Rome, 1963
An invitation to the joy of the Gospel
At times, O Lord, amidst the vanity strolling the city streets, frivolous activities, superficiality, sadness and haste in people everywhere, in every person who passes us by, suddenly the rustle of the habit, the silent and angelic passing of a “little sister of Foucald,” decidedly humble and unassuming, proclaims to our souls the ideal of her founder who shouted the gospel with his life.
And in us is reborn more vehemently the desire that we too should “speak you,” we too should “shout you.” But how can we, by our own mere passing by, “give you” to the world, “speak you” to the world, be your witnesses, preach you, when we are dressed like everyone else, lost in the crowd as Jesus and Mary were in their times? How will people be able to recognize you?
Once again I feel bubbling up in my heart the gospel response, your solution to our dilemma: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:35).This is the attire that ordinary Christians, old and young, men and women, married or not, adults and children, sick or healthy, can wear in order to shout out always and everywhere with their own lives the One they believe in, the One they want to love.
Chiara Lubich
(taken from Essential Writings, New City Press, New York, p. 84)
