Stories

Mar. 2024 – "Called and Sent": this was the theme that approximately 80 families, youth and children from Galilee wanted to deepen together on March 15-16 in Tiberias, on the shores of the Lake, that very Lake that had witnessed the calling and sending forth of the apostles and the public mission of Jesus.

This call is repeated to each one today: in the face of ever-growing challenges, God calls us to the radicality of the Gospel and to give our lives for peace, for dialogue. "What does dialogue mean?” shared Margaret Karram, born in Haifa and now president of the Focolare Movement. “Dialogue says I want to get closer to you, to know you, to be enriched by your diversity. The willingness to dialogue says I open… arms, heart, mind to go beyond fear."

"Called and Sent": on this theme several families had also met in Jerusalem on March 9^th, and in Bethlehem on March 14^th.

Intense meetings of spirituality, conversation with God and communion among all, which gave balm to wounds, opened souls to forgiveness, purified hearts to know how to welcome the others, their sufferings and their hopes.

Appointments filled with joy and cheerful games by the children, which helped them overcome any worries and better understand the the reality of Easter now approaching and the power of the Resurrection.

Occasions to strengthen mutual love among all participating, strengthening the conviction that this is the truest witness, that dialogue and unity among people and peoples is possible.

Precious moments to then start again with renewed commitment, to be together witnesses of this hope.

The words of Desmond Tutu, Anglican Archbishop and South African activist, read during a reflection, well express the lived experience: "If we could but recognize our common humanity, that we do belong together, that our destinies are bound up in one another’s, that we can be free only together, that we can be human only together, then a glorious world would come into being where all of us lived harmoniously together as members of one family, the human family."

Some impressions:

"Until the last moment I was in doubt whether to participate or not. But in the end I decided for yes: it was an act of love for my daughter who wanted it so much. I thank God that we went. It was beautiful. Both my family and I received the sacrament of reconciliation. It was a grace to be with everyone."

"It was a very beautiful retreat! We needed to get away from the world. We really felt like family. The atmosphere was very beautiful. Thank you for all the work! It would be important to do it again and again: we need it."

"It was important to retreat from the world in this hard time. To be together with Jesus in our midst, with peace among us. It was a meeting with so much love among everyone. There was a need to draw strength together to go out and face the challenges in life and in the world. We thank God for this opportunity."

May 2012 – Woman: “Sono molto contenta di essere qui”

Man: “Il team di lavoro è come una famiglia, questa è la cosa più importante di questa iniziativa”.

In conjunction with 300 other cities from around the world, the beautiful coastal site of Caesarea Maritima hosted Run4unity, an initiative now in its third edition that has brought children from around the world to run in the relay of peace. In the Holy Land, this day organized as always by the Focolare movement assumed a particular significance, with many young Israelis and Palestinians coming together in the Herodian city where, according to Christian tradition, Paul of Tarsus was imprisoned. Approximately 400 students in all, including Christians, Muslims, and some Jews. Different beliefs joined together by the golden rule, as the event organizers stated: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" – the universal commandment of love that is also transmitted through the games.

Woman: “È la mia prima volta, ero preoccupata di fare degli errori, ma poi mi sono fatta trascinare dall’evento ed è stato bellissimo”.

Woman: "It’s enriching to get together and exchange ideas. This program today is not my idea or that of another; it’s the idea of a body, of the experience of Jesus among us."

In the Hippodrome of Caesarea, the children were engaged in a variety of games and competitions to test their skills… all this, before the last and more "artistic" part, a show in which the protagonists were again the children. It’s an event that the parents did not want to miss, as seen in the many adults present at Caesarea.

Man: “Penso che un importante lavoro per i genitori e i nonni sia di trasmettere alle prossime generazioni e nelle famiglie questi valori di apertura, accettazione, tolleranza, amicizia”.

The ideal goal was precisely to bring together people from the whole world to pass on these teachings… Values that this land specially awaits with urgency, and that Run4unity tried, once again this year, to witness with an international competition… Without the need to have winners and losers, but with the desire to be united with others.

_{Original post published in cmc-terrasanta.org}