My soul sings of the greatness of the Lord
Let yourself be surprised
The great scientist Louis Pasteur said: «To marvel at everything is the first step of reason toward discovery.» Luigi Ballerini, a writer for young people and a psychotherapist, also reminds us of this in the article that inspired this idea[1]: «Ultimately, to marvel is nothing more than a form of trust […] It is the idea that there is still a world to discover, understand, and find. This explains why the loss of this capacity (to marvel) is so serious: without it, life becomes monotonous in the repetition of a tired gaze that no longer sees anything. […] If we lose the capacity to marvel, we do not become more realistic or more efficient; we only lose the possibility of allowing ourselves to be challenged by reality, of recognizing that we ourselves can continue to change and improve through what we find. Wonder reminds us that not everything depends on us. It is an invitation to embrace it with an open heart, to recognize what life wants to tell us, and to be grateful for it.” Wonder evokes awe, that extraordinary capacity of children to open themselves to life and relationships; dimensions that are constitutive of being human and that, for millennia, have been key to the adventure of human thought, teaching us to step back and connect with those who may be waiting for us, who experience the same daily difficulties and share the same hopes as we do. Today, the challenges posed by social media and Artificial Intelligence seem to extinguish this capacity: have we already seen it all? And, above all, are we becoming accustomed to everything? Often, it is small gestures that have the power to reignite wonder. To be amazed means to keep alive the capacity to marvel, to learn from the new, and to recognize the value of the people and situations we encounter, without resigning ourselves to indifference in the face of pain and suffering. Let us have the courage to look at reality with attention and openness, putting ourselves in others' shoes, offering a listening ear and support without judgment, and caring for those going through important or complex times. There are countless everyday stories of struggle, illness, and lives that seem lost or meaningless; and yet, a new and unexpected horizon can always emerge. In families, in healthcare and care facilities, and in so many vulnerable situations, it is possible to witness with awe the signs of the most powerful revolution: that of a love capable of going beyond what could be expected. Let us allow ourselves to be surprised with vulnerability and humility by all that comes our way, and let us ensure that it is not confined to the intimacy of our hearts, but rather manifests itself in relationships, in shared life, in the fabric of future generations. [1] https://www.avvenire.it/idee-e-commenti/lasciarsi-stupire-dalla-meraviglia-quello-che-i-ragazzi-ci-ricordano_109483
Word of life
In the first chapter of his Gospel, Luke offers us the only page in the New Testament where the protagonists are two women, Mary and Elizabeth. Elizabeth lived in a town near Jerusalem, about 150 km from Nazareth. Mary embarks on this long journey immediately after receiving the angel's announcement that she would be the mother of Jesus (Lk 1:26-38). We don't know the details of the journey; we only know that she went promptly to the hill country. But why does she go there? Mary goes to share this joy with the woman who, like her, had received from God the grace of expecting a child, and to be by her side and help her during the final months of her pregnancy. It is the story of two women, of two seemingly impossible motherhoods. Who better than she could understand her and share this experience? From this encounter springs the song of the Magnificat: "My soul magnifies the Lord." "These words spring from a burning fervor and overflowing joy […]." That is why she does not say «I exalt God,» but «my soul,“ as if she wanted to express: ”My life, all my senses, are focused on divine love, praise, and joy […]“[1], writes Martin Luther in his commentary on the Magnificat. The verb ”to magnify,“ ”to make great,» reveals the joy that arises from discovering that God is greater than we expected. This joy evokes a profound humility and a deep sense of gratitude and recognition. As Ermes Ronchi emphasizes, «the Magnificat is Mary’s gospel, her good news, which reaches all generations.» Ten times, the young woman of Nazareth repeats what God has done[2], like a kind of new Decalogue, ten new commandments that overturn the logic of the world. It is natural to ask whether we have retained this sense of wonder and awe in our daily lives and prayers in the face of all that God has done and continues to do. Without opening ourselves to newness and its surprises, without wonder, faith becomes a weary litany that slowly fades and becomes a social custom.[3] «My soul magnifies the Lord.» Mary’s song is not simply an intimate prayer of praise, but a prophetic one, characterized by its constant reference to passages of Scripture,[4] which indicate the direction of history according to God’s heart. To praise him means to align ourselves with the lowly, to believe that the world can and must change. The words of this hymn invite us to understand God’s saving intervention in our personal and communal history, both our own personal experience and the universal one, both the present moment and the new heavens and the new earth that the social revolution of the Gospel inaugurates. «My soul magnifies the Lord.» These words also invite us to make our lives a living praise, to recognize the «wonders» each day, to join our voices with Mary’s to proclaim that God is faithful, that his mercy extends from generation to generation, and that his kingdom of justice and love is already being realized among us. Chiara Lubich grasped this revolutionary dimension of Mary’s song when she wrote to young people: «Read the Magnificat and you will find the first and most powerful page of Christian social doctrine. Who will fully realize it, and when?»[5] The question remains open and challenges us. God’s intervention should not be confined to the intimacy of the heart; it must be manifested in relationships, in community life, and in the fabric of future generations. Patrizia Mazzola and the Word of Life team [1] Martin Luther, Commentary on the Magnificat: https://1library.co/document/zlvl282y-comentario-al-magnificat-por-martin-lutero.html.[2] Cf. E. Ronchi, «Magnificat, una finestra aperta sulfuture», Avvenire August 12, 2021.[3] Cf. Francis, Angelus, St. Peter's Square (Rome), July 4, 2021.[4] Cf. G. Rossé, Il Vangelo di Luca, Città Nuova, 1992, p. 69.[5] C. Lubich, Sign of contradiction, Ciudad Nueva, Madrid 1971, n. 203, p. 64.
August 1st
August 1st
Leo XIV: a serene voice in the face of suffering
Pilar's experience after listening to Pope Leo speak about suffering and forgiveness.
