How can we ensure that our daily efforts, our work and our relationships become a means of building a united world? One way is to see the people we meet every day with new eyes, being ready not to judge but rather to trust, hope and believe always. We need to acquire a merciful outlook. Mercy is a virtue that the times we live in ask of us with our neighbours both near and far. God’s great plan for humanity is universal fraternity. A fraternity that is stronger than the inevitable divisions, tensions and hard feelings that so easily creep into relationships due to misunderstandings and mistakes. Families often break up because they cannot forgive each other. Old hatreds maintain the division between relatives, social groups, and peoples. At times there are even those who teach people not to forget the wrongs they have suffered and who cultivate feelings of revenge… And a dull resentment poisons the soul and gnaws at the heart. Some people think that forgiveness is a weakness. Instead, it is the manifestation of the greatest courage. It is true love, the most genuine love, because it is the most selfless. “If you love those who love you, what merit have you?” – says Jesus – everyone knows how to do that: “Love your enemies”[1]. We are asked to learn from him and to have the love of a father, of a mother, a merciful love towards all those who come our way, especially towards those who do something wrong. Moreover, to those who are called to live a spirituality of communion and fellowship, that is, the Christian spirituality, the New Testament asks for something more: “Forgive one another”^[2]. We could almost say that mutual love requires that we make a pact with one another to be ready to forgive one another always. This is the only way we can contribute towards universal fraternity. These words not only invite us to forgive, but they remind us that forgiving others is the condition for receiving forgiveness ourselves. God listens to us and forgives us according to how much we forgive others. … Actually, a heart hardened by hatred is not even capable of recognizing and accepting the merciful love of God. … Precautionary measures are needed. So, every morning, in relation to the people around me, whether at home or at school, at work or in a shop, I’m ready to overlook anything I don’t like about their way of doing things. I try not to judge them, but I want to trust them, always hoping, always believing. I approach every person with this complete amnesty in my heart, with universal forgiveness. I do not remember their faults at all, and I cover everything with love. Throughout the day, then, if I have been unkind or impatient, I try to make up for it by apologizing or showing some sign of friendship. Then, when I pray to the Father, especially when I ask him to forgive my mistakes, I am sure that my prayer will be granted. I’ll be able to say with complete trust: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” ^[3]

Chiara Lubich

 (Chiara Lubich, in Parole di Vita, [Words of Life] Città Nuova, 2017, p. 667) [1] Cf. Mt 5:42-47 [2] Col 3:13 [3] Mt 6:12.