the World as ONE Family.

so reading the news everyday, and looking at the world around us...
learning that in Ivory Coast, nearly 800 people will brutally killed, women were raped, the innocent buried...
it really makes you think of the world as a place where there's just endless sufferings, that makes you ask the classic question: WHY? how?
but at the end of every question, at times there isn't really a direct response, or answer.
because in reality, many sufferings such as murders, terrorists, rapes, drugs, broken families, abuse...they lead to the freedom of each and every human being.

I believe each and every person has a natural tendency to good, but many good people just make BAD or WRONG decisions. Since I believe that God created us, why would He create us with the freedom to choose between good or bad. Well the obvious answer is that we would all be robots and not ever know the difference between good and bad. But I searched for this answer...and it is because if we weren't created to be free, then we would not be able to experience what LOVE is, because only with human freedom we can choose LOVE rather than hate. what is LOVE? it is what every human being longs for...the longing to BE LOVED, and to LOVE.

Do you every imagine a world where peace, freedom, and LOVE only exists, where universal brotherhood is the norm, where each and every person despite religion, age, background, culture, race gets along, where there is no war, destruction...that is the world that Chiara Lubich, the foundress of the Focolare Movement, realized when she read in the Gospel with only a lit candle to see these words, "May they all be one." (John 17:11) underneath a bomb shelter with a few friends during WWII. Jesus on the cross, Son of God cried out on the cross these words to the Father. ALL is in humanity, that is every person no matter where they are from, unity among the whole human family. And Chiara Lubich didn't just read those words without LIVING it, without putting the Word into practice. To reach UNITY in the world is to not assimilate humanity, but to concentrate on the similarities rather than differences.

This unity in religion, that each believer respects the other and focuses on what is common among all religion: the Golden Rule- One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself. As the Focolare Movement has inter-religious dialogue through Muslims, Buddhists, Hebraism (Jewish), Hindus, non-believers, traditional believers. Also intra-religious dialogue with the Catholic Church and Christian denominations. Also of which the Focolare Movement has built relationships with Rissho Kosei-kai and its 6 million adherents in Japan; with an African American Muslim movement in the United States; and with various movements inspired by Ghandi in the south of India. Chiara Lubich became the first Christian and woman to enter into Muslim Mosque in New York where she spoke about this universal brotherhood. Also she was the first woman to speak in a Buddhist temple because of her rapport with Rissho Kosei-kai (founder of a Buddhist Movement).

Here in Loppiano (where I'm living), we had an event with inter-faith dialogue with Muslims.
It was beautiful to see the similarities between my religion and theirs,
which is the Golden Rule, Love your neighbour as yourself.

We listened to one of the responsibles for the Inter-Relgious Dialogue,
where he spoke to us about the Focolare Movement's history of inter-faith dialogue

I don't want to speak just about what the Focolare Movement has started to build in the world we live in, but reflect on myself also rather in this aspect. That at university, also I've been able to see and open my eyes to the beauty of each religion. Also meeting people of different religious background from Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim background, where I never speak about my faith or any differences between us, but to love that person as I would want to be loved. Also last year in one my classes, I met a Muslim girl, which was because I had offered to give her my notes because she had missed a few lessons. From that small act of love, a relationship began. Little by little, she shared with me about her family and her life. We never spoke about our differences, but rather see what we have in common. A few times where she encountered problems, she would come to me, and I would try to love in whichever I could. Even one day I saw her at my church as she attended a catholic mass with her boyfriend. Despite being in Italy, I have still kept in contact with her, and we continue to communicate to each other without ever coming into a disagreement. It made me realize that in every human being, despite religion, just longs to LOVE, and to be LOVED.

and this UNITY is not just in religion, but in all aspects of Society that the Focolare Movement builds: Economy, Law, Politics, Communications, Media, Education, Culture, Arts, Health, Environment...

but I'll write about those topics next time!