for ages 4-8 | for ages 9-17 | Audio
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matt. 7:12)
When making important decisions in life, how often do we look for a “compass” to ensure that that we make the right choice? As Christians, how often do we ask ourselves what is the very essence of the Gospel message, the key to enter into the heart of God and live as his children here and now?
These words of Jesus provide a clear answer and are easy to understand and put into practice. They are taken from Matthew’s Gospel and are part of the great Sermon on the Mount which records Jesus’ teachings on how to fully live the Christian life. His teaching is summarised in this concise statement.
Nowadays, there is a need for meaningful but brief and effective messages: we could welcome this Word as a precious tweet to constantly keep in mind.
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.”
To better understand what to do for others, Jesus invites us to put ourselves in their shoes; he did just this when, out of love for us, he took on our human nature.
If we ask ourselves what we expect from our parents, children, work colleagues, politicians and spiritual leaders, we realise that we would like welcome, listening, inclusion and support in material needs. In addition, we would also like sincerity, forgiveness, encouragement, patience, advice, guidance and education …. For Jesus, it is the inner attitude which then gives rise to practical action and leads to the fulfilment of all of God’s Law and all the richness of the spiritual life.
This Word is the “Golden Rule”, a universal teaching contained in the different cultures, religions and traditions that humanity has developed over the passage of time. It is the basis of all authentically human values that lead to peaceful coexistence, with just and supportive personal and social relationships.
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.”
This Word encourages us to be creative and generous, to take the initiative for the benefit of everyone and to build bridges even towards people who we do not count as friends. Jesus himself said and did just this. It asks us to avoid being closed in ourselves so that we can be credible witnesses of our faith.
Chiara Lubich encouraged us to do this when she wrote: “Let’s try. A day lived this way is worth a lifetime… We will be filled with a joy we have never felt before…God will be with us because he is with those who love… Sometimes we may slow down and feel discouraged and be tempted to stop… But no! Have courage! God gives us the grace we need and so we can always start again. If we persevere we will see the world around us slowly change. We will understand that the Gospel makes life fascinating. It brings a light into the world, it gives flavour to our existence and contains the principle for solving all problems. And we will not feel at peace until we communicate our extraordinary experience to other people – to friends who can understand us, to relatives, to anyone with whom we feel compelled to share. Hope will be reborn.” [i]
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.”
Ramiro was one on the longest standing workers in his team. He heard that new colleagues were about to join them in their office.
He asked himself, “If I were to enter this office for the first time, what would I like to find? What would make me feel at ease?” He began to create more space and involved other colleagues in finding more desks. They worked together to create new and welcoming workstations so that when the newcomers arrived, they found a positive atmosphere and a united working community.
Letizia Magri
[i] Chiara Lubich, Word of Life, April 1978
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