The desire for eternity is inherent in every man, whether he has a religious belief or a different belief. In fact, each of us would like to leave behind something that speaks about us forever. Artists who express themselves in the works they create and who give their soul through them feel and live it strongly, but also those who work in scientific research, those seeking an economy on a human scale, those fighting for human rights. fundamental and who dreams of a world of peace in brotherhood.
And it is also true, however, that every man or woman has the possibility of living an experience that has the flavor of eternity, loving, loving others, starting from those closest to those furthest away, without forgetting that neighbor that life puts next to us every day. A phrase reminds us of this: "Do to others what you would like them to do to you, do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you", the so-called "golden rule" present in all cultures and all religions of humanity.
Loving therefore, always loving, that is, taking care of others, sharing joys, sorrows, going outside of ourselves to build new relationships, made of mutual respect, fraternal communion, disinterested help, collaboration, common research. An extraordinary experience that can give meaning to our days, that expands our most beautiful feelings, and responds to a profound need that belongs to all of us, and puts into circulation that "relational good" that gives flavor to both individual and to the social life in which we are immersed. Loving everyone without distinction, taking the initiative in love, deeply understanding the other and grasping their needs, and responding with concrete gestures, because love is not sentimentality but a value that moves the mind, the heart and the arms and it pushes us to action. And where before there was oppression, domination, indifference, solitude, we will see a life richer in meaning born around us, also due to our small but strong and decisive contribution, which will forever leave a lasting mark.
We all know that it was Jesus of Nazareth who first spoke about love and mutual love. His words still resonate in all of us today and show us a path to follow. In fact, let us remember the parable of the Samaritan, that is, the story of a man from Samaria who, meeting a foreign man wounded and beaten by bandits on the street, stopped and took care of him, while a priest and a Levite, having seen him, passed by without stopping.
All of us can be like that Samaritan and live the concrete dimension of love, especially in these days so full of the violence of wars, oppression, deaths, and generate in our homes, in our work environments, in our cities, as Chiara Lubich recalled “a culture of peace for the unity of peoples.”
It was his dream and today it could become ours too.
