Small Acts of Beauty

In their excellent book on reconciliation, Emmanuel Katongole and Chris Rice share a story about how small acts of beauty, done well, can lead to reconciliation:

A friend told us of visiting a very large religious community with a long history of activism and service. For generations St. Benedict’s monastery had built hospitals and sent teachers into public schools. In its early history on the American frontier, it had literally saved the lives of weary travelers with its hospitality. Walking with one of the sisters in the community’s beautifully cared for cemetery, our…