Above all the Gospel must be proclaimed by witness. Take a Christian or a handful of Christians who, in the midst of their own community, show their capacity for understanding and acceptance, their sharing of life and destiny with other people, their solidarity with the efforts of all for whatever is noble and good. Let us suppose that, in addition, they radiate in an altogether simple and unaffected way their faith in values that go beyond current values, and their hope in something that is not seen and that one would not dare to imagine. Through this wordless witness these Christians stir up irresistible questions in the hearts of those who see how they live: Why are they like this? Why do they live in this way? What or who is it that inspires them? Why are they in our midst?… The above questions will ask, whether they are people to whom Christ has never been proclaimed, or baptized people who do not practice, or people who live as nominal Christians but according to principles that are in no way Christian, or people who are seeking, and not without suffering, something or someone whom they sense but cannot name.
Pope Paul VI
Evangelii nuntiandi 21
(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke 5:12-16
12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and besought him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 13 And he stretched out his hand, and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 And he charged him to tell no one; but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to the people.” 15 But so much the more the report went abroad concerning him; and great multitudes gathered to hear and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he withdrew to the wilderness and prayed.
The first step has to be mine … to live in such a way that others find Christ in me, his love, and are attracted by him. I have to draw near to others in such a way that they realise I do not know them according to the flesh (cf 2Cor 5:16), I am not looking for my own interests, nor help, nor completion, I am not letting myself be guided by sympathy or antipathy, but I welcome them like the Lord himself.
The others ought to experience that I live by Jesus, that I follow his voice and not my own ideas or opinions of others. They will see that my life is based on the Word, on his sacraments, that I listen to him in what he wants to tell me through witnesses and emissaries of the Church. And above all I seek him where he has loved me the most, in difficulties, in the dark times which are for me “the sacrament” of his abandonment on the cross, and his death.
Sooner or later … I will meet others who adhere to this life… and they are people that I have not myself chosen. The circle is widened and new cells of people, meeting together in the name of Jesus, are formed.
Klaus Hemmerle
Der Himmel ist zwischen uns
Neue Stadt, München 19782, pp. 64-65
(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)
A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke 4:14-22
14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the Sabbath day. And he stood up to read; 17 and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” 20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”
If you look around you in some cities you pass through…you would call the testament of Jesus a utopia if you did not think of him. He saw a world like this too, and at the climax of his life he appeared to be overcome by it, defeated by evil…He looked on the world just as we see it, but did not doubt.
At night he prayed heaven above and heaven within himself: the Trinity that is true Being, the real All, while outside the nothingness that passes away moved through the streets.
We, too, must do as he did…Then you will notice, with eyes which are no longer lifeless, that you look at the world and at things, but that it is no longer you looking at it: it is Christ who looks, and in you he sees again the blind needing sight, the dumb to be made to speak, the crippled to be made to walk, people who are blind to the vision of God inside and outside them, people who are immobile and crippled because they are unaware of the divine will which, from the bottom of their hearts spurs them on to the eternal movement that is eternal love.
You see and discover your…true self, which is Christ, the true reality of you in them, and having found him, you unite with him in your brother. So you light a cell of the Body of Christ, a living cell, a hearth of God where there is fire to communicate to others and with it light.
Chiara Lubich
Yes Yes, No No
New City, London 1977, p.69
(published by the Priestly Branch of the Focolare Movement)
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