A river of kindness

ALL of us should be eager to convert ourselves into a gushing river of love and kindness every day, because this is our goal and perfection. We are nothing without love.

It's amazing that nowadays this ultimate and constant goal of ours is often frustrated, perverted if not obliterated by other values and virtues that in fact can be such only if related to charity.

The essence of these values and virtues, my friend, can only vanish when love is not their soul. Let's not deceive ourselves. Let's have our priorities clear right at the most fundamental level of our life.

Today people are deluded to think that it is good looks, good health, high IQ and EQ, power, money, popularity, etc. that let them attain perfection. This idea is dangerously incomplete and can only give false expectations.

Unfortunately, we are immersed in an ocean of advertising and publicity gimmicks and intricate schemes of unscrupulous politicians and businessmen, among others, who play this kind of dangerous and deceiving games.

We are stormed with all sorts of brilliant ideas, catchy words and phrases, fascinating images and promises meant to fatten our ego, explicitly or implicitly, and to forget about God and others. It's truly a devil's work.

We really have to exert constant vigilance and resistance if only to avoid being contaminated by our environment whose subtle moral pollution and contamination is coated with sugar and spice.

What good would excellent looks and physique be, what good with immense power and tremendous money and popularity be if we just end up vain, arrogant, greedy, suspicious, self-centered?

Nuts, do you think that is how we should be?

It is love and charity, kindness, understanding and compassion that make us what we ought to be: persons who obviously have a mind and heart, and are not just physical, biological beings.

In fact, not only are we persons, but more importantly we are children of God who are images and likenesses of God. We have to learn how to think and act like God who is love, as Saint John said.

In spite of what and how we are, we share in a very intimate way the very life and nature of God, through grace and through our human correspondence.

What really perfects us is when we know how to deal with God and with others, when we learn how to pray and talk with God, following his will and commandments, and how to serve others in endless, unconditional ways.

It is when we are in true communion with God and with others, unhampered by any trace of selfishness that we become like God, that we attain our ultimate goodness.

Someone sent me a text message the other day that contained a saying that I found a little corny but which managed to say more or less what I have in mind.

"No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. Kindness is the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see."

Nice and cute, right? I also say that it hits the mark quite well.

Love and charity in all its forms and manifestations should be the main determining principle and guiding criterion of all our thoughts and actions.

When parents and teachers educate children, this should be the constant guide to keep in mind. In fact, whatever we do, this should be the North Star to guide us.

We should constantly ask ourselves: is charity served, pursued, lived if I do this or that? We can make ourselves beautiful, we can enhance our health, look for power, wealth and fame, but only when charity is the final motive.

We should not be afraid to foot the cost love and charity may entail. This will never be lacking. Common sense can readily tell us this is how the ball bounces in this life.

That's part of loving. And it's a sacrifice that in the end will strengthen us, will purify, heal and enlighten us, making us understand and appreciate the ultimate beauty and inscrutable ways of God.

It's love that unites us with God and with others, that merges time with eternity, that builds true fraternity among all of us that is based on genuine justice and mercy.

And what starts and sustains our loving is when we first pray to God, nourishing our faith in him and our obedience to him. It's when we avail ourselves of the sacraments when we allow God to come to us, empowering us to love.

This love will then be expressed in countless ways, beginning with having goodwill towards all, showing affection and willingness to help, forgive and forget, and even to do make sacrifices so others may have a better time.

That's what we are meant for, not vain stupid individuals full of gimmicks, sound and fury and really gaining nothing in the end except our own dust and ashes.