Wanted: simple acts of love

We live in a world that can only be described as upside down and full of contradictions. Often in our lives of quiet desperation, we fail to understand and accept the simplest of truths, that life is precious and that conflict, whatever its form, erodes the foundation upon which human progress needs to be built.

As well, we too often chase, cherish, yield to, and glorify certain human pursuits that simply add nothing or virtually nothing to the advancement of humankind. The usual list of suspects is long and winding – money, power, social status …While these pursuits may not necessarily be wrong in themselves they become lethal to truths of life when they are pursued at the expense of faith, hope and charity, especially charity – otherwise known as love, especially that which we offer to others.

These insights were recently reinforced with the passing of a simple man whose soul finally left his body after 94 years of life and nearly six decades as a Catholic Priest. Observers noted that this simple man was waiting for death with a smile, saying that although he had much to do he simply was running out of energy needed to continue the work he passionately and unselfishly undertook in 1940 to love the homeless and the disadvantaged to the point of making his life a mission of charity toward those who needed to be loved the most, those who have nothing and hope for very little, except the occasional random act of kindness.

And so, L'Abbe Pierre (Henri Grouès), the revered simple priest who gave France and the world an alternative to the treatment of the homeless and defenseless as worthy of only tolerance and neglect, took it upon himself to go to the distance for these simple people, often chastising and reprimanding those in power and the rest of us for not doing enough for those who need us most.

True, his soul may have left his body, but his spirit will certainly live on in the millions of hearts who in their small but significant steps will lend a helping hand to those in need, quietly, anonymously and often at great personal cost to themselves.

For a life devoted to the needs of others and for his unswerving faith in the goodness that rests in all children of God, Labbé Pierre leaves a legacy that all of us can and should imitate, in whatever small but important ways that can help make life a little better for those around us, especially our families, and the larger family of the community in which we live, a family full of people whose needs can only be met by the simple acts of love each and everyone of us can offer.