds because he kept falling over. And he was so dirty. In him, I saw the image of Christ on the cross. I helped him up and asked if he’d like to take a bath. I went into the university compound and somehow found the courage to ask the Rector, a devout Muslim, for permission to use his own personal bathroom because it was the only one with a bathtub, so that the old man could take a bath with my assistance. He was certainly surprized by my request! But he not only agreed but also personally provided the old man with soap. I then escorted the old man to his home, bought him some food and gave his room a much-needed clean up. The next day the Rector called me to his office to explain my motivation for what I had done. I told him how the choice to love our neighbour united millions of people of all religions. He was very interested in getting to know more, and he gave a contribution to buy some essentials for the old man. That’s not all. Some of my fellow students who had witnessed the whole scene put some money together to buy new clothes for him. (Bassam – Iraq) Three cows For a while I’ve been helping a boy from a poor family I’d met during our mission to the Kakuma refugee camp in the north east of Kenya, paying his school fees. Sadly the moment arrived when I couldn’t sustain this help anymore and I told him of my own financial difficulties. A little while later this same boy appealed to me again for help, which made me suffer even more because I couldn’t help him. So I took the decision to sell the one cow I was keeping at my parents’ house and use the money for his schooling. Naturally he was delighted to get back to school. One day in the parish I’ve been serving for nearly a year, a group of parishioners arrived to visit me because they’d heard my father was unwell. Among the gifts they brought were not one but three cows! I couldn’t believe my eyes. I thought of the promise of the Gospel: “a good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. (Father David – Kenya)
collated by Maria Grazia Berretta
(from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, anno VII, n.4, settembre-ottobre 2021)
Oct 18, 2021 | Non categorizzato
“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God”, (Rom. 8:28) is the word of life that we are trying to put into practice during this month of October 2021. In this text, Chiara Lubich helps us understand better what St Paul was writing to the Romans. God makes all things work together for those who love Him. … So things don’t work together for the good of everyone, but only for those who love God and respond to his love. God’s love for each of us is not something generic, but is instead deeply personal and special. He makes all things work for the good – that is, for salvation, true happiness and spiritual progress – of those who love him. Everything. So it is not only the Words of God or the sacraments, or the various ministries and other means he has established in the Church that work for our spiritual good. They obviously do. The Apostle clearly means something more. For those who believe in the love of God, and love him, the many circumstance that influence our existence are not simply a matter of chance, nor the result of the blind laws of nature, nor of human planning. Rather they are guided by his love; they are the many opportunities and means that God uses to bring to completion the work of our sanctification. God hides behind all the events of our lives. He is hidden, for example, behind a particular state of health, or a setback, or a sudden change of plan due to circumstances. He hides behind the particular conditions of our state in life, or a sudden spiritual trial, or a problem of any kind at work. He’s behind the fact that we happen to be in a particular place or with a particular person. For those who love God, everything, even the faults of our past life, acquires a positive meaning, because in all these circumstances we experience the love of God who wants to guide us towards holiness. … Above all, we should never stop before the merely external, material or secular aspect of things, but believe instead that every event contains a message through which God expresses his love for us. We will then discover that our life, which may seem to us like a piece of material full of knots and threads woven together in a haphazard way, is actually a marvellous design that God’s love is weaving on the basis of our faith. Secondly, we must trustingly and totally abandon ourselves to this love at all times, both in small and large things that happen in life. Indeed, if we know how to entrust ourselves to God’s love in ordinary circumstances, he will give us the strength to entrust ourselves to him even in the most difficult moments, such as when we suffer or experience illness, or at the very moment of death.
Chiara Lubich
(Chiara Lubich, in Parole di Vita, [Words of Life] edited by Fabio Ciardi, Opere di Chiara Lubich, Città Nuova, 2017, p. 297)
Oct 16, 2021 | Non categorizzato
Just days before “Time of Creation” closes, some reflections and experiences on the contribution that we as citizens of the world belonging to different religions can offer for the protection of our planet and humanity, seeing creation as a point of encounter. Like “a sister, with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us “. These are the words with which the Holy Father, in describing our planet, introduces us to his Apostolic Exhortation Laudato Si. The Pope’s appeal is addressed to “all people of good will” and to believers of all faiths: “The majority of people living on our planet profess to be believers. This should spur religions to dialogue among themselves for the sake of protecting nature, defending the poor and building networks of respect and fraternity”.[1] Our home is in danger and the gravity of the ecological crisis we are experiencing requires a way forward for the common good. Digging deep, right to the essence of each faith is the way to discover, with wonder, that we are united in creation. It is the way to rediscover in the beauty of diversity that we are brothers and sisters living under the same roof. “Judaism teaches that we are God’s partners in creation,” explained Emily Soloff, Associate Director for Interfaith and Intergroup Relations at the American Jewish Committee. “We do not own creation,” she continued, “but we have a responsibility to care for and heal the world. (…) Shabbat is one day in the week when we intentionally reduce our energy consumption by completely turning off our computers, phones and other electronic devices. We don’t drive a car or shop on Shabbat. It is a day of rest.” Modernisation has gradually distanced us from seeing the earth as a manifestation of the divine, allowing man to triumph over nature. Mostafa El-Diwany, a Muslim doctor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Montreal in Canada said: “In Islam, as in the other Abrahamic faiths, the axis of being is the Unity of God; the Creator is the source of everything that exists (…). As such, every living organism and matter itself are imbued with the Sacred, and are consequently sacred. This notion in no way hinders the objective study of the physical world and humanity within it. (…) God has given men and women dignity over the rest of His creation by entrusting him with vicegerency. This is not a role that involves domination and exploitation but a position of responsibility (…)”. What appears to be an environmental crisis could therefore be seen as a spiritual crisis, an inability to reconnect with the divine and live in harmony with nature. Restoring order with creation “is at the heart of Buddhist precepts,” said Wasan Jompakdee, Co-founder Member and former Secretary General of the Dhammanaat Foundation for Conservation and Rural Development in Thailand. Recalling the work undertaken by Phra Ajahn Pongsak Techadhammo, founding monk, he said: “About thirty years ago he began to observe the disappearance of trees and soil in the mountains of northern Thailand. The high altitude reservoirs that fed the streams and rivers below were being damaged, causing the rivers to slowly dry up. (…) He took a radical step to reverse desertification, mobilising villagers to regenerate their barren land and restore the reservoirs. (…) Today, the arid yellow wastelands he protected are once again green with fruit trees. It is the logic of compassion for what surrounds us, for the space that has been given to us and that we must share. According to Hinduism, “nature,” said Meenal Katarnikar, a member of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Mumbai, “belongs to everyone, animals, people, gods and plants, and loves everyone equally. “In India,” he continues, “the rhymes of our childhood reflect our friendship with animals like cows, sparrows and crows. Every morsel with which the mother feeds the child is associated with ‘brother sparrow’ or ‘dear crow’, or ‘brother peacock'”. This brotherhood, so reminiscent of St Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Creatures”, is only possible if we rediscover ourselves to be madly in love with creation. An impetus that concerns everyone without distinction, also in the Christian sphere where there are various Churches. Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I at the Halki Summit (Turkey) in 2012 said: “We Christians are called to accept the world as a sacrament of communion, as a way of sharing with God and neighbour on a global scale. It is our humble conviction that the divine and the human meet in the smallest detail of the seamless garment of God’s creation, even in the last speck of dust on our planet”[2].
Maria Grazia Berretta
[1] Pope Francis, Encyclical Laudato sì, 201. [2] Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, Speech Global Responsibility and Ecological Sustainability: Closing Remarks, I Halki Summit, Istanbul, Turkey, 20 June 2012
Oct 15, 2021 | Non categorizzato
The project to defeat world hunger which was initiated by the Focolare Movement’s Youth for Unity is continuing. On Saturday 16 October 2021, hundreds of young people will gather together as a sign of their commitment to this cause. This event will be live streamed from 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm. (Italian time). “From now onwards, we commit ourselves to this goal with great confidence and enthusiasm. We feel that we are now part of the Zero Hunger generation. It’s like a dream to imagine that we are contributing to a world in which there will be no hunger in a few years time.” This is what Elena and Agnese, representatives of the Focolare Movement’s Youth for Unity said at the Food and Agriculture Organisation in June 2018. Elena and Agnese together with 630 other girls aged 9 to 14 from 16 countries sat in the large plenary hall (see video) of the headquarters of the United Nation’s FAO in Rome, Italy. The FAO had sent a very clear invitation to the Youth for Unity: “Young people, we need you: help us defeat world hunger.” On 25 September 2015, the 193 Member States of the United Nations approved 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and committed to their implementation within 15 years, (2015-2030). The second goal is Zero Hunger Fame Zero: eradicating hunger from our planet. These girls signed cards, pledging their commitment to become the first Zero Hunger citizens. That day marked the start of a global race of love from Youth for Unity with the objective of Zero Hunger. In Venezuela, for example, the situation is daunting. Poor families are more afraid of hunger than of the Covid 19 pandemic. However, thanks to a Centre for Nutrition, the young people are able to help a group of families. Also, in 2017, a network of medical professionals, psychologists, nutritionists and a number of parish priests began a project to help others to build more positive and peaceful social relationships based on the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” A different initiative is happening in Thailand where young people distribute seeds to friends and their families to plant organic vegetables and help them save money as we suffer from this global crisis. In Argentina, Fran is part of a group called ‘Corazones solidarios’, young university students who go out onto the streets every day to offer breakfast to people who are homeless. He says, “When you approach these people, their faces change, they welcome you with open arms and make a place for you in their hearts. Every morning, we leave home with bags that are full of provisions: we come back with empty flasks and happy hearts.” In Portugal, the boys from Lisbon go to a neighbourhood where there are many families who are living in difficult and challenging circumstances. A “race of love” began to provide blankets and tinned food. Some people also offered to cook pasta and rice. As soon as this was delivered, providence arrived with more food to distribute to other families. These and other testimonies will be recounted during the live streaming – suitable for children, young people and adults – on Saturday 16 October 2021 from 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm.(Italian time). The live stream will be translated into 12 languages, just access this link. The #testacuoremani charter of commitment Youth for Unity have devised eight pathways to help others learn about this way of life. These pathways can be lived by individuals or groups. There is also a charter of commitment – to use head, hands and heart – to actively promote this way of life. Head. We use our heads to study and become well informed. The more I know about the reality in which poor people are living, the more effective my commitment will be. Heart. Let us listen with our hearts to the cry of those who suffer: let us increase awareness both in ourselves and in others. I cannot defeat world hunger alone, but I can involve as many people as possible in order to reach this goal. Hands. Let us open our hands to the gift of hospitality, let us take concrete action on a daily basis to defeat hunger. Let us commit ourselves to avoiding all types of waste.
Lorenzo Russo
Oct 14, 2021 | Non categorizzato
A guarantee of love.The certainty that everything in life makes sense. In this sentence from the letter to the Romans (Rom. 8:28), Saint Paul, reveals to us how much every human experience, from the most beautiful to the most complicated, is part of a greater plan, a plan of salvation. The key to accepting this idea is to entrust ourselves to the Father and trust him. The road to happiness I played the violin on the street, not to make money, but because I had realized, playing during the holidays, that it makes people happy. So why not broaden the circle? One day a lady who from her dress, even though’ respectable, looked very poor, listened to me for a long time, apologizing for not being able to put even a coin in my violin case. She was shy when I suggested that she take what she needed, but in the end she accepted some coins: “I’ll buy bread”, she said and left in tears. The next day I played on the same street but put up a sign: “For those in need”. Many took a few coins, but many left banknotes. As I was about to leave, the lady who had given me the idea appeared. I told her what had happened and that if she would accept it, the sum raised was for her. She told me about the financial turmoil that had reduced her family to poverty. Then I met her sick husband and an unemployed daughter who is now my wife. Making others happy is the way to happiness. (O.A. – France) Trust in God On the occasion of the baptisms of our daughters, we usually had very simple parties, wasting nothing, welcoming friends and relatives to our home. Since we always received money as a gift, we allocated a part for a project in favor of newborn babies in an African country. I remember the baptism of our third child: at that time both my wife and I were out of work so it was difficult to decide whether or not to send the money we received (250 euros). Then we trusted in God and sent it. A few months later we heard that they had prayed for that very amount; moreover, that money, which arrived just when they no longer had anything to breastfeed babies, was enough for three months … We were very moved! At that time, not only did we lack for nothing, but my wife, who needed some clothes just then, received a gift of a coat, a dress, a jacket, two skirts and three times as much money! (D.P. – Italy) Memory of a friend A characteristic of my friend Urs was his strong communication skills: with a smile and with stimulating words, he shared personal experiences of his relationship with God. At work, on the train, in a hospital room, during sports or on vacation … every opportunity was good to establish relationships that were not superficial. Many remember his ability to listen, to be close to people, especially to those who suffer. He was an animator in Zurich, of a group of young people involved in an initiative in favour of drug addicts. Thanks to him over 30 of them have recovered and several have approached a life of faith. At the end of his life, when suffering due to a cancer, Urs did not let himself be discouraged. He repeated, “Everything is the love of God, everything, absolutely everything”. And despite such an uncertain future, he was calm and confident. He had two other friends in the same condition and they supported one another. He said: “I have given everything to God without ifs and buts… and he has fulfilled his promises in me: the hundredfold already on earth. I am happy”. These words sum up what he meant to us. (F. – Switzerland)
compiled by Maria Grazia Berretta
(Taken from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, year VII, n.4, September-October 2021)
Oct 12, 2021 | Non categorizzato
Although this father could finally afford to buy a house for his family, he did not have the physical ability or financial resources to renovate it himself. The community around him acted. 
“Many people came to help me, and in three days we were able to redo the roof and replace the earth and straw ceilings with plasterboard ones.” These are the enthusiastic words of Janos Kalman, who is Serbian and a Hungarian citizen, a father of three. There is something extraordinary about the work being done on his home. Until recently, he lived in a dilapidated house without water in the middle of unused fields. His dream had always been to have his own property, but he could never afford it. Thanks to an injury payout and the generosity of many, he was finally able to raise the money to purchase a home. This gave rise to another problem, however – it badly needed renovating. “I wished I could have fixed it,” he says, “but I knew on my own I could never do it.” After an accident at work, Janos used crutches for 10 years. Lately he has started walking again, but he still can’t bend one knee. He needed help. This is how the Focolare community got involved, putting into practice the motto ‘Dare to care’ from Youth for a United World. (See unitedworldproject.org/daretocare2021.) “We decided to make a list of the people who were most in need,” explains Cinzia Panero, a member of the Focolare in Serbia. “Some were in financial difficulty, others sick, and still others without a home.” Among the latter was Janos. He says there is still work to do, “but the help I received is a great gift to me.” One other important fact sets this story apart: Janos’ house is located in Vojvodina, an autonomous region of Serbia made up of various ethnic groups (Slovaks, Ruthenians, Romanians, Croats, with the majority Hungarian-speaking). Some people from the Czech Republic contributed to the renovation works as well, collecting money for the necessary material and sending two volunteers to Serbia. They did this with some care. Those who contributed financially, for example, included a personal message addressed to those receiving the amount sent. Those benefiting responded with heartfelt gratitude. It was a gesture that helps to build a sense of family, beyond the distance – true teamwork between different cultures. “In addition to helping someone in need,” said one of the volunteers, “I felt that I was also helping myself get out of my comfort zone.” We can reach out to others to build a home. In doing so, we all become a home.
By Laura Salerno
Watch the video of the experience
