Pope Francis received the members of the Focolare Movement at the Vatican in the framework of the 80th anniversary of its foundation, whom he invited to “be vigilant” during this Advent so as not to fall “into the trap of spiritual worldliness.”
In his speech, the Holy Father recalled the figure of its founder, the Servant of God Chiara Lubich, who “decided to consecrate herself totally to the Lord” on 7 December 1943, “in response to the call that she had felt sweet and strong in her heart”.
The “yes” of the founder of this movement, as highlighted by Pope Francis, generated “a wave of spirituality that spread throughout the world, to tell everyone that it is beautiful to live the Gospel with a simple word: unity.”
The Pontiff pointed out that the Focolare people have been during these years “an active instrument of a great flourishing of works, of initiatives, of projects and, above all, of ‘rebirths’, of conversions, of vocations, of lives dedicated to Christ and our Brothers and Sisters”.
Next, the Holy Father gave them 3 pieces of advice: ecclesial maturity, fidelity to the charism and commitment to peace.
The Holy Father encouraged them to work “so that the dream of a fully synodal and missionary Church is increasingly realized.”
In this sense, he asked him to start with his “communities, promoting in them a style of participation and co-responsibility, also at the government level.”
To this end, he urged them to “seek ways of participation and mutual consultation at all levels, paying special attention to communication and sincere dialogue.”
The Pontiff also asked the Focolare people to sow “unity by carrying the Gospel, without ever losing sight of the work of incarnation that God continues to want to carry out in us and around us through his Spirit.”
To reinforce this idea, the Holy Father reminded them of a teaching of his Founder: “Leave only the Gospel to those who follow you. If they do so, the ideal of unity will remain.”
Finally, the Holy Father remarked that “the desire for unity continues to take, in many parts of the world, the form of an agonizing cry that demands a response.”
“Today, unfortunately, the world continues to be torn by many conflicts and continues to need artisans of brotherhood and peace between people and nations,” he reiterated.
Along these lines, he clarified that “only from love is the fruit of peace born” and that is why he asked them to be “witnesses and builders of the peace that Christ achieved with his cross, defeating enmity.”
Pope Francis lamented that “we are not aware of the drama of war” and recalled that occasion when he cried during a visit in 2014 to the Redipuglia military cemetery , when he saw the graves of the young soldiers who lost their lives during the First War. World.
Before concluding, he invited them to be vigilant during the season of Advent, since “the trap of spiritual worldliness is always lurking.”
“For this reason, you too must know how to react with decision, coherence and realism. Let us remember that the inconsistency between what we say we are and what we really are is the worst anti-testimony,” he stated.
The remedy, he assured, is to “always return to the Gospel, the root of our faith and your history: to the Gospel of humility, of selfless service, of simplicity.”