On June 10, 2023 Women's Ministries Emphasis Day was observed in churches in northern Italy. In the church in Bovisio Masciago, near Milan, the speaker was Franca Zucca, retired Women’s Ministries director for Italy. The title of her sermon was "A Love that Precedes our Choices," a theme that speaks of the Lord's unconditional love. God begins his process of grace by showing love to every person, regardless of whether they make right or wrong choices. After a fellowship lunch, the women gathered again together to talk about forgiveness, and how it should be implemented. Several women shared their experiences. It was important as a help for each other on the path to eternal life together. In conclusion, they promised to be available to each other.
The church in Caravaggio, in the province of Bergamo, had Mirela Pascu, a psychologist and psychotherapist, as its guest speaker, who delivered the sermon. In her message, she invited the participants to reflect on how we can be instruments of goodness and love for others by placing ourselves in the Lord's hands every day. She cited various biblical passages: 1 Peter 4:10, 11; Matthew 25:40; Galatians 6:2; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; James 4:17.
In the afternoon, Pascu gave a seminar on emotions. Several people who came from other neighboring communities, Bergamo and Pavia, were also present. They learned what emotions are and then how to recognize and know how to handle them. The speaker explained how important it is to teach children to express their emotions starting at an early age. The first five or six years of life are crucial for the development of positive or negative emotions, which will profoundly affect the life of the future adult. Mothers play a very important role in the development of their children's emotional baggage. Thinking back to our childhood, each of us can surely discern the emotional conditioning of the family environment that parents, and especially mothers, passed on to us.
With the help of the Holy Spirit in us, we can cultivate emotional intelligence and become more empathetic. Pascu invited us to meditate daily on the biblical texts of Romans 12:2 and Psalm 37:4.