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Focolare Word of Life

Focolare Media

Looking for a way to live the Gospel in today's hectic world? Now available in podcast, here is the Focolare's Word of Life: one phrase of Scripture a month to guide and inspire our daily living. This commentary, translated into 96 different languages and reaching several millions worldwide, is also available online (livingcitymagazine.com) and in leaflet form.

87 - APRIL 2024 | EXPERIENCES | “With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus... (Acts 4:33)

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87 - APRIL 2024 | EXPERIENCES | “With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus... (Acts 4:33)
In the first experience, Javier Lurch, president of one of the chapters of Saint Vincent de Paul Society in Atlanta Georgia shares how he helped prevent a young woman and her family from being evicted from their home.

The second experience is by Maggie Horton from Kansas City. She shares how the Risen Lord is made present within the community of women she is currently living in.

And in the third experience, Julie Mundell tells us how her Economy of Communion business assisted a struggling family to purchase a home.
Tue, 16 Apr 2024
86 - APRIL 2024 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
"Share what gives life"
Thu, 04 Apr 2024
85 - APRIL 2024 | “With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”
“With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:33)

This sentence, which is used in the liturgy during the Easter season, invites everyone who has received the message of the Gospel to freely witness to the great event that has changed history forever. It invites us to give witness to Jesus’ resurrection! To fully understand the meaning of this verse taken from the Acts of the Apostles, it is helpful to quote the sentence that precedes it: “Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common.”[1]

“With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.” The text describes the first Christian community as filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and characterized by a life of communion that motivated each member to proclaim the good news of the Gospel to everyone – namely, that Christ is risen. These are the same people who before Pentecost were alarmed and frightened by the events that had taken place, and yet now had come out into the open and were ready to bear witness even to the point of martyrdom.The power of the Holy Spirit had swept away all their fear and apprehension. They were of one heart and one soul and they practiced mutual love to the point of sharing their possessions. And their way of life attracted an always greater number of people to follow them. Among them were men and women who had known Jesus and heard his words.They had lived alongside him, and with him they had loved and served the sick and those regarded as the least in society.They had seen Jesus’ marvelous deeds with their own eyes. Their lives had changed because they had been called to live according to his new law. They were the first witnesses to God living among people who loved one another. But what does it mean today for the followers of Jesus to be witnesses to the resurrection?

“With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.” The most effective way to bear witness to the Risen Lord is to show that he is alive, and, in fact, lives among us. "If we keep love for our neighbor alive in our hearts, then the risen Lord will live within each of us. Then if we make a special effort to maintain mutual love among us, the risen Lord will live both in us and in our midst, and will radiate his light and grace around us, transforming our surroundings and producing incalculable fruits. It will be the risen Lord, through his Spirit, who will guide our steps and our activities. He will be the one who will arrange circumstances and provide us with opportunities to bring his life to those in need of him.”[2]

“With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”

Margaret Karram[3] writes: "‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the good news to all of creation‘[4] is the extraordinary task that the apostles received two thousand years ago directly from Jesus and that changed the course of history. Today Jesus addresses the same invitation to us, asking us to bring him into the world with all the creativity, talents and freedom he himself has given us. (...) "It is a proclamation that does not end with his death - on the contrary! It takes on new strength after the resurrection and Pentecost, when the disciples became courageous witnesses to the Gospel. Their mandate then comes down to us today. Through each one of us, God wants to continue to tell his story of love to those with whom we share a short or a long stretch of time in our life."[5] Prepared by Patrizia Mazzola and the...
Mon, 01 Apr 2024
84 - MARCH 2024 | EXPERIENCES | “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.” (Ps 51:10)
In the first experience, Liz Balzer from Long Island, New York shares about her effort to forgive her co-worker, and how doing so played an important role in reestablishing a good relationship with her.

The second experience is by Jonathon Kelso from Atlanta GA who tells us how being reconciled with God through the sacrament of confession brought about unimaginable fruits.

In the last experience, JoAnn Rowley from Texas shares how, despite the difficulty in doing so, she persevered in loving her husband’s grandmother and how this gave her great peace and joy.
Thu, 14 Mar 2024
83 - MARCH 2024 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
"Letting the Light In"
Mon, 11 Mar 2024
82 - MARCH 2024 | “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.” (Ps 51:10)
“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...
Thu, 29 Feb 2024
81 - FEBRUARY 2024 | EXPERIENCES | “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.” (Ps 51:10)
In the first experience, Susan Staffier from San Antonio, TX tells us about the task of managing her mother’s will and a challenging time with her brother.

The second experience is by John Mundell from Indiana who shares how his small act of love in the office had a big impact among his employees.

The last experience comes to us from Toronto, Canada. Dick who is 98 years old and Shirley Tetreau tell us about the mutual love between them and the community.

Tue, 27 Feb 2024
80 - FEBRUARY 2024 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
"Are you wearing love today?"
Wed, 07 Feb 2024
79 - FEBRUARY 2024 | “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Cor. 16:14).
Tue, 30 Jan 2024
78 - JANUARY 2024 | EXPERIENCES | “Love the Lord your God ... and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27).
Roberto Jervis from Naples Florida shares how he recognized Jesus in a homeless man and invited him to eat with him.

Gloria Avent from South Carolina shares how she made a special effort in reaching out to someone she needed to be reconciled with.

Yolla Kadissi fromDallas shares how after a missunderstanding with her neighbor, she worked hard to re-establish a good relationship with them.
Mon, 15 Jan 2024
77 - JANUARY 2024 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
Fri, 05 Jan 2024
76 - JANUARY 2024 | “Love the Lord your God... and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27).
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
Sat, 30 Dec 2023
75 - DECEMBER 2023 | EXPERIENCES | Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; (1 Thes 5:16-18)
The first experience is from Dennis Clifford who shares how he and his wife, Joan reconciled after having a disagreement as they prepared to receive dinner guests.

Ducia Dimatulacshares how she assisted her friend Maryrose during a serious illness and accompanied her until the end.

And in the final experience Dennis Cali tells us about a family gathering with a 90-year-old aunt who after witnessing the mutual love among them, decided to become Catholic.
Thu, 14 Dec 2023
74 - DECEMBER 2023 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
"The Confidence to Live Life"
Thu, 07 Dec 2023
73 - DECEMBER 2023 | Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
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...
Wed, 29 Nov 2023
72 - NOVEMBER 2023 | EXPERIENCES | You are all children of light and children of the day; we do not belong to the night, nor to darkness (1 Thess
Wed, 15 Nov 2023
71 - NOVEMBER 2023 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
Keeping our souls awake
Tue, 07 Nov 2023
70 - NOVEMBER 2023 | "You are all children of light and children of the day; we do not belong to the night, nor to darkness." (1 Thess 5:5)
Each month the Focolare chooses a Scripture passage as a guide and inspiration for
daily living. The commentary on it was originally written by founder, Chiara Lubich
(1920–2008).

Today this Word of Life, written by an international commission and
translated into 96 different languages, reaches several million people worldwide.

For audio and videos resources about the WoL, visit focolaremedia.com
Sun, 29 Oct 2023
69 - OCTOBER 2023 | EXPERIENCES | Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. (Mt. 22:21)
Fri, 13 Oct 2023
68 - OCTOBER 2023 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
Tue, 03 Oct 2023
67 - OCTOBER 2023 | "Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (Mt. 22:21)
Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. (Mt. 22:21) Jesus has entered Jerusalem and people have acclaimed that he is the ‘Son of David’. This is a royal title that Matthew's Gospel attributes to the Christ who has come to announce that the Kingdom of God is eminent. In this context, a unique dialogue takes place between Jesus and a group of people who question him. Some are Herodians and others are Pharisees, two groups that held differing views with respect to the power of the Roman emperor. They ask him whether or not he judges it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor and thus force him to take sides for or against Caesar and, therefore, create the basis to make possible accusations against him. But Jesus answers with another question about the image stamped on the coinage of the time. Since it is that of Caesar’s, he replies: Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. But what is due to the emperor, Caesar, and what is due to God? Jesus recalls the primacy of God: for just as the image of the emperor was stamped on the Roman coins, so the image of God is stamped on every human being. The rabbinic tradition itself affirms that every person is created in the likeness of God,[i] just as Caesar’s image was imprinted on coinage. So, it is logical that Jesus’ statementholds true and gives us the answer to the question that was asked of him. Therefore, it is to God alone that we can give ourselves completely. To him alone we belong and in him we find freedom and dignity. No human power can claim the same allegiance. ‘If there is anyone who knows God and can help us give him his rightful place, it is Jesus. For him ... to love meant doing the Father's will with all his mind, heart, energy and life. He gave himself entirely to the plan his Father had for him. The Gospel shows us that his focus was always upon the Father .... He asks the same of us: to love means to do the will of the Father, without half measures, but with our whole being. We are asked to do this wholly and completely because we cannot give God anything less than everything.[ii] Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. Often we are faced with dilemmas or difficult choices that threaten to make us slip into the temptation of finding an easy way out. Jesus too was tested when faced with two ideological solutions but for him it was clear: the priority was the coming of the kingdom of God and the primacy of love. This Word of Life makes us ask if our hearts are won over by fame, making rapid progress in our careers, or other attractions the world has to offer. Do we give things their rightful place with God? Jesus’ answer is an invitation for us to a serious and thorough discernment of values and what we place as a priority in our lives. Deep in our consciences we can discern a voice that is sometimes overpowered by other voices but, nevertheless, if we fine tune ourselves to His voice it will be recognizable. It is the voice that urges us to tirelessly seek ways of creating fraternity. It’s the voice that always encourages us to renew this choice, even at the cost of going against the tide of current opinion. This is fundamental if we wish to build the foundations of genuine dialogue with others and try to find together adequate answers to the complexity of life. This does not mean we shirk personal responsibility towards society but that we offer ourselves in selfless service for the common good. During the time Dietrich Bonhoeffer was imprisoned and eventually executed for civil resistance towards Nazism, he wrote to his fiancée, ‘I do not mean the faith that flees the world, but the faith that endures in the world and loves and remains faithful to the earth, despite all the tribulations it brings us. Our marriage must be a “yes” to God's earth, it must strengthen our...
Tue, 26 Sep 2023
66 - SEPTEMBER 2023 | EXPERIENCES | Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever. (Ps 145 [144]:2)
Kathleen Masters from Chicago shares how she sustained a friend who was experiencing a difficult moment in her life.

Susan O’Gara from Florida tells us about a seemingly disastrous car trip and how she ended up being a blessing to people she encountered along the way.

After a challenging relationship with a friend at school, Emma Alonso from Gainesville, Florida shares how time was a healer.
Sun, 17 Sep 2023
65 - SEPTEMBER 2023 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
"Blessing God by Sharing Our Life"
Mon, 11 Sep 2023
64 - SEPTEMBER 2023 | Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever. (Ps 145 [144]:2).
Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever. (Ps 145 [144]:2).

Psalm 145 is a prayer the psalmist, based on his personal experience, acclaims the greatness of God in his life. He magnifies God’s goodness and the universality of His Love when he writes ‘the Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made’ (v.9). He also confirms that God is faithful and holy in all his works and deeds. (v13) So the conclusion can be drawn that God is with us at all times, no matter what. These words can be an encouragement for us in the way we see God in our own lives. A God who will never abandon us; A God whose Love cannot ever be diminished.

Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever.

In modern times, however, people may sometimes feel abbandoned and alone. They fear that what happens each day is a matter of chance, just a succession of events devoid of meaning and purpose.
This psalm reassures and proclaims hope: ‘God is the creator of heaven and earth. He is the faithful keeper of the covenant that binds him to his people. He is the One who does justice to the oppressed, gives the bread that sustains the hungry and frees the captives. It is he who opens the eyes of the blind, raises up the fallen, loves the righteous, protects the stranger, sustains the orphan and the widow ...’.

Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever.

This word invites us, first of all, to cherish our personal relationship with God by accepting his love and mercy without reservation. It invites us to place ourselves before this mystery and to listen to his voice. This is the foundation of all prayer. But this love of God can never separate us from our neighbour. When we imitate God the Father in concretely loving every brother and sister, especially the least, those who are rejected by others and those who are lonely, we come to perceive his presence in our daily lives. Chiara Lubich, when invited to speak of her Christian experience before an assembly of Buddhists, summed it up this way: ‘... the heart of my experience is this: the more one loves human beings, the more one finds God. The more one finds God, the more one loves men and women.’

Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever.

But there is another way to find him. In recent decades humanity has gained a new awareness of the great challenge of ecological problems. Young people in particular are driving forward the recognition of a need for change: they propose a more sober lifestyle, new development goals and the search for alternative sources of energy. They also show commitment to the right of all inhabitants of the planet to have clean water, food and air. In this way, filled with amazement, human beings can not only rediscover their relationship with nature but also praise God as they discover his tenderness toward all creation. This is the experience of Venant M. who, as a child in his native Burundi, used to wake up at dawn to the sound of a bird’s song and then travel dozens of kilometers in the forest to go to school. He felt fully in tune with the trees, animals, streams, hills along with his companions. He had a sense of being close to nature and felt he was a living part of an ecosystem in which creatures and Creator were in total harmony. This awareness became praise, not just in that moment but throughout the whole day. Some people might ask, “What about those who live in cities?” Safeguarding nature is a rare occurence in our concrete metropolises that are built by human hand amid the din of the world. Yet, if we wish, the sight of blue sky glimpsed between the tops of skyscrapers is enough to remind us of God; Or the sense of awe one may...
Tue, 29 Aug 2023
63 - AUGUST 2023 | EXPERIENCES | “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” (Mt 15:28)
Mon, 14 Aug 2023
62 - AUGUST 2023 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
The title of this month's reflection by Fr. Tyler Mattson is "God wants more for you"
Mon, 07 Aug 2023
61 - AUGUST 2023 | “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” (Mt 15:28)
FOCOLARE WORD OF LIFE – August 2023

“Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.”(Mt 15:28)

Jesus is heading for the Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon. He along with his disciples are looking for a place to get away and rest in solitude and prayer when a nameless woman shows up. The disciples tell Jesus to send her away. She doesn’t let the fact that she is not an Israelite deter her, nor the fact that she is a woman, nor even the fact that the Master seems to ignore her. She is a mother, desperate for her daughter who is being "tormented by a demon." She approaches Jesus and firmly insists on a personal meeting with him. She prostrates herself before the Master and insists even more tenaciously for his help. Jesus responds: "It is not good to take food from the table and throw it to the dogs." The woman accepts the apparent refusal; she understands that her world is not part of Jesus' primary mission. She realizes that her God is not a grace-dispensing machine, but a Father who asks for honesty in the relationship with him, in which she acknowledges her spiritual poverty. Seemingly aware of that, the woman looks Jesus in the eye, and admits: “That is true, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Now she has Jesus’ attention, and he is moved by her humility. The very loudness of her crying out, expresses the strength of her faith: "Lord! Son of David!"

Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish

Her great faith is clear when she presented herself to Jesus. She approached and recognized Him as Lord. She prostrated herself before Him and asked for mercy. She remained unshaken in her conviction that even the impossible is possible for Jesus. She responded to his apparent refusal with the impeccable common sense of a mother whose strength is love and trust: “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the master’s table” (. . .) “and from that instant her daughter was healed.” This Word of Life is like a photograph of a lived faith at work in a human being. It also portrays the difficult journey of the first Christian community, which the Gospel of Matthew addresses, as it begins to open itself to the non-Jewish world that seeks and already cherishes such great faith.

Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish

Like this woman of great faith who came to Jesus in a time of need, our faith might suffer because of an unforeseen event that upsets our plans; a serious illness, or a prolonged painful situation. We could also add, the lack of peace in the world, injustices, our ailing planet, as well as family and social conflicts. One of our weak spots might be a lack of perseverance and complete trust. God allows our faith to go through difficult and sometimes absurd situations, so that it can be refined and so that we can know how to abandon ourselves to him, believing that His love is far beyond our plans, our wishes, and our expectations. This was the case with Saliba, who had to leave his elderly parents behind in his hometown of Homs, Syria. His father's glass-cutting shop had been demolished during the war. Like other young people, Saliba thought he would have to seek new opportunities elsewhere. At the age of 22 he stubbornly continued to contribute what he could to the needy people in his town. He opened a convenience store where his fellow-citizens could find cheese, yogurt, and his mother’s homemade butter. He sold beans, oils, spices, and coffee. He is slowly rebuilding and already has an electrical generator and refrigerator. On the days that his shop is closed, he distributes food to needy families.

Edited by Victoria Gómez and the Word of Life team.
Mon, 31 Jul 2023
60 - JULY 2023 | EXPERIENCES | “I promise you that whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of these lowly ones..." (Mt 10:42))
"The Holiness of Asking for Help"—The Focolare Word of Life Podcast of Experiences, July 2023

In today’s episode, Steve Morris from Harrisburg PA shares how he helps a couple in a pregnancy care center.

10-year-old Claire Crawford from Augusta Georgia tells us about a challenging friendship at school.

Chiara Lang from Houston TX shows us how she was a catalyst of unity at her work place.
Fri, 14 Jul 2023
59 - JULY 2023 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
Fri, 07 Jul 2023
58 - JULY 2023 | “I promise you that whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of these lowly ones..." (Mt 10:42)
Focolare Word of Life - July 2023

“I promise you that whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of these lowly ones because he is a disciple will not want for his reward.” (Mt 10:42)

The evangelist Matthew is a highly educated Christian scribe; he is thoroughly familiar with the promises of the God of Israel and for him Jesus' words and actions are their fulfilment. Therefore, in his Gospel he presents Jesus’ teaching in the form of five great discourses, as if he is a new Moses. This Word of Life concludes the ‘missionary discourse’ which begins with the choosing of the twelve apostles and explains what their preaching will involve. Jesus also speaks of the misunderstandings and persecutions they will encounter, which will require of them both credible witness and radical choices. But there is more: Jesus reveals that the sending of the disciples has its roots in the mission he himself received from the Father. This is a belief that was found in the Old Testament: God himself is present and engaged in his messenger. Therefore, through the witness of Jesus and those he sends, the very love of God reaches every person.

“I promise you that whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of these lowly ones because he is a disciple will not want for his reward.”

In addition to the specific mission of the apostles, the pastors and the prophets, Jesus announces that every Christian can be his disciple, as well as being a recipient and bearer of the same mission. As disciples, all of us can witness that God is near. It is the entire Christian community is sent to all of humanity because he is the Father of all. We have received attention, care, forgiveness, and trust from God through the actions of our brothers and sisters. We can give something to others so that they can experience the Father's tenderness, as Jesus did during his mission. This is the root of the belief that, in the Father, there is the guarantee that so-called ‘little things’ can change the world. Even if this is only a glass of cold water. ‘It doesn't matter whether we can give much or little. What matters is howwe give, how much love we put into even a small gesture that shows awareness of another person. Sometimes it is enough to offer them a glass of fresh water ... a simple gesture that is great in God's eyes if it is done in his name, that is, out of love. ... This month's Word of Life may help us to rediscover the value of everything we do: from work in the house or at the place where we work dealing with paperwork, schoolwork or with the responsibilities we have in the civil, political, and religious fields. Everything can be transformed into attentive and caring service. Love will give us a new sense of awareness to other’s needs so we can serve them with creativity and generosity. As a result of this new way of thinking there will be consequences. The gifts we give will circulate because love calls for love. Joy will multiply because there is more joy in giving than in receiving.

“I promise you that whoever gives a cup of cold water to one of these lowly ones because he is a disciple will not want for his reward.”

What Jesus asks of us is very demanding: he is asking us not to stop the flow of God's love. He asks us to reach out with open hearts to every man and woman and offer concrete service, overcoming our prejudices and judgments. He wants our active, creative, and responsible cooperation for the common good, starting from the small things of every day, but at the same time he will not fail to reward us. He will always be at our side, to take care of us and accompany us in this mission. ‘... I left my job in the Philippines and went to Australia to be with my family ... I found a job as a cleaner at a construction site. I had to take care of the dining rooms, locker rooms, offices and canteen that were used by more than 500 workers....
Fri, 30 Jun 2023
57 - JUNE 2023 | EXPERIENCES | “Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal..." (2 Cor 13:11)
"Love mends communities"--The Focolare Word of Life Podcast Experiences June 2023

In today’s episode, Maria from Houston shares about a challenging time with one of her siblings as the family inheritance gets in the way of their relationship.

Kay and Michael from Texas show mercy towards a distraught young man who took advantage of their family funds.

Richard Lang shares how living this month’s Word of Life brought peace of mind in a situation where anger could have easily taken over.
Mon, 26 Jun 2023
56 - JUNE 2023 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
Wed, 07 Jun 2023
55 - JUNE 2023 | “Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another..."(2 Cor 13:11)
“Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2 Cor 13:11)

The apostle Paul followed the development of the Christian community in the city of Corinth with love and attention. He visited and supported the people during difficult times. In his letter to the Corinthians, he defended himself against accusations made by other preachers who questioned his style of preaching. Paul was not paid for his missionary work, he was not an eloquent speaker, and he did not have proof of his authority. Yet he proclaimed that he understood and lived out his own weakness reflecting the example of Jesus. However, his farewell letter concluded with an appeal to the Corinthians that is full of confidence and hope: “Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” This letter is addressed to the community as a whole; and a place where God’s presence can be experienced. All the obstacles that make it difficult to understand one another such as communicating fairly and sincerely or disagreeing with differences of opinion in a respectful manner can be healed by the presence of the God of peace. Paul suggests some practical forms of behavior that are consistent with the demands of the Gospel. For example, striving for the fulfilment of God’s plan for each person, as brothers and sisters; or enabling the consoling love of God that we have received to circulate among everyone; mutually sharing our dreams; welcoming one another, offering and receiving mercy and forgiveness, and finally, nurturing trust while listening fully to one another. We are free to make these choices but, there are those times when a little courage is needed if we are to be a “sign of contradiction” in ways that stand at odds with the current mentality. The apostle also recommends that we encourage one another in this commitment. He values the efforts we make to joyfully safeguard and witness to the inestimable worth of unity and peace, in charity and truth, always founded on the rock of God’s unconditional love for his people.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

To live this Word of Life let’s look at the example of Jesus, who came to bring us his special peace (Jn 14:27). For it “is not only the absence of war, quarrels, divisions and traumas... it is fullness of life and joy, it is complete salvation, it is freedom, it is fraternity among all peoples... “And how did Jesus give us his peace? He paid for it himself... He stood in the midst of his adversaries, he took upon himself hatred and separation, and he broke down the walls that divided people” (Eph 2:14–18). Being a peace maker demands a strong love. The kind of love that can reach even those who do not love us back. It’s a love that can forgive. The kind of love that does not see people as enemies. It also has the capacity to love the other’s country as our own. This love even asks us to have new hearts and eyes to love and see everyone as candidates for universal fraternity. “Evil arises in the human heart,” wrote Italian politician and author Igino Giordani, and “to remove the danger of war, it is necessary to eliminate the spirit of aggression, exploitation and selfishness from which war comes: it is necessary to rebuild a conscience.” Bonita Park is a neighborhood in Hartswater, an agricultural town in South Africa. As in the rest of the country, the effects inherited from the apartheid regime persist, especially in education. Schools for the young people of the black and mestizo groups are inferior to those of other ethnic groups. The result is the risk of social marginalization. “The Bridge...
Thu, 01 Jun 2023
54 - MAY 2023 | EXPERIENCES | "Love one another with mutual affection: outdo one another in showing honor." (Rom 12:10)
In today’s episode, Rose Schmitz has a challenging phone call with a customer service representative regarding her lost package but eventually mutual understanding prevails.

Eddie and Anne from Scotland shares how their family opened their home to a refugee family from Ukraine.

And David Peterson tells us how he made an extra effort to love all those he encountered during a family trip.
Thu, 18 May 2023
53 - MAY 2023 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
Fri, 05 May 2023
52 - MAY 2023 | "Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor." (Rom 12:10)
Focolare Word of Life —May 2023

“Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.”
(Rom 12:10)
This month’s word of life is taken from the letter written by Paul to the Romans. The text is rich in content. Paul presents the Christian life as one where love abounds, a gratuitous and limitless love that God has poured into our hearts and that we, in turn, give to others. To make his meaning clearer and even more effective, he inserts two concepts into a single word, philostorgos, which expresses two particular characteristics of love that distinguish the Christian community: love among friends and love within the family. “Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.” Let us focus especially on the aspect of fraternity and reciprocal love. Paul states that the people of the Christian community love one another because they are members of one another (Rom 12:5), they are brothers and sisters whose only debt to one another is love (Rom 13:8), they rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Rom 12:15), and they do not judge and are not a cause of scandal (Rom 14:13). Our existence is intertwined with the lives of other people, and the community is a living witness to the law of love that Jesus brought on earth. This is a demanding love that reaches the point of laying down one’s life for others. It is also a practical love that is characterized by the thousands of expressions of care for other people and their happiness. It leads to fulfilment and to people competing in the appreciation of one another’s qualities. It is a love that looks to everyone’s needs and does all that is possible to avoid leaving anyone behind. It draws us to be responsible and active in society, culture and political engagement. “Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.” “Looking at the first century communities, we see that Christian love, which spread indiscriminately to all, had a name,” Chiara Lubich wrote to young people in 1970. “It was called philadelphia, which means brotherly love. In the secular literature of the time, this term was used to refer to love between blood brothers and sisters. It was never used to refer to members of the same society. Only the New Testament was an exception.” There are many young people who feel the need to have “a deeper, more heartfelt and more genuine relationship. And the mutual love of the early Christians had all the characteristics of sibling love, for example in its strength and affection.” “Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.” A distinguishing characteristic of these communities living mutual love is that the members do not close in on themselves, but are ready to face the real challenges that arise within the context in which they exist. J. K., a Serbian of Hungarian nationality and father of three, could finally afford to buy a house. Yet due to an accident, he did not have the financial and physical resources to renovate it himself. So the Focolare community went into action. Drawing upon the Youth for a United World “Dare to Care” project, it was able to offer practical support. J. K. spoke enthusiastically about the solidarity among the helpers none of whom wanted to be outdone in generosity. “So many people came to help me that in three days we were able to replace the roof and substitute the earth and thatch ceilings with plasterboard.” Some people from the Czech Republic also contributed financially to the renovation work. This action was a visible witness to the extended community and was not limited by geographical or political boundaries.
By Patrizia Mazzola and the Focolare Word of Life Team
Mon, 01 May 2023
51 - APRIL 2023 | EXPERIENCES | "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Col 3:2)
In today’s episode, Ada Alonso from Florida shares how she loses her chance to visit her dad during his final moments in the hospital in order to make it possible for her brother, Luis to do so.

Then Pong Chan from Dallas Texas tells us how he and his wife Anna reached out to an elderly woman they share the Word of life with.

Kirkwood Watson from Houston shares how he helped a neighbor in need.
Sat, 15 Apr 2023
50 - APRIL 2023 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
Wed, 05 Apr 2023
49 - APRIL 2023 | "Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Col 3:2)
“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Col 3:2)

The first Christian communities had only just formed, yet they were already experiencing internal disagreements due to false interpretations of the Gospel message. Paul, who was in prison, learned of these problems in Colossus and wrote to this community. This month’s Word of Life can be better understood if we read the whole passage it is part of. “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God!” (Col 3:2–3). To overcome such contrasting opinions, Paul invites us to turn our thoughts and our whole being to Christ who is risen. Indeed, in baptism, we have died to ourselves and risen in Christ. In a way, we live this new life “already,” as well as “not yet.”

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Obviously, the possibility of sharing in this new life in Christ is not obtained once and for all, but must be continually sought during the challenging journey that lasts for our whole existence. It means directing our lives toward what is “above.” Christ brought the life of heaven to earth, and his Easter is the beginning of the new creation, of a new humanity. Choosing this seems to be the logical consequence of deciding to live the Gospel: it is a choice that totally changes our mentality and overturns the order and the agenda that the world proposes. It frees us from external restrictions and brings about in us a radical change. Paul does not devalue the “things of the earth” because through the incarnation of the Son of God, heaven touched earth and everything has been renewed (2 Cor 5:14).

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” What are these “things that are above”? “Those values that Jesus brought to earth and which distinguish his followers,” Chiara Lubich wrote in a Gospel commentary in 2001. “They are love, harmony, peace, forgiveness, fairness, purity, honesty, justice, etc. They are all those virtues and riches that the Gospel offers. With them and by them, Christians maintain the reality of sharing in Christ’s resurrection. “And how do we keep our hearts anchored in heaven while living in the midst of the world? By letting ourselves be guided by the thoughts and feelings of Jesus whose inner gaze was always turned to the Father and whose life always reflected the law of heaven which is the law of love.”

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” The presence of Christians in the world boldly opens up to the new life of Easter. Christians are new women and men who are not of the world (Jn 15:18-21) but who live in the world, which is marked by its current difficulties and challenges. Thus it was said of the first Christians according to Diognetus: “They dwell on earth, but they have their citizenship in heaven... Just as the soul is in the body, so Christians are in the world.” The evangelical and courageous choice of a worker who helped a colleague, who had just lost his job, led to a chain of fraternal actions by people moved by his example. “In the factory where I work, they started handing out letters of dismissal and one was addressed to my colleague Giorgio,” shares B. L. from Brazil. “I knew about his difficult economic situation and so I asked him to return with me to the personnel office. ‘I am better off than he is,’ I said to our boss. ‘My wife has a job: you can fire me instead.’ “Our boss promised to review the case. When we left, Giorgio hugged me and was deeply moved. People heard about what had happened and two other workers, in roughly my same financial situation, offered to take the place of two other men who had been laid off. “The management was forced to rethink its methods of choosing who to dismiss. The local pastor heard...
Sat, 01 Apr 2023
48 - MARCH 2023 | EXPERIENCES | "Live as children of light: for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true."
In today’s episode, Diane Gregory from Atlanta tells us about a experience where many people joined together in a chain of love and of light as providence comes her way.

In the second, Claire Yzaguirre from California together with her husband John share how they try to be a beacon of light for couples that struggle in their marriage.

In the third and final experience, Nino Fattore from Denver Colorado tells us how he helped his work colleague get through a difficult time during his illness.
Wed, 15 Mar 2023
47 - MARCH 2023 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
Wed, 08 Mar 2023
46 - MARCH 2023 | "Live as children of light: for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good, and right and true." (Eph. 5:8-9)
“Live as children of light: for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.” (Eph. 5:8-9)

Paul is writing to the community in Ephesus, a large and imposing city where he had lived while baptizing and evangelizing. He is probably imprisoned in Rome in about the year 62 AD. He is in distress, yet he writes to these Christians, not so much to solve problems within the community, but to proclaim to them the beauty of God’s plan for the developing Church. He reminds the Ephesians that through the gift of baptism and faith, they have gone from “being darkness” to “being light,” and he encourages them to behave in a way that reflects this. For Paul, it is about pursuing a journey, an experience of continuous growth in the knowledge of God and his will of love. Furthermore, it means starting again each day. Therefore, he wants to encourage them to live always according to the call they have received—to be “imitators of the Father” (Phil 2:15) as “beloved children”: holy and merciful.

“Live as children of light: for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.”

As 21st-century Christians, we are also called to “be light,” but we may feel inadequate and conditioned by our limitations, or overwhelmed by external circumstances. How do we walk with hope, despite the darkness and uncertainties that sometimes seem to assail us? Paul continues to encourage us. It is the lived Word of God that enlightens us and enables us to “shine like stars” in this lost humanity. “As another Christ, every man and woman can make a contribution ... in all fields of human activity: in science, in art, in politics,” Focolare founder Chiara Lubich wrote in a Gospel commentary in 2005. “If we welcome his word we become more and more attuned to his thoughts, his feelings and his teachings. “It illuminates our every activity, straightens and corrects every expression of our life... But our ‘old self’ (Rom 6:6) is always ready to affect our personal private lives and, consequently, we may be drawn to cultivating our own interests and forgetting about the people who pass us by. “We may even remain indifferent before the common good and the needs of humanity around us. Let us therefore rekindle the flame of love in our hearts and we will have new eyes with which to see what is going on around us.”

“Live as children of light: for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.”

The light of the Gospel, lived out by individuals and communities, brings hope and strengthens social bonds, even when calamities like Covid cause pain and exacerbate poverty. Jun who lives in the Philippines recounts that at the height of the pandemic, a community he knows was devastated by a terrible fire. Many families lost everything. “Even though we are poor, my wife Flor and I really wanted to help. I told the members of the motorcycle group I belong to about this situation. Even though I knew they too were struggling as much as we were, this did not stop my friends from taking action. We collected tins of sardines and packets of noodles, rice and other food items that we donated to the victims of the fires. “Often, my wife and I feel discouraged at the thought of what the future may hold, but we always remember the phrase in the Gospel that says, ‘For those who want to save their life will lose it and those who lose their life for the sake of the Gospel will save it’ (Mk 8:35). “Even though we are not rich, we believe that we always have something to share out of love for Jesus in the other person, and it is this love that motivates us to continue to give sincerely and to trust in God’s love.” It is therefore a matter of allowing this light to shine out from the depths of our hearts. The fruits of this way of life—goodness, justice and truth—are pleasing in the eyes of the Lord and perhaps bear greater witness to...
Wed, 01 Mar 2023
45 - FEBRUARY 2023 | EXPERIENCES | "You are the God who sees me." (Gen 16:13)
In today’s episode, Neil Benninger from Ontario, Canada shares how, after a long period of deep depression and darkness, God’s caring love led him to experience a new freedom in his life.

In the second experience, Dennis Cali from Tyler, Texas tells us about an injustice he experienced at work and how God’s love who made himself present through various people helped him overcome a difficult situation.

The third experience is by Lucia and Bob Yantosca, from Boston, who share how they cared for the needs of people around them and how they were in turn cared for by God.

And the final experience is by Deacon Joe Hensley from Colorado who shares how after months of waiting to know if he would find a new assignment, trusted in God’s providence.
Wed, 15 Feb 2023
44 - FEBRUARY 2023 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
Welcome to our monthly reflection on the Word of Life presented by Fr. Tyler Mattson.
The reflection is on the Word of Life of February: “You are the God who sees me.” (Gen 16:13)
Thu, 09 Feb 2023
43 - FEBRUARY 2023 | "You are the God who sees me." (Gen 16:13)
Wed, 01 Feb 2023
42 - JANUARY 2023 | EXPERIENCES | "Learn to do good; seek justice." (Is 1:17)
1.Clare DeMontier tells of her effort to do good and keep peace in the legal system as her colleague challenges her credentials.

2. Lori Chesser, an immigration lawyer from DeMoine Iowa shares how she realized that she needed to enter into the reality of her clients and understand their situation.

3. Joe Sopala from Austin TX shares how his efforts to integrate and do good in his multicultural neighborhood paid off in the end.
Thu, 19 Jan 2023
41 - JANUARY 2023 | REFLECTION BY FR. TYLER MATTSON
Fr. Tyler Mattson is pastor of St. Nicholas Parish in Tea, SD and St. Christina Parish in Parker, SD.
He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Sioux Falls in 2017.

Fr. Tyler will be offering us brief monthly reflections on the Word of Life to help us focus more deeply on its meaning and implications in our life.

This month's Word of Life is: "Learn to do good; seek justice." (Is 1:17)

Thu, 19 Jan 2023
40 - JANUARY 2023 |"Learn to do good; seek justice." (Is 1:17)
“Learn to do good; seek justice.” (Is 1:17)
The Word of Life for the month of January is taken from the first chapter of the prophet Isaiah. This passage was chosen for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which is celebrated throughout the Northern Hemisphere January 18–25. The texts were prepared by a group of Christians from Minnesota (where in May 2020 George Floyd, an African American man, was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis). The subject of justice is a hot topic. Inequality, violence and prejudice worsen within a society that struggles to witness to a culture of peace and unity. Isaiah’s times were not so different from ours. Wars, rebellions, the pursuit of wealth, power, idolatry and the marginalization of the poor had led the people of Israel astray. The prophet uses harsh words to call his people back to a path of conversion, and he points the way to a return to the original spirit of the covenant God made with Abraham.
“Learn to do good; seek justice.”
What does it mean to learn to do good? It means that we need to be open to the idea of learning, and that requires effort on our part. Each day, there is always something to understand or something to improve. We can always start again if we have made a mistake. What does it mean to seek justice? This is a treasure that we should yearn and search for as the goal of our actions. Practicing justice helps us learn to do good, because it means we better understand the will of God, which is our good. Isaiah offers concrete examples. The people most preferred by God are the helpless, the oppressed, the orphans and the widows, because they are the most defenseless. God invites his people to take practical care of others, especially those who are unable to assert their rights. Religious practices, rites, sacrifices and prayers are not pleasing to him if they are not matched by the pursuit and practice of goodness and justice.
“Learn to do good; seek justice.”
This Word of Life urges us to support others, to have a watchful eye and practically help those in need. Our journey of conversion requires us to open our hearts, minds and arms to others, especially toward those who suffer. “The desire and the search for justice have always been inscribed in the human conscience,” wrote Focolare founder Chiara Lubich in a Gospel commentary in November 2006. “God himself put them in our hearts. “But despite the conquests and progress made throughout history, how distant we are from fulfilling God’s plan! The wars that are still being fought today, as well as terrorism and ethnic conflicts, are the sign of social and economic inequalities, injustice, hatred... “Without love and respect for the individual and attention to his or her situation, personal relationships may be correct, but they can also become bureaucratic and incapable of providing decisive answers to human requirements. “Without love there will never be true justice, goods will never be shared between rich and poor, and there will never be attention to the life and specific needs of each man and woman.”
“Learn to do good; seek justice.”
To live for a united world means taking the wounds of humanity upon ourselves and carrying out small gestures that can help build up the human family. One day, J. from Argentina bumped into the headmaster of the institute where he had taught. The headmaster had used an excuse to force him to leave his job. When the headmaster recognized him, he tried to move away, but J. went towards him. He asked him for his news, and the headmaster told him about his difficulties, that he lived in another city and was looking for work. J. offered to help him, and the next day he spread the news among his acquaintances that he was looking for a job for someone. The response was not long in coming. When the headmaster received the news of an offer for a new job, he could hardly believe his ears! He accepted the job, deeply...
Sun, 01 Jan 2023
39 - DECEMBER 2022 | EXPERIENCES | "Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock." (Is 26:4)
1. Raul shares how trusting in God helped him get through stage 4 cancer.
2. Ester shares how she dealt with COVID that cost the life of her father-in-law.
3. Marialuce shows great trust in God after a move and as she searched for a new job.
4. Erin tells of her special encounter with her mom.
Thu, 15 Dec 2022
38 - DECEMBER 2022 | "Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock." (Is 26:4)
Thu, 01 Dec 2022
37 - NOVEMBER 2022 | EXPERIENCES | "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy." (Mt 5:7)
Featuring 4 experiences:
1. Rose Schmitz forgives a friend that made transactions using her credit card.
2. Dana Squires shares how she took the initiative and reached out to her neighbor who had posted a no trespassing sign between their properties.
3. Iwona Dobler has a change of heart after experiencing an obstacle in her relationship with her husband.
4. Amy Cogdell shares how she reconciled with her dad after he abandoned their family when she was 3 years old.
Mon, 14 Nov 2022
36 - NOVEMBER 2022 | "Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy." (Mt 5:7)
Tue, 01 Nov 2022
35 - OCTOBER 2022 | EXPERIENCES | “For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline
October’s Word of Life podcast features 4 experiences:

1. Mary Hartmann shares how faith and courage helped her find a balance between work and family.
2. Angel Guavera, a teenager struggles with life threatening health issues.
3. Vilar from Australia tells us about a difficult situation at work.
4. Judy Henschen shares how she took courage and patiently helped a person difficult to deal with.
Fri, 14 Oct 2022
34 - OCTOBER 2022| "For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline." (2 Tim 1:7)
Focolare Word of Life for October 2022
"For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline." (2 Tim 1:7
Sat, 01 Oct 2022
33 - SEPTEMBER 2022 | EXPERIENCES | "...I made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them." (1 Cor 9:19)
Featuring 3 experiences:
1. Linda shares how she made herself one with a person she never met before.
2. Fr. David shows us the measure of making ourselves one by listening until the end.
3. JP shares how he makes an important decision in his life and makes himself one concretely.
Thu, 15 Sep 2022
32 - SEPTEMBER 2022 | "For though I am free with respect to all, I made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them." (1 Cor 9:19)
Thu, 01 Sep 2022
31 - AUGUST 2022 | EXPERIENCES| "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" (Mt 18:21)
Tue, 09 Aug 2022
30 - AUGUST 2022 | "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" (Mt 18:21)
Mon, 01 Aug 2022
29 - JULY 2022 | EXPERIENCES| "There is need of only one thing." (Lk 10:42)
Featuring 3 inspiring experiences:
1. Ada Alonso shares how she listened to her inner voice in order to love in a difficult situation as a tree service company damaged her property.
2. Julie and Mike James share about their decision to move into a dorm at Boston College in order be at the service of students.
3. Tom Rowley shares how he gives up his place in line for a mother and her child.
Thu, 14 Jul 2022
28 - JULY 2022 | "There is need of only one thing." (Lk 10:42)
Fri, 01 Jul 2022
27 - JUNE 2022 | EXPERIENCES| "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you." (Ps 16[15]:2
Featuring 4 inspiring experiences: 1. Zahith volunteers his time giving children tips on how to improve their soccer skills. 2. Jeanette, a mother of 3 shares a few experiences including one about losing her son to cancer. 3. James choses mercy and patience towards a customer. 4. Marta shares how she deals with a financial injustice. 5. During the peak of the pandemic, Lee visits a sick patient in the hospital, bringing hope and courage.
(Music by Gen Verde International Performing Arts Group)
Wed, 15 Jun 2022
26 - JUNE 2022 | "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you." (Ps 16[15]:2
Wed, 01 Jun 2022
25 - MAY 2022 | "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another." (Jn 13:34)
Fri, 29 Apr 2022
24 - APRIL 2022 | "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation." (Mk. 16:15)
Thu, 31 Mar 2022
23 - MARCH 2022 | "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." (Mt 6:12)
Mon, 28 Feb 2022
22 - FEBRUARY 2022 | "Anyone who comes to me I will never drive away." (Jn 6:37)
Learn more about the Word of Life at www.focolare.us.
This Word of Life is read by Stephen Schubert.
Music by Rugerio Dentello.
Mon, 31 Jan 2022
21 - JANUARY 2022 | "We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." (Mt 2:1-2)
Learn more about the Word of Life at www.focolare.us.
This Word of Life is read by Steven Shubert.
Music by Nick Cianfarani.
Sat, 01 Jan 2022
20 - DECEMBER 2021 | “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” (Lk 1:45)
Voice and music by Nick Cianfarani
Thu, 02 Dec 2021
19 - NOVEMBER 2021 | “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Mt 5:9)
Learn more about the Word of Life at www.focolare.us.
This Word of Life is read by Steven Shubert.
Music by Nick Cianfarani.
Mon, 01 Nov 2021
18 - OCTOBER 2021 | “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God.” (Rom 8:28)
Learn more about the Word of Life at www.focolare.us.
This Word of Life is read by Steven Shubert.
Music by Nick Cianfarani.
Fri, 01 Oct 2021
17 - September 2021 | “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” (Mk 9:35)
Learn more about the Word of Life at www.focolare.us.
This Word of Life is read by Stephen Shubert.
Music and mixing by Nick Ciafarani.
Wed, 01 Sep 2021
16 - August 2021 | “Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 18:4)
This Word of Life is read by Nick Ciafarani. Music by Nick Cianfarani.
Sun, 01 Aug 2021
15 - July 2021 | “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” (Mt 9:22)
This Word of Life is read by Chiara Luce Catipon. Music by Nick Cianfarani.
Thu, 01 Jul 2021
14 - June 2021 | “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven..." (Mt 7:21)
This Word of Life is read by Nick Cianfarani. Music by Nick Cianfarani.
Tue, 01 Jun 2021
13 - May 2021 | “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.” (1 Jn 4:15)
This Word of Life is read by Bishop Michael Mulvey.
For more information visit https://livingcitymagazine.com/content/wordoflife
Sat, 01 May 2021
12 - April 2021 - "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (Jn 10:11)
This Word of Life is read by Hugh Moran.
For more information visit https://livingcitymagazine.com/content/wordoflife
Wed, 31 Mar 2021
11 - March 2021 - Make me know your ways, O Lord: teach me your paths. (Ps 25 [24]:4)
This Word of Life is read by Chiara Catipon.
For more information visit https://livingcitymagazine.com/content/wordoflife
Mon, 01 Mar 2021
10 - February 2021 - Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful (Lk 6:36)
This Word of Life is read by Chiara Catipon.
For more information visit https://livingcitymagazine.com/content/wordoflife
Mon, 01 Feb 2021
9 - January 2021 - Remain in my love: you will bear much fruit. (Jn 15:5–9)
This Word of Life is read by Bishop Michael Mulvey.
For more information visit https://livingcitymagazine.com/content/wordoflife
Fri, 01 Jan 2021
8 - December 2020 - The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? (Ps. 27 [26]:1)
This Word of Life is read by Bishop Michael Mulvey.
For more information visit https://livingcitymagazine.com/content/wordoflife
Tue, 01 Dec 2020
7 - November 2020 - "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted" (Mt. 5:4)
This Word of Life is read by Bishop Michael Mulvey.
For more information visit https://livingcitymagazine.com/content/wordoflife
Sun, 01 Nov 2020
6 - October 2020 - "For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."( Lk 14:11)
This Word of Life is read by Bishop Michael Mulvey.
For more information visit https://livingcitymagazine.com/content/wordoflife
Thu, 01 Oct 2020
5 - September 2020 - “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over will be put into your lap.”
This Word of Life is read by Geri Guadagno.
For more information visit https://livingcitymagazine.com/content/wordoflife
Fri, 04 Sep 2020
4 - August 2020 - “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?” (Rm 8:35)
This Word of Life is read by Geri Guadagno.
For more information visit https://livingcitymagazine.com/content/wordoflife
Fri, 31 Jul 2020
3 - July 2020 - “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mt 12:50)
This Word of Life is read by Geri Guadagno.
For more information visit https://livingcitymagazine.com/content/wordoflife
Tue, 30 Jun 2020
2 - June 2020 - “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” (Mt. 10:40)
Voice and Music by Nick Cianfarani
Fri, 22 May 2020
1 - May 2020 - “You have already been cleansed by the word I have spoken to you.” (Jn 15:3)
“You have already been cleansed by the word I have spoken to you.” (Jn 15:3)
Voice and music by Nick Cianfarani.
Fri, 15 May 2020

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