The world in which we live today is besieged with atrocities of all kinds due to the effects of ongoing wars and violence.Despite all these my thoughts enable me to equally realise the great acts of compassion and kindness that also permeates our world in recent times.This is already happening from The Gambia to the European world.
It had happened to every body’s surprise in the month of July 2015 that a presidential pardon came upon about three hundred prisoners. This act of the President of the republic of The Gambia was an act of compassion and kindness done out of sincerity. Whilst these men and women inmates never expected this gracious act to happen to them, they are now living freely through the great act of compassion and kindness. Even now as the Holy Father, Pope Francis visits Cuba another great act of compassion and kindness is being done to more than three thousand inmates to mark the visit.
Personally I see these great acts of compassion and kindness in the light of God’s act. What has been done in the eyes of ordinary people could not be mere human acts done because God can intervene to make things be in this way. In Holy Scripture of the Bible, God is attributed by the names of “the kind”, “the merciful” and “the compassionate”. Hence believers call upon Him as the God of mercy, compassion and kindness. In the book of Psalms, (Psalm 85:2-3) God is the one who take away peoples sins and withdraws His anger because He is kind. Again in Psalm 144:3-4, God appears in His compassion to come to assist humankind and rescue man in times of trouble.
In the gospels, LK. 15:11-32, Mark 8:22-26, Matthew 18:23-35 Jesus teaches about God’s compassion and kindness in forgiving sins, healing the blind etc.
In past few months in observing world events, the menace of war and violence made thousands of people flee from their homes as migrants and refugees. This had happened in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other war affected countries. So many of these peoples have no safety in their countries and so are on the run to Europe. What we witness again in these countries that they run to are welcoming peoples who give them homes and feed and clothe them as acts of compassion and kindness. Again I praise these acts of the Europeans opening their doors to migrants and refugees as the world’s acts of compassion and kindness. The Church, the UNHCR, the European Union did not relent to show the hand of compassion and kindness. The Catholic Church through the leadership of the Holy Father, Pope Francis asked the Catholic families in Europe to make way and accommodate all migrants and refugees who flee from their war affected countries. These gestures are worth immolating for the world in which we live. The world in as much as it hears of and experiences war; violence and in humane acts knows and also radiates compassion and kindness. For the world to know and experience peace, this must come through compassion and kindness. Therefore I may teach the slogan, “There is no peace where compassion and kindness does not exist”.
The scriptural teaching from Matt. 25:31-46 teaches that on the last day of judgement God will pass judgement on human kind only by compassion and kind acts. These kind and compassionate acts are that of giving food to the hungry, a drink to those that thirst, accommodate the homeless, visit the sick and those in prison and lastly to clothe the naked.
“I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine; you did it to me”. Matt 25:40.