CHAIRA LUBICH: “Wholeheartedly, not half way”

Chiara, could you explain to us the course of action that the Youth for a United World should take. What do you expect from us?

Chiara: Let’s answer this first - there are many questions.

What do I expect from you? I expect very much: I expect you to be new people - one must live our spirituality wholeheartedly, not half way. I expect you to be new people – it’s necessary to love. I expect you to form new people in the world, to build “local action cells” in your environments, which place Christ in the midst and bring his light into the structures so as to change the structures of the world. I expect you to build works that bear witness to the world that a united world is possible.

Look at Loppiano. There are many races, colours, young people and they are all united. Saint Augustine would say, “Si isti et illi, cur non ego?”; “If they have done it, why can’t I?” If Loppiano was able to do it, if O’Higgins was able to do it, if Fontem was able to do it, if these small towns can do it, if the Genfestcan do it, why can’t I? Why can’t the entire world be united?

The Pope said to a group of young people in one of the Genfests, that great ideas, those that seem to be utopic, are the ones that make history (Genfest, Saint Peter’s Square, May 18, 1980). Well, we must always be convinced of this idea of a united world and create public opinion.

Then you ask, “What should we do?” First of all, live (this Ideal), then bring about these works, and when people have seen, “come and see”, then you can speak, but not before, because they won’t understand you. They will tell you that it’s not possible.

On the other hand, my dear friends, to live for something mediocre, to live kneeling or sitting before a television set for hours and hours; to live just to listen to music, to live for a trip with friends, is too little for a young person who has only one life. One should live for something great. God is proposing something great. It's up to you to accept it. Ciao!