“Today, in the 21st century, imitate the first Christians”.

The new way of life and thought that are emerging in the fields of economy, law, communication and politics will be presented during this open day,  held at Budapest.  This life is  first of all rooted in God, in the radicality of the Gospel, lived in everyday life by thousands of people, who come from different cultural backgrounds and who  have encountered the charism of unity of the Focolare Movement.

In the forefront, there are the “volunteers of God”, members of a branch of the Focolare Movement, who commit themselves to live for the renewal of society.  Their two days meeting on the 14th  and 15th of September,  with the title “50 years at the service of humanity”,  has begun in a very festive mood.  9000 volunteers from all over the world   are gathered in the most modern Sports Arena of the capital city of Budapest, and they want to go back to the roots of their history and to re-launch their commitment to live for the renewal of society.

Budapest 1956 –  Their stems are rooted in a  dramatic historical moment, that has been emotionally relived during the opening of this meeting: it  was November 1956 when the invasion of the Russian troops  suppressed the freedom of the Hungarian people.  In the Sports Arena  there resounded the voice of Pope Pius XII who, at that time, launched an appeal in a radio message. He  appealed  that  the name of God, “the source of law, justice and freedom, to be brought back to our parliaments, our homes,  our offices”.  Those present were  also reminded of  what  Chiara Lubich said to  start the adventure of the volunteers: “There is a  society capable of putting aside the name of God, (. . .) of eredicating it from the hearts of men. So there must be a society who is able to give Him his place. There must be authentic disciples of Jesus, an army of volunteers, because love is free”.

Budapest 2006 – In her message, while speaking of these beginnings, Chiara Lubich traced the identikit of the volunteer today. And one could see that what she said was in perfect harmony with what Pope Benedict XVI said during his very recent visit to Munich, when he spoke about the challenges of this present historical moment, which more than ever needs God. He said that God should “determine our own will and in this way reign in the world”; “justice and love may become the decisive forces affecting our world”. 

Chiara  reminded  everyone of  the goal proposed by herself 50 years ago, when she said: “Let there be a block of people of all ages, of all races, from all walks of life, who are bound together by the most powerful bond that can exist: reciprocal love, love that unites Christians  in a divine way”.  This still holds today “in our disturbed societies and yet full of yearnings and potentialities”.

While claiming  that being lay people,  the  volunteers  live “the normality of family, work and social life”, Chiara  underlines the “totality, the freedom and the essentiality”  of their  vocation, which calls  them “to  imitate the  first Christians” today, in the 21st century and “to be like the leaven in the bread,  building ‘new heavens and  new earth’,  renewed by the light of the Gospel”.

Then, all the important stages of the life story of the volunteers and of their specific vocation were  traced. They were reminded  of the very first signs that date back to the 40’s,  when the Movement began and when Chiara  started her spiritual adventure together with her first companions helping the poor. They  aimed  to solve  the social problem of Trent, while  sure of the fact  that the “the revolution of the Gospel was the most powerful social revolution”.   Then, the pioneers, among  “the volunteers of God”, were presented.  They  gave witness of their great love for humanity and of their ability to build authentic spots of “fraternity in the social field” at the various places where each one  has lived.

During these days there will be various witnesses  that emerge from different situations. These will show the  effects  on social life  where  the Gospel  is lived in everyday life and in different cultural backgrounds.

This meeting is held before the Convention of the 16th  September, where participants will reach the number of 11,700, coming from 92 countries in the five continents. More than 3,800 come from Italy, about 600 from Asia, 170 from the Middle East, more than 1,300 from North and South America, 130 from Africa, 40 from Australia.

There will be representatives from:
13 Ecclesial movements and New Communities,
– christians from various Churches,
– followers of  Islam and of other religions.

Among  the state and religious personalities expected to take part there are:
Cardinal Péter Erdõ, the Primate of Hungary, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, President of the Episcopal Conference,
Péter Harrach, Vice-president of the Hungarian Parliament,
Paolo Guido Spinelli,  Italian Ambassador in Hungary,
Zoltan Tarr, the general secretary for the Reformed Church,
Bishop Janos Ittzes, the President of the Evangelical Church in Hungary.