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Gospel Saints Papal Teaching Congregation Pontifical Mission Societies Urban University Mission texts Animation Statistics From the Holy See Testimonies Martyrology Jubilee 2000 Church life Missionaries Religious institutes Movements & Associations Catholic universities Culture History Art Cinema / Photo Radio & tv Music Poetry Health Technology Geography News 360° Dossier In-depth study Interviews Stories Book review Children’s corner		"That missionaries, whether priests, religious or laity, may have the courage to announce Jesus' special love for the poor". A comment on Pope John Paul II's Missionary Prayer Intention October 2002, kindly written for Fides Service by Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement Rome (Fides Service) - Love is the heart of the Gospel message. Christ himself demonstrated this with his words and works during his life on earth. This love is of a universal dimension which proposes as the law of life to all those who decide to follow Jesus: "Love your neighbour as yourself" (Mt 19,18; cf. Mt 22,39). Loving our neighbour, every neighbour, all those we meet on the path of life. "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? (…) And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others?" (Mt 5,46-47) This love is typically Christian: a love which makes no distinction, like the love of our heavenly Father who "makes the sun shine on all, good and bad, and the rain fall on all, good and bad". But undoubtedly, Jesus in his love for everyone, showed special love for the poor: he was concerned for all who suffered, he cured the sick, fed the crowds of hungry people, and took upon himself every situation of pain (cfr Mt 11, 4-5). To the poor he announced his good news (cfr Lk 4,18) and he promised his kingdom: "Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of God" (Lk 6,20-cfr. Jn 2,5) It is therefore particularly opportune to call attention to the place given to the poor in the life of Jesus. It is wonderful to underline that the poor were the first to receive his love and that the love we show to the needy will save us and allow us to share in the glory of the kingdom of heaven, as he himself promises when he speaks of the last judgement (cfr Mt 25, 31-40). We must proclaim Christ's love for the poor. But for this proclamation to be effective every Christian must become poor. This is the call, timely and opportune, made by the Holy Father. While calling the Church of the third millennium to "new evangelisation", he urged all Christians to evangelise first themselves in order to evangelise others, "because only a person who has been transformed by Christ's law of love can work metanoia (conversion) in the hearts and minds of others, in society, country, the world" (Pope John Paul II to a group of pilgrims from the diocese of Turun, Poland, February 19, 1998). In our day the Church, through many Bishops' Conferences on different continents (cfr Ecclesia in Asia 34; Ecclesia in Oceania 35; Ecclesia in America 18-58), has often voiced her option for the poor. In this way the Church becomes more like Jesus, shows him more genuinely, is more visibly his Body. This is the path that all Christians are called to walk, not only missionaries, priests and religious. The Holy Father calls all Christians to commit themselves to new Evangelisation (Novo Millennio Inuente 40), to proclaim with courage Christ's love for the poor. In this way we will be an example and stimulus for the world - so lacerated by all forms of violence and discrimination - so that between rich and poor countries there may be a more equal distribution of goods to ensure justice and peace. Chiara Lubich. Biographical note. Chiara Lubich, born in Trent in 1920, started a movement of spiritual and social renewal the Focolare. During the Second World War among the poor in the city of Trent there began what Chiara herself calls, "a divine adventure". Today the movement has millions of affiliated persons in 182 countries. It brings together not only Catholics but also other Christians of more than 350 different communions, as well as Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and persons with not religious membership, all committed to live and spread universal brotherhood to help build up the unity of the human family. Concrete initiatives include "cittadelle di testimonianza", project for economy of communion involving over 750 companies who devolve part of their profit to the poor, 1000 social works, particularly in developing countries, more than 12,000 adoptions at a distance. (Fides Service 20/9/2002)

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