Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
~ Luke 8:1
I read the papers or watch the news and I often end up dejected or frustrated. There simply is too much hatred and violence in the world today. Too much greed and selfishness. Too many exclusions and divisions. There is too much insecurity and fear. Too much worry and bitterness.
We have driven away the God of love and given in to hatred and violence. We have forgotten the generous God who made us all and have instead been enslaved by greed and selfishness. We have turned away from the God who makes all things beautiful and turned to our petty insecurities and worries.
And yet if we look at the small things very close to us, there is so much to love. There is so much to be thankful for in the small events and happenings of our everyday life. This is the quantum reality of grace. There is grace and beauty in small children being raised with love and generosity by their parents. There is grace and inspiration is two people leaving and forsaking everyone and everything else to live a life of committed love and mutual sharing in marriage. There is grace in a father and a mother making sacrifices to give their children a home that is free of worries, fears and insecurities. There is grace and joy in children playing and growing as they catch the values and warmth of the rearing they get from their parents. As long as we can proclaim these seeds of good news, there is hope for the world.
“Lord, teach us to be generous and let us begin by proclaiming your generosity and love for us.”