The good we do is never lost. It never dies. The good we do lives on in other people, in other places, and in other times.
Each Holy Moment you create sets off a domino effect. You may only ever see 1% of the impact your goodness has, but it will ripple out into the world in wonderful ways that you simply cannot predict.
Saint Vincent de Paul was a Catholic priest in France who was ordained in 1600 and dedicated his life to serving the poor. Known for his humility, compassion, and generosity, he was widely loved and admired by the people of his time. He founded his own order, the Vincentians, and the Ladies of Charity to keep up the work of serving the poor.
In the centuries since he lived, his goodness has rippled outward in ways he likely never imagined.
Two hundred years after Vincent died, a man named Frederic Ozanam read St. Vincent’s story and was inspired to serve the poor himself. Eventually, he founded the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which exists to this day in dozens of countries around the world. It focuses on visiting the poor in their homes, assessing their needs, and discerning how to best help each person or family. Every year, the Society serves millions of people across the world.
There are plenty of reasons in today’s world to feel discouraged, overwhelmed, powerless and frustrated, but no amount of darkness can overcome the light. There's always been times of darkness. There's always been times of discouragement. But the good we do never dies. This is an incredibly hopeful and empowering truth. The ripple effect of every good action is impossible to calculate.
So today, sit with God for a few minutes and allow him to fill you with goodness, to hydrate your soul, to show you the amazing possibilities that are before you. Then, go out into the world and spread that goodness with everyone we meet.
