Focolare Community Gathering: Celebrating God's Love in Unity

On Sunday, 23rd February 2025, the Focolare community gathered for its monthly day of reflection and sharing. This time the theme was “God is Love“. The event brought together individuals and families from different backgrounds, all eager to experience and live out this profound reality. The first session at 12:00 included everyone and created a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The Word of Life was explored through experiences and buzz groups, allowing participants to share insights and listen to how others live out God’s love in daily life. After lunch, the afternoon session resumed with a special reflection on the theme “God is Love.” Stories of lived experiences brought the words to life, as people shared how they encountered God’s love in both joys and challenges. The buzz groups continued and there was time for an update on Focolare news. Through a video clip, Juanita shared about Lorna Gold’s visit to Belfast for the 4 Corners Festival. Lorna, known for her deep commitment to climate action and integral ecology, offered a thought-provoking message about the responsibility we all share in caring for our planet and one another. Her visit to Belfast reinforced how love must be translated into action, not just in personal relationships but also in the wider world, responding to the “cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” The day concluded at 15:30 with tea and coffee, providing a relaxed space for further conversations and friendships to grow. This gathering was yet another reminder of how living “God is Love” is not just an idea, it is a call to action, a way of life, and a path to transforming society from within.

To get to know more about the aspect of “God Love” in the Focolare’s spirituality see this video: https://www.focolaremedia.com/video/god-love-ep1-point-guide-living-spirituality-unity or

check out: https://chiaralubich.org/en/spiritualita/dio-e-amore/

This passage is from a letter Chiara Lubich wrote in 1944, expressing her profound realization of God’s love amidst the turmoil of World War II. It reflects her deep conviction that, despite the transient nature of worldly things, God’s love remains constant and is the true essence of our existence.

“In the midst of the carnage of war, the result of hatred, we were dazzled, as if it were for the first time, by the truth about God: ‘God is Love’ (1 John 4:8). Love joins us as sisters! Love has called us to Love! Love has spoken in the depths of our hearts, saying: ‘Look around you. Everything in the world passes away. Each day comes to an end and evening drops so quickly. Each life has its sunset and soon the sunset of your life will be upon you! But never despair: Yes, yes, everything passes away, for nothing of what you see and love is destined to last forever! Everything passes away, leaving you with nothing but hopes and regrets!’ But don’t despair: Your constant hope tells you: ‘Yes, there is what you are looking for: There is that infinite and immortal longing, a hope that never ends, a faith that breaks through the darkness of death and is a light to those who believe; your hope is not in vain, your believing is not in vain. It’s not in vain! You hope, you believe—because of Love. This is your future, your present and your past: It’s all summarized in the word Love!'”