Acts of fraternity – Part 4
We go to Australia, Brazil and Madagascar to see and hear about some “small” actions by people who take care of those nearby. https://vimeo.com/490834527
“He never disappoints us”
In Italy and in many parts of the world the TV Movie “Chiara Lubich, love conquers all” was very well received. What struck so many was the coherence and faithfulness with which Chiara followed her own path. Here is a text in which she herself reveals the core from which everything started. [The letter to the Hebrews] says: “Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus” (Heb 12:1-2). Life is often something of an obstacle course. There are trials and the most varied sufferings. That is why we must keep our gaze fixed on Jesus, or rather on Jesus Forsaken. And this time I would like to say a word especially to those people – and I have some in mind – who are undergoing spiritual or physical trials and tell them: “Look to Jesus Forsaken and you will find the answer.” Indeed, Jesus Forsaken is a model of how to overcome trials. One aspect of Jesus Forsaken, and perhaps one of the most painful, is that of someone who, after having imbued their entire spiritual life with faith in God’s love, finds themselves feeling abandoned by Him due to some circumstances. Even here, even in this situation, they must look to Jesus Forsaken. Didn’t Jesus say that everyone would abandon him, but the Father would always be with him? Yet in his forsakenness the very opposite occurs. The Father seems to forsake him. It is terrible, it is tragic. And what does He do? He utters a loud cry, but then he abandons himself to the Father. This is what we must do in these circumstances. These are times, I think, that are worth very much before God. Jesus, with his forsakenness, completed Redemption. By uniting ours with His, we will accomplish our purification and help who knows how many people. Jesus Forsaken is truly the solution to every problem. We will never be disappointed by Him, but rather find in Him the explanation of all our trials. So take courage! Keep your gaze fixed on Him to overcome every obstacle in the race of our lives.
Chiara Lubich
(From a telephone conference call, Mollens (CH), 14th August 1986)
The Economy of Francesco
We hear from young people who were part of the event – which is now an international movement – the Economy of Francesco. https://vimeo.com/490823909
Acts of fraternity – Part 3
We go to the USA, Pakistan and the Philippines to see and hear about some “small” actions by people who take care of those nearby, https://vimeo.com/490653359
Forgiveness as the basis for unity
The start of the year is a good opportunity to begin again in interpersonal relationships. In the following text Chiara Lubich proposes a radical strategy: a complete amnesty in our hearts to let Jesus dwell there and create cells of unity in the world. What I want to focus on today is unity. Unity must triumph – unity with God and unity among all people. The way to achieve this is to love everyone with that merciful love which characterized the Focolare at its beginnings, when we decided that each morning and all through the day we would see every person we met – at home, at school, at work, everywhere – as a new person, brand new, deliberately not remembering any of their shortcomings or faults, but covering everything over with love. That is exactly how this month’s Word of Life invites us to love: to forgive seventy times seven times; to reach out to everyone we meet with a complete “amnesty,” with universal forgiveness in our hearts; and then to “make ourselves one” with them in everything except sin and evil. Why should we do this? To obtain the same wonderful results the Apostle Paul was seeking when he said: “For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. … I have become all things to all people“. (1 Cor. 9:19-22). If we “make ourselves one” with our neighbour, as Paul recommends, which will be easier when we have this forgiving attitude, we will be able to pass our Ideal on to others. And once this has been accomplished we can have Jesus present among us, the risen Jesus who promised to remain with us forever in his Church, and who allows us to almost see and hear him when he is in our midst. This must be our main work: to live in such a way that Jesus may live among us – Jesus, who is victorious over the world. For if we are one, many will be one and the world will someday be able to witness unity. …
Chiara Lubich
(Taken from a telephone conference call, Rocca di Papa, 15th October 1981)
TV Movie on Chiara Lubich: how to watch it outside Italy
Exceptionally, the film “Chiara Lubich – L’amore vince tutto” can be seen on RaiPlay anywhere in the world at the same time as the film is broadcast. Thanks to Rai and Eliseo Multimedia, in an exceptional way, the film “Chiara Lubich – l’Amore vince tutto” can be seen on RaiPlay (usable on any device, after registration) anywhere in the world at the same time as the film is broadcast (Sunday 3 January from 21:25) and on demand for the next 48 hours. So far, the following schedule has been confirmed: Monday 4 January: New York 07:30 PM Los Angeles 04:30 PM B. Aires e S. Paolo 09:30 PM Tuesday 5 January: New Delhi 01:35 PM Bangkok 03:05 PM Sydney 07:05 PM Tokyo 05:05 PM Manila 04:05 PM Jakarta 03:05 PM Wednesday 6 January: Peking 09:20 PM Bangkok 08:00 PM New Delhi 06:50 PM Tokyo 10:20 PM Manila 09:20 PM Jakarta 08:20 PM Thursday 7 January: Los Angeles 08:00 PM Friday 8 January: Johannesburg 09:35 PM All times are local. For Europe: The film will be openly available (not encrypted) on Raiuno via satellite across Europe (not geo-blocked). This is the list of European countries which receive Rai Uno (not single operators). ALBANIA, ARMENIA, AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, BOSNIA , BULGARIA, CROATIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, DENMARK, ESTONIA, FINLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, GEORGIA, GREECE, HUNGARY, ICELAND, KOSOVO, LITHUANIA, LUXEMBURG, MACEDONIA, MALTA, MOLDAVIA, MONACO, MONTENEGRO, NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, POLAND, PORTUGAL, RUSSIA & CIS, ROMANIA, SERBIA, SLOVAKIA, SLOVAK REPUBLIC, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND
Focolari Communications Office