by Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB
Pax Christi USA Teacher of Peace
I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions, but a beautiful response to the Newtown, tragedy that I read about has me rethinking the idea. It was reported that in Altoona, PA a woman returned to her car after holiday shopping and found a Christmas card under her windshield. When she opened it, she found $10 and this message: “How do you fight evil in the world? You fight it with good. This act of kindness is in memory of a child who lost his or her life yesterday. Make the world a better place. Do good and Merry Christmas.”
Then I read about Ann Curry’s idea that we do 26 acts of kindness in memory of the 26 killed in Newtown.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/18/15999109-if-you-do-good-youll…
And this reminded me that all MOH members and communities—as part of their membership commitment–are invited to adopt a good work. (See Good Works page.) Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Monasteries of the Heart made a New Year’s commitment to do random acts of goodness throughout the year in memory of the Newtown, CT. children. It doesn’t have to be a monetary act—a note to someone, a prayer, a gift of your time are three of endless possibilities. This is a “good work” accessible to all that can have quite a ripple effect, especially if you leave a note telling the recipient why you are doing it. Somehow that simple act honors the Newtown innocents in a meaningful way…