In a time considered the age of anxiety where no one ever feels up to the expectations of the world, the One who calls us to do great things is a Father who rests his gaze on us as on the day of Creation; a God who looks at that indestructible core of beauty that is in each person and who invites us to keep our eyes open to the efforts of those who are next to us with the same love that He has for us. Repairing the past My parents divorced when I was little and my father then had five wives: from those marriages I have two half-brothers and two half-sisters. My husband’s parents are both addicted to alcohol. Years ago, during a serious trial in the family, my husband and I decided to try to bring serenity among our relatives, as if to straighten our family tree. Since then, with prayer, with the creativity of love, with invitations to dinner, with parties, we have been able to bring about a real “healing”. Of course, all this involves effort and money but we never lack providence. For example, we had organized a birthday party for a half-sister, but at the last moment we realized that we had thought of everything except a gift. God solved the problem through a neighbour: he had bought a beautiful blouse for his daughter that turned out to be too small so he thought of offering it to our daughter. Just the right the gift for my sister! The size and colour were perfect: “How did you know it was just what I wanted” (D.E. – Czech Republic) Looking at things differently We’re a retired couple. Four years ago our neighbours forgot to turn off their garden pump overnight. As a result, our ground floor flooded, causing about $9,000 in damage. We asked the neighbours to report the damage to their insurance company in order to get compensation but they refused because it would increase the annual cost of the insurance. There and then I wanted to take them to court also because there were reliable witnesses. But then, talking about it, my wife and I decided to forgive them. In these four years we have always greeted them kindly, exchanging a few words with them. Two days ago they moved house and, while the workers were loading the furniture on the truck, our neighbour approached my wife: “You are good people and we have wronged you. Please  forgive us”. When we heard these words, the world seemed a little more beautiful. (T.C. – USA)

Curated by Maria Grazia Berretta

(taken from The Gospel of the Day, New City, year IX – n.1° January-February 2023)