Being grateful for kindness

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Worshipers attend Mass at Santo Servatius Catholic Church in Kampung Sawah, Pondok Melati District, Bekasi City, West Java, Friday (25/12/2020). Mass was held twice, namely at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The number of worshipers was limited to 200 out of 900 seats available. The church also broadcast the Mass online. The Betawi tradition is the hallmark of the Kampung Sawah Church, where people often wear traditional Betawi clothes, such as the koko shirts, caps and sarongs for men and the kebaya encim combined with batik cloth for women. The existence of Kampung Sawah Catholics began with the arrival of Pastor Bernardus Schweitz SJ on Oct. 6, 1896.

Christmas, which for Christians is a joyous time when the Savior was born into the world, makes way for hope amid this pandemic.

Togetherness, especially in Indonesia, will overcome the pandemic. Vaccines have been made and received in a number of countries. Although vaccinations are not believed to be the end of the pandemic.

Also read: Celebrating Christmas with Simplicity

Moreover, according to data from Worldometer.info, Friday (25/12/2020), coinciding with the birthday of Christ, there have been 79.81 million cases of COVID-19 worldwide, with 1.75 million deaths. In Indonesia, there are 700,097 cases, with 20,847 deaths. Infections are still on the rise and new strains of the coronavirus have been discovered.

Life is priceless. Thus, we must strive to care for and maintain it.

In a Christmas message with the Council of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) and the 2020 Indonesian Bishops’ Conference, it was reminded that humans must not give up in the face of the pandemic. Life is priceless. Thus, we must strive to care for and maintain it.

More than 56.20 million people worldwide infected with the coronavirus have recovered. To realize this healing, including fostering hope that human life will continue to flourish, sacrifices from others must be made. These are doctors and medical personnel, with some even sacrificing their own lives. There are also others who have contributed in their own way to ignite hope for a better life. They also extend the slightest gesture of kindness so that other people still have hope for a better life.

ANTARA /DEDHEZ ANGGARA

A reverend leads a livestreamed Christmas Eve Mass at the Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Indramayu, West Java, Thursday (24/12/2020). To prevent the spread of Covid-19, services were livestreamed.

In the Christian belief, Christmas not only marks the birth of Jesus Christ but also serves as evidence of God’s presence in human life. Immanuel, God is with us. God’s presence does not take a form difficult to comprehend but can be found simply through the goodness of others to us, to others. Whatever the form of kindness.

Amid this pandemic, someone only longs for kindness from another, even if it’s just a greeting.

Indeed, during this pandemic there is still greed, hatred, crime and misbehavior, including in Indonesia. In fact, there are those who have made others more miserable, such as stealing money intended as social aid for people in need, not providing suitable rooms for COVID-19 patients, or ignoring health protocols that can potentially transmit the coronavirus. Amid this pandemic, someone only longs for kindness from another, even if it’s just a greeting.

Also read: Does God Still Greet Us?

We cannot depend on others, including the government, to be kind to us. Unless we start to do good ourselves, no matter how small the gesture, together with the government and society, we can suppress the spread of COVID-19. Be grateful for the goodness of God and others to us and be grateful for the kindness, no matter how small, that we have shown to others without the need to boast about it.

This country, as well as the world, would be more peaceful if we could be grateful for the kindness of others. The COVID-19 pandemic is changing people’s lives.