Chiara's Birthday

Grazie, Chiara, grazie!

22 January 1920 is the birth date of the woman I consider a saint.
Chiara Lubich who died on 14 March 2008 left on me and my family a great imprint.
Love was her message. She taught no new doctrines, but, her faith in the Crucified and Risen Lord, Jesus Christ, was so strong and concrete that magnetized millions of well-meaning followers from different walks of life.

On her Birthday, I'm inspired to blog again. I cannot hold myself anymore. I refrained from blogging for some time now because of a personal struggle with politicians who I want to love but seem to be too heavy a cross for me. Day after day, only Chiara's message "to start all over again" that had sustained me on the train of charity and God's Will.

The Art of Loving that Chiara taught the members of the Focolare has become a second nature that I cannot but love everyone, see Jesus in the other, make unity with the others except in sin, love my enemy and be the first one to love.

Jesus in the Midst, the reality that is so spectacularly present in our meetings, is her legacy. It is so because of that mutual and selfless love among the members. This builds our families, villages and communities into a haven of communion - a trinitarian experience.

Selflessness is modeled in Jesus Forsaken. The nothingness of the Son gives back to humanity the Father in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the One uniting those who love the other totally to the point of losing oneself so that Jesus in the Midst is generated and sanctified.

Pray for us, O Chiara, during this trying times and help us understand the dark nights of the senses, of spirit, of God, and of culture.