After 80 years, that ‘yes’ that Silvia (Chiara) Lubich pronounced on the 7th of December 1943 continues to ‘multiply’ and resound even today, in a myriad of ways. Notwithstanding the storms, the darkness, the uncertainties and failures, that voice continues to call and continues to be heard by many from all walks of life. God still makes himself present in the world and builds its history that will blossom into the Kingdom of Heaven. (paraphrased from An 80-Year-long Adventure by Fabio Ciardi, OMI)
In September 2022, Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, proposed with great enthusiasm the celebration of the 80th Anniversary of the Movement in the Holy Land, together with the General Council and the zone delegates of the Work of Mary. What better way could there be to thank God for the gift of the charism and to renew our commitment to “that all may be one” (Jn 21:17) than a pilgrimage in the footsteps of Jesus? However, God’s plans surprised us. The tragic conflict that erupted between Israel and the Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups, just a month before the pilgrimage, made us fall on our knees, renounce the trip, and beg for peace.
Where is God calling us? This was not just a destination-based question but truly an existential question before us all. We felt called to relook at our lives in the face of these never-ending tragedies, return to our roots, to the life of the Gospel, and to our mission of unity at the service of the Church and humanity. Thus, our 10-day pilgrimage led us first to Assisi, the City of Peace, to walk with the saint whose life, even after 800 years, compels us to “conform ourselves to Jesus.” The more we journeyed with Francis and Clare of Assisi, the more they continued to amaze us. An important anecdote in their life left an indelible impression on us. It goes like this:
From the upper town of Assisi, people looked down at the Portiuncula and saw what seemed to be flames consuming the little church. Alarmed, the townspeople came running down the hill with buckets of water to put out the fire. When they arrived, however, the fire they saw was spiritual, not a physical one: fire coming from the divine rapture of these two saints.
Doesn’t this divine rapture re-echo the words of Jesus in Matthew 18:20: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them”? And isn’t this “visible unity” also the most powerful means of evangelization for those trying to live a spirituality of unity? A spiritual presence that speaks, that converts, that gives the world hope and a sense of the divine? That’s our mission then! “That they all may be one (…) so that the world may believe” (Jn 21:17) not by our own words but by Jesus among those who love, who light up “spiritual fires” in the souls of people.
As 99 of us continued our journey, we passed a very significant place on the east coast of Italy, the city of Loreto. This is where Chiara Lubich first perceived her calling in 1939, even before the birth of the Focolare. In the beautiful basilica that enshrines the house of Nazareth, we recommitted ourselves with the whole Work of Mary to be instruments of God’s closeness, compassion and tenderness for humanity around us.
Our journey ended in Rome, the Eternal City, on December 7. The conclusion of our pilgrimage was the beginning of a new springtime in the Movement. Why, you may wonder? While the pilgrimage started as a build-up through moments of silence, prayer, dialogue, repentance and gratitude, we hardly realized it was leading us back to the very beginning, into the heart of the Church from where we have sprung forth. What characterized our stop in Rome, besides the lives of St. Peter and St. Paul, was nothing less than a private audience with Pope Francis and the celebration of the Eucharist officiated by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, packed with cardinals, bishops, priests, ecumenical, interreligious and civil dignitaries, religious and lay persons. What resounded strongly in the words of Pope Francis, and later in those of Cardinal Farrell, was their deep appreciation and encouragement for this relatively young ecclesial reality that brings joy, consolation, and some prophetic signs and achievements in the bosom of the Church.
In recent years, various trials have dampened our spirits, but the confirmation and impetus by the Church have also opened our eyes to new horizons of ecclesial maturity and propelled us to greater heights with a renewed commitment to the life of the Gospel, joining the race towards unity and peace with many others. As Cardinal Farrell said in his homily:
I repeat to you the words of the Angel Gabriel to Mary: ‘Do not fear!’ You, too, ‘have found grace with God!’ From you also, from your apostolate, ‘Jesus must be born,’ to be offered to the world as the Savior of all. Reject, therefore, every form of discouragement, and never doubt that the Lord inspired Chiara with a particular way of living the faith and following Jesus that is destined to remain and still bear much fruit. […] I invite you to ‘stand at the crossroads of today’ with the same confidence and generous attitude as Mary, certain that ‘nothing is impossible for God.’
Andrew Camilleri and Cherylanne Menezes
