Jesus you are a champion

Before leaving Rome I was deeply struck by a phrase of St. John: "He (Jesus) gave His life for us; so we too must give our life for our brothers and sisters" (1Jn 3:16).

I was struck by these words not only because one might expect a different conclusion, like: "If He died for us, then we too must die for Him" (and not for "our brothers and sisters" - as it is written), but also because this invitation to love to the point of dying for our brothers and sisters appeared to me to be something strong, precisely because of this measure of giving one's life.

Jesus gave his life for me, out of love for me, without looking if I deserve such a great gift! For him it is natural to love giving his life without looking! Not only that, but for him, God it is natural to give his life for me, a creature! I begin to understand the immensity of his love for me! How can I begin to respond such great a love! Of course it is impossible to be more generous than God's love! But his generosity does not end there. 

We give our lives for our brothers and sisters as a response to God's love for us. By doing so he still gives us his presence among us, and  gets us go together to him. I live in a focolare, the invention of God, with the Trinity! I, a creature with God, one and three, because he is crazy in love with me! This in itself is mind boggling. I cannot begin to understand such a gift!

On the one hand how can I live with a love that almost crushes me! On the other hand how can I not be happy knowing that every day of my life I am loved! 

So, another sleepless night, another day of general malaise, another day of fatigue and limited strength, what are they in comparison to the love of God for me? Another day of having to decide "important things", wanting to make it clear to the others that I have a different vision of things and that my perspective is the best and most logic!, Another day where slowly things  I deal with rise above my choice of God and come between me and my brother or sister! Moments in which I feel sorry for myself because I have a brain tumour and will die. In those moments I don't live the present and I don't love my neighbour. More importantly: What are all these things big or small in comparison to God's love for me?

Do I really live the Gospel in the radical manner I used, putting God above all things, not only in words. Or do I put God first, hoping that by doing so he heals me, he takes away my tumour? How many times have I put God first for my own interest, so that he make the other come round to my way of thinking or doing. Perhaps I love the other because I want him or her to understand that my way of doing things is the best!

Instead, our way is not individual. We go to God together, I lost everything, my life given to God, not only spiritually, but concretely given to God in my brother or sister in the present in the smallest things! My love for my neighbour makes me appreciate that we are a gift for one another as my friend who asked me how I was today. By telling her how I spent my night I had to laugh at myself! In our being different we enrich each other. 

Then Jesus comes to stay with me, with us. There is peace and joy, and before doing anything we ask ourselves: DIM (Does it matter?) What seem to be important matters become an excuse for loving one another. Jesus, you are a champion! Thank you that I can give my life for you today, I thank you that I can be free to love you in the the greatest moment of pain today, thank you for your immense love!