“We have to be convinced that for the civilization of love to become a reality, a current of love has to break through and flood the world. Otherwise, everything will remain like a nice dream, destined to die…
Love! Teach people to love!
And yet, the person who truly knows how to love is the person who knows that he or she is sincerely loved. This is true with regard to human love, but it is no less valid with regard to divine love. To know that we are loved! By whom? By God who is love.
We need to open the eyes of as many people as possible so that they can see and discover the treasure they possess, often without realizing it. They need to know that they are not alone on this earth. Love exists. They have a father who does not abandon his sons and daughters to their destiny. He wants to accompany them, watch over them, help them.
He is a father who doesn’t load onto our shoulders burdens that are too heavy, but rather is the first to carry them. In our case, he doesn’t leave the renewal of society only to our human initiative – he’s the first to be involved with us. People need to know this and turn to him, aware of the fact that nothing is impossible for him.
Therefore, we have to believe that we are loved by God, so that we can plunge with greater faith into the adventure of love, and work together with him for a totally “new” humanity.
Therefore, we have to place at the centre of our attention each person and share with each one their misfortunes and successes, as well as our spiritual and material goods. And, to love well, we shouldn’t see the difficulties, corruption and sufferings of the world merely as social evils that need to be resolved. Rather, we should recognize in them the countenance of Christ, who is not ashamed to be present in all forms of human misery. He is the driving force – especially for those of us who are Christians – that releases our greatest energies, channelling them for the good of others.
But since the love we are talking about is certainly not only philanthropy, or only friendship or mere human solidarity, but is primarily a gift from God, we need to have the best attitude for receiving it, by nourishing ourselves on the Word of God…
Every person in his or her large or small world of daily activities – in the family, office, factory, local politics – immersed as they may be in local or more universal problems, in public institutions in their own city or beyond, even in the United Nations itself – everyone should truly be a builder of peace, a witness to love, an instrument of unity.”
The International Conference entitled: “A Culture of Peace for the Unity of Peoples” Castel Gandolfo, June 11, 1988
