Chiara’s story_Episodes [VIDEO]

1)I too was your age, Gen 4

 Narrator: Chiara was born in Trent, in the north of Italy.

Her first name was Silvia, and that was how her parents called her; her father’s name was Luigi and her mother, Luigia; her older brother was called Gino, and her sisters, Liliana and Carla. But we have always known her as Chiara, the name she chose at 23 years of age when she wanted to love God the way a young girl from Assisi did, who then became a Saint: St. Clare (“Chiara,” in Italian) of Assisi.

Since her childhood, Chiara loved [1] the beautiful things of nature and hearing about God who created them. She often went to listen to Sister Carolina who gathered many little girls and spoke to them about God and about Jesus…

And Chiara also said that, when she was 7 years old, Sister Carolina used to take her and her little friends who were 4 or 5, or 6 years old, to a church in Trent, where there was the adoration of the Most Holy Eucharist for an hour. Chiara liked to kneel right in front, to see without being distracted and speak with Jesus in the Sacred Host that was exposed:

“Listen Jesus, you created the sun; the sun has light and warmth. I will fix my gaze on you and please will you put spiritual light and warmth into my soul.” Chiara said this to Jesus every time she went there, staring at him, hoping that he would illuminate her, warm her heart.

And Sister Carolina also [2] taught Chiara to do acts of love, giving her and the other girls a small dress made of paper for Baby Jesus. This dress had many tiny cuts in the form of “V’s”. For every act of love made, the tiny “V’s” were folded up so that in the end the small dress seemed all embroidered by their many acts of love. When the whole dress was embroidered with love they brought it to Jesus.

[1] See C. Lubich, Rocca di Papa, July 4, 1967, to the little Gen:“Her story as a child"

[2] See C. Lubich, Castelgandolfo, April 28, 1992, Gen 4 Congress, answer no.1

 

2)When someone does acts of love, beautiful things happen

Narrator:  Chiara was then a bit older. She studied to become a primary school teacher and taught for a year in a small school in a mountain village. Then she started studying again, and at the time she was at home, together with her sisters and mother.[1]

It was a very cold winter day. Her Mom realized that they had run out of milk. At that time, people had to walk a long way to buy it at the farm, bringing the bottle to be filled.

Her younger sisters were playing, and Chiara realized that they didn’t want to go out because it was cold and tiring. So, even though she had to study, the desire to do an act of love was greater and so she immediately said: “Mom, let me go to get the bottle of milk!”

She put on her coat and scarf, went out, and started walking. When she was halfway, right near a place called “White Madonna,” Chiara felt she heard, not with her ears but in her heart, as if God was saying to her: “Give yourself to me! Be all mine, give yourself completely to me.” And Chiara replied: “Yes.” And she felt very very happy.

“Then I understood that when someone does acts of love, beautiful things happen. I did that act of love to go and buy the milk, and Jesus called me. He called me to follow him forever.” [2]

[1] See C. Lubich, Castelgandolfo, April 28, 1992, Gen 4 Congress, answer no.3

[2] C. Lubich, Castelgandolfo, April 28, 1992, Gen 4 Congress, answer no.3