The experience of the Risen Lord within each one of us

When the efforts we make to overcome our selfishness are done out of love for Jesus crucified in the present moment and we do what God wants of us immediately afterwards, we can experience the fullness of life of the Risen Lord in us.

 We might ask: is it possible to experience the presence of the Risen Lord and the consequent out­pouring of the gifts of his Spirit – life, light, peace, love, consolation, ardour, and so on – not only when there are two or more people united in Jesus’ name, but even when we are alone?

How? At what price? By embracing Jesus Forsaken in each present moment.

This extraordinary experience prompted us to look deeper into the Scriptures and the Church’s teachings. And they confirmed that it was true.

But which Jesus Forsaken – as we would say – should we embrace in each present moment? The one our Christian life requires of us in denying ourselves and taking up our cross, if we want to follow Jesus. Therefore, we need to say yes and quickly embrace every suffering that comes our way – our own cross. But we also need to embrace the suffering that comes from our efforts to deny ourselves and in the struggle against our selfishness and the so-called desires of the flesh (overeating, impurity, quarrelling, jeal­ousy, and so on) so that love triumphs in our hearts.

When we love these efforts out of love for Jesus crucified in the present moment and we do what God wants of us immediately afterwards, we can experience the fullness of life of the Risen Lord in us, even on our own.

His light comes into each of our hearts. His peace fills us. His love is enkindled in us, and with it, consolation, calmness, a taste of Heaven. In other words, everything changes. Our soul is clothed anew. …

This is what we want to do: to love Jesus Forsaken always, immediately, and joyfully; not only in our daily sufferings, but also in the effort involved in overcoming our selfishness.

This is exactly what Igino Giordani meant when he wrote the following poem, shortly after he had embraced our spirituality: “Mi son messo a morire e quel che accade non mi importa più, mi sono messo a gioire nel cuore desolato di Gesù”,  [I have set about dying, and what happens is of no matter anymore, I have set about rejoicing in the desolate heart of Jesus]. To die to ourselves so as to rejoice with Jesus; to die with Him forsaken, so as to live with Him risen from the dead. So let’s remember these words: “I have set about dying” and let’s welcome the death of our selfishness ten or even a hundred times a day, so as to give the people we meet the joy of encountering the Risen Lord.

Chiara Lubich

 Taken from a telephone conference call, Rocca di Papa, 3^rd November 1983