November 2013 November 2013

Word Word

of of

LifeLife

Word Word

of of

LifeLife

«Be kind to one another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one

another, as God in Christ

has forgiven you.»

(Eph 4:32).

This way of life is concrete and essential. It alone could create a different society, one richer in

brotherly love and solidarity.

This way of living was part of a mandate given to Christians in Asia Minor. These communities had succeeded in establishing peace between Jews and Gentiles, the two peoples that up to then represented a divided humanity.

Unity, brought by Christ, needs to

always be revived and translated into

concrete social actions that are inspired

entirely by mutual love. In this word of life we find specific pointers on how our relationships should

be:

«Be kind to one another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one

another, as God in Christ

has forgiven you.»

(Eph 4:32).

•Kindness means to want what is good for

others. It means “making ourselves one”

with them, drawing close to them,

completely setting aside our own interests, our ideas, and the many preconceived notions that often cloud our vision. We do this so

that we can take on the others’ burdens, their

needs and their sufferings, and also to

share in their joys.

It means entering into the hearts of the people we meet in order

to understand their mentality, their culture and their traditions

and make those in a certain sense, our own. In this way we can

truly understand what people need, and we can discern those

values that God has placed in each person’s heart.

In a word, kindness means to live for others.

Tenderhearted means we are sensitive and merciful. We welcome others as they are, not as

we would like them to be, with their different personalities, political views that don’t match our

own, religious convictions unlike ours, and all those defects and habits that irritate us. .

We need to expand our hearts so that we are capable of welcoming all people with all their

differences, limitations and problems.

Forgiveness means to see someone else with new eyes continually. Even in the most beautiful

and peaceful environments, in the family, at school and at work, there are inevitably

moments of friction, differences and arguments.

Sometimes we avoid each other, or we are not on speaking terms, not to mention when we harbor hateful feelings toward those who do not think the way we do.

We need instead to make a determined choice to try to see each brother and sister as if it were for the first

time, as if they were a completely new person, without remembering how he or she offended us, but covering

everything over with love, with absolute amnesty in our hearts, in imitation of God, who forgives and forgets.

True peace and unity can be attained when kindness, mercy, and forgiveness are lived not only by people individually, but by people together, in reciprocity.

Just as the embers in a fireplace have to be stirred up to prevent them from being smothered by the ashes, it is necessary from time to time to take

steps to revive our mutual love and give fresh life to our relationships with everyone, so that they

will not be smothered by the ashes of indifference, apathy and selfishness.

«Be kind to one another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one

another, as God in Christ

has forgiven you.»

(Eph 4:32).

These attitudes

need to be translated

into life, into concrete actions.

Jesus showed us what love is when he healed the sick and fed the crowds, when he brought the dead

back to life, and when he washed the feet of his disciples. Deeds, concrete deeds: this is what it

means to love.

I remember a mother

in an African family

whose daughter

Rosangela had lost an

eye after a young boy

poked her with a stick

and even continued to

make fun of her

afterwards.

Neither parent of the boy had come to say that they were sorry. There was only silence.

Rosangela’s mother felt bitter toward this family. Rosangela, on the other hand, was able to forgive the boy, and said to her mother, “You should be

glad that I still have one good eye!”

“One morning,” Rosangela’s mother later shared, “the boy’s mother asked me to go and visit her

because she was sick. My reaction was: ‘Why is she asking me for help? She has many other neighbors

who live near her. After what her son did to us, how could she dare to come to me for help?’

“But then I remembered that love has no limits. I hurried over to her house. She came to open the door and then fainted in my arms. I took her to the hospital and waited there with her until the doctors could take

care of her.

A week later she was discharged from the hospital and she came to my house to thank me. I

welcomed her warmly. I had made it, finally, to forgive her.”

We too can fill our days with concrete, humble, intelligent acts of service that express our love for

others. And then brotherhood and peace will spread around us too.

Text by Chiara Lubich, originally published in Città Nuova August 2006

Grafics Anna Lollo in collaborazion with don Placido D’Omina (Sicilia, Italia)

* *

This commentary, translated into 96 different languages and dialects,

reaches several million people worldwide through print, radio, television

and the Internet and this is published by the U.S. Mid-West Focolare.

Per informazioni www.focolare.org

This PPS, in diverse languages, is published in www.santuariosancalogero.org

Text by Chiara Lubich, originally published in Città Nuova August 2006

Grafics Anna Lollo in collaborazion with don Placido D’Omina (Sicilia, Italia)

* *

This commentary, translated into 96 different languages and dialects,

reaches several million people worldwide through print, radio, television

and the Internet and this is published by the U.S. Mid-West Focolare.

Per informazioni www.focolare.org

This PPS, in diverse languages, is published in www.santuariosancalogero.org

«Be kind to one another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

as God in Christ has forgiven you.» (Eph

4:32).

«Be kind to one another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

as God in Christ has forgiven you.» (Eph

4:32).