Lenten Reflections | women's history month | catholic mom | Holy Women's History Month
I first encountered the Focolare Movement (an ecclesial movement within the Church) and its founder, Servant of God Chiara Lubich, through my then-boyfriend, now husband. His family had been a part of the movement his entire life. Over the summers, members of the movement gathered for a family conference, and I was invited to attend. Little did I know that this would begin a new spiritual journey with Chiara, which our family still travels on today.
It’s hard to pick just one thing that I have learned from Chiara over these last 17 years of slowly learning the spirituality of the Focolare. While I was introduced to the movement in college, it wasn’t until a few years later, as a young mom, that I started to consciously learn more of the theology found in Chiara’s spirituality. I did this with my mother-in-law, who is deeply invested in the movement. Together, we shared many conversations about the movement’s history, its founding principles, and way of life.
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God Is Deeply Invested in Us
One of the first things I can remember consciously trying to implement into my life from our conversations was an enthusiasm to do everything for Jesus. Chiara understood that God is deeply invested in our present moment. He is with us in the here and now. So, while it is beautiful to reflect on how God was with us in the past, we shouldn’t spend so much time looking backward or we will miss how God is acting in this moment.
The same applies to forward thinking. Chiara encouraged everyone in the movement to approach each moment, each interaction, with joy. “Love the one who is Love!” (Essential Writings) was the attitude with which she went about her day, moment by moment. I found the exclamation mark at the close of this phrase particularly moving. This isn’t some kind of resignation to whatever life threw at her but joyful anticipation for what God, who is Love, is doing in the here and now, even if it was difficult, painful, or simply a boring task.
This was an incredible revelation for me. For you, Jesus, I am folding the laundry. For you, Jesus, I’m having a difficult conversation with a child about their behavior. For you, Jesus, I’m stuck in traffic. For you, Jesus, to whatever is going on in my day regardless of how pleasant I find the activity. Some days, that exclamation mark is harder to find, but I try to remember that it’s one of the most important parts of the phrase.
From this perspective, another piece of the Focolare spirituality becomes readily apparent. Chiara discovered in a new way the reality of Jesus present in the midst of His faithful. Jesus promised in Matthew 18:20 that wherever two or three gather in his name, he will be among them. We each have Jesus living within us. It follows then that when we love another person, we should also be loving Jesus who is within them. When we do something kind for another person, we are also doing it for Jesus. And when the other person is also living, working, loving, with this same understanding, Jesus really can become present between the two, or three, or many.
Seeing Christ in Others
As I go about my day, offering each thing I do for Jesus, I am reminded to see Jesus in each of my children, in my husband, and in the cashier at the grocery store. I love them to the best of my ability, but I am also trying to love Jesus within them. This is hard work, and I find I fail often. But Chiara comes to my aid yet again. Because God is always present in our present moment, it means that there is always the opportunity to start again. This has been so important for me as a mom. I am absolutely not a perfect mom, and my kids attest to that. But, I hope they would also say that they see both my husband and myself modeling what contrition and forgiveness look like. We talk often about how no day is lost and that there is always the opportunity to begin again. We can renew our love for one another and for Jesus as we go forward, together.
This togetherness is one of the primary marks of the charism of Chiara. Jesus deeply impressed upon her His desire that all people be one (John 17:21). Unity in the family, in a parish, in a culture, even across religious beliefs, was Chiara’s driving force. By seeing Jesus in each other and striving to keep him in the center of everything we do, unity can be created. This goal makes so much sense in a family where we want Jesus to be present among us. He ought to be the heart of our home, and Chiara has shown our family a way to live together in peace, unity, and joy.
During Women's History Month, Catholic Mom writers are celebrating the women who have inspired their faith journeys — whether canonized saints, saints in progress, or beloved women from Scripture. Through personal reflections and heartfelt stories, they share how these holy women have touched their lives, offering wisdom, strength, and a deeper connection to God. Join us as we honor the spiritual legacy of these remarkable women and the lasting impact they continue to have on our hearts and souls.
Copyright 2025 Kate Taliaferro
Images: Holy Cross Family Ministries