We all find ourselves greatly influenced by what we may read or see in the media. That is why businesses spend so much time and money on advertising and promoting their products and services on broadcast and social media. If such commercials can gain our attention, then perhaps we might be encouraged to make a purchase.
This time of year brings many stories of the kindness and charity of people in response to the needs of those who live on the periphery of our society. People sign up to provide gifts for disadvantaged children, food for hungry families, and funds to help folks to pay their rent or mortgages. Just reading about and viewing such acts of charity has a positive influence on most of us. We are then inclined to participate in the spirit of this holy season that is so deeply identified with charity.
Such stories of kindness often temporarily supplant the relentless narratives of violence and hatred that we hear of each day. At this time of year the stories of kindness that appear might even suggest that our world is actually a much more hopeful place than we may have thought.
Our own Archdiocese has provided a number of gracious moments of charity as folks provided turkeys for hungry people, gave new coats for underprivileged children, and contributed generously to the food banks that so many parishes have started and must maintain. I imagine that seeing some of these inspiring acts of charity spurred many people to join in the efforts of this local Church to respond to the needs of our neighbors.
I was edified to witness the collaboration among different religious communities and other organizations that represented no particular faith heritage all working together in our outreach toward the needy in our community. Like many of you, I sometimes wonder why we cannot have a more balanced display of positive news to counter the awful events that we witness year round.
Advent is the season when our Church annually recalls throughout these four weeks the coming of the Lord in history and His anticipated return at the end of the age. It is a season of waiting and joyous expectation. As we wait for the Lord and rejoice in His past arrival in Bethlehem, we must recall that He has left us a few clear instructions on what we should be doing during these interim moments before He returns. We should be caring for Him among those who are poor and neglected. In fact, Christ tells us that when He does return that we will be judged on how we served Him or did not serve Him when He was hungry, sick, naked or imprisoned [Matthew 25:31-46].
That is why these Advent activities of charity may well be our best preparation for His return. Our folks have cleverly devised ways to continue their charitable outreach even during these times of physical restrictions. They have found internet opportunities to make needy children’s dreams come true. They have been able to make offerings online that can be used to help a family pay rent. They even have managed to use cyberspace conversations to warm the hearts of lonely folks. Would that these media portals carried only happy and joyful moments for people.
As we draw close to Christmas, may all of our hearts be filled with gladness that the gifts that we can offer to our loved ones and to those who need our charity make this a season of joy for all those who give and for every person who will benefit from the Christ-like kindness of others.
(Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, writes his “What I Have Seen and Heard” column for the Catholic Standard and Spanish-language El Pregonero newspapers and websites of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.)
