Seek more

Every year the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated January 18–25 in many parts of the world; others celebrate it at Pentecost. This year’s theme is taken from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians: “We shall be transformed because of the victory of Christ Jesus, our Lord” (see 1 Cor 15:51-58). For our Word of Life this month, we propose a similar text from Paul, Colossians 3:1 that Chiara commented on.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1).

These words of St. Paul to the community at Colossae speak of the existence of a world in which true love reigns, together with full communion, justice, peace, holiness and joy. There, sin and corruption can no longer enter. It is a world where the will of the Father is perfectly fulfilled. It is to this world that Jesus belongs. He opened it up to us by means of his resurrection, by having passed through the arduous trial of his passion.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God”

St. Paul says we are not only called to Christ's world but that we already belong to it. Faith tells us that through baptism we are engrafted onto him, and as a result we participate in his life, his gifts, his inheritance and his victory over sin and the forces of evil. We have, in fact, risen with him.

As long as we are on earth, however, our membership in this world of Christ is not full and totally unveiled. It is not yet stable and definite. As long as we live, we will be exposed to a thousand dangers, difficulties and temptations that can cause us to hesitate, slow down on our journey or even detour toward false destinations.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God”

We can understand, then, the exhortation of the Apostle: “Seek what is above.” Materially you walk this earth, but spiritually you can leave it; give up the rules and passions of the world in order to let the thoughts and sentiments of Jesus guide you in every situation.
“What is above,” in fact, points to the laws of a higher realm, the laws of the kingdom of heaven that Jesus brought on earth and wants us to fulfill here and now.

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God”

How then can we live this Word of Life? It encourages us to not be satisfied with a mediocre life made of half-measures and compromise. It encourages us to conform our lives — with the grace of God — to the laws of Christ.

This Word of Life urges us to live and give witness in society to the values that Jesus brought on earth. It could be a spirit of concord and peace, service to our neighbor, understanding and forgiveness, honesty, justice, integrity in our work, faithfulness, purity, respect for life, and so on.

The possibilities are as vast as life itself, but so as not to re¬main in the realm of the abstract, let us this month put into practice the law of Jesus that is a kind of synthesis of all the others: to recognize Christ in every neighbor and place ourselves at their service. We will thus prepare ourselves for the final exam of our life.

Chiara Lubich

Each month a Scripture sentence is offered as a guide and inspiration for daily living. Since the Focolare beginnings, founder Chiara Lubich (1920-2008) wrote her commentaries. This one was originally published in April 1988.

Read more on this topic:

• Life experiences resulting from people’s efforts to put the monthly sentence into practice. Click here!




• 
  “A Spirituality of Unity and the Renewal of Social Life and Culture,” in Focolare - Living a Spirituality of Unity in the United States.
  Tom Masters, Amy Uelmen New City Press, 2011, pp.85-108
  978-1-56548-374-3
  US$16.95

  “This marvelous new book shares the captivating stories of a variety of Americans whose lives have been transformed by an encounter with Christ, who find inspiration in the life of the great Chiara Lubich, and who share their faith and work together in community. This is an inviting, inspiring and invaluable introduction to one of the great new adventures in the Church today.”
  — James Martin, S.J.

  Order now on newcitypress.com For more information contact us on: orders@newcitypress.com

---




• 
  Doriana Zamboni (ed.), Glimpses of Gospel Life,
  (New City Press, 2004)
  ISBN 1-56548-205-0
  US$11.95

These glimpses of Gospel life, these little flowers gathered from everyday events, are experiences of things that have actually happened to Chiara Lubich, the founder of the Focolare Movement, and to members of the Movement throughout the world.

Above all they demonstrate that God exists, because when Christians give to him, he gives back to us; when we ask, he replies
From the Foreword by Doriana Zamboni

Order now on www.newcitypress.com! For more information contact us on: orders@newcitypress.com

---




• 
  Chiara Lubich, “How to seek the things that are above,” in Journey to Heaven
  New City Press, 1997, pp.85
  ISBN 1-56548-093-7
  US$8.95

  This is the third volume of Chiara's spiritual thoughts given in monthly conference calls. It is not only inspirational but it is a practical reference guide on how to live heavenly realities in our everyday lives.

  Order now on newcitypress.com For more information contact us on: orders@newcitypress.com

Next month's Word of Life:

February 2012
“Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” (Mk 1:15)

You may be interested in these links:

• Read experiences some of our readers shared in their efforts to live a previous month’s Word of Life. Click here!

• The Word of Life in powerpoint presentation and in other languages. Click here!