2. September 2014 Word of Life

3. “Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God" (Rm 15,7).

4. These words are one of the last recommendations Saint Paul made in his letter to the Christians in Rome.

5. This community, like many others spread throughout the Greek- Roman world, was composed of believers who came from Gentile and from Jewish backgrounds. Their mentality, cultural formation, and sensitivity to spirituality were quite varied.

6. This diversity produced attitudes of prejudice, discrimination, and intolerance that could not be reconciled with the attitude of welcome toward each other that God wanted them to have.

7. To help them overcome these difficulties, the Apostle could find no other effective means than to make them reflect on the grace of their conversion.

8. The fact that Jesus had called them to faith, giving them the gift of His Spirit, was tangible proof of His personal love.

9. In spite of their past and the diversity of their backgrounds, Jesus brought them together to form one body.

10. “Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Rm 15,7).

11. These words of Saint Paul remind us of one of the most touching aspects of Jesus’ love.

12. He always welcomed everyone, especially those who were outcast, who were most in need, who were farthest away.

13. It is the love with which Jesus offered His trust, confidence, and friendship to everyone, knocking down, one by one, barriers of pride and selfishness erected in society.

14. Jesus was the visible sign of that perfect welcoming love that the heavenly Father has for each one of us, and that we must have for one another.

15. It is God’s utmost will for us. For this reason we could render no greater glory to God than to welcome each other as Jesus welcomed us.

16. “Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Rm 15,7).

17. How should we live this Word of life?

18. It draws our attention to one of the aspects of human selfishness that is most common and most difficult to uproot, that is, the tendency to isolate ourselves, to discriminate against and exclude those who are different and who could disturb our tranquillity.

19. Let us try to put this Word of Life into practice, first of all within our families, associations, communities and work groups by getting rid of our tendency to judge others, of discrimination, prejudice, resentment, or intolerance towards our neighbor. These atitudes are common and easy to fall into,

20. but they have a compromising and chilling effect on human relationships. They block the flow of mutual love.

21. So let us put it into practice bearing witness to the welcoming love of Jesus with each neighbor that the Lord puts next to us particularly with those whom our selfishness tends to exclude and cast aside.

22. The act of welcoming those who are different from us lies at the very basis of Christian love. It is the starting point, the first brick in building a civilization of love that fosters that culture of sharing Jesus calls us to, especially today.

23. Text by Chiara Lubich “Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Rm 15,7).