Letter (1949?) to the young girls of the Third Franciscan Order
This undated letter is certainly written at the beginning of Chiara’s adventure because of her underlining the concrete love of neighbour: in fact, the first response to God, discovered as Love, was to assist the poor people of Trent.
Even though in this letter Chiara does not yet speak of unity, the emphasis is put on mutual help and the horizon is widened to universal brotherhood.
My dear sisters!
St. Francis, the Saint of fire and deeds, from the highest Heaven, where he lives blessed and anxious to fulfil the Work of God entrusted to him till the end of time, he looks at us, young people burning with vibrant life with the hope of a Saint.
Listen to your neighbour’s heart!
Break through every dam, every darkness, every difficulty, every petty thought and look to Heaven that awaits us and is the prize which we will enjoy for an everlasting period.
Too little do we think of Paradise!
To us, fervent young people who are not yet attached to the things of the earth!
To us, active young people whose task is to bring Heaven on earth and earth to Heaven! Earthly angels and heavenly people!
Look to the goal we will reach soon enough, alone with God!
Each one of us will find ourselves in front of Him, where we will realize how much we have gathered of incorruptible and eternal things.
Time is a flash of lightening and only a fleeting moment in our hands.
Root it in God and in passing by, carry out works for Heaven!
Let’s look around us. We are all brothers and sisters; no one is excluded!
Under each of our specific features, let us recognize Christ who needs to grow in us: the Crucified and forsaken Christ dwells under the miserable, human and sinful.
But have trust: He conquered the world!
Let us get to know one another as God knows us; let us not condemn one another and despair, but be Merciful towards one another and help each other.
Let us love one another! One day we will all find ourselves up there united for all Eternity, if down here we had the courage to love each other without excuses.
United for the same Ideal: universal brotherhood in one sole Father, God, who is in Heaven.
Let us get to work: may our love be truth and deeds!
«My dear children, let us love not only with words and with our lips, but in truth and in deed (1 Jn 3:18).»
Why are we afraid to tell everyone that we are just passing through down here and we will remain up there forever?
Why don’t we illuminate our blind neighbours, if we are and have the Light?
Let us love with the truth,
Let us love with deeds!
Children of the Most High, we have been born and bred in God’s mercy. We are like our only Father, «merciful living beings» and we carry out works of mercy.
There are so many neighbours who pass us by each day of our lives! In each one Christ, who wants to be born, grow, live and rise again, asks us for help, comfort, advice and admonishment, light, food, lodging, clothes and prayers….
Let us live the present moment and in the present do the work of mercy which God asks from us.
Only in this way do we journey towards Paradise.Your Sister Chiara
