religion, prophethood and resurrection are actually subprinciples under the main and core principle of the unity of God. On Day 2, Dr Bennie Callebaut, a professor at Sophia University, provided a rich overview of the history of the Focolare Movement, Chiara Lubich, her life, her philosophy and her hometown where she was first inspired. Next, a collective scriptural meditation session was held, in which students engaged in fruitful conversations and made connections between excerpts from the Bible and the Qur’an on a single theme. The afternoon session’s highlight was the presentation given by Rita Moussallem and Roberto Catalano, co-directors of the Focolare Movement’s International Office for Interreligious Dialogue. They summarised the historical stages of interfaith dialogue from the viewpoint of Roman Catholicism. Although there have been doctrinal challenges to approaching interfaith dialogue, each generation was met with new developments that paved the way for a clearer understanding of how we must encounter and unite with the other. Finally, picking up from his discussion on Day 1, Dr Shomali delved deeper into the discussion on the origins of monotheistic faiths. He explained that all three Abrahamic religions are not distinct with different messengers. Rather, the Quranic view is that each prophet only presented a new edition of the same and only religion of submission to God. Hence, it can be understood, he pointed out, that in all of God’s communications to humankind there was always a harmonious call for unity. The tryst at the Cima della Rosetta, one of the more accessible peaks of the Dolomites, on the third day, certainly transformed the programme into an experience. Shortly after everyone reached the mountain peak, some of the Muslim brothers spontaneously began to recite God’s praises and some of the renowned supplications of Imam al-Sajjad(a) (the fourth Imam of Shi‘a Muslims). They were quickly joined by their Christian co-travellers with a beautiful hymn, all of whom merged in united prayer to God. Later, congregational prayer was performed with a number of the Focolare present. Once back at the town hall of Tonadico, Dr Shomali and Professor Coda held an open Q&A session. A sister asked, “How can we practically live what we lived here?” Professor Coda responded: “We can do many projects, but the first thing is that if we do not have the love of God inside us, there is nothing. When I met Dr Shomali there was the love of God. [...] We started this walk together. I think it is because I was able to find the presence and love of God inside his heart”. After touching on the main obstacles for unity under God, Dr Shomali added that “working for unity is in a way easy, but also it can be very difficult since it can be seen as the highest level of human development, that we would be fully united under God. [...] [This work] needs a sacrifice.” On Day 4, Dr Mahnaz Heydarpour contributed a comprehensive overview of the core concepts of Islamic spirituality and the centrality of divine love therein, arousing a standing ovation from a tearful audience. She shared a blend of scholarship and meaningful experience to show how
divine love became central to her life and is central to Islam. She presented some of the most important steps, prerequisites, paradigms of enhancing our spirituality by gaining nearness and similitude to God. She showed how the love of God, His creation and a fellow believer in Him is an integral part of spiritual wayfaring. Next, guided by his book entitled Unity of God and Unity in God, Dr Shomali went on to talk about the immense benefits and consequences of the Muslim and Christian faith communities especially in light of the return of Jesus son of Mary(a) and the coming of Imam Mahdi (aj). He ended by inviting those who seek unity in God to look to the example of a human body, wherein every part takes what it needs and puts back into the bloodstream what it wants to share, acting as a single whole, as is demonstrated among the Focolare. Only then, he said, can we reflect the image of God as the ocean reflects the sun. The day closed with a compelling presentation by Dr Paolo Frizzi on the importance of interfaith engagement with respect to the most important world transformations. Dr Frizzi - who is a core member of Wings of Unity, a coordinator of the summer interfaith programme, and the academic coordinator for Sophia Global Studies - explained that the courses at Sophia University Institute are designed with God at the centre of learning and humility and unity are crucial to student development. The events of the fifth day transcend what can be spoken. “I think we have experienced the welcome of your soul”, Professor Coda professed, “We not only met God at the top of the mountain but also in the valleys of your soul.” Chiara, he continued, wrote something very beautiful in the house next to us here: ‘God says only one word: Love. And this word is pronounced by God in infinite tunes. And each one of these tunes repeats Love, to God and to others.’ This is what we have experienced in these days. One word from God, but in infinite tunes which always speak love, and therefore they’re never out of tune, and they learn more how to play in harmony. [...] We have experienced Paradise. [...] We can play the harmony of love if we are in tune with God. [...] I beg you, whoever feels that God has called him/her to live this kind of experience deep down in your heart, please say yes to God.’’ His humble and insightful words left a deep impression on us. As the course came to its end, Dr Shomali recalled verses from chapter al-Sharh and concluded: “I think what we have seen today is the result of very hard work, not just, a few months of preparation. Centuries of work! Prophets and messengers have left with us the message, but then true believers in the course of history tried to remind us of the core of the message which was hidden, and we have people who are inspired every now and then to work for unity and based on their work now we have been able to establish this. [...] We ask God to bless all of them. I ask that you dedicate your lives to God – not the God of any tradition or nation, but the God of all […]. Try to be the most humble and the least of the servants of God, and just pave the way for other people. […] We want to serve everyone so that they go towards God. That is the great honour.”
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Testimonial and Contemplation .............. >> October 2017
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