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"So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven" (Mt 5:16)

December 2009

[...]
The light can be seen in "good works". It shines through the good works that Christians do.
I say, but not only Christians do works good. Other work together to progress, build homes, promote justice
... You're right. The Christian certainly does and he needs to do this, but this is not just its specific function. He must do good works with a new spirit, the spirit that causes him to live no longer in himself, but Christ in him.
The Evangelist, in fact, does not think only of isolated acts of charity (such as visiting prisoners, clothe the naked, or as updated all the works of mercy to the needs of today) but think of the total membership of the Christian life to the will of God, to do so throughout his life a good work.
If the Christian does so, he is "transparent" and the praise you give for what does not come to him, but Christ in him, and God, through him, will be present in the world. The task of the Christian is, therefore, reveals this light that inhabits it, to be the "sign" of God's presence among men.

"So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven"

If the good work of the individual believer has this feature, the wider community Christian in the midst of the world must have the same specific function: to reveal through his life the presence of God, which manifests itself where two or three are gathered in His name, there promised to the Church until the end of time.
The early Church attached great importance to these words of Jesus, especially in difficult times, when Christians were being slandered, then urged them not to react with violence. Their behavior was to be the best refutation of the evil that was said against them.
reads the letter to Titus: "Encourage more young people to be sensible, offering yourself as an example of good practice throughout, and in your teaching show integrity, sound speech and blameless, so that an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us " .

"So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven"

E 'the Christian life that is light even today to bring men to God I tell you one anecdote
.
Antoinette Sardinia, but work has been brought in France, in Grenoble. E 'employed in an office where many did not want to work. As a Christian and sees Jesus in each serving, it helps everyone and is always calm and smiling. Often someone gets angry, raises his voice and vents with her, taking her around, "Because you want to work, Take, typing also my job. " She is silent and
Sgobba. He knows that they're not bad. Probably everybody has his troubles.
One day the boss comes to her while the others are missing and asks: "Now I must say how he never lose patience, always smiling." She screen saying: "I try to stay calm, take things to the good."
The boss beats his fist on the desk and exclaimed: "No, God certainly has to do here, otherwise it is impossible! And to think that I did not believe in God. " A few days later
Antoinette is called in the direction where the say it will be transferred to another office "so that - Continues the director - as he did to turn it to where it is now. "

"So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven"

Chiara Lubich

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December November October

November 2009

"E 'easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven "(Mt 19.24)

[...]
It makes quite an impression this sentence?
I think you're right to be perplexed and think about what is appropriate for you do. Jesus did not say anything so to speak. It 'must therefore take these words seriously, not to want to water down.
But try to understand the true meaning of them by Jesus himself, by the way he acted with the rich. He also attended wealthy. To Zacchaeus, which gives only half of his assets, he says, salvation has come to this house.
The Acts of the Apostles show that in the early Church the communion of goods was free and then the actual surrender all one's possessions was not required.
Jesus had in mind, therefore, to establish only a community of people called to follow [...], leaving aside any wealth. Yet
says

"It 's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven", Jesus condemns

What? Certainly not the goods of the land itself, but the rich man attached to them.
And why?
E 'clear: because everything belongs to God and the rich behave as if the riches were his.
The fact is that the wealth in the human heart can easily take the place of God and blind and facilitate every vice. Paul, the Apostle, wrote: "Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. Attachment love of money is the root of all evil; for this craving that some have wandered from the faith and be themselves through with many sorrows. "
Plato had said, "It 's impossible for an extraordinarily good time to be extraordinarily rich."
What then is the attitude of those who have? It is important that he has a heart that is free, totally open to God, that feels administrator of his property and knows, as John Paul II, who imposed upon them a social mortgage.
The goods of this world, not bad for themselves, there is no need to despise, but you have to use them well.
not the hand, but the heart must stay away from them. It is knowing how to use for the good of others.
Who is rich it is for others.

"It 's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven"

But perhaps you will say I'm not really rich, so these words do not concern me.
Fa 'attention. The question that perplexed the disciples have done to Christ right after this statement was: "Who then can be saved?". This clearly tells us that these words were addressed a bit 'at all.
Even someone who has left everything to follow Christ may have a heart attack in a thousand things. Even a poor man's blasphemy because you touch the bag can be a rich toward God

Chiara Lubich

This Word of Life was originally published in July 1979

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Word of Life

October 2009

"By your patience possess ye your souls" (Luke 21:19)

[...]
"Perseverance." And 'This is the translation of the original Greek word, which, however, is rich in content: it also includes patience, endurance, strength and confidence.
Perseverance is necessary and indispensable when we suffer, when one is tempted when he is brought to despair, when one is lured by the attractions of the world, when you are persecuted.
I think you too will be found in at least one of these circumstances and has found that, without perseverance, you could lose. Sometimes maybe you have sold. Now maybe, just at this moment, you are immersed in some of these painful situations.
Well, what?
Pull yourself together, and ... perseveres.
Otherwise the name of "Christian" does not suit you.
You know: who wants to follow Christ must take up his cross daily, to love, at least with the will, the pain. The Christian vocation is a vocation perseverance.
Paul, the Apostle, the community shows its persistence as a sign of Christian authenticity.
And not afraid to put it in terms of miracles.
If you love the cross and then you persevere you can follow Christ in Heaven and then save it.

"By your patience possess ye your souls"

There are two categories of people: those who feel the call to be true Christians, but this call falls in their souls like the seed on stony ground. Enthusiasm, similar to flash in the pan, and then there's nothing left. The second
instead accept the invitation, as a good soil receives the seed. And the Christian life germinates, grows, overcomes difficulties, resist the storms.
These have perseverance and ... "with your patience possess ye your souls"

course, if you do not want to endure just lean only on your own strength.
We need God's help
Paul calls God "the God of perseverance."
E 'then you have to ask Him and He will give you.
Because if you're a Christian you may not be enough to be baptized or the occasional practice of worship and charity. You need to grow as a Christian. And any growth in the spiritual, can not happen if not in the midst of trials, sorrows, to obstacles to the battles.
There are those who persevere to really know: it is the one who loves. Love does not see obstacles, he sees problems, he sees sacrifices. And perseverance is the love felt.
[...]
Mary is the woman of perseverance.
Pray to God that you turn on in the heart of love for Him, and perseverance, in all the difficulties of life, you will follow, and with it you will save your soul.

"By your patience possess ye your souls"

But there's more. Perseverance is contagious. Who is persevering also encourages others to get to the bottom.
[...]
aim high. We have one life and also about this. Grit your teeth every day, we face one difficulty after another to follow Christ ... and save our souls.

Chiara Lubich

Word of Life, June 1979, published in full in Being Your Word. Chiara Lubich and Christians around the world, vol. II, New Town, Rome 1982, pp.25-28.

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Word of Life Word of Life September

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt. 6:33)

in September 2009

whole Gospel is a revolution. No word of Christ that looks like that of men. Listen to this: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (the necessities of life) will be given to"
The first concern of man, in general, is the anxious search for what is necessary to provide security to its existence. Maybe so for you too. Well, Jesus puts you in front of "his" way of looking and offers a way to act. We demand a totally different behavior than usual, and held not once, but always. And 'this: seek first the kingdom of God
When you are directed with your whole being to God and do all that he will reign (ie governments your life with its laws) within yourself and in others, the Father will give you what you need every day.
If you worry about yourself first, you end up with the cure of the main things of this world and you fall victim to them. You end up seeing the goods of this world "your" real problem, the "end" of all your efforts. And I was born into the grave temptation to rely solely on your own strength and to do without God

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you"

Jesus reverses the situation. If your first concern will be to Him, live for Him, then the rest will no longer be the main problem of your existence, but a "well" or "surplus."
Utopia? Word impossible for you, modern man, today, in an industrialized world where there is competition and that is often in economic crisis? I remind you simply that the practical difficulties of subsistence for the people of Galilee, were not much lower when Jesus spoke these words.
not a question of utopia or not, Jesus asks you before setting important in your life or live for you, or live for God
But we now understand this word

"Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Jesus calls you to immobility, passivity for earthly things, to conduct an irresponsible or superficial work.
Jesus wants to change the "concern" to "employment", remove the anxiety, fear, anxiety.
He says: "Seek 'before' the kingdom ...."
The sense of "before" is "above all else." The search for the kingdom of God is put first, and does not exclude that the Christian must also address the need of his life.

"seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness," then, means having a conduct consistent with the requirements of God manifested by Jesus in his Gospel.
Only by the kingdom of God, the Christian will experience the wonderful power of the Father in his favor.
I tell you a story. And
'time ago, yet appears to an incredible news. In fact I know many young people who behave now as the girl was acting.
His name was Elvira. Attending the colleges. Was poor. Only an average high could ensure the continuation of studies. He had a strong faith. His philosophy professor was an atheist, so often showed the truth about Christ and the Church of focus, if not distorted. The girl's heart was boiling. Not for himself but for the love of God, truth and her companions. While aware that contradicting the professor could have had a bad mark, what he felt inside was stronger than her. He raised his hand at all times, asking to speak: "Do not you, professor." Perhaps some time will have had all the arguments to counter the disquisitions of the professor, but in that "not true" was his faith, the gift of truth and makes you think.
's companions, who loved her, tried to dissuade her from her actions because they were not harmful. But they could not.
They spend a few months. It 'time to distribute the report card. She takes it and shakes. Then a splash of joy. Ten! The maximum rating.
He tried first of all that God and his kingdom and the truth had come to rest in addition.

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you"

If you seek the kingdom of the Father, you will experience that God is Providence for all the needs of your life. You will discover the extraordinary standard of the Gospel.

Chiara Lubich

published for the first time in May 1979

How Do You Know When Its Implantation

August

"Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end" (Jn 13:1)

August 2009

know when the Gospel contains this sentence? The first Saint John writes that Jesus is preparing to wash the feet of his disciples and prepare to his passion.
In recent times who lives with his manifest supremely in Jesus and more explicit love that has always had for them.

"Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to end."

The words "to the end" means: until the end of his life, until the last breath. But there is in them the idea of \u200b\u200bperfection. They want to say he loved them completely, totally, with a great intensity until the climax.
The disciples of Jesus will remain in the world as Jesus in glory. You feel alone, must pass many tests, just for those moments Jesus wants to be sure of his love.

"Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to end."

not you hear this phrase in the lifestyle of Christ, his way of love? He washed the disciples' feet. His love leads him to this service, at the time reserved for slaves. Jesus is preparing to give the tragedy of Calvary to "his" and all, besides his extraordinary items, as well as the same miracles, as well as all his works, even his life. They needed it, the greatest need that any man to be freed from sin, which means death, and be able to enter the kingdom of heaven. They must have peace and joy in life that never ends.
Jesus offers himself to death, shouting the abandonment of the Father, to the point of being able to say at the end: "it is finished."

"Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to end."

There is in these words, the tenacity of a God of love and tenderness of one of brother.
We Christians, because Christ is in us, so we can love.

But now I do not bring much to imitate Jesus in his death (when it was his hour) for the others do not want you to provide, as necessary models, Father Kolbe, who died in place of a brother prisoner, or Father Damien who became a leper with the lepers, dies with them and for them.
Maybe never, throughout the years, you are requested to offer your physical lives for the brethren. But certainly what God asks you is to love them all the way until the end, to the point that you can say: "it is finished."

So did the small Cetti, 11 years old, an Italian city. She saw her friend and companion Giorgina, the same age, very sad. He wants to calm her, but fails. He wants to then go through and know the reason for his anguish. The father died and mother left her alone with his grandmother, went to live with another man. Cetti understands the tragedy and moves. Calls, although small, the companion to talk to her mom, but Giorgina begs to accompany her first at the tomb of his father. Cetti the following with great love and sentiment Giorgina in tears begging her father to come and pick her up.

A Cetti's heart is broken. There is a small ruined church there, they enter. They were only a small crucifix and a tabernacle. Cetti said: "Look, in this world, everything is destroyed, but the crucifix and tabernacle that remain." Giorgina, wiping her tears, he replied: "Yes, you're right." Then, gently, Cetti Giorgina takes the hand and accompany his mother.

arrived, with the decision addresses these words: "Look, lady, there are things that concern me, but I say she left her daughter without a mother's affection they need. And I say one more thing: she will never be peace until they have taken with them and will not be sorry. " The next day
Cetti supports Giorgina who finds love in school. But here's something new: a car is to take Giorgina: driving the mother. And from that day the car back, because Giorgina now lives with her, who gave up much of our friendship with the man.
of small and large action Cetti, you can say "it is finished." He did everything well. Until the end. And there is success.

Think about it '. How many times have you started to take care of someone and then you left, silencing your conscience with a thousand excuses? How many shares you started with enthusiasm then you have continued to face difficulties that seemed superior to your forces? ...
The lesson for today Jesus gives is this:

"Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to end."

It 's been.
And if one day God asked you serious about life, do not waver. The martyrs went to their death singing. And the prize will be the greatest glory, because Jesus said that nobody in the world has greater love than he that sheds his blood for his friends.

Chiara Lubich