Unity: a sign of the times

Source: Città Nuova
This year the fourth death anniversary of Chiara Lubich, the foundress of the Focolare Movement, is dedicated to her relationship with young people.
In contemplating the starry sky of a mountain in August, she thought of them. It was 1962. At that moment, Chiara realized that new generations would have been born: "The first, second, third and fourth," she had said to her companions. Just five years later, in the prime of youth protest the Gen was born - the new generation - the youth movement and later the broader movements: Youth for United World (Y4UW) and the Teens for Unity.
Four years after Chiara’s death, which occurred on March 14, 2008, we remember her through some answers – taken from the book Cercate la pienezza della gioia. 50 risposte ai giovani, Città Nuova 2012 –  which she has given young people over the years in small meetings and large events.

Here are two of them:

Ciao, Chiara you transmit the positive, optimism... What gives you the certainty that a united world is not a utopia?

«The fact is that I believe in something very important, and it is that unity and therefore unity of the world, is a sign of the times. A sign of the times means a precise will of God and God is never out of touch with the times. He is always very punctual.

Unity is a will of God for our times. And many things prove this. For example,

the great Second Vatican Council, whose documents often mentioned the word “communion” or the word “unity”. And not only, but it opened Catholics to three great dialogues in the world, which were the beginning of unity throughout the world: the dialogue with other Churches, the dialogue with other Religions and also the dialogue with all people of good will. Afterwards, the Church established Secretariats which are very important for bringing ahead these dialogues.[...]

And this concept of unity was stressed not only in the Catholic world, but also in the rest of the Christian world.

[...] Besides, you know about that famous Conference, because you have collaborated in it’s activities, the World Conference on Religion and Peace. All right, it brings together the most important religions of the world, perhaps for a precise purpose, for peace, but in the meantime, they come together, they get to know one another and a certain unity is established with them too.

People are aiming at unity not only in the world of religions. [...] Even television, which brings all the world into one room, into one family, is already a sign of something that has to do with unity. But then there are the international organizations, and there are many of them and they do much good even though they are not perfect yet. They indicate that people are looking at the world in a global way.

But do you know what convinces me more than anything? You, gen, you, youth for a united world! Because I know how you were born. You were not born from a human will, from a human force, from a human capacity. You were born because of the will of God, because a charism came on earth which is the very charism of unity. You have been imbued with this charism, and you have begun this march of the world towards unity.»

From the depths of your heart, what would you like to say to us here at the Genfest and to the young people of the world who are watching us on television?

«I would like to repeat something said by Catherine of Siena, that very great saint, that wonderful woman. In speaking to her disciples, she said: “Don’t be satisfied with little things because He, God, wants great things”.

This is what I want to tell you: gen, young people, don’t be satisfied with crumbs. You have only one life, aim high, don’t be satisfied with little joys, seek the great ones, seek the fullness of joy. You might ask me: “But where can we find it?” All right, I’ll conclude my conversation with you by speaking again of Jesus. He said that those who live unity will have the fullness of joy, so your heritage if you live this Ideal is the fullness of joy. And this is my concluding wish and my concluding words to you.»