The rippling effect of kind acts

Father Abraham Srambical

Lots of community activities are going on in High Prairie, especially in the month of September. Those activities are inspiring and challenging to all of us. Many residents are participating and donating their money and time for some great causes. The participants and the volunteers of these events are projecting the best side of our community. We have to appreciate and encourage these things always. They create a healthy atmosphere in our community in the changing world. There is an incredible untruth communicated to children as they grow up in our socially and scientifically advanced world, namely, that most people have a good chance of living out their lives without times of suffering and pain, times of darkness, times of injustice. This illusion is created by the media, especially by advertising (a world of happy endings), by generalized attitudes that makes up the social customs of our people. Everyone’s life is supposed to be filled with sunshine in this modern society. But very often this does not happen in the daily experiences of life. Then people will curse the darkness and unlucky situations in the society and their lives. Unfortunately, most of the times the choices that people make are not very intelligent. Everyone is called to become a glowing candle amidst the darkness of the world. “It is better to light one little candle than to curse the darkness.” This is a Chinese proverb with profound meaning. Most of us have heard this proverb. There are two important words in it: light and darkness. We could say these words symbolically mean good and evil. A candle, a tiny light can brighten a dark room, a whole neighbourhood, for that matter. Light has another meaning, too. From the Gospel we know Christ is the light of the world. To illustrate this in some church ceremonies, from one candle other candles are lit to bring light to the whole church. It amazes us how a little single candle burning brightly can light so many others’ candles. Darkness, symbolically means evil in its many forms. In the TV and newspapers, we learn about all kinds of evils: war, riots, violence, murders, thefts, terrorism and so on. In the First and Second World Wars millions were killed and many nations were ruined. We know about the whole dark history. Then in 1945 a priest named Father James Keller in New York, had an idea. After seeing the evils of the World War II, he wanted to do something positive to counteract the evils. He started an organization called ‘The Christopher’s’. The above-mentioned Chinese proverb was the motto for this organization. He stressed the idea it is better to kindle a candle than to curse the darkness. In spite of all the evils in the world, he was convinced of the ability of each person to shape the future of this world for good. A sense of personal mission and the power of goodness is the heart of the Christopher message. He used print and electronic media to spread his message, to reach out to men, women, young people of all faiths or of no particular faith with these ideas: You have a God-given mission; You can make a difference and constructive action can work miracles. Now the question is what we can do to kindle a candle to brighten the darkness. Cursing the darkness, cursing the evils is not sufficient. Each of us has to kindle candles, do something positive. A good deed seems insignificant sometimes, but that may be sufficient to overcome some evils. Things improve when more people build up, than when they tear down. If you wish to leave the world better than you found it, you must be convinced you have been put here for a purpose, delegated by God to play a part in renewing the face of the earth. A kind deed, a kind action would make some difference in the life of others, brightening the darkness with light. Each of us has a God-given mission to fulfill. Now, we all can in some way make a difference. We all are unique. Let us bring positive and constructive values and ideas to the mainstream of life. Each of us has the power to change our surroundings for the better. With God’s help, everything is possible. We can find there are many big and small examples for this in our community also. Many associations and volunteers do great work to transform our surroundings for the better. Every act of care and concern for others has a ripple effect, touching many lives for the better. The world needs your light. Hold your light high.