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Li kieku llum kont ser inħalli din l-art u kellkom tistaqsuni kelma tal-aħħar dwar l-Ideal tagħna, kont ngħidilkom kelma li żgur tifhmuha fis-sens l-aktar preċiż tagħha: “Kunu familja”.
Hemm fostkom min qed ibati minħabba provi spiritwali jew morali? Ifhmuhom bħalma tifhimhom omm u aktar minn hekk; dawluhom bil-kelma u bl-eżempju. Araw li ma jkun jonqoshom xejn, anzi araw li tikber aktar is-sħana tal-familja
Hemm fostkom min qed ibati fiżikament? Dawn għandhom ikunu ħutna l-aktar ippreferuti. Batu magħhom. Fittxu li tifhmu sew it-tbatija tagħhom. Aqsmu magħhom il-frott tal-ħajja appostolika tagħkom, sabiex huma jkunu jafu li, aktar minn oħrajn, qed jagħtu sehemhom għal dan il-frott.
Hemm dawk li qed imutu? Immaġinaw li kontu intom minflokhom u agħmlu magħhom dak li tixtiequ jkun magħmul magħkom sal-aħħar nifs.
Hemm xi ħadd li qed jifraħ minħabba xi suċċess jew xi raġuni oħra? Ifirħu miegħu, biex il-faraġ tiegħu ma jispiċċax fix-xejn u qalbu tingħalaq, imma biex il-ferħ tiegħu jkun il-ferħ ta’ kulħadd.
Hemm xi ħadd li ser jitlaq? Tħalluhx imur qabel ma timlewlu qalbu b’wirt wieħed: is-sens ta’ familja biex jieħdu miegħu fejn ikun sejjer.
L-ebda attività, lanqas dik spititwali jew appostolika, m’għandha tiġi qabel l-ispirtu ta’ familja ma’ dawk li inti tgħix magħhom.
U kulfejn tmorru biex twasslu l-ideal ta’ Kristu u tinfirex il-familja kbira tal-Opra ta’ Marija, l-aħjar ħaġa li tistgħu tagħmlu – u m’hemm xejn aħjar minnha – hi li b’mod diskret u bi prudenza, imma b’deċiżjoni tfittxu li toħolqu l-ispirtu ta’ familja. Dan hu spirtu umli, jixtieq il-ġid lill-oħrajn, ma jiftaħarx…. hu l-imħabba vera u sħiħa
Insomma, li kelli niġi biex nitlaqkom, inħalli lil Ġesù fija jtennilkom: “Ħobbu lil xulxin… sabiex ilkoll ikunu ħaġa waħda.”
Chiara Lubich
(Source: Essential Writings, New City Press, p.48, “A legacy: Be a family”)[:en]Were I to leave this earth today, and were you to ask me for a final word about what our Ideal is, I would have to say, certain that it would be understood in its deepest sense: “Be a family”.
Are some among you suffering from spiritual or moral trials? Be understanding to them, as a mother would, and even more. Enlighten them through your words and through your example. Do not allow them to miss the warmth of a family, but rather increase it.
Are any among you in physical pain? May they be our preferred brothers and sisters. Suffer with them. Try to understand their pain completely. Share with them the fruits of your apostolic activities so that they may know that, more than anyone else, they have contributed to them.
Are any among you approaching their final moments of life? Imagine you are in their place, and do for them what you would want done for yourself, until their very last breath.
Are any of you rejoicing because of a success, or for any other reason? Rejoice with them, so that their consolation may not fade and their hearts not close up, so that their joy may belong to everyone.
Are some moving to another place? Do not let them leave without filling their hearts with a single legacy: the sense of a family, so that they may take it with them wherever they go.
Never place any kind of activity, either spiritual or apostolic, before the spirit of being a family with the brothers or sisters with whom you are living.
Wherever you go to bring Christ’s ideal, to spread this immense family of the Work of Mary, you can do no better than to try to create, with discretion and prudence, but with solid conviction, the spirit of a family. It is a humble spirit; it wishes the best for everyone; it is not proud… to sum up, it is true, complete charity.
So, were I to leave this world today, in fact, I would let Jesus in me repeat to you: “Love one another… so that all may be one.”
Chiara Lubich
(Source: Essential Writings, New City Press, p.48, “A legacy: Be a family”)[:]
