January 18, 1972

From Chiara’s diary But what meaning does Lent have in our Christian life? It reminds us, among other things, that life is a struggle, a race. Saint Catherine used to say: “Run, run because time is short.” Her “run” echoed that of the Apostle: “Do you not realize that, though all the runners in the stadium take part in the race, only one of them gets the prize? Therefore run like that in order to win. Those who participate in the race willingly undergo every kind of sacrifice in order to win a wreath that will wither away, whereas ours will never wither.” There then we have the sacrifices. Call them what you want: they are those small acts against our will, our instincts, against our innate egoism that Lent proposes to draw us closer to Jesus Christ.

Rome, 1978 Oh, St. Joseph! Perhaps I have prayed to you too little… I ask your pardon.I have spoken about you, but I have not spoken with you, and yet you have said so much to us by your silence, by your readiness to carry out God’s wishes, by your daily work which teaches all people, especially the poor of the world, to offer up their own labour.You are the Protector of the Church, and Pope John XXIII gave you a special position in it.We desire to have a deep devotion towards you, because you protected Mary and Jesus and because you are a model of all the virtues.St. Joseph, we commend to you the unity of the Church; the orders, the religious movements, the families. Take care of the young people and the children so that they are not led astray by the evil of the world, but, guarded also by you, they may walk according to God’s plans. Chiara Lubich Transcription (from Knowing How to Lose, New City/London, 1981,