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Word
of
Life
August 2009
“Having loved his own who were in the world,
he loved them to the end.” (Jn 13, 1).
Do you know when the Gospel
relates these words?
They are in
John’s gospel
just before
Jesus wrapped
the towel round
himself to wash
his disciples'
feet and was
preparing for
his passion.
In his last
moments with
them, Jesus
reveals the
love that he
had always had
for them in a
way that is
unsurpassed
and very clear.
“Having loved his own who were in the world,
he loved them to the end.” (Jn 13, 1).
The words, to the end, mean: right to the very end of his
life, to his very last breath. But that phrase also contains
the idea of perfection. It is intended to express the truth
that he loves them completely, totally, with all his heart, to
the very peak of love
The disciples of Jesus would stay in the world, while
Jesus would go to glory. They would feel alone, they
would have to overcome many trials, and it is precisely
for such moments that Jesus wanted them to be sure of
his love.
“Having loved his own who were in the world,
he loved them to the end.” (Jn 13, 1).
Can you sense
in this word
the style of
life of Christ,
his way of
loving? He
washed his
disciples'
feet. His love
led him to do
even this
service, which
in those days
was usually
done only by
slaves.
Jesus is preparing himself for the
tragedy of Calvary, when he will give to
'his own' and to all, in addition to his
amazing words, in addition to his very
miracles, in addition to all his deeds,
also his life.
They needed this.
Theirs was the
greatest need of
the whole human
race: to be
liberated from sin,
which means from
death, and to be
able to enter into
the kingdom of
heaven. They were
to have peace and
joy in the Life
without end.
And so Jesus
offers himself up
to death, crying
out his
forsakenness by
the Father, to
the point of being
able to say: 'It
is finished.'
“Having loved his own who were in the world,
he loved them to the end.” (Jn 13, 1).
In these words are both the tenacity of the love of
a God and the tenderness of a brother’s affection.
And we Christian, because Christ is in us, can also
love like this.
At this point, however, I do not wish to suggest so much
the imitation of Jesus by dying (when his time had come)
for others. Neither do I wish to offer you as necessary
examples Fr. Kolbe who died in place of a fellowprisoner, or Fr. Damien who, becoming a leper with the
lepers, died with them and for them.
It may be that never, in the course of your life, will you be
asked to give your physical life for your neighbours. But what
God certainly does ask of you is to love your neighbour without
reservation, right ‘to the end’ until you too can say: 'It is
finished.'
This is what Cetti did. She was an eleven-year old Italian girl.
She saw that her friend and companion, Georgina, of the same
age, was extremely sad. She tried to comfort her, but without
success. So she decided to get to the bottom of why she was
so sad.
She learned that Georgina's father had died and that her
mother had left her alone with her grandmother and gone to
live with another man. Cetti could sense the tragedy and
decided to do something about it. Although just a child, she
asked Georgina to let her talk to her mother, but Georgina
begged her first to go with her to visit her father’s grave.
With great love Cetti went with her and listened as she
sobbed and implored her father to come and take her with
him
It was heart breaking
for Cetti. Nearby there
was a little ruined
church and the two girls
went in. The only things
left inside the church
were a small tabernacle
and a crucifix. Cetti
said, 'Look, everything
in this world is going to
be destroyed, but that
crucifix and that
tabernacle will remain.'
Georgina dried her
tears and replied, 'Yes!
You are right.' Then
Cetti took Georgina
gently by the hand and
went with her to her
mother.
When they arrived
Cetti addressed the
mother and said, 'I
know this is none of
my business, but it
seems that you’ve
left your daughter
without a mother’s
love which she
needs. And I’ll say
one thing more: you’ll
never find peace
until you take her
back to live with you
and are sorry and
decide to change.’
The following day in
school Cetti
continued to support
Georgina with her
love. But something
new happened: after
school, a car came
to pick Georgina up.
It was her mother.
From that day on,
the car kept coming
regularly because
Georgina was back
with her mother,
who broke off the
relationship with the
man she had been
living with.
Looking at
the small, but
significant
things Cetti
did, we could
say, 'It is
finished!' She
did everything
well, right to
the end, and
she achieved
what she set
out to do.
Think about it. How
often have you
started to take care
of someone and then
given up, quietening
your conscience with
thousands of excuses?
How many activities
have you started with
enthusiasm and then
given up in the face of
difficulties you felt
were beyond your
strength?
This is the lesson
Jesus gives you today:
“Having loved his own who were in the world,
he loved them to the end.” (Jn 13, 1).
Do this! If one day
God should actually
ask for your life,
you will not
hesitate. The
martyrs went to
their death
singing.
And your reward will be
the greatest glory,
because Jesus said that
there is no love greater
in the world than to give
one’s life for one’s
friends.
“Having loved his own who were in the world,
he loved them to the end.” (Jn 13, 1).
“Word of Life”, monthly publication of the Focolare Movement
Text by: Chiara Lubich, april 1979.
Graphic design by Anna Lollo in collaboration with Fr. Placido D’Omina
(Sicily - Italy)