This is a place to come and look into ourselves. Here I take that first cleansing breath of the day and greet the world.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007,12:13 AM
Charity....
This past Saturday was Mystic Circle's Mabon Rite and the theme was Charity. We were asked to have an example of a charitble act that we had performed in the last 30 days and to share it with everyone as a part of the Ritual.
Now, initially I was stumped and joked with a friend of mine that I guess I'd have to say that as an act of Charity there were a couple of individuals walking the earth that truely deserved to be in the ground but I had forgone that urge. Truely that falls more under Mercy than Charity but hey......
Instead I made a contribution to the Childrens Burn Foundation for the 5 year old Iraqi boy whom had been doused in gasoline and ignited by gunmen in ski masks. He's undergoing a series of painful operations to remove terrible burn scars and scar tissue and to try and give him a semblance of normal life. Gods know he deserves it.
During the Rite I was reminded several times of little things that we do everyday that can be considered Charitible Acts. Remember helping that elderly lady who needed that heavy bag of flour in the supermarket? How about holding the door for the mother of three small children so she could get them all inside and out of the rain? Stopping to listen to someone who has had a bad day, not because you have to but because they really need to friendly ear. All of these are Charitable Acts. Too often we equate Charity with money and in that, we miss the point, we fail to be our best. Any random act of kindness is Charity so go forth and be Charitable.
Charity: Something given or done to help those in need, benevolence or generosity toward others or toward humanity.
Now, initially I was stumped and joked with a friend of mine that I guess I'd have to say that as an act of Charity there were a couple of individuals walking the earth that truely deserved to be in the ground but I had forgone that urge. Truely that falls more under Mercy than Charity but hey......
Instead I made a contribution to the Childrens Burn Foundation for the 5 year old Iraqi boy whom had been doused in gasoline and ignited by gunmen in ski masks. He's undergoing a series of painful operations to remove terrible burn scars and scar tissue and to try and give him a semblance of normal life. Gods know he deserves it.
During the Rite I was reminded several times of little things that we do everyday that can be considered Charitible Acts. Remember helping that elderly lady who needed that heavy bag of flour in the supermarket? How about holding the door for the mother of three small children so she could get them all inside and out of the rain? Stopping to listen to someone who has had a bad day, not because you have to but because they really need to friendly ear. All of these are Charitable Acts. Too often we equate Charity with money and in that, we miss the point, we fail to be our best. Any random act of kindness is Charity so go forth and be Charitable.
Charity: Something given or done to help those in need, benevolence or generosity toward others or toward humanity.
I know what you mean. When you really stop and think about it, charity does have a much broader scope.
Like you said Charity, at least when I hear it, always brings up a picture in my mind of the United Way or something like that. Its good to remind ourselves what it really means. Great post :)
BTW, I read about that little Iraqi boy when that happened. Made me want to strap on the white skull. Then again, the news does that.