St Augustine said, “Once and for all, I give you this one short command: love, and do what you will. If you hold your peace, hold your peace out of love. If you correct someone, correct them out of love. Let the root of love be in you: nothing can spring from it but good”. Put love … I could never have believed that my husband would turn into a stranger. His behaviour demonstrated such selfishness that he alienated all those around him. Actually this hid a deep sense of inferiority on his part. But it got to the point that I couldn’t even celebrate our two children’s successes without offending him. Yet when we first met, I had felt so supported by him! But now I felt my world had fallen apart and I was at crisis point. Around this time, I heard from an old school friend who had entered the convent but had just decided to leave. I went to see her and she shared her experience of loneliness, of disappointed idealism, of jealousies within the community, a community which existed for the best of humanitarian aims. As she spoke, I seemed to see myself in a mirror. We began to meet regularly and a phrase she quoted from St John of the Cross illuminated me on what I needed to do to try to save my family: “Where there is no love, put love and you will find love”. I decided to try. It wasn’t easy. But today things are different, both for me and for my friend. (M.d.A. – Albania) Staying in Syria Ten years ago, as life was becoming very difficult for us Christians, we asked ourselves if it was really the case to stay in our own country. Many had chosen to flee, and apparently had found safety, far from the sounds of gunfire and from the fear. However, even if we can’t do much, we realise that our presence here has become a true mission. Not so much about giving a witness of loyalty to the land or keeping the faith, but rather of being close to people, as Pope Francis has described. We’re sure that this situation, difficult as it is, is offering a great life lesson to our own children. (V.M. – Syria) Learning from the smallest Kanna comes from a Christian family and goes to a nursery where the teacher and many of the other children belong to different religions. At the end of the year, the teacher greets each of the children one by one. When she reached Kanna, she said, “Thank you because you’ve taught us about Jesus. When you speak about him, we can feel he’s close to you. You taught us the prayers you learned at home and they’re beautiful. This morning I saw you when you gave the prize you’d won to one of your friends. This gesture really moved me! I’m about to get married, but before I do I want to be baptized. I’m taking preparation because I want to believe in Jesus like you do.” (Z.J. – Japan)

Edited by Lorenzo Russo

  (translated from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, anno VII, n.4, luglio-agosto 2021)