As the Father has sent me, so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
A gaze that transforms
In those moments of life when we feel discouraged about the future or disappointed by those closest to us, something sudden and unexpected can happen, capable of giving meaning to everything and transforming that disenchantment into joy, and even a new peace within and around us. Sometimes it is such a personal and profound experience that it gives us the courage to step outside ourselves and share the reason for our joy with others, almost as if to encourage everyone to relive it, not only individually but also as a group. Who knows if this might not become our mission: to bring the joy that is the fruit of an inner transformation and that, in turn, transforms our surroundings, renewing them. However, faced with the initial impulse, that feeling of being able to "conquer the world," reality is difficult to confront, and commitments become hard to keep. Where do we find the strength not to give up and to always be bearers of joy and peace? How do we avoid being defeated when it seems that humanity as such has failed all around us? It can help to have a different perspective on situations, which means looking for all the positive aspects of the circumstances, without naiveté, but going beyond appearances and finding the strength not to be discouraged. We will discover that if we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change. It's about committing to a daily struggle for the ideal of a renewed world. We can find strength by joining with those who, like us, do not resign themselves to the status quo, but rather unite to be instruments of change. Especially at this historical moment, it is essential to look first and foremost within ourselves, to listen to our conscience, which will constantly suggest how to act or what words to share, so that by reaching out to others, sharing their aspirations, we can open new paths for the renewal of society.
May 2
Word of life
After appearing to Mary Magdalene on Easter morning, the Risen Lord appeared for the first time among his disciples that same evening. Their immediate reaction was one of joy, heightened by peace, that true peace which only he can give (cf. Jn 14:27): «Peace be with you» (v. 21). Joy and peace are fruits of the Spirit.[1] In fact, Jesus immediately tells them: «Receive the Holy Spirit» (v. 22). «As the Father has sent me, so I send you.“ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ”Receive the Holy Spirit.“ The Holy Spirit not only empowers the disciples for the same mission that the Father gave to Jesus, but also recreates them as a new humanity. The gesture of the Risen Lord breathing on them is the same one that the Creator made on the nostrils of the man he formed from the dust of the ground (cf. Gn 2:7). Just as creation is the continuous work of the Father's love, which sustains the entire universe, the new creation wrought by the Risen Lord in the Holy Spirit continually sustains humanity on its journey toward the Kingdom. This month's Word of Life reminds us that in our lives we have a great opportunity: to become "other Jesuses." This is true for each of us personally, but even more so as a community. Jesus speaks to his disciples in the plural, for only together, each member with their own unique qualities, can they reflect the mystical body of Jesus. "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." Thus, as children in the Son, we share the same vocation as Jesus: having come forth from the bosom of the Father, we are called to return to him and to repeat in the world his actions and words, accompanied by the grace of the Holy Spirit. If we open ourselves to this gift, we too can affirm with Paul: ”It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me» (Gal 2:20). This word then invites us to deepen our relationship with the Holy Spirit, both in prayer and in daily life, «listening to that voice» and remembering that «without the Holy Spirit, God is distant, Christ remains in the past, the Gospel is a dead letter, the Church is a mere organization, and mission is propaganda. But with the Holy Spirit, the cosmos rises and groans in the birth of the Kingdom, the risen Christ is with us, the Gospel is the power of life, the Church signifies Trinitarian communion, and mission is a new Pentecost“[2]. ”As the Father has sent me, so I send you.“ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ”Receive the Holy Spirit.» Andrés is a teenager in the throes of an existential crisis: his doubts about the meaning of life, his fear of the future, and his sense of fragility seem like insurmountable mountains, and he often feels discouraged and unhappy. Someone suggests he talk to Chiara Lubich. Just before speaking with her, Andrés hears her softly say "Holy Spirit," and he understands that Chiara is praying. During their conversation, he feels deeply understood, listened to just as he is. And he regains peace, not because his problems have suddenly disappeared, but because now there is someone with whom to share them. "From Chiara, I not only received concrete help," he confesses years later, "but I also learned a way of being: to be close to those who suffer with gentleness and understanding, without judgment, just as Jesus would." This can only be accomplished by the Holy Spirit if we welcome Him and allow Him to work within us. Claudio Cianfaglioni and the Word of Life team [1] «The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience…» (Gal 5:22).[2] Ignatius IV Hazin, Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch, World Council of Churches, Uppsala 1968.
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When theology becomes life and culture
Trinitarian Ontology proposes a relational view of reality.
