Last month Pope Francis hosted the Church’s first World Children’s Day. 50,000 children and young people joined Pope Francis in Stadio Olimpico, Rome, to pray and to talk. In advance of this gathering, the Pope wrote to all of the children of the world. I referred to this letter during assembly with the Senior School this week.
We change the world just by being in the world. We live with and among other people, and what we do has an impact on those other people. We live within the world, and what we do has an impact on our environment and the world around us. Whether the changes that we make are good ones or damaging ones is up to us – they are the consequences of our choices.
In his letter to children Pope Francis wrote about the choices we can make to make our world better. The Pope wrote: “This starts with little things, like saying hello to others, asking permission, begging pardon, and saying thank you. Our world will change if we all begin with these little things, without being ashamed to take small steps, one at a time.”
Little things make a big difference. This is true about just one person’s actions, but we are a school, a community, and can think about collective responsibility. If the 300 or so Senior students who were in the chapel for assembly on Monday each undertook one additional small action a day to make the world a better place, think about the difference that could make. 300 positive differences a day! If each person in each family in our school did one additional small action a day to make the world better … I could go on, but I think the point is made.
We do change the world just by being in the world. When we make a positive choice to, we can make the world a better place, for ourselves and for all those with whom we share our common home. Small steps, with determination and perseverance, can take us a long way.
God Bless,
