The Paradox of Kindness

In speaking about almsgiving in his Message for Lent 2021, Pope Francis noted that “A small amount, if given with love, never ends, but becomes a source of life and happiness.” This statement applies not just to donations of money or goods but to our acts of kindness. As Pope Francis goes on to say, “In order to give hope to others, it is sometimes enough simply to be kind, to be willing to set everything else aside in order to show interest, to give the gift of a smile, to speak an word of encouragement, to listen amid general indifference.”

The paradox of kindness is that it grows the more we give it away. This may not be apparent because the seeds of self-worth we plant in struggling people through our interest and kindness often don’t sprout until years later. However, we need only reflect on our own experience to know how much the steadfast love of a grandparent, the encouragement of a favorite teacher or coach, or the support of colleagues when we begin a new job can influence the course of our life.

We may have begun Lent with ambitious plans to address our faults, deepen our prayer life, and better the lives of those in need. If, five weeks in, we find that the best we can do is “simply” to be kind and willingly set aside our own plans to listen to others, then that is enough. In God’s hands, these small acts of love will grow to become an abundant source of life and happiness.