That Baby's dream

If God came down from heaven for us,there is no doubt that he loves us. And if someone loves us, if God himself loves us, everything on this earth is easier for us, everything makes more sense:

behind the obscure passages of our existence we can read the loving hand of God;

the reasons may often be unknown to us, but they are reasons of love.

Chiara Lubich

Christmas Joy, New City Press, 1998, p23

“It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” Mt 19:24

“By your perseverance you will secure your lives.“

(Luke 21:19)

More than 400 participated in this year’s Mariapolis, "Love: Wellspring of a New Culture." Every Mariapolis is special, but the beauty, harmony, and wisdom of this year’s made everyone feel a bit of what "on earth as it is in heaven" means.

“Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.” (Mt 6:33)

“He loved his own in the world, and he loved them to the end.” (Jn 13:1)

“Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.” Lk 12:33

Love Generates Wisdom-A response to today's challenges

Thursday, July 23rd (evening) - Sunday, July 26th 2009 University of Scranton- DeNaples Center

See www.nymariapolis.org for more information.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

“As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” (1 Pt 4:10)

“Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.” (Mt 24:42)

“Whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you” (Jn 16:23)

“If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” (Lk 14:26)

"There are many members, yet one body." (1 Cor 12:20)

“Not my will but yours be done.” (Lk 22:42) 

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Lk 9:23).

“Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.” (Lk 6:38)

"Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Lk 6:27-28)

“The lamp of the body is your eye. When your eye is sound, then your whole body is filled with light.” (Lk 11:34)

From the book "Chiara Lubich - A Life for Unity," an interview by France Zambonini

John Paul II knows our Movement, which is made up of lay people in various forms of consecration, young people, families, people committed in the world, priests, men and women religious and, on several occasions, he has emphasized the Movement’s strong Marian features. Since it was our hope that in years to come, the Movement might retain its Marian identity, not only at a spiritual level but also in its public profile, thereby preserving God’s plan for it inasmuch as he entrusted its conception and development to a woman, one day I plucked up courage and asked him confidentially if he thought it possible to have it confirmed in our statutes that the president of the Movement should always be a woman. He replied with enthusiasm, ‘And why not? On the contrary!’

Now revised and officially approved by the Holy See, our statutes contain this clause, which represents per- haps an innovation, at least with regard to the new movements in the Church. The statutes provide for a woman, although she does not have Holy Orders, to preside as the head of a Church movement whose membership includes, in addition to the laity, a strong representation of priests, men and women religious, as well as a good number of bishops who share the spirituality of the Movement.