The modern interpretation of the word charity is love. Essentially, love or charity means being other-centred. We find ourselves when we lose ourselves and are liberated from the selfishness or self-centredness that controls most of us most of the time. We find a new life when we begin to do for others, what we wish they would do unto us. That is the golden rule. We need to have care and concern for each other’s needs and wishes, understand each other’s faults and weaknesses along with appreciation of what is good and nice in each other. Spiritual leaders have told us that our care for others is the measure of our greatness. We also need to bear each other’s burdens and serve others willingly and voluntarily. We need to be generous, but more importantly what matters is not how much we give but how much love we put into that giving.
These and other values and virtues have eternal value and we do not have to leave them behind when we go to the grave. Such heartwarming and heart-felt thoughts come to mind as we mark the United Nations International Day of Charity early next month.
To mark the event the UN has issued a statement outlining the values and virtues of charity and if we sincerely live it we could see the emergence of a better world or a just and fair society. In the aftermath of the apocalyptic crisis we are going through now because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis in Sri Lanka has become horribly worse in the fourth stage and the August 18 death toll of more than 170 put Sri Lanka at number one when calculated in terms of the population.
In the statement the UN says charity, like the notions of volunteerism and philanthropy, provides real social bonding and contributes to the creation of inclusive and more resilient societies. Charity can alleviate the worst effects of humanitarian crises, supplement public services in health care, education, housing and child protection. It assists the advancement of culture, science, sports, and the protection of cultural and natural heritage. It also promotes the rights of the marginalized and underprivileged and spreads the message of humanity in conflict situations.
According to the UN in the 2030 agenda on sustainable development adopted in September 2015, the world body recognises that eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. The agenda also calls for a spirit of strengthened global solidarity, focused in particular on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable. It also acknowledges the role of the diverse private sector, ranging from micro-enterprises to cooperatives to multinationals, and that of civil society and philanthropic organizations in the implementation of the new agenda.
The UN says the 17 sustainable development goals set forth in the Agenda can be grouped into six critical areas: people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership. They have the potential to transform our lives and our planet by providing the framework needed for philanthropic institutions to enable all people to contribute to the betterment of our world.
The International Day of Charity was established with the objective of sensitizing and mobilizing people, NGOs, and stakeholders all around the world to to help others through volunteer and philanthropic activities. The date of September 5 was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa of Kolkata. She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace. The brave nun is now a Saint.
Mother Teresa who began her mission by leaving her convent to care for the leper on streets of Kolkata. Today the charity movement she set up, the Missionaries of Charity has homes in most countries caring for tens of thousands of the poorest of the poor. The humble nun, describing the work God did through her, says “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.
