Audio file (mp3): https://www.focolare.org.uk/podcasts/2013-04.mp3


For a better understanding of the Word of Life offered us this month, we ought to bear in mind the circumstances that gave rise to it. They were the difficulties appearing in the Christian communities James was writing to. There were scandals, discrimination, a selfish use of wealth, the exploitation of workers, a faith made of words more than deeds, and so on. All of this led to resentment and ill feeling between one person and another, creating an unhappy atmosphere throughout the community.

‘Beloved, do not grumble against one another.’

Even at the time of the Apostles, therefore, we can see what we also find in our communities today. Often the greatest difficulties in living our faith are not those from outside, that is, from the world, so much as those from within. They come from certain situations that arise within the community and from attitudes and actions of our neighbours out of step with the Christian ideal. All this generates a feeling of uneasiness, mistrust and upset.

‘Beloved, do not grumble against one another.’

But even though all these more or less serious contradictions and inconsistencies stem from a faith that is not always enlightened and a love of God and neighbour that is still very imperfect, as Christians our first reaction should not be impatience and inflexibility but what Jesus taught. He tells us to wait patiently, be understanding and merciful, which helps develop that seed of goodness sown in us, as explained in the parable of weeds among the wheat (Mt. 13:24-30; 36-43).

‘Beloved, do not grumble against one another.’

How then can we live the Word of Life this month? It presents us with a difficult aspect of Christian life. We, too, belong to various communities – the family, the parish, the workplace, the civic community and associations of various kinds. Unfortunately, in these communities there may be many things that we feel are not right: attitudes, points of view, ways of doing things, lapses that pain us and make us feel like rejecting others.

These then are many opportunities to live the Word of Life for this month well. Instead of moaning or passing judgement, as we would be tempted to do, let’s be tolerant and understanding. Then, as far as it is possible, let’s also correct one another as brothers and sisters. Above all, let’s give a Christian witness by responding to any possible lack of love or commitment with a greater love and commitment on our part.

Chiara Lubich

(First published December 1989)

11 Comments

  • Difícil tarea la propuesta, pero más fácil de entender que “quien nunca siembra, jamás recogerá”, por eso tampoco puede ser más clara: sembrar amor, misericordia, comprensión… para cosechar amor, misericordia, comprensión… y tantísimos otros dones adjuntos… multiplicados! El Señor los multiplica en el corazón, las palabras y las manos de muchos. Entonces, siendo sembradores de tales semillas, y con cosecha tan abundante de dones, podremos multiplicar el bien y construir un mejor mundo.

  • Estoy de hace un año conociendo el movimiento y no había entendido el profundo sentido de construir el puente, estaba con la idea de la construcción al 50%, hace unos días me invitaron a un encuentro a la Mariápolis de Alta Gracia,Arg. y cuando descubrí el verdadero significado fue una gran luz y paz que entró para mí.
    No tenemos que juzgar al otro y hacer nosotros el 100% del puente hasta llegar a él.

  • Que c’est difficile de vivre l’idéal chrétien.je suis tellement sous l’emprise de mes émotions qui parfois finissent par me faire gémir contre l’autre.
    Profonde parole de vie à vivre ce mois. Je voudrais bien m’engager avec le secours de la Sainte Grace à fournir des efforts tout au long de ce mois d’avril 2013 .

    vraiment Chiara, encore grand merci pour ton sillage de lumière qui ne cesse de nous illuminer.

  • Uma fé feita mais de obras do que de palavras; esta é a proposta de Deus para nós…Esforcemo-nos para realizar todos os planos que Ele tem a nosso respeito!

  • Lamentarsi fa male al cuore!Lo ha detto ieri Francesco,riferendosi ai discepoli di Emmaus.“Avevano paura”, lungo la strada parlavano delle vicende appena vissute “e si lamentavano”.Anzi, non cessavano di lamentarsi “e più si lamentavano, più erano chiusi in se stessi: non avevano orizzonte, solo un muro davanti”. “E cucinavano – per così dire – la loro vita nel succo delle loro lamentele”.E’ bello vedere la pazienza di Gesù che ascolta e spiega http://it.radiovaticana.va/m_articolo.asp?c=679237

  • Questa parola di vita e particolarmente concreta e forte, richiede impegno costante ma allo stesso tempo mi sta dando la soddisfazione per ogni piccola conquista riuscita durante il giorno. Anche se è una frase breve, ha la potenza di scatenare una bella rivoluzione.

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