Do good in the things we do every day

In this Sunday's Gospel Reading, we hear how Jesus was revealed as the Messiah and as the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world as he was baptized by John the Baptist along the banks of River Jordan. John the Baptist testified that “the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And “I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:33-34)

Jesus' Baptism reminded me of my own Baptism and Confirmation, the Baptism with the Holy Spirit. Through these Sacraments, we are privileged to be a child of God, “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints” (Second Reading, 1 Corinthians 1:3) how well have we fulfilled our role as children of God?

While 2016 had different meanings for us personally, for the world, it was a year of wars, tragedies and uncertainties that would probably carry on to 2017. Is there anything we children of God can do to make the world a better place for ourselves, our neighbors and for the least of our brothers and sisters? Yes we can. We can do good. We can do good in the things we do every day. It can be as simple as not taking home with us our stress at work and venting it on the family we so love. Be slow to anger. Do not create hell for people by what we say off the top of our heads or what we show on our faces. Think before losing our temper or lodging a complaint for a small inconvenience or a small mishap, it might cause people their jobs. Be considerate and do not do things that we do not want others to do to us. If we think about it, the good things we can do every day goes on and on. It is just that sometimes life is so hectic that we do not have the time to make someone's day by a smile, a greeting or a kind word that comes from the heart. Do not overlook the small good things we do to each other. They may be small and insignificant, yet they are the seeds of Christian joy, love and peace in our home and in our community which is the building block for a more harmonious society.