Jan 19, 2021 | Non categorizzato
“Abide in my love and you shall bear much fruit” (Jn 15, 5-9) is the Gospel passage chosen for this year. The word ‘abide’ is central because seeking unity is a full time commitment. “It’s not enough to meet together for evangelizing or charitable actions. What lies beneath everything we do together is love. We could make the most wonderful plans, we could bring together Christians from many different groups; but if we don’t have love, none of this has value”. So says the Quezon City Ecumenical Fellowship (QCEF), near Manila (Philippines). Many members of the local Focolare communities are part of this association. This year’s resource material was prepared by the Monastic Community of Grandchamp[1]. The texts for reflection during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2021 (18-25 January) state “Abiding in Christ the fruit of solidarity and witness grows”. And the members of QCEF have years of experience of this. We would like to give voice to some of their testimonies, highlighting their variety and creativity, so they may inspire many to work every day for unity between Churches. 
Reciprocity Rev Kenneth Aguilera, Regional Superintendent of the Methodist Church with UNIDA explains, “When we launched QCEF many years ago, we really never thought of giving rise to a fellowship community or ecumenical association. It was simply meeting together as friends from different Churches over a cup of coffee. But the informal meeting was so enjoyable that we started to do it regularly. And so QCEF was born. We shared joys and sufferings to the point that we started to care for one another and to love each other’s Churches. We devised occasions and events to be together regularly. So when the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity arrived, it was a great occasion for all of us to walk, work and pray together. And that’s how I understood that true Ecumenism is a kind of competition between us Christians to make our mutual love grow. It’s like working with my own family, and I think there’s a strong presence of Jesus among us”. Solidarity “The pandemic has not prevented us from meeting up regularly,” write Jane and Bert. “We continue to meet Online to reflect on the Word of Life and to share our experiences. We work together on shared sponsorship programs. In order to help many people who are experiencing hard times, we contacted various experts and organized webinars and video-conferences on the different issues we’re having to face in these times, like the management of psychological challenges in times of crisis, such as anxiety and depression; the prevention of domestic violence and abuse of minors; and raising awareness of understanding ecumenism as a journey towards the unity of Christians. We also organized food collections for the victims of the recent typhoons and floods. And through a communion of goods among us, we were able to give emergency financial aid and essential supplies to those affected. We also collected funds for a diocese which suffered particularly bad typhoon damage.” Being Neighbors Hedy Ng and family are Catholic and live next door to a Methodist Church. “Our relationship as neighbours began even before their church was built. Straight away we offered them the opportunity to link into our own water supply and we built a dividing wall between the two properties to grant them some privacy. Every time their minister changes, we do all we can to make friends with them, as they are truly our brothers and sisters. Our children all play together. Recently, Rev Dione Padel participated in our meetings with QCEF and was very happy to be part of the fraternity lived among us. Unfortunately, he recently suffered the loss of his wife, and all of us at QCEF did all we could to be near him. We offered him financial and moral support, and the unity built continues to grow.”
Stefania Tanesini
[1] www.grandchamp.org
Jan 18, 2021 | Non categorizzato
In a few days the General Assembly of the Focolare Movement will begin. In the following text Chiara Lubich underlines the main virtue to which those who feel part of this Movement are called. St Paul … invites us to not be cowardly in serving God, but to be strong, full of love and self-control.[1] Now what should we focus on in order to acquire and develop these and all the other virtues we need? It’s simple … on letting Jesus live in us instead of our own ego. But how can Jesus live in us? By being love as God is Love. (cf. 1 Jn 4:16). This means going out of ourselves in order to love others. We always speak of love and it could seem superfluous to emphasize it again this time. But in fact it isn’t. Our “old self” (cf. Ef 4:22) — the absence of love — is always ready to take over in us, perhaps hidden behind a heap of excuses. The New Year that is starting must see our “new self” (cf. Ef 4:24) shine out decisively in each of us. Then we will do everything well wherever we are; we build up and take ahead the Movement, and through it the Church. So let’s go back to the alpha of our spirituality, which is love. Besides, this is what our charism is. This is what the world needs most today. Let’s look around us. Where can we find the love that Jesus brought on earth? When we read the newspapers, the headlines are almost always about sad things that have happened, or violence. Human love still keeps many families and friendships together, but it is difficult to find Christian love. We can discover it in various oases of Christian life like communities of dedicated Christians or among people who are consecrated to God. In general, however, it is not found in today’s world. Yet we have been called and chosen by God, together with others, precisely in order to bring this love. It is the gift, the great gift that we must give to humanity. … Love is the lifestyle of the [Movement]. So let’s go out of ourselves, and love! … Let’s rekindle love in our hearts. So that the world may soon find true love everywhere, let’s set out to love everyone!
Chiara Lubich
1) “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. (2 Tim 1:7). (Taken from a telephone conference call, Rocca di Papa, 9th October 1986) [1] “The Spirit God has given us is no cowardly spirit, but rather one that makes us strong, loving and wise” (2 Tim 1:7).
Jan 16, 2021 | Non categorizzato
Jesus invites us to follow him, to make, like him, a gift of our existence to the Father; he proposes that we imitate him in gently meeting the needs of every person with whom we share a small or large part of our day, with generosity and selflessness. The neighbour Ever since his leg was amputated, our neighbour would turn to my husband for any help he might need. Even though his son lived nearby, he did not care about his parents, with whom he held old grudges. One day we all agreed as a family and decided to celebrate our neighbour’s birthday at our house, inviting his son’s family and others from the neighbourhood. In the friendly atmosphere that was created, some of them offered to help. Some took care of the garden, others overhauled the car, others found time to help with the cleaning. Faced with such generosity, even the neighbour’s son couldn’t resist helping out. Since then, we have continued to celebrate birthdays and other occasions at home. The grudges have disappeared. The children have also gained from this, and they now go to their neighbour’s house to listen to fairy tales and learn how to work with wood. (F. F. – Slovakia) Cleaning up One Sunday I was cycling along a mountain path when the sight of rubbish left behind by someone having a picnic made me indignant. This neglect of nature, God’s gift, seemed intolerable to me and instead of continuing, I started to collect the rubbish. But after that, other rubbish appeared: plastic and glass bottles, empty bags, wrapping from bread, crisp wrappers… What should I do? I changed my plans and my bicycle trip became an ecological clean up. A family walking by, seeing me at work, without saying anything, joined in to help, including the children who seemed to be having a great time when they spotted a piece of paper or a bottle along the path. I soon made friends with the family, and we came up with the idea of future litter picks in which we could involve anyone interested in helping out. And so, on other Sundays our outings became trail cleaning. It’s always like that, you just have to start. (D. H. – Germany) Forgetting the keys I was cycling when I realised that I had taken my house keys with me, which we usually leave in a place in the garden. My wife was at work and our child would not be able to get in after school. All I could do was bring the keys back. On the way back, slumped on a bench, I recognised a friend of mine. He was drunk and complaining of a sprained foot, which was very swollen. I picked him up and took him to his parents, who were fortunately not far away. As they were elderly and unable to accompany their son to the emergency room, I took care of him. First, however, I went home to put the keys back. While we were waiting for our turn at the hospital, my friend, who had regained his senses, told me about his wife and children who did not accept him. From that day on, providing for my friend and his parents became a regular task for me. I also contacted his family: they now seemed more willing to be reconciled. Forgetting the keys was providential. (R. N. – Belgium)
Edited by Stefania Tanesini
(taken from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, year VII, n.1, January-February 2021)
Jan 14, 2021 | Non categorizzato
On October 15, 2020 Pope Francis drew attention to the alarming and widening global educational gap. Only an alliance between all components of society can generate a change of direction for humanity towards peace and fraternity: this is what gave rise to the GLOBAL COMPACT ON EDUCATION https://vimeo.com/490810657
Jan 13, 2021 | Non categorizzato
One year after the eruption of the Taal volcano in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, reciprocal love is the foundation for rebuilding both places and relationships in the Focolare community. 
“Life continues at Mariapolis Peace,” says Ting Nolasco, focolarina at the Movement’s centre in Tagaytay, Philippines, explaining how the Focolare community there lives today, one year after the eruption of the Taal volcano on January 12. “We are living reciprocal love among us with an intensity we’ve never experienced before, perhaps because of the great sufferings that we have had to face together. These have made our relationships deeper and simpler, our love and care for each other more tangible and concrete, and our smiles and willingness to stop and listen to each other more spontaneous and natural.” The volcano’s destruction, which saw the surrounding area covered in ash and mud for kilometres, with displaced populations without food, water or electricity, did not prevent the rebirth of both places and communities. Rather, these were renewed by the need to rebuild structures and relationships together. “Seeing the outpouring of generosity from people from all over the world donating aid,” Ting continues, “and seeing the convoy of trucks arriving in the morning from faraway places to help people in the affected areas was overwhelming.” 
The focolarini, young people, religious and families who live at Mariapolis Pace were forced to evacuate, and some lodged in a house that was later transformed into a logistics centre for the distribution of aid. Once the emergency was over, they dedicated themselves to rebuilding, which was an opportunity to see the generosity of many people at work: families, students, people who had received support from the centres offered to help, even risking their own safety, “as an expression of gratitude and reciprocity for what they had received”. Now, even the surrounding area seems reborn. “Our surroundings, once grey and seemingly dead, have now exploded into a riot of colour and an abundance of green,” says Ting. “Flowers, trees, fruit and vegetables are growing more vigorously thanks to the natural fertilizer that the falling ash mixed into the soil has brought. “It’s a resurrection experience.” A few months after the eruption, however, the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic brought the community to its knees once again, yet without stopping its journey of rebirth. “There was a drive to live for others,” says Ting, “especially for those who are engaged on the front lines. The children prepared postcards to show their love and appreciation. “With the help of our families, we made 2,500 visors to distribute to hospitals, health centres, the Red Cross, municipalities and schools. “In return, donations came in, which covered expenses and allowed us to purchase additional relief goods and distribute money to families. In all of these cases we felt the hand of God at work. “God allowed us to face these two apparent calamities so that we could experience his immense love and see the goodness in people’s hearts.”
Claudia Di Lorenzi
Jan 12, 2021 | Non categorizzato
We go to Australia, Brazil and Madagascar to see and hear about some “small” actions by people who take care of those nearby. https://vimeo.com/490834527
Jan 11, 2021 | Non categorizzato
In Italy and in many parts of the world the TV Movie “Chiara Lubich, love conquers all” was very well received. What struck so many was the coherence and faithfulness with which Chiara followed her own path. Here is a text in which she herself reveals the core from which everything started. [The letter to the Hebrews] says: “Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus” (Heb 12:1-2). Life is often something of an obstacle course. There are trials and the most varied sufferings. That is why we must keep our gaze fixed on Jesus, or rather on Jesus Forsaken. And this time I would like to say a word especially to those people – and I have some in mind – who are undergoing spiritual or physical trials and tell them: “Look to Jesus Forsaken and you will find the answer.” Indeed, Jesus Forsaken is a model of how to overcome trials. One aspect of Jesus Forsaken, and perhaps one of the most painful, is that of someone who, after having imbued their entire spiritual life with faith in God’s love, finds themselves feeling abandoned by Him due to some circumstances. Even here, even in this situation, they must look to Jesus Forsaken. Didn’t Jesus say that everyone would abandon him, but the Father would always be with him? Yet in his forsakenness the very opposite occurs. The Father seems to forsake him. It is terrible, it is tragic. And what does He do? He utters a loud cry, but then he abandons himself to the Father. This is what we must do in these circumstances. These are times, I think, that are worth very much before God. Jesus, with his forsakenness, completed Redemption. By uniting ours with His, we will accomplish our purification and help who knows how many people. Jesus Forsaken is truly the solution to every problem. We will never be disappointed by Him, but rather find in Him the explanation of all our trials. So take courage! Keep your gaze fixed on Him to overcome every obstacle in the race of our lives.
Chiara Lubich
(From a telephone conference call, Mollens (CH), 14th August 1986)
Jan 9, 2021 | Non categorizzato
We hear from young people who were part of the event – which is now an international movement – the Economy of Francesco. https://vimeo.com/490823909
Jan 6, 2021 | Non categorizzato
We go to the USA, Pakistan and the Philippines to see and hear about some “small” actions by people who take care of those nearby, https://vimeo.com/490653359
Jan 4, 2021 | Non categorizzato
The start of the year is a good opportunity to begin again in interpersonal relationships. In the following text Chiara Lubich proposes a radical strategy: a complete amnesty in our hearts to let Jesus dwell there and create cells of unity in the world. What I want to focus on today is unity. Unity must triumph – unity with God and unity among all people. The way to achieve this is to love everyone with that merciful love which characterized the Focolare at its beginnings, when we decided that each morning and all through the day we would see every person we met – at home, at school, at work, everywhere – as a new person, brand new, deliberately not remembering any of their shortcomings or faults, but covering everything over with love. That is exactly how this month’s Word of Life invites us to love: to forgive seventy times seven times; to reach out to everyone we meet with a complete “amnesty,” with universal forgiveness in our hearts; and then to “make ourselves one” with them in everything except sin and evil. Why should we do this? To obtain the same wonderful results the Apostle Paul was seeking when he said: “For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. … I have become all things to all people“. (1 Cor. 9:19-22). If we “make ourselves one” with our neighbour, as Paul recommends, which will be easier when we have this forgiving attitude, we will be able to pass our Ideal on to others. And once this has been accomplished we can have Jesus present among us, the risen Jesus who promised to remain with us forever in his Church, and who allows us to almost see and hear him when he is in our midst. This must be our main work: to live in such a way that Jesus may live among us – Jesus, who is victorious over the world. For if we are one, many will be one and the world will someday be able to witness unity. …
Chiara Lubich
(Taken from a telephone conference call, Rocca di Papa, 15th October 1981)
