““Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

(Mt 5:19)(Mt 5:19)

Jesus, surrounded by the crowds, went up the mountain Jesus, surrounded by the crowds, went up the mountain to give his famous discourse. His first words, “Blessed to give his famous discourse. His first words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are the meek…” already are the poor in spirit, blessed are the meek…” already

signaled the novelty of his message. signaled the novelty of his message.

They are words of life, of light, of hope that Jesus entrusts to his disciples

so that they may be enlightened and their life may acquire flavor and

meaning.

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Transformed by this great message, they were invited to transmit to others the teachings received

and to translate them into life.

““Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Our society today, more than ever before, Our society today, more than ever before, needs to know the words of the Gospel needs to know the words of the Gospel

and to let itself to be transformed by them.and to let itself to be transformed by them.

Jesus must be able to repeat once again: do not become angry with your neighbors;

forgive and you will be forgiven;

tell the truth to the point of having no need to take an oath; love your enemies;

recognize that you have only one Father and that you are all brothers and sisters; do to others as you would have them do to you.

. This is the sense of some of . This is the sense of some of the many words from the the many words from the

“sermon on the mount.” If they “sermon on the mount.” If they were lived, they would be were lived, they would be

enough to change the world.enough to change the world.

Jesus invites us to Jesus invites us to proclaim his Gospel. proclaim his Gospel. But before “teaching” But before “teaching” his words, he asks us his words, he asks us to “live them.” To be to “live them.” To be credible, we should credible, we should become “experts” in become “experts” in the Gospel, a “living the Gospel, a “living

Gospel.” Only then will Gospel.” Only then will we be able to witness we be able to witness to it with our life and to it with our life and

teach it with our words.teach it with our words.

““Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

What is the best way to What is the best way to live these words?live these words?

By allowing Jesus himself to teach them to us, By allowing Jesus himself to teach them to us, drawing him to us and among us through our drawing him to us and among us through our

reciprocal love.reciprocal love.

He will suggest the right words to use when approaching He will suggest the right words to use when approaching people, he will indicate ways and openings to people’s people, he will indicate ways and openings to people’s hearts, so that we may witness to him wherever we are, hearts, so that we may witness to him wherever we are, even in the most difficult environments and in the most even in the most difficult environments and in the most

entangled situations.entangled situations.

We will see the world change, that We will see the world change, that small part of the world where we live small part of the world where we live

will be transformed into harmony, will be transformed into harmony, into understanding, into peace.into understanding, into peace.

What is important is to keep his presence among us alive through our mutual love, being docile in listening

to his voice, the voice of conscience that always speaks to us if we are able to silence the other voices.

He will teach us to “obey” even the “smallest” norms He will teach us to “obey” even the “smallest” norms with joy and creativity, so as to “polish” with perfection with joy and creativity, so as to “polish” with perfection

our life of unity.our life of unity.

May it be said of us one day as it was of the first May it be said of us one day as it was of the first Christians: “Look how they love one another and Christians: “Look how they love one another and

how they are ready to die for one another.”how they are ready to die for one another.”

The Gospel is capable The Gospel is capable of generating a new of generating a new society, and we will society, and we will

show this by the way show this by the way our relationships are our relationships are

renewed by love.renewed by love.

We cannot keep the We cannot keep the gift received for gift received for

ourselves. We are ourselves. We are called to repeat called to repeat

with Paul: “Woe to with Paul: “Woe to me if I do not me if I do not

preach the Gospel!”preach the Gospel!”

If we let ourselves be guided by the If we let ourselves be guided by the inner voice, we will discover ever inner voice, we will discover ever new possibilities to communicate, new possibilities to communicate,

to speak, to write, to dialogue.to speak, to write, to dialogue.

May the Gospel shine forth again, through us personally, in our homes, in our cities, in our nations.

A new life will flourish in us; joy will grow in our hearts; the risen Lord will shine forth with greater beauty… and he will

consider us to be “great in his kingdom.”

The life of Ginetta The life of Ginetta Calliari demonstrates Calliari demonstrates this in an outstanding this in an outstanding way. When she arrived way. When she arrived

in Brazil in 1959 with the in Brazil in 1959 with the first group of focolarini first group of focolarini she was shocked by the she was shocked by the sudden impact with the sudden impact with the

nation’s grave nation’s grave inequality. She pledged inequality. She pledged reciprocal love, living reciprocal love, living

the words of the Gospel. the words of the Gospel. “He will open the way “He will open the way

for us.”for us.”

As time passed, a As time passed, a community grew up community grew up

and developed and developed around her, a around her, a

community which community which today counts today counts hundreds of hundreds of

thousands of people thousands of people of every social class of every social class and age, inhabitants and age, inhabitants

of the of the favelasfavelas and and members of the well-members of the well-to-do classes, who to-do classes, who

put themselves at the put themselves at the service of those most service of those most

in need.in need.

A small united “people” who A small united “people” who continue to show that the Gospel continue to show that the Gospel

is true: the dowry that Ginetta is true: the dowry that Ginetta brought with her when she left for brought with her when she left for

heaven.heaven.

A small united “people” who A small united “people” who continue to show that the Gospel continue to show that the Gospel

is true: the dowry that Ginetta is true: the dowry that Ginetta brought with her when she left for brought with her when she left for

heaven.heaven.

““Whoever obeys and teaches these Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest commandments will be called greatest

in the kingdom of heaven.”in the kingdom of heaven.”

Text of Chiara Lubich