Crossing the desert

A sailor’s life
R: “Because of the war, when I was 5, I lost my father, my house and a comfortable life. I suffered from the injustices my family had to endure, which nurtured resentment and rebellion within me. I started to dream of a life of freedom in a world where there was true brotherhood.
At 20, after finishing nautical school, I took off on a ship as a naval cadet. On board, however, I discovered that reality was very different from my dreams. The relationships among the crew members were difficult, so I became tough, too. For me, God was far away and indifferent to our condition as human beings. I felt terribly alone.

Once, when I was on leave, I met M., and an unexpected horizon of happiness opened up for me. We decided to get married and I left the seaman’s life. We had great expectations for our life together but they were soon unfortunately drowned in incomprehension and in our incapacity to accept each other with our limitations and differences. We ended up in conflict. So great was our disappointment that hope gave way to confusion and separation. It was a total collapse. I felt oppressed by a sense of failure, anguish and despair.

A friend of mine brought me to the Focolare Movement’s little town, Loppiano, in Florence, Italy. There I discovered a new countenance of God. I found out that He is near, that He is Love! “There is hope, then!” I told myself. I experienced a profound sense of gratitude and joy. I wanted to share this with M., but I did not know how to reach out to her. In the meantime, I kept in touch with other people who shared this spirit; I began to believe that brotherhood is not a utopia..”

Love is the answer
M: “In the darkness that enveloped me, I too came to know the ideal of unity, that love which I thirsted for but whose source I did not know. The words of the Gospel: “Love one another as I have loved you,” had such an impact on me that it revolutionized my whole life. In Jesus I discovered that love meant a total gift of self.”

A new love blooms
R: “When I received M.’s letter telling me of her joy for this discovery, I thought I was dreaming. I discovered that she was in a hospital. After four years of separation, I went to see her. My visit was unexpected, all it took was one look. “I will give you a new heart,” Scripture says; we were both ready to start again but our love for one another was now very new. We were ready to love as Jesus loved.

For us too, the Gospel’s promise came true: “Where two or more are united in my name, I am there in their midst.” Jesus, the Risen One in our midst has become our light, joy and strength throughout the following years of married life. His presence has become the essence of our relationship with our 6 children (who are grown-ups now), and with many other families and people, as well.”

Translated from Storie di fraternità – spazio al dialogo tra vecchi e nuovi cittadini, in www.loppiano.it.