Focolare spirituality defines seven areas of life, each a way of expressing love. Nothing is more or less important, more or less sacred. “Love is light,” Chiara Lubich explains. When clear light passes through a prism, or even a drop of water, it refracts into the seven colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. And just as that light breaks into different colors, love too has a way of expressing itself in just as many ways.
Love nurtures.
There is a healing quality to love, and we can look to promote the wellbeing of both our physical bodies and our collective ones: family and community.
When we keep love among us, we can collectively experience that presence that Jesus promised. And that presence—like blood pumping through each heart—leads to the health and wellbeing of us all in the collective body.
So “green” is about health. When love refracts like light into “green,” it shines on these parts of life:
- Food
- Families and communities
- Sport and fitness
- Rest and recreation
- The environment
- Personal health, including illness and passing
- Healthcare
What this means to me
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at the age of 11. Little did I know that my life would change drastically over the next months. In my freshman year, I had to have emergency surgery. My faith kept me going. Every night, my parents and I would read from a devotional and talk about what God was trying to say to us through certain Bible passages.
Throughout my struggles, I held on to this one simple truth: I knew that God had a plan for me more incredible than anything I could ever fathom for myself. This was my cross to bear, and my grandma helped me remember that I could offer every suffering by saying “For you, Jesus.”
I wanted to let the Lord’s light radiate through me to others in the meantime. For example, I would keep a brave face for my parents, brother, family and friends, who suffered because I was not my usual bubbly self. I also tried to get to know each doctor and nurse a little and thank them often.
In the hospital, I put little Bible verses on the outside of my door so that when people would walk in they could see them. It brought people into my room; a lot of nurses and physician’s assistants kept coming back and wanting to talk to me, and they were telling me that the phrase encouraged them in their day.
Many blessings have already come from my experience! I have grown in my faith. My family and I have grown closer. I have a position on the Children’s Advisory Board at Texas Children’s Hospital, where I get to work with other frequent patients and give feedback on how to improve the hospital environment. I have even realized that I may want to become a doctor someday!
– Caitlin
(Read more stories like this one in Living City Magazine)