From the Father, Solingen, 15 August 2017

As you know, during these weeks spent travelling through Spain, Portugal, France, and now Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, I am having the chance to meet many people of the Work and their families, as well as Co-operators and friends. Sharing their joys, their sorrows, and above all their desire to bring Christ’s love to so many people, I recall the words that came from the depths of St Josemaría’s soul, in gratitude to God: “I think about the Work and I am dumbfounded.”

I’m sure that the same happens to you, although sometimes, because of the difficulties or problems of daily life, it can be hard for us to see beyond our immediate everyday work. I beg Our Lady, on the feast of the Assumption, to help us always lift the eyes of our heart to God, through what we have in hand; and to help us care for the Work, which is, for us, the main way we can care for the Church. Opus Dei is not a collection of buildings and projects. It is much more: it is a family, and a family that does not close in on itself but makes the people around it into family too, by opening up to everyone’s material and spiritual needs. In families, each individual person matters. So let’s care for each and every one, with our prayer, our closeness, our understanding and our good humour.