In 1981, referring to a sentence from Scripture, Chiara Lubich reflected on the holy journey of life, inviting us to check up every now and then, in front of God, on how far we have reached in the pursuit of holiness.
The reason I feel urged to speak to you today is the desire to examine together at what point we are in our effort to reach holiness. In these past few days, a focolarina brought to my attention a beautiful phrase from the Psalms that proclaims a beatitude I had never heard before. It says: “Happy are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on the holy journey.”[1]
“The holy journey.” What holy journey is the Scripture talking about? Certainly the journey of all human beings towards God, towards heaven. Therefore, it means the journey of our own sanctification that opens heaven to us.
We all made a decision to begin this holy journey when we accepted our vocation to be focolarini. In fact, for us, as consecrated persons, striving for perfection is an even greater commitment than for others. And so? Have we really started, even at this moment, to take this holy journey?
Today is the 246th day from the beginning of the year 1981, when we made the decision even more consciously to strive for holiness, spurred on by the example of Sister Maria Gabriella.[2]
The 246th day! Let’s pause a moment and make a brief examination of conscience in front of God, for his glory alone. Have there been any results? Have we improved, for example, in doing God’s will? In loving? In mutual love? In denying ourselves? In humbling ourselves? In short, have we improved in loving Jesus forsaken? If yes, let’s give thanks to God and move on! If not, let’s thank God that we still have time to start over again. Then go ahead! We absolutely want to experience together the happiness of those who set their hearts on the holy journey!
Chiara Lubich
[1] Ps 84:5. Chiara uses an older translation. The NIV translation is: “Happy are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.” Pilgrimage can be equated to a “holy journey” or a journey to holiness.
[2] An Italian Trappist nun who had offered her life to God for Christian unity. During the last three years of her life, she had managed to master her own difficult character and to reach Christian perfection. She was beatified by Pope John Paull II on January 25, 1983.
