Romans 8:14

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Rm 8:14).
(http://www.focolare.org/en/news/2011/02/01/febbraio-2011/)

The Spirit of God has always loved us, even from all eternity. He has followed us along the ways of false freedom, of idolatry of ourselves, as the shepherd who goes in search of the lost sheep, as the Father who waits for the son, with infinite patience, in the doorway of the house, ready to make a great feast. He searched for us in the labyrinths of life where we lost ourselves, with the anxiety with which one seeks for the precious coin, as if it were His only treasure.

He allowed Himself to be annihilated by death, He descended down to the lowest level of the underworld in order to not loose anyone, even to feel as if forsaken, emptied in the Soul of His essence, Love. By this we have been called back to life in the life of Jesus Who embraced and held us tightly to Him and thus brought back to be able to breath the Spirit of the Father.

The Spirit of God allows us to say “Abbà”, Father. How can we live as children of God?

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An Experience of Life:

We have been married for 26 years and we have three children who are still in school. I work as a hospital doctor, but my wife, after the birth of the third child, left her work as a physical therapist in order to dedicate herself to the family and to be able to confront together, according to ones own possibilities and capacities, the normal daily undertakings and, sometimes, the difficult moments.

It has helped us a lot to dialogue and to confront the problems immediately, convinced to be able to always find the most adequate solution, as in the occasion of the decision of our son and his girl friend, to renounce the life that they had conceived. It is understandable their uneasiness, but not justifiable their behaviour and in particular their decision. The law permits it; the conscience does not! There is no difficulty to do what they intended to do – guaranteed privacy, unknown to anyone, except the consciences. A shocking declaration, devastating for the fact and its possible consequences.

How to respond? “Let us give them a hand!” It is this that we said in unison, after a few minutes of dismay, of silence, of understanding arrived at only with intense reciprocal looks, without reflecting too much, omitting the “ifs” and the “buts”, certain of one thing: their decision expressed an evident plea for help in order to understand, to act. The subsequent dialogues and silences indicated the different dynamics. The diversity of ideas, of convictions, of external and intermediate positions, gave way to go forward together along a way that was not easy but illuminated by the sure beacon of the goal: Life always and anyway.

In the end we pronounced all together a clear “yes” to life, a liberating “yes”, enthusiastic in the successive choices for the practical and concrete commitments. The idea unleashed action, enthusiasm, involving other people, “in the face” of privacy, of shame, of interested conformism or of empty dignity. Love, sincerity, dialogue and availability are always the winning weapons. Boldness and courage must always prevail over insipid timidity.

Principles and values must be the object of discussion but never put in question: life if the most beautiful gift that God has given us!

Paolo (Verona, Italy)