Focolare Movement

Chiara Lubich: imitate Mary by living the Word of God

Aug 15, 2022

In 1976, in the Italian Cittá Nuova magazine’s column "Open Dialogue", a reader asked Chiara Lubich the following question: “Every now and again I feel guilty for not having loved Mary enough, for thinking very little about her. What do you think I need to do so as to have a true devotion to Mary?”

In 1976, in the Italian Cittá Nuova magazine’s column “Open Dialogue”, a reader asked Chiara Lubich the following question: “Every now and again I feel guilty for not having loved Mary enough, for thinking very little about her. What do you think I need to do so as to have a true devotion to Mary?” Mary is closer to God than to human beings, and yet she is a creature like us, and stands as such before her Creator. This means that she can be a kind of inclined plane, which reaches from heaven down to earth. With regard to having a true devotion to her – down through the centuries many devotions have flourished among the Christian people, giving them a definite idea of Mary’s maternal love through all the big and small trials of life. However, I would advise you to follow a way that brings to birth in your heart a love for Mary similar to the love Jesus has for her. The fact is that, even though Mary has all those magnificent and extraordinary qualities of which you are aware, she is also ‘the perfect Christian.’ And that’s because, as you can see from the Gospel, she didn’t live her own life, but allowed the law of God to live in her. She, more than anyone else, can say: ‘It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me’ (Gal 2:20). Mary is the word of God fully lived out. So, if you really want to love her, ‘imitate her.’ You too should be the word of God lived out! And since you can’t live the whole of the Gospel all at once, re-evangelize your life by taking seriously and living every day one of the ‘Words of Life’ that it contains.

Chiara Lubich

(Chiara Lubich, Mary, Flower of Humanity, New City UK, 2017, pp. 181-82)

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to Newsletter

Thought of the day

Related post

Nostra Aetate: 60 years of journeying in Interreligious Dialogue

Nostra Aetate: 60 years of journeying in Interreligious Dialogue

The 28th October, 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of “Nostra Aetate,” the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on the Church’s relationships with non-Christian religions. After six decades, the document which has inspired and guided the steps of interreligious dialogue, invites us to renew our commitment to continue to build relationships of genuine brotherhood.

Dilexi te: love for the poor, the foundation of Revelation

Dilexi te: love for the poor, the foundation of Revelation

The first Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Leo XIV has been published. It was started by Pope Francis and focuses on love and service to the poor. It is a precious legacy, an image of continuity and unity of the Magisterium of the Church. Here are some reflections by Prof. Luigino Bruni.