Word of Life

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“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Lk 6:36)

From what St. Luke tells us, after proclaiming the beatitudes to his disciples, Jesus made his
revolutionary call: to love every person as a brother or sister, even those considered enemies. Jesus
fully knows and explains to us that we are all brothers and sisters because we have one Father.
Continually seeking out his children, God wants to build a relationship with us. While
holding us up to our responsibilities, God’s love heals, nourishes and takes care of us. It is a
mother’s attitude, compassionate and tender.

This is the mercy of God that reaches out personally to every human being, with all their
weaknesses. In fact, God prefers those who are marginalized, excluded and rejected.
Mercy is a love that fills the heart and flows out to others, to neighbors as well as strangers,
to society around us. Since we are children of God, we can imitate his characteristics of love,
acceptance and knowing how to wait for the right time for others.

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

Unfortunately, in our personal and social lives we breathe an atmosphere of growing hostility and
competition, of mutual suspicion, categorical judgments and fear of others. Grudges accumulate and
lead to conflicts and wars.

As Christians, we can go against the mainstream by giving a clear-cut witness. We can take
the step to be free from ourselves and from external circumstances, and begin to rebuild the
weakened or broken bonds in our family, in our workplace, in the parish community or in our
political party.

If we have hurt someone, let’s have the courage to ask forgiveness and start again. It is an
act of great dignity. If someone has truly offended us, let’s try to forgive them and make room for
that person once more in our heart, so that the wound can heal.

But what is forgiveness?

Focolare founder Chiara Lubich wrote in a commentary to scripture in October 1981:
“Forgiveness is not forgetfulness … it is not weakness … it does not mean taking serious things
lightly, or considering as good what is in fact bad … it is not indifference. Forgiveness is a clearsighted
act of will, and thus a free act that welcomes the other as he or she is, despite the wrong
done to us, just as God welcomes us sinners, despite our faults.”

Forgiveness means not reacting to the injuries received with more wrongdoing, but doing
what Paul says: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (see Rom 12:21). Such
openheartedness cannot be improvised. It is a daily conquest, a constant growing in our identity as
children of God. Above all, it is a gift from the Father that we can and must ask from him.

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

A young woman from the Philippines told us her story: “I was only 11 when my father was killed,
but justice was not upheld because we were poor. When I grew up, I studied law because I wanted
justice for my father’s death. But God had another plan for me. A colleague invited me to meet
people who were seriously committed to living the Gospel. I started doing the same.

“One day I asked Jesus to teach me how to live his words “Love your enemies” (cf. Mt
5:44) in a real way, because I still felt hatred within me for the men who had killed my father. The
next day, at work, I met the head of that criminal group. I greeted him with a smile and asked about
his family.

“He was astonished by this, and I was even more surprised at what I had done. The hatred
within me started breaking down and was transformed into love. However, that was only the first
step: love is creative! I thought that every member of that criminal group had to receive our
forgiveness. My brother and I visited them to re-establish a relationship and bear witness that God
loves them! One man asked our forgiveness for what he had done, as well as prayers for himself
and his family.”

Letizia Magri

https://soundcloud.com/user-63571203/march-2019-be-merciful-just-as-your-father-is-merciful

“Seek peace, and pursue it (Ps. 34:14).”

for ages 4-8 | for ages 9-17 | Print | Audio

In this psalm, David tells the people gathered before him of his joy and gratitude to God. He had experienced danger and anguish, but he called trustingly on the God of Israel and found peace again.

This hymn is primarily about God and his mercy, telling of his powerful presence alongside the poor and oppressed who call upon him.

Wanting to help others obtain salvation as he has done, David went on to suggest some inner attitudes to adopt: to avoid doing evil, but to do good always instead.

He emphasized the need not to malign others. Words, in fact, can lead to war.

Seek peace, and pursue it

In biblical language, peace has several meanings, such as physical and spiritual wellbeing or harmony between individuals and peoples. Above all, however, it is a gift from God, through which we discover his fatherly presence.

That is why, in order to experience true peace, we need to be passionate and persevering in seeking God in our lives.

We can do our part, in seeking God, by following the voice of our conscience. This always urges us to choose the path of goodness and not the path of evil. Often it is enough to let God find us, as he has been searching for each one of us for eternity. Through baptism, we Christians already have a close relationship with Jesus. He is the God who is near and who has promised us peace; he himself is peace. We have received the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who also helps us to share with others the fruits of God’s peace that we have experienced. He will show us how to love the people around us and so overcome conflicts by avoiding unfounded allegations, superficial judgments and gossip. In this way, our hearts will open to accept others.

We may not be able to silence all the guns that bring bloodshed to so many parts of the world. However, we can take the initiative in giving new life to wounded relationships, whether they be in our family, our Christian community, at work or in our towns and cities.

Wherever a small or large community is determined to witness to the power of love, it becomes possible to build bridges between social groups, churches and even political parties.

Seek peace, and pursue it

A sincere search for peace will also help us identify practices that can protect creation, which is also God’s gift to his children and is entrusted to us to care for responsibly for future generations.

In 1990, Chiara Lubich wrote to Rev. Nikkyo Niwano, founder of the Japanese Buddhist movement Rissho Kosei Kai: “If human beings are not at peace with God, the earth itself is not at peace. People of faith are aware that the earth ‘suffers’ when it is not treated according to the plan of God, but purely out of self interest and an endless desire to possess. This selfish desire contaminates the environment more than, and before, any other kind of pollution, which is merely its consequence. … If we discover that all creation is the gift of a Father who loves us, it will be much easier to find a harmonious relationship with nature. If we also discover that this gift is for everyone in the human family and not only a few, greater attention and respect will be given to something that belongs to all of humanity, both present and future.”

Letizia Magri

https://soundcloud.com/user-63571203/february-2019-seek-peace-and-pursue-it-ps-3415

for ages 4-8 | for ages 9-17 | Print | Audio

The Book of Deuteronomy is made up of a series of speeches Moses gave towards the end of his life. He reminds the younger generation of the laws given by the Lord to the People of Israel, while he himself can see from afar the Promised Land to which he has courageously guided them.

In this Book, the ‘law’ of God is presented first of all as the ‘word’ of a Father who takes care of all his children. It is a way of journeying through life that God has given his people to fulfil the Covenant he has made with them. If the people observe the law faithfully, out of love and gratitude more than out of fear of punishment, they will continue to enjoy God’s presence and protection.

The Covenant has been received as a gift from God and one practical way of fulfilling it is to be very determined in pursuing justice. Believers keep the Covenant not only when they are thankful to God for choosing his people, and when they avoid worshiping anyone but the Lord, but also when they refuse benefits that cloud their conscience concerning the needs of the poor.

‘Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue.’

In daily life, we come across many situations of injustice, some of which are very serious. They affect people who are already vulnerable and those who live on the margins of society. There are so many ‘Cains’ who act violently towards their brothers or sisters.

Eradicating inequality and abuse is a basic demand of justice that has to start in our own heart and in all the places we frequent.

However, God does not do justice by destroying Cain. Instead, he wanted to protect him so that he can resume his journey. God’s justice is done by giving new life.

We Christians are people who have met Jesus. By his words and deeds, and above all by giving his life and the light of the Resurrection, Jesus showed us that God’s justice is found in his infinite love for all his children.

Through Jesus, a path opens up before us in which we can practice and spread mercy and forgiveness, which are also the foundations of social justice.

‘Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue.’

This verse of Scripture has been chosen to celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2019 which, in the northern hemisphere, runs from 18 to 25 January. If we too welcome this Word, we can commit to seeking pathways to reconciliation, first of all among Christians. By putting ourselves at everyone’s service, we will effectively heal the wounds of injustice.

For several years now, Christians from various churches have had this experience when working together to help prisoners in the city of Palermo (Italy). Salvatore, who belongs to an evangelical association, first had the idea: “I realized that these neighbours of ours had spiritual and human needs. Often their families were not able to help them. Trusting in God, I shared this with many brothers and sisters in my own church and other churches”. Christine, from the Anglican Church, added: “Being able to help these needy neighbours makes us happy because it shows God’s providence in real terms. God wants his love to reach them all, through us.” Nunzia, who is Catholic, said: “It seemed an opportunity both to help people in need and witness to Jesus also through small material things.”

This experience is a practical application of what Chiara Lubich spoke about in 1998, during an ecumenical meeting in the Evangelical Church of St Anne in Augsburg:

“If we Christians take a look at our history, … we will be saddened to see that it has often been a succession of misunderstandings, quarrels and conflicts. Certainly it was due to historical, cultural, political, geographical, and social circumstances, but also because Christians were lacking in what is their specific unifying feature: love.

Efforts in the field of ecumenism will be fruitful in so far as those who dedicate themselves to it see in Jesus crucified and forsaken, who re-abandons himself to the Father, the key to understanding every disunity and to re-establishing unity … When unity is lived, it has an effect … It is the presence of Jesus among people, in the community. Jesus said: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Mt 18:20). The presence of Jesus between a Catholic and an Evangelical who love each other, between Anglicans and Orthodox, between an Armenian and a Reformed Christian who love each other – how much peace it would bring even now, how much light it would shed for a productive ecumenical journey!”

Letizia Magri

St Paul wrote to the community in the city of Philippi at a time when he was being persecuted and in serious difficulties. Yet he advised these dear friends of his, in fact he almost commanded them, to “rejoice in the Lord always.”

Is it right to command this kind of thing? Looking at the world around us, there are not that many reasons for feeling good about life, never mind joyful!

With all the worries we have, the social injustice and strained relationships between nations, it’s already hard work to avoid being overwhelmed and discouraged, and therefore just living for ourselves.

Nonetheless, we hear Paul’s invitation to:

Rejoice in the Lord always.

What was his secret? Chiara Lubich wrote “There is a reason why, despite all our difficulties, we should always be joyful. If we take Christian life seriously, it gives us joy. Through Christian life, Jesus is alive in us and when we are with him we cannot fail to be joyful. He is the source of true joy, because he gives meaning to our life and guides us with his light. He frees us from fear, whether we are concerned about the past or about something yet to come. He gives us the strength to overcome all the difficulties, temptations and trials that we might encounter.“

Christian joy is not simple optimism, nor is it the security given by material wellbeing. It isn’t the cheeriness of those who are young and healthy. Instead it is the fruit of a personal meeting with God in the depths of our hearts.

Rejoice in the Lord always.

Paul went on to say that this joy enables us to welcome others in a kindly way and be ready to use our time for others.^[1]

Moreover, on another occasion, Paul referred explicitly to Jesus’ saying, “There is more joy in giving than in receiving.”^[2]

Being in Jesus’ company gives us an interior peace that has a “disarming” power and can often have a positive impact on the people around us.

Not long ago, despite the dangers and challenges of the war, a large group of Syrian young people met together to share their experiences of living the Gospel and experiencing the joy of mutual love. They went home again determined to witness that it is possible to live as one family.

We were sent this feedback by one of the people there:

“We heard so many stories about great suffering and pain but also about great hope and heroic faith in God’s love. Some people have lost everything and their families are living in a refugee camp. Others saw their loved ones killed. These young people really want to help make a new start. They have organised festivals in different towns, involving thousands of people. They worked to rebuild a school and a garden at the centre of a small village where construction had never been finished due to the war. They have helped many refugee families. The words of Chiara Lubich come to mind, ‘Christian joy is like a ray of sunlight shining through a tear, a rose flowering from blood-stained ground. It is the essence of love distilled from suffering. That is why it has the apostolic power of a glimpse of Paradise.’  In these Syrian brothers and sisters of ours, we saw the fortitude of the first Christians in the way they witness, during this terrible war, to their trust and hope in God who is Love. Their witness helps their friends have the same trust and hope. Thank you, Syrian friends, for this lesson in lived Christianity!”

Letizia Magri

^[1]Cf. Phil.4:5.

^[2]Acts 20:35.

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for ages 4-8 | for ages 9-17 | Print | Audio

The Word of Life this month comes from a text attributed to the disciple James, who was a prominent figure in the Church in Jerusalem. He exhorted Christians saying there should be coherence between what they believed and what they did. The first paragraph of the letter highlights an essential condition that makes this possible. Christians needed to be free from all wickedness in order to welcome God’s word and be guided by it on the journey toward fulfilling their Christian vocation.

The word of God has a creative power that produces fruits of goodness in both the individual and in the community. It builds relationships founded on love between each of us and God and among us all. James says this word has already been “planted” in us.

“Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls.”

One place where God clearly speaks to us is the Bible, and for Christians the Gospels are especially important. We can welcome God’s word by reading Scripture with love, and we see its fruits when we put it into practice. We can also listen to God in the depths of our hearts, where we often experience an influx of many voices and words. These might be slogans, or refer to choices we might make, or people to admire or maybe worries or fears. How can we recognize God’s word and leave room for it to live in us? We need to make ourselves still and surrender to God’s call, so as to listen freely and courageously to his voice which is usually gentle and quiet. God’s voice asks us to avoid being closed in on ourselves and to venture onto the path of encounter and dialogue with him and with others. It also calls on us to work so that human coexistence can become more harmonious and we can be increasingly ready to recognize one another as brothers and sisters.

“Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls.”

How can this be? It is surely because, from the very beginning, God stated clearly that humankind was created in his “image.” In fact, every human being is a “you” in relation to God. Every person is called into existence to share in God’s life of love and fellowship.

In addition, for Christians the sacrament of baptism incorporates us into Christ, the word of God who entered into human history.
God has, therefore, sown the seed of his word in every person. This word calls them to do what is good; it calls them to justice, self-giving and fellowship. When the word is welcomed and cultivated in our own “soil,” it produces life and fruit.

“Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls.”

In fact, the word of God can transform our daily life into the story of our liberation from the darkness of personal and social evil. However, we need to accept the word personally and consciously, even if it is an ongoing process and we are imperfect and fragile. Our thoughts and feelings will become more like those of Jesus himself. Our faith and hope in God’s love will grow stronger, and we will notice other people’s needs and help them.

Chiara Lubich explained this in 1992: “We saw a profound unity between Jesus’ love for the Father and his love for his brothers and sisters. There was total coherence between his words and his life, and this fascinated and attracted everyone.
“We too should be like him, accepting his words with childlike simplicity and putting them into practice. His words shine out in their purity, strength and completeness. By living them, we become the kind of disciples he wants us to be, disciples who are equal to their teacher, like Jesus spread throughout the world. What greater and more beautiful adventure could there be?”

Letizia Magri

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