What Motivates Us
The art of loving
To love in the way Jesus taught us we have to love everyone, without excluding anyone or discriminating in any way. We have to take the initiative, being the first to go out to others and love them as we love ourselves. We can refuse our love to no one, not even to our enemies.
If we want our love to be according to the Gospel, it needs to possess these qualities.
The task is not easy; it requires constant daily training,and this is why Chiara Lubich defined it as an “art” .
This art of loving is proposed to everyone – to Christians, to men and women of different faiths and even to people who have no specific religious conviction. Having this new attitude is the first step, which leads to a peaceful revolution capable of changing the hearts of individuals and of the whole world.
Communion
“I – my brother – God. We go to God together with our brothers and sisters. We go to God through other people”, Chiara Lubich explained in 1955.
The main characteristic of the Focolare spirituality of unity is that it is communitarian.
It leads to a life of communion among individuals, peoples and nations and thus is something the world really needs. However, the path of communion does not exclude the contribution made by individuals. Rather, living in communion enhances it and enriches the entire social body.
Dialogue
The Focolare spirituality has spread throughout the world and has given rise to various forms of dialogue. The Movement is engaged in dialogue among movements and new communities within the Catholic Church and is also in dialogue with members of other Christian Churches and ecclesial communities. Relationships with the faithful of the world’s religions have paved the way to a broader dialogue among the major world religions. Collaboration between believers and those who profess no specific religious faith has given rise to a fruitful dialogue and concrete projects for peace and justice in the world. A dialogue has also developed among people involved in various professions with the goal of permeating these areas with the values of unity, mutual respect and brotherhood.
Church as Communion
The Movement’s commitment to live for unity causes it to aim at a fuller communion among the ecclesial movements and new communities within the Catholic Church, with the result of a greater knowledge of one another’s charism and an appreciation of the gift that each group has as an enrichment for the whole Church and society.
Ecumenism
The Movement journeys on the path of ecumenical dialogue with Christians of approximately 350 Churches and ecclesial communities. This ecumenical journey is based on the “dialogue of life”, an experience that flourishes from getting to know one another and sharing thoughts and experiences about living the Gospel.
Interreligious dialogue
In a world undergoing such great change and becoming always more multicultural and multi-religious, the Movement promotes a dialogue among the faithful of various religions, leading to an increase in brotherhood and peace in the world, rather than being a cause of war and divisions.
Persons of no religious affiliation
The Focolare Movement is in contact with a large number of people who have no particular religious belief but who follow their conscience and are faithful to the great common values of humanity. This dialogue between those who have a religious faith and those who do not results in working together on concrete projects to bring peace, justice and fraternity to the world.