Focolare Word of Life

"Love Changes the World"
Welcome to the September 2026 Word of Life reflection. Fr. Tyler Mattson offers his monthly spiritual insight, helping us let the Word shape our daily choices and relationships. This month we meditate on St. Paul’s reminder: “Love does no evil to a neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the Law” (Romans 13:10).

FOCOLARE WORD OF LIFE
September 2026
“Love does no evil to a neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the Law” (Rom 13:10).

In this month’s Word of Life Experiences, Joaquin Trejo and Alice Corideo reflect on Mary’s words: “My soul magnifies the greatness of the Lord.” Through stories of helping young people encounter God through community, prayer, and Eucharistic adoration, and taking a leap of faith with no job, home, or certainty about the future, they reveal how praising God opens our hearts to recognize his presence and trust the unexpected ways he works in our lives.

In this month’s Word of Life Experiences, Matt Crane, Yvette & Rod, and Ed & Arachelis reflect on Jesus’ words: “The seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit.” (Mt 13:23) Through stories of welcoming refugee families, finding hope and forgiveness after a life-changing accident, and learning to trust God in family life and difficult circumstances, they reveal how God’s Word bears fruit when our hearts remain open to his love.

Listen to 2 beautiful experiences on this month's Word of Life: “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’[...] Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.” (Mt 10:7-8)

1. Réal Sauvageau, a Marist brother from Quebec shares about his work in Vietnam with youth.
2. Msgr Lewis Gaetano is from Canton Ohio and he shares a profound experience on how he proclaims the Word of God.

The Word of Life for June reminds us that Jesus sends his disciples out as living signs of God’s nearness, proclaiming not only with words but with their way of being that the kingdom of heaven is already at hand—a kingdom of peace, justice, mercy, and reconciliation that grows quietly like a mustard seed and draws close wherever love is present. This kingdom is pure gift, received not through merit but through God’s generosity, and we are invited to welcome it with gratitude and then share it freely. As Chiara Lubich wrote, the kingdom is offered without cost, and in the same spirit we are called today to give without cost—announcing through our actions and relationships that God loves this uncertain world immeasurably and desires to bring light and hope to every person.

"As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Having said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:21-22).

In this month’s Word of Life Experiences, Deacon Bobby, Beatrice, and Father Pete reflect on Luke 24:29 — “Stay with us, because it is almost evening.”

Through moments of suffering, uncertainty, and unexpected encounters, each shares how God’s presence became clear—even when it wasn’t recognized at first. From serving the forgotten, to facing illness and loss, to healing within family struggles, their stories reveal a quiet but faithful God who never leaves us. Together, they remind us that even in discouragement, Jesus walks beside us. We are invited to trust Him and make this prayer our own: “Stay with us.”

This episode was made possible thanks to the generous support of the ACTA Foundation.

00:00 Intro 01:49 Reflection 02:48 Deacon Bobby – Recognizing God in unexpected places 09:52 Beatrice – Trusting God through illness and loss 17:20 Father Pete – Finding God in suffering and new life

In this Word of Life reflection, Fr. Tyler invites us to encounter Jesus at the heart of human suffering. He shares the story of a woman who had been away from the Church for years, yet in her final moments, she desired Jesus—and experienced the fullness of God’s mercy. This month’s Word of Life—“Stay with us, because it is almost evening” (Luke 24:29)—comes from the road to Emmaus, where the risen Jesus walks with discouraged disciples and transforms their darkness into hope. We are invited to make this prayer our own, especially in times of confusion and suffering: “Stay with us.”

In this April 2026 Word of Life, we reflect on the moving encounter on the road to Emmaus: “Stay with us, because it is almost evening” (Luke 24:29).

Two disciples, discouraged and disillusioned, walk away from Jerusalem—until a mysterious companion joins them, listens to their pain, and gradually rekindles hope in their hearts. In this powerful moment, we are invited to recognize our own journey: the times we feel lost, tempted to give up, or unable to see God’s presence beside us.

This reflection invites us to rediscover the Risen Jesus walking with us in everyday life, especially in moments of darkness, doubt, and uncertainty. When we open ourselves to love, dialogue, and communion, our eyes too can be opened—and our hearts set on fire once again. Let us make the disciples’ prayer our own:
“Stay with us, Lord…”

The Focolare Word of Life Podcast
"I Had Nothing to Give, So I Gave It to God"

In this month’s Word of Life Experiences, Karen, Deacon Erik, and Joyce reflect on Matthew 17:7 — “Get up and do not be afraid.” Karen shares how turning thirty brought unexpected fears about her future and vocation. Through a conversation with her father and a renewed trust in God, she learned to let go of expectations and walk forward with confidence, trusting that God was guiding her path. Deacon Erik recounts the anxiety he felt during his pastoral training in a hospital setting. In a moment of fear and uncertainty, he entrusted everything to God and discovered that simply being present with others can become a powerful encounter of love. Joyce reflects on how community helped transform fear and frustration in a difficult relationship at work. Through patience, dialogue, and the support of others, she discovered how choosing love can bring healing and deeper understanding.

This episode was made possible thanks to the generous support of the ACTA

Welcome to the March 2026 Word of Life reflection by Fr. Tyler Mattson.
This month’s scripture phrase is:

“Get up and do not be afraid." Matthew 17:7

March Word of Life: "Get up and do not be afraid." (Mt 17:7)

Welcome to the February 2026 Word of Life reflection by Fr. Tyler Mattson.
This month’s scripture phrase is:

“See, I am making all things new.” Rev 21:5

The Focolare Word of Life is a monthly Scripture phrase selected by the Focolare Movement that people around the world are invited to reflect on, live by, and put into practice in everyday life. It’s more than just reading a Bible verse — it’s about letting a specific word or sentence from Scripture shape how we act, relate to others, and grow in unity with God and one another. The phrase is shared globally in many languages, with commentary and reflection experiences to help people live it out in real life.

"Behold, I make all things new".

Welcome to the December 2025 Word of Life reflection by Fr. Tyler Mattson.
This month’s scripture phrase is:
“All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” Taken from Isaiah 52:10

In this episode, you’ll hear three inspiring stories of peace in action. Marie shares how a peaceful demonstration at her school became a moment of real transformation. Anton offers a delightful story filled with the simple wisdom of peacemaking. And Miguel reflects on how patience and understanding helped him build a more peaceful relationship.

Welcome to this month’s Word of Life reflection by Fr. Tyler Mattson.
The Word of Life for NOVEMBER 2025 is:
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew Chapter 5, verse 9)

To watch the video version of this reflection, visit the Focolare Media YouTube channel.
And to listen to the commentary on the Word of Life just go to the previous episode of this podcast. There you can also listen to experiences on the word of life.

“Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost” (Luke 15:6).

In ancient times in the Middle East, shepherds used to count their sheep when they returned from pasture, ready to search for even one that might be missing. They would even venture out into the desert at night to find any that had strayed. This parable is a story of loss and recovery that highlights the love of the shepherd. He notices that a sheep is missing, searches for it, finds it, and carries it back on his shoulders because it is weak and frightened, perhaps wounded, and unable to follow the shepherd on its own. He brings it home to safety and then, filled with joy, invites his neighbors to celebrate together.

“Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.”

The recurring themes in this story can be summarized in three actions: getting lost, being found, and celebrating. Getting lost. The good news is that the Lord goes in search of those who are lost. We often lose ourselves in the various deserts around us, or in which we are forced to live, or in which we take refuge: the deserts of abandonment, marginalization, poverty, misunderstanding and disunity. The Shepherd seeks us even there, and even if we lose sight of him, he will always find us again. Being found. Let’s try to imagine the scene of the shepherd's frantic search in the desert. It’s an image that strikes us with its expressive power. We can understand the joy felt by both the shepherd and the sheep, and this encounter restores in the sheep the sense of being safe after escaping danger. “To be found” is truly an act of divine mercy. Celebrating. The shepherd gathers his friends to celebrate because he wants to share his joy, as in the other two parables that follow this one, that of the lost coin and that of the merciful father.1 Jesus wants us to understand the importance of sharing joy with everyone, and he also wants to “immunize” us against the temptation of judging others. We are all “found.”

“Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.”

This Word of Life is an invitation to be grateful for the mercy that God has for each of us personally. The fact that we rejoice and celebrate together presents an image of unity, where there is no opposition between those who are “righteous” and those who are “sinners,” but rather we share in each other's joy. Chiara Lubich commented on this phrase: “It’s an invitation to understand the heart of God, to believe in his love. Inclined as we are to measure and calculate, at times we think that God’s love for us is like that, too. We think that God will tire of us and say, ‘That’s enough!’ But God's logic is not like ours. (…) God is always waiting for us; indeed, we give him immense joy every time we return to him, even countless times.”2 

“Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.”

Sometimes we can be those shepherds, those guardians of one another who lovingly go in search of those who have strayed from us, from our friendship, from our community, in search of the marginalized, the lost, the little ones whom the trials of life have pushed to the margins of society. “Some students attended classes only sporadically,” a teacher tells us. “During my free periods, I would go to the market near the school, hoping to find them there, because I had heard that’s where they worked to earn a little money. One day, I finally saw them, and they were surprised that I had come personally to look for them. They were struck to learn how important they were to the entire school community. They started coming to school regularly again, and it was truly a celebration for everyone."

Prepared by Patrizia Mazzola and the Word of Life Team

In this episode, Marcy Bautista shares a powerful experience about a car accident that he was involved in and how he gave his all to perform in a concert despite the pain he was in. Katie Novak’s initiative to share clothes with friends and family is an inspiration to all of us. Hashem Fudaeel shares about his visit to Rome as he participated in an interfaith conference and about his efforts to be a catalyst of unity between two participants who were experiencing differences.

"The Upside-down Leadership of Jesus"

Focolare Word of Life — August 2024   “Lord, it is good for us to be here” (Mt 17:4).

Giving control to the Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”  (Ps 23:1)

Psalm 23 is perhaps the most well-known and best loved of all the psalms. It is a song of trust in God, but also a joyful profession of faith by someone who is part of the people of Israel, to whom God, through the prophets, had promised to be their shepherd. The psalmist also expresses his personal happiness in knowing that he is protected by the Temple, a place of shelter and grace.[1] And at the same time, because of this experience, he wants to encourage also other people to trust in the presence of the Lord.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

The image of the shepherd with his flock is very dear to all biblical literature. To understand it fully, we need to imagine the arid and rocky deserts of the Middle East. The shepherd guides his flock, who are docile and allow themselves to be led, for without him they would get lost and die. The sheep have to learn to rely on him and listen to his voice. Above all, he is their constant companion.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

This psalm invites us to strengthen our intimate relationship with God by experiencing his love. Some may wonder why the author goes so far as to say, “I shall not want”? In our daily life we encounter all kinds of problems and challenges - with our health, in the family, at work - not to mention the immense suffering of so many of our brothers and sisters due to war, natural disasters often caused by climate change, forced migration, acts of violence, and so on.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

Perhaps the key to understanding this verse lies in the one that follows it: “for you are with me.”[2]  This states the certainty of the love of God who always accompanies us and leads us to live our life in a whole new way. Chiara Lubich wrote: “It is one thing to know we can have recourse to God, who exists, who cares for us and has redeemed us of our sins, and totally another thing to live with the conviction that we are God’s beloved, for this banishes all loneliness, all sense of abandonment, any misgivings or any fear that may restrain us. (...) We come to realize that we are loved, and believe with all our heart in this love. We abandon ourselves trustingly to him and are ready to follow wherever he leads. Life’s circumstances, sad or joyful, are illuminated by God’s love that wills or permits everything that happens.”[3]  

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”

The one who brought this beautiful prophecy to fulfilment is Jesus. In John’s Gospel he does not hesitate to call himself the “good shepherd.” The relationship with this shepherd is something special; it is very personal and intimate. “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.”[4] He leads his sheep to graze in the pastures of his Word, which gives life, particularly the Word that contains the “new commandment.”[5] And when this reciprocal love is lived by his followers, it makes “almost visible” the presence of the Risen Lord within a community that is gathered in his name, in his love.[6]   Prepared by Augusto Parody Reyes and the Word of Life Team
[1] See Ps 23:6.
[2] Ps 23:4.
[3] Chiara Lubich, Essential Writings – Spirituality, Dialogue, Culture, New City Press, New York, 2006, pg. 55
[4] Jn 10:14.
[5] Jn 17:21: “Love one another as I have loved you.”
[6] See Mt 18:20.

The first experience is by Gary Hauk from Atlanta who shares how during his lifetime, various people have "planted seeds" in his heart, which ultimately helped him to understand his calling. 


The second experience comes to us from Long Island, New York. Elisa Fontana shares about her work at a soup kitchen.

The third experience is by Lucy Bujnoch from Houston TX. She shares how together with her daughter they helped her grandson get through a difficult time.

Cultivating Confidence in God

"Share what gives life"

"Letting the Light In"

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.” (Ps 51:10)

The phrase of Scripture offered to us during this Lenten season is from Psalm 51. In the tenth verse, we find the poignant and humble invocation, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.” This psalm is one of the “penitential psalms” in which David asks forgiveness for his sins, acknowledging that only God’s mercy can save him. He begins by recognizing that he has “done evil in your sight,” in the most hidden places of his heart, and that God is justified in his sentence. But at the same time he expressed his insatiable yearning for full communion with God, the source of every grace and mercy, asking him to “restore me to the joy of your salvation.”

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.”

The psalm is written after a well-known episode in David's life. He had been called by God to care for the people of Israel and to lead them on the path of obedience to the covenant. And yet he violated his mission. After committing adultery with Bathsheba, he ensured that her husband, Uriah the Hittite, an officer in his army, would be killed in battle. The prophet Nathan shows him the seriousness of his guilt and helps him acknowledge it. This is the moment when he confesses his sin and is reconciled with God. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.” In this psalm David uses heartfelt forms of invocation, which come from his deep sense of repentance and total trust in divine forgiveness. “Purge me,” he says, “wash me,” “blot out all my iniquities.” In particular, in the verse we have taken for this month, he uses the verb “create” to indicate that complete deliverance from human weakness is possible only from God. It expresses the realization that only God can make us truly “new,” with “clean hearts,” filling us with his life-giving spirit, giving us true joy and radically transforming our relationship with him, with other people, and with nature and the cosmos, by giving us a “steadfast spirit.”

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.”

How can we put this Word of Life into practice? The first step is to recognize that we are sinners, in need of God's forgiveness, and to have immense trust in his mercy. Maybe our repeated mistakes make us feel discouraged and tempt us to close in on ourselves. When this happens, we should try to keep the door of our heart open, at least a little. In the early 1940s, Chiara Lubich wrote to someone who felt unable to go beyond the fact that she had sinned mirerably. Chiara told her: “We need to remove every other thought from our mind and believe that Jesus is attracted to us precisely because of our humble, honest and loving confession of our sins. In and of ourselves, whatever we have and do is despicable. Instead, God, on his part, has no other attitude toward us than mercy. Our souls can be united to him only by offering him as our gift, as our only gift, not our virtues but our sins! (...) If Jesus came to earth, if he became man, if he longed for one thing alone (...), it was to be a saviour, to be a physician! He desired nothing else.”[1]

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.” Then, once freed and forgiven, and mindful of the help we receive from others, since Christians find strength in their community, let us start loving in concrete ways every neighbor, whoever they may be. In another place, Chiara wrote: “What is asked of us is mutual love, made of service and understanding, of sharing in the sufferings, anxieties and joys of our brothers and sisters. This is a love that covers over everything, forgives everything, the love that is the typical of a Christian.”[2] Finally, Pope Francis tells us: “God’s forgiveness (...) is the greatest sign of his mercy. It is a...

"Are you wearing love today?"

This month’s Word of Life is the basis for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

“Love the Lord your God ... and your neighbor as yourself”(Luke 10:27).

On his way to Jerusalem Jesus was stopped by a doctor of the law who asked him, ‘Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus responded with a counter-question, “What is written in the Law?" He answered, “Love the Lord your God ... and your neighbor as yourself” The doctor of the law continued by asking, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ The Master responded by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan. He does not list the various types of people who may be neighbors but describes the attitude of deep compassion that should underlie all our actions. We should become ‘neighbor’ to others. So, perhaps the question to ask is, “How do we become “neighbor” to others? Just as the Samaritan did, we can take care of our brothers and sisters who have needs that we know and not be fearful of becoming fully involved in the situations that arise all around us. Our love can show concern and bring help, support and encouragement to those in need. We need to see people as ‘another self’ and do to them what we would want done to us. This is the ‘golden rule’ that we find in all other religions. Gandhi explains it in another way, ‘You and I are one. I cannot hurt you without hurting myself’.

“Love the Lord your God ... and your neighbor as yourself”

‘If we are indifferent about the needs of our neighbor, whether they are material or spiritual, we cannot say that we love our neighbor as ourselves. We cannot say that we love them as Jesus loved them. In a community that strives to be inspired by the love that Jesus taught, there can be no place for inequality, marginalization or neglect. ... For as long as we regard our neighbor as a stranger who is disturbing our peaceful lives and disrupting our plans, we will not be able to say that we love God with all our hearts,’ because Jesus instructs us... “Love the Lord your God ... and your neighbor as yourself”

Life is what happens in the present moment. Noticing those around us and knowing how to listen to each other can open up interesting situations and set in motion unexpected initiatives. This is what happened to Victoria: ‘In church I was struck by the beautiful voice of an African woman sitting next to me. I congratulated her and encouraged her to join the parish choir. This gave us an opportunity to talk. I learned that she was a nun from Equatorial Guinea who was just passing through Madrid. She along with the others in her convent take in abandoned baby boys and girls and care for them until they become adults. These young people usually either study at university or learn a trade. They had a tailoring workshop that was well established but she said they did not have a sufficient number of sewing machines and some they had were in need of repair. I offered to help her find more machines. I placed my trust in Jesus and was sure that he was listening to her needs. This urged me to love without measure. One of my friends knew a tradesman who was happy to participate in this chain of love. He arranged to repair eight machines and even found an ironing machine for the workshop. A couple of friends offered to deliver the new machines even though it meant changing the destination of their two-day holiday by traveling nearly 600 miles. Thus, the “hope machines” arrived in Malabo after a long journey. The people in Equatorial Guinea could not believe what had happened and could only express their immense gratitude!’

Prepared by Patrizia Mazzola and the Word of LifeTeam

"The Confidence to Live Life"

Focolare Word of Life — December 2023

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1Thes 5:16-18)

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians at a time when many of Jesus' contemporaries were still alive. They had seen and heard him and had witnessed the tragedy of his death and the wonder of his resurrection and ascension. They recognized the mark he had left upon others and expected his imminent return. Paul loved the Thessalonian community who were exemplary in the way they lived and in their fruitful witness. He wrote this letter to them, imploring them to share the content of his letter with everyone (1Thes 5:27) and he recommended that they should be "imitators of us and of the Lord" (1Thes1:6). He summarized this as follows:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The common theme in all of Paul’s exhortations is not only what God expects of us, but also when, that is, always, constantly and repeatedly. And yet, how can we be commanded to rejoice? Everyone experiences that at times life may assail us with problems, worries, suffering and anguish and that society around us may be dreary and unwelcoming. Yet for Paul there is a reason that could make it possible to “rejoice” as he suggests. In this letter, he is speaking to Christians and he advises them to take Christian life seriously, so that Jesus can live in them with the fullness promised after his resurrection. Jesus lives in those who love and we have certainly experienced this. We can follow the pathway of love when we are not closed in on ourselves, but rather love others, and when we welcome the support of friends, keeping alive faith that "love conquers all." [i]

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Dialogue among believers of different religions and beliefs leads to the even deeper understanding that praying is a profoundly human action; prayer constitutes and elevates all human beings. How can we pray without ceasing? The Orthodox theologian Evdokimov wrote, "It’s not enough to have prayers to say, and have rules and habits regarding them; we should be prayer incarnate. Our life should be liturgy; prayer concerns the most ordinary and everyday things.”[ii] Chiara Lubich emphasized that "we can love (God) as children and our hearts can be filled with the Holy Spirit of love and trust in our Father. Such confidence makes us speak to him often and tell him everything that we are doing, all our intentions and plans for the future.” [iii]

There is a way to pray without ceasing that is accessible to everyone: you can do this by pausing before each action, focusing on the intention and saying, "This is for You, Jesus." It is a simple practice that transforms our activities from within and makes our entire life a constant prayer.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Giving thanks in all circumstances is an attitude that flows freely from gratitude and love for God who silently sustains and accompanies individuals, peoples, history and the entire cosmos. It also includes gratitude for others who journey with us and who make us aware that we are not self-sufficient. Rejoicing, praying and giving thanks are three actions that bring us closer to becoming as God wants us to be, enriching our relationship with him. We trust that "the God of peace will sanctify us entirely" (1Thes 5:23). By living this way, we prepare to enter more deeply into the joy of Christmas. We contribute to making the world a better place and we become creators of peace within ourselves, in...