2. Word of Life September 2013

3. «Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.» ( 1 Jn 3,18)

4. St. John was writing to warn his communities against certain people who exalted faith in Jesus with their words but did not follow through with works.

5. Moreover, these people considered works to be useless or superfluous, as if Jesus had already done everything.

6. Their faith was empty and sterile, therefore, because it left out, from the work accomplished by Jesus, that indispensable contribution he asks of each of us.

7. «Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.» ( 1 Jn 3,18)

8. Love in action. Real faith, the Apostle says, proves itself by loving as Jesus did and as he taught. The first characteristic of this love is concreteness.

9. Jesus did not love us just by giving beautiful speeches. He passed among us doing good, healing all,

10. making himself totally available to those who came his way, beginning with the weakest, the poorest, those left out, giving his life for us.

11. «Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.» ( 1 Jn 3,18)

12. We are to love, the Apostle says, not only in action but in truth, too.

13. While Christian love attempts to express itself in concrete actions, its source of inspiration must be the truth of the love that we find in Jesus.

14. It must aim at doing works that conform to his sentiments and his teachings. We must love, therefore, in accord with and in the measure of love given to us by Jesus.

15. «Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.» ( 1 Jn 3,18)

16. How should we live the word of life of this month?

17. Its message is all very clear. It calls us to the Christian authenticity that Jesus insisted upon.

18. Isn’t this what the world is waiting for? Isn’t it perhaps true that the world of our times wants to see people who bear witness to the love of Jesus?

19. Let us love then in deed rather than in word, beginning from the humble acts of service asked of us each day by those we meet.

20. Let us love in the truth. Jesus always acted in harmony with the will of the Father — in the same way we too should always act in harmony with the words of Jesus.

21. He wants us to recognize him in every neighbor. In fact, he holds as done to himself what we do for each person we meet.

22. He wants us to love others as we love ourselves and to love each other by being ready to give our lives for each other.

23. Let us love like this, then, so that we too might be instruments of Jesus for the salvation of the world.

24. Text by Chiara Lubich, published in Città Nuova, May 1988. Grafics Anna Lollo in collaboration with don Placido D’Omina (Sicily, Italy)Anna LolloPlacido D’Omina This Word of Life commentary is translated in 96 languages and idioms (this by the Chicago Focolare), and reaches various millions in all the world through the press, radio, TV and internet. For information: http://www.focolare.org/usa/ This PPS, in diverse languages, is published in www.santuariosancalogero.orgwww.santuariosancalogero.org «Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.» (1 Jn 3,18)