In the light of Christmas, let us make gestures and inspire concrete actions.
They will be remedies that will seem small compared to the evils, but applied on a large scale they could be light and solution to the serious ills of the world.
( Cf. Chiara Lubich, “It’s Christmas”, Città Nuova n. 24/2005 )
Looking at the world around us, from our most intimate to the most “global”, the question arises: “Does it make sense to remember even today the coming of Jesus to earth and his message of peace and brotherhood?”
Where is the brotherhood , when crowds of desperate people are forced to leave their lands and then become hostages of cynical and ruthless forces? Where is the brotherhood, when the remedies for the treatment and prevention of the pandemic are distributed in an unbalanced way and used as a weapon of power and blackmail? Where is the brotherhood, when immediate profit prevents serene and courageous choices for sustainability , compromising future generations? Where is the brotherhood, when technologies are used for pervasive and manipulative controls on the choices of millions of citizens?
Where is the peace if I can’t make peace with the usual annoying neighbor in my condominium? Or accommodate the needs of my restless teenage son ? Or live with my ambitious and domineering co-worker ?
We certainly cannot change the world alone, but without our contribution the world will certainly never become a better place.
There will always be some missing piece that, however small, is still indispensable: peace cultivated and protected in our soul to regenerate brotherhood in relationships between people, communities and peoples.