Categories
Compassion

Compassion begins with us

This week, the loving father of a 7th grade member of our youth group died unexpectedly. Seeing the pain of loss on the faces of the family put things in perspective.

Social media and everyday conversations are filled with “he lied”, “she lied”, “he’s not my president”, “send her to jail”,”his supporters are hateful and gullible”,”her supporters are stupid and sore losers.”

Friends, it is time to change our conversations. It can no longer be about THEIR lack of morals and compassion, but how WE can respond with compassion, mercy, graciousness, and hope. What THEY may have done or might do doesn’t excuse US from doing what’s right.

Friends, if your first reaction is “I hope THEY listen” or “tell it to THEM”, I am respectfully speaking directly to YOU. We can’t fight this with more of the same. We need to respond to callousness with compassion, revenge with forgiveness, and fear with hope. It will take all of us.

Let’s do it together.

Categories
Compassion

St. Teresa of Calcutta

Mother Teresa was canonized today. There are also the rebuttals that state she was flawed, doubted her faith and was not who she seemed. We should not reject those flaws and doubts. In fact, we should embrace them.

The Catholic Church does not canonize Saints because they are perfect. Individuals are canonized because they overcame their flaws and doubts and, in spite of them, committed themselves to the love of God and humanity. They are canonized to give us examples of how we, flawed and doubtful as we are, can do the same. Maybe we won’t become the next Saint Teresa of Calcutta, but as she said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”