Word of Life

September 2005

Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Phil.1:27)

It was around the year 50 in the first century when Paul, accompanied by Silas, reached the city of Philippi. It was the first European city stayed in by the apostle while proclaiming the Gospel. The conversion of some of its inhabitants caused unease and disorder among the pagans, and the authorities decided to expel Paul and Silas secretly. They had to use their status as Roman citizens to regain their social standing.

Despite these difficulties with the civil authorities and the inhabitants, writing a few years later to the small Christian community that had grown up in Philippi, Paul invited the believers to live out their civic duties with loyalty and in accordance with the Gospel.
Later in the same letter, he reminds them that the citizenship of Christians is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). This, however, does not exempt them from taking on their responsibilities in the social and political fields. Indeed, precisely because they are citizens of the kingdom of Christ, Christians should feel a powerful motivation to place themselves at the service of everyone and contribute to building the earthly city in justice and love:

Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Phil.1:27)

With this word of life, therefore, Paul is asking the Philippians to behave as true Christians. Sometimes people think that the Gospel does not solve human problems and that it brings the kingdom of God only in a religious sense. But it is not so.

It is Jesus in the Christian, in a human being, in a specific person, when he or she is filled with the grace of Jesus, who builds a bridge, opens a road… And, as another Christ, each man and each woman can give a unique contribution in all spheres of human activity: science, the arts, politics and so on.

Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Phil.1:27)

But how can we be another Christ and so have a real impact on society? By living his lifestyle as expressed in the words of the gospels. If we take on board his word, we are always more in line with his way of thinking, with his feelings and his teachings. His word illuminates all our activities, it corrects and straightens out every aspect of our lives.

Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Phil.1:27)

Yes, by living the Gospel, we become “other Christs”, and like him, we spend our life for other people. Living love, we make our contribution to the building of fraternity. All the words of the Gospel can be summed up in love for God and for our neighbour, and if they are lived, they enable other people to love.

We frequently speak of love, and it might seem superfluous to mention it again this time. But it isn’t! Our so called ‘old self’ (Rom. 6:6) is always ready to withdraw into privacy, to look after its own little interests, to forget the people around and to be indifferent to public good and the needs of humanity.

Let’s rekindle the flame of love in our hearts and we will have new eyes for looking around us and realizing what we could do to improve our society. Love will suggest ways that are creative and will give us the courage and the strength to follow them.

Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ (Phil.1:27)

This is what Ulisse Caglioni did. He was a friend of ours who spent his life in Algeria among Christians and Muslims, showing Gospel love to everyone with simplicity, in deeds and actions.
He did not live for himself. He put his brothers and sisters in the first place in his life. He had a special love for each person, never counting the minutes spent with them, but sharing their joys, their successes, their hopes, as well as the trials, the worries and the sufferings of the early years of their independence.

In the 90s the country underwent a period of disorder and terrorism that spared no one. The whole Algerian population, which was almost entirely Muslim, was affected, and so was the small Christian community made up mainly of foreigners. However, Ulisse, as other Christians, decided not to return to Italy, his native country.

In a newspaper interview he said, “I’ve lived in Algeria for many years when things were going well. I don’t feel I want to leave now that the situation is more delicate and dangerous. Running away wouldn’t be in line with the Gospel.” When he died of an illness two years ago this September, the Muslims who had known him gave this testimony: “There was such love among us that every event was lived and shared together. He was a bridge, a link between Christianity and Islam. In a country where intolerance was prized, we learnt to listen without prejudice, without any kind of judgement. Ulisse taught us to do everything out of love, to be love.”

Chiara Lubich