Novices

An Adored Simplification of Everything

We offer notes from Fr Giussani’s greeting at the close of a retreat of the Novices of the Memores Domini. Garda, Italy, January 20, 2002

Yes, it is like a greeting.

What these wonderful songs, this marvelous presence in your heart have reawakened in me, and reawaken in me every time I think about it, is, above all, sincerity. Because sincerity is not something ordinary; sincerity is participation in the reality of living in its entirety.

And, secondly, this unifying participation is something that concerns every day, it brings with it all the possibilities for our attention and our preference.

Thus, the event of Christianity, the event of Christ in the world is an adored simplification of everything–an adored simplification of everything. I thank Coki especially, who gave me, as you talked, a sign, a very penetrating sign of her acute perceptiveness. But with everybody in the world, we are simple! With everybody in the world, we are confirmed in this simplicity, and with everybody in the world, we always and in any case go back to the beginning–always and in any case back to the beginning.

This is the content of my wish for you; and it is easy never to forget how much this content must be forced and taken back to its original point.

“O my God I am heartily sorry for having offended You,
and I detest all my sins because of your just punishment
but most of all because they offend you, my God,
who are all good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to sin no more.”

Simplicity, the unity of all, and unity with everything that concerns us.

Veni Sancte Spiritus. Veni per Mariam.

Ciao.

The fact that our life, the Movement, makes us partake of this continued intention whereby Christ throws Himself again and again into our hearts, is the spur of our duty.
Ciao, goodbye.