I remember once attending the musical 'Les Misérables' that deeply touched my life. This modern-day parable touches the reality of both justice and redemption through compassion. The way the story unfolds invites the person to notice the contrary forces present in the human heart. This story is told by Victor Hugo as a way of seeing how the good news touches every human life and invites a response about where we find hope and meaning.
Yet at the end of the performance, we can walk out of the theatre into the reality of our daily life. We can observe the contradictions of our own day, where we are free to attend such moving performances, yet also witness the unfolding tragedies in the world. The stark reality is that these events do affect who we become both as individuals and as a global community. We are called to be people who prayerfully consider how what happens to another does influence how we respond. We cannot close our eyes and ears to the suffering of others.
The question then is, how can we respond with hope? The call by Pope Leo to pray for peace in the world during October by praying the rosary is a crucial opportunity to hold this intention in our hearts. There is also an opportunity to explore ways to alleviate the suffering of others. This may be achieved by making a donation to charity or by being informed about what can bring peace to a part of the world experiencing conflict. Lastly, we can consider what first step we may take to become people who nourish, forgive, and heal others that we encounter each day.
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