Working for peace is an invitation to emerge from indifference to become builders of harmony around us, starting from ourselves, engaging our intelligence, our hearts, our arms. It requires the effort to think of others, to heal the wounds and personal and social traumas caused by the selfishness that divides, and to direct all forces towards the realization of peace.
We too can transform every day into a "day of peace", putting an end to the small or large wars that break out around us every day. To realize this dream it is important to build networks of friendship and solidarity, offer a hand to help... and also know how to accept the hand that others can give us.
Denise and Alessandro say: "When we met, we got along well. We got married and at the beginning everything was beautiful, and even with the birth of our children the joy increased. After a while we began to have some difficult moments, up and down; finally there was no possibility of dialogue between us, but everything was a cause for discussion. We decided to continue together, but we always fell into the same mistakes and the same conflicts. One day, a group of friends proposed to us to participate in a journey of support for couples in difficulty. We found not only competent and prepared people, but a "family of families", in which we could share our problems: we were no longer alone, but it was only the first step. Now, at home, it is not easy and every now and then we fall back together.
Peace, as Chiara Lubich said, “It requires new hearts and eyes from us to love and see candidates for brotherhood in othersat universal". And he adds: “We can ask ourselves, even in stressful condominium meetings?, even with colleagues who prevent us from making a career at work?, even with someone who is part of another political party, or is a fan of the opposing team?, even with people of religion or nationalityat different to ours?”. Yes, every person is my brother, my sister. Peace begins right here, in the relationship that we are able to establish with our neighbors.
“Evil is born in the heart of man”, writes Igino Giordani, and "in order to avoid the danger of war it is necessary to tame the spirit of aggression and selfish exploitation from which every war comes: it is necessary to rebuild a conscience". And Chiara continues: “The world changes if we change; and above all if we highlight what unites us we will be able to contribute to the creation of a mentalityat of peace and working together for the good of humanity. AND the love that, in the end, always wins because is stronger than anything. Let us therefore try to live like this during this month, so as to be the leaven of a new culture of peace and justice. Thus we will see a new humanity reborn within us and around usat”.