Love covers everything

Below is a reflection by Chiara Lubich that came to mind when I reflected on the fact that love covers everything. If I want to be serious about living the New Commandment then love must be at the centre of my life, of every action in the present moment!   

(…) Christians must aim there: on true love, knowing apart from anything else has value when it is inspired and conducted by charity and all the rest counts for nothing, at least for the final account of their lives. This is how Christians must commit their lives so that at the end of each of their action they can say: this is a work that will remain. This is what they must make  of their daily work, of writing letters, of taking care of personal affairs, of educating their children, of engaging in conversation, of taking trips, of choosing clothes, of eating, even of sleeping, down to the smallest of their actions… when meeting all unforeseeable things that God will ask of them day by day.

This is how it must be – and it is enormously consoling – for those who can do so little because they are sick  or confined in their beds or who remain inactive during an endless convalescence.

This, precisely this is how it must be – how many times have we said it and forgotten it – because what really counts is not our work, our writing, or even our apostolic activities; what counts is the love that must animate our life.

And this is possible for everyone.

For God every action in itself is indifferent. Love is what counts. Love gets the world moving. Even if someone has a mission to fulfil, it will be fruitful to the extent that is infused with love (…)

 (Chiara Lubich, Essential Writings, New City, London. P 83)

Simple and yet difficult! It’s training programme. The more I love in each moment, the more it becomes a way of life, the new way of life.