Task of building unity

The panorama that confronts you may seem disheartening, particularly when you recognize the human smallness of your efforts in the face of a whole world that lacks understanding. In this you are right. It has been said that the world always ends up divided into two halves, and one half is dedicated to speaking badly of the other. But precisely because there is so much discord and misunderstanding, God wants us to travel all the paths of mankind and wants each of us to practise personally the understanding of Christ and teach others to do the same.

Docile to grace

We don’t think that we can change everything in a few days. Indeed, I will say something that saddens us: perhaps we Christians will never fully establish conditions of unity on this earth. But that does not mean that we should not aim at this goal. If we are faithful and docile to God’s grace, we will go as far as God wants, and this, of course, is much further than we could ever dream of.

If you ask me about the means to achieve this goal of charity, I will answer that you already have them in our particular modes of apostolate, which are natural expressions of the Work’s supernatural spirit. First, as you know, comes our work of friendship and trust with young people of every social class, who are the hope – already taking shape – for the world of tomorrow.

Overcoming obstacles

Then comes the constant practice of the virtues that enable us to live together with others and cheerfully offer to God, without anyone noticing, the frictions that inevitably arise between people with different characters, tastes and ways of thinking: cum omni humilitate et mansuetudine, cum patientia supportantes invicem in caritate (Eph 4:2), with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.