Happy new year

To be useful

Some days ago I had a talk with a student of mine and her words reminded me of our need to make ourselves useful. I think it’s a very noble aspiration, but we risk the sacrifice of ourselves: how we can decide if a behaviour is "service" or not? Are a doctor, an hospital attendant, a teacher, a social worker, a psycologist... always in “service” of somebody? And a road-sweeper, a painter, a trader, a bus driver, a manager, an office-worker, a singer are not?
We need to pay attention to the others to be happy? I think so. And I think it’s important that other people pay attention to us too (I’m thinking about a song: I need a friend to be happy). But does this attention consist only in some activities and not in different ones? I think no. Well, if I’m lying on a beautiful beach and I’m enjoying the sun, my attention could be less evident. But also relax and self-care are essential to our lives. If I’m exhausted, I’m not so helpful. Indeed if I devote myself with passion to what I’m doing, to what I have to do and to what gives me satisfaction, I’m building the presuppositions of my utility, making myself happy.

A little letter for Christmas

Dear Infant Jesus,
today is Christmas’ Eve, and I’m happy because even this year Christmas is here. And it doesn’t worth if I’m ready or not, how I lived this year or what I did today, if I was good or bad. I know you don’t mind of that. Chistmas is here, and nothing else. I like that so much.
In the last days I listened to a lot of different opinions about this feast. Most people are looking forward to relax for a while, and this is good. A lot of them says that Christmas is a consumeristic feast, and this can be true (however I like to give and receive presents). All these words make me feel a little angry and a little sad.
I was lucky, because I heard a special word while I was playing the orgue in the church. We usually think that Advent is a period during which we have to wait in a more intense way the Lord who is coming: we have to make an effort. Don Marco said something that inverted the perspective: Advent is the time in which Lord is coming near.
Then I ask you this present: I’d like that everybody (it doesn’t matter their religious faith) stop a while and feel God close to them.
Cheers

Federica

Merry Christmas

If you want to look at the mystery, you have to be as simple as a child.

Merry Christmas!!!