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Chiara Lubich

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Servant of God Chiara Lubich

The Servant of God Chiara Lubich (born Silvia Lubich; 1920 – 2008) was an Italian teacher and author who founded the Focolare Movement, which aims to bring unity among people and promote universal family.

She was a charismatic figure who broke with many female stereotypes as early as the 1940s, opening a previously unheard of role for women in society and the Roman Catholic Church.

Quotes

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  • Those who graft their lives onto God's thoughts realize in their existence what they have always dreamed of and certainly more. (in Città Nuova, 24, 1980)
  • Contemplating the flagellation of Jesus means learning to accept physical pain, whether as great as a serious illness or as small as a state of fatigue. Accepting it and offering it to Jesus, uniting it with his passion, because in this way it acquires infinite value. Man certainly suffers from negative factors such as accidents, illness, or misfortune... But God, who is love, gives another reason, a new meaning to his suffering: through it, man contributes to his own salvation, to his own sanctification, and contributes to that of his brothers and sisters. Yes, our suffering is also necessary to change people and create a new world.
  • The focolarini see in Mary that person who, because she was faithful to her particular task, participated in the life of all humanity.
  • Città Nuova, 24, 1980
  • Mary did not go to Elizabeth to sing the Magnificat, but to help her. So we, too, should not go to our neighbors to reveal the Christian treasure we carry in our hearts, but to share their sorrows and burdens and to share their joys and responsibilities.
  • There is no Christian without the cross. If we do not carry our cross, we cannot follow Jesus as he climbs Calvary carrying his cross. The cross is the root of charity. With it, we have a solid life, well-grounded and protected against storms. With it, we walk confidently. Our hearts must possess two great loves: Mary as our destination and the cross as the means to be another her in the world and fulfill God's plans.
  • If we have experienced that what Jesus says is “all true,” it is easy to leave every other teacher for Him.
    • Città Nuova, 4, 1976
  • Saint Thérèse and the followers of the little way seem to perpetuate the words: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Mt 18:3).
    • La dottrina spirituale, Città Nuova, 2006
  • Everything that happens to us, such as pain and joy, blessings and misfortunes, significant events (such as successes and good fortune, accidents or the death of loved ones), insignificant events (such as daily work at home, in the office or at school), everything, everything will take on a new meaning because it is offered to us by the hand of God who is Love. He wants, or allows, everything for our own good. And sooner or later we will realize, looking with the eyes of the soul, that a golden thread links events and things and composes a magnificent embroidery: God's design for each of us.
  • [...] when we begin to live the Gospel. At first, we are carried away by enthusiasm, as well as conviction, in this revolution that the Gospel proposes. But at a certain point, the Lord, through a speech or a writing or a conversation, makes us understand what is the indispensable condition for the choice of God as an ideal to be authentic. We are then told about pain, about the cross, about Jesus crucified and abandoned. In order to continue on our path and to continue to give Jesus to the world, we must then say a second “yes,” the “yes” to the cross, like the one Mary must have uttered in the depths of her heart as she listened to the elderly Simeon.

L'arte di amare

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*Chiara Lubich, L'arte di amare , Città Nuova, 2005.
  • Who is our neighbor? We know we don't have to look far: our neighbor is the brother who passes by us.
  • The first quality of Christian love is to love everyone.
  • To be Christian, we must love our neighbor now. So not a platonic love, not an ideal love: active love.
  • To love, Christians must do as God does: not expect to be loved, but love “first.”
  • If we have the heart of a mother or, more precisely, if we set out to have the heart of the Mother par excellence: Mary, we will always be ready to love.
  • Using language that is quite familiar today, we can say that love knows “no form of discrimination.”

Scritti

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*Chiara Lubich, Scritti, in CentroChiaraLubich.org.
  • Let us love one another! We will all meet again one day up there, united for all eternity, if we have had the courage to love one another without excuses here below. (undated, 1944?)
  • ‘'I love you | because you entered my life | more than the air in my lungs, | more than the blood in my veins.’' (April 24, 1960)
  • The virgin is the one who advances without support, only with God. (October 31, 1968)
  • Virginity pleasing to God lies not only in physical virginity, but in that spiritual attitude which is “non-existence” for oneself, so that we may all be always for God. (October 31, 1968)
  • None of those who enter into God are lost. (December 13, 1968)
  • Today, in our consumer society, there is only one thing we want to save: time. (October 19, 1970)
  • Truly great events arise from small things. (January 10, 1978)
  • Of course, keeping Christmas and banishing the Newborn is something that causes pain. (November 22, 1980)
  • “Peace” is the effect of unity. (November 24, 1985)
  • I think that our religions have the medicine to cure this sick world and restore it to health, harmony, and peace. (March 8, 1990)
  • The isolated individual is unable to resist the pressures of the world for long, while in mutual love he finds a healthy environment, capable of protecting his purity and his entire authentic Christian existence. (November 1999)
  • The joy of the Christian is like a ray of sunshine shining from a tear, a rose blooming on a spot of blood, the essence of love distilled from pain, [...] which is why it has the apostolic power of a glimpse of Paradise. (‘'Spiritual Writings’')

Films

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Wikipedia
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