Opening the gift of communication

Through the writings of Blessed James Alberione, I have come to deepen understanding of balance in the spiritual life. Alberione considered everything a gift of God that invited our unwrapping and response. The gospel of John influenced Alberione’s spirituality: “We all live off his generous bounty, gift after gift after gift” (John 1:16) A Pauline charismatic element is “know the gift of God.” Alberione opened all the gifts available to him: scripture, great religious traditions in the Church, church documents, theology, the Eucharist, press, radio, television, etc. hoping to create a great synthesis in Jesus Master as he defined himself “way, truth and life” (John 14:6). Holiness consists, he wrote, in living in Christ as St. Paul lived Christ until we say it is no longer I who live, Christ lives in me (Gal. 2:20). Alberione sought and solicited the reunification of all sciences around theology, proclaiming the dignity of all branches of knowledge. According to him, whatever the subject studied, ultimately it was to study God, the author of all things, and of all the sciences which are the interpreters of created reality. Sr Margaret Kerry,fsp