Reflection
Whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.
Matthew 10:37-42
The significant acts in life happen when we help where we can. They happen in the daily interactions with others where we show compassion. They are in the quiet acknowledgement of another’s humanity. They are in the simple meeting of another’s need. They are about kindness to a stranger, food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless, and comfort for those who mourn. These are holy acts and they bring their own reward.
Prayer
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Action
Be aware of the needs of those around you. How can you be sensitive, compassionate and nonintrusive?
Suggested Reading
Whoever receives you receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet’s reward,
and whoever receives a righteous man
because he is a righteous man
will receive a righteous man’s reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because the little one is a disciple—
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.
Matthew 10:37-42
Let us be renewed by God’s mercy, let us be loved by Jesus, let us enable the power of his love to transform our lives too; and let us become agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation and make justice and peace flourish.
Pope Francis
The world is never saved in grand messianic gestures, but in the simple accumulation of gentle, soft almost invisible everyday acts of compassion.
Chris Abani
Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not.
Samuel Johnson
Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.
Dalai Lama
Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
Mark Twain
Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.
Barbara De Angelis
The best portion of a good man’s life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.
William Wordsworth