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PortuguêsThese words of St. Paul to the community at Colossae speak of the existence of a world in which true love reigns, together with full communion, justice, peace, holiness and joy. There, sin and corruption can no longer enter. It is a world where the will of the Father is perfectly fulfilled. It is to this world that Jesus belongs. He opened it up to us by means of his resurrection, by having passed through the arduous trial of his passion.
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”
St. Paul says we are not only called to Christ’s world but that we already belong to it. Faith tells us that through baptism we are engrafted onto him, and as a result we participate in his life, his gifts, his inheritance and his victory over sin and the forces of evil. We have, in fact, risen with him.
As long as we are on earth, however, our membership in this world of Christ is not full and totally unveiled. It is not yet stable and definite. As long as we live, we will be exposed to a thousand dangers, difficulties and temptations that can cause us to hesitate, slow down on our journey or even detour toward false destinations.
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”
We can understand, then, the exhortation of the Apostle: “Seek what is above.” Materially you walk this earth, but spiritually you can leave it; give up the rules and passions of the world in order to let the thoughts and sentiments of Jesus guide you in every situation.
“What is above,” in fact, points to the laws of a higher realm, the laws of the kingdom of heaven that Jesus brought on earth and wants us to fulfill here and now.
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”
How then can we live this Word of Life? It encourages us to not be satisfied with a mediocre life made of half-measures and compromise. It encourages us to conform our lives — with the grace of God — to the laws of Christ.
This Word of Life urges us to live and give witness in society to the values that Jesus brought on earth. It could be a spirit of concord and peace, service to our neighbor, understanding and forgiveness, honesty, justice, integrity in our work, faithfulness, purity, respect for life, and so on.
The possibilities are as vast as life itself, but so as not to remain in the realm of the abstract, let us this month put into practice the law of Jesus that is a kind of synthesis of all the others: to recognize Christ in every neighbor and place ourselves at their service. We will thus prepare ourselves for the final exam of our life.
Chiara Lubich
Cercando di vivere “cercare le cose di lassù”, mi sono reso conto di quanto siamo presi dalle cose di quaggiù. Così questo mese è stata una bella ginnastica a ricominciare sempre.
“Me ayudás a limpiar la cocina?”. Este pedido de ayuda cambiaba todos los planes de mi tarde libre… me costaba dejarlos de lado, pero me acordé que la Palabra de Vida de este mes decía que teníamos que ver a Jesús en cada prójimo y servirlo. Me pareció una oportunidad muy concreta para servir… Esa tarde fue, además, una ocasión para compartir. Vivir el Evangelio no es siempre fácil, pero vale la pena!
“Servizio al fratello, a ogni prossimo che ci passa accanto, per servire così Gesù”. Per me che sono un’educatrice, e che ho a che fare quotidianamente con i ragazzi, questo richiamo al servizio concreto, ad andare oltre la stanchezza che si accumula di giorno in giorno, è stato di grande aiuto per tutto il mese”.
Ho provato a “cercare le cose di lassù” in una situazione di lavoro che s’era arenata. Mi è venuto in mente che in realtà forse era un bene abbassare il ritmo che avevamo. Per quanto spererei che la situazione si sblocchi, ora mi sento sereno. Penso che forse questo nuovo atteggiamento gioverà al lavoro di tutta la squadra.
Fantastico, se da oggi possiamo interagire direttamente sul sito per commentare, condividere, raccontare le nostre STORIE VERE, il Vangelo che funziona ancora oggi…