20211117領眾入群傳善法Counting Our Blessings and Seizing Time to Give
There are gangs in Haiti, which has led to constant turmoil in that society. Due to social instability and hazards, many people there are poor and cannot develop their career without worry. Nor can industry be developed. As a robbery or homicide might occur at any time, that society is neither safe nor peaceful.
Our Deputy CEO Simon Shyong always pays attention to what’s happening in the world and sends information back to the Abode. He has shared with me how some priests and nuns in Haiti were kidnapped. When a gang commits a kidnapping, its members will ask for ransom and will also kill the hostage if the ransom is not paid on time, which is terrifying.
Such a situation often occurs in Haiti. Those of us who live in a peaceful society are truly blessed because we are capable of bringing aid to those who are poor or in suffering around the world and helping to bring safety and peace to their society. This is how we’ve been sowing blessings for the world.
People often say that Tzu Chi only brings aid to foreign countries. I always say this is good news for us, for we are blessed with the strength to bring relief to people abroad. We can help them because we live in a peaceful society and are spiritually rich. Isn’t this good news for us?
If people tell you how Tzu Chi brings aid to foreign countries often, you can share my words with them. But first, you need to think about my words. Do you find my words true and correct? Yes. Do you follow my words? Yes. You all follow my words and what should we do? We should all strive to sow blessings. How can we do this?
I’ve been reminding all of you to look back at the work you have carried out. Our senior and certified volunteers, how many years have passed since you became certified? How many people have you inspired join our rank since you began doing Tzu Chi’s work? How many people in suffering have you seen? Did you give of yourselves?
You’ve been taking our donating members to visit those in suffering, and some of them have said: I should no long complain. Some people suffer more than me and have more worries than I do. I am better off both materially and spiritually. Those in need have encountered many misfortunes, lost their family members, experienced life’s impermanence, etc.
When we hear about their stories, we will feel deeply for them and realize that our situation is much less worrying than theirs. So, we must let go of our worries and be grateful to those who have inspired us. We all the more need to seize time to give and form good affinities with more people.
We need to be content, show gratitude to one another, work together to do goodness, and inspire all to do the same. Yet, I’d like to remind you that I’m truly advanced in age. Time waits for no one. With each passing second, my bodily functions, which are what I most wish to keep, are taken away from me bit by bit.
Of course, my body has been declining with age. I’ve come to terms with this as there is little I can do and I don’t want this to worry me. In all, we must seize time to give. This is how we live out our value in life.
Everyone, as long as we can still do what we wish to do, we must seize time to do it. Only when we take action can we make progress, and only when we seize time to give can we live out our value in life.
Over the few years before this one, I was able to take a tour twice or thrice every year. It was once a month in the early days. Year by year, I’m less and less capable ot taking a tour. Today I can sit here and give a talk. Yet, this might not be the case next year, for time waits for no one. So, we must cherish our affinities.
We must gather with others, share good words with them, and guide them all to live them out. Let us pass on all that is right generation after generation. We will return to the Earth life after life. To maintain her beauty and health, we must urge the next generation to protect her. After taking in this principle, they will pass it on to the next generation. This is how it can be passed on generation after generation.
If the Earth is protected, the world will be at peace. When the world is peaceful, won’t everyone enjoy safety and peace? Let us pray for safety and peace at all times.
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