God loves the small, good acts done often. And if you have ever had a gentle cat nestle close to your grieving heart in the early dawn—or someone hold your hand through painful times or an offering of bread to an empty stomach—you know this to be true. Small. Good. Often.

So as we become overwhelmed by the uncertainty around us, let us not forsake the small good acts done often. Let us feed & clothe ourselves and our children and those we do not know. Let us share what we have, knowing giving does not lessen our provision. God’s math is different.

As Passover approached, I stumbled upon a Rabbi’s 4 updated questions of Passover for the age of the pandemic.

The first question: “If I die in the coming months, can I honestly say I lived a life of integrity? And if not, what can I do before I die to change the way I live?”

As we face the possibility of death—and we must face it, every day, even as we battle for life—and watch as our social media feeds turn to communal wakes, I invite you to reflect on the same.

Can you say you have lived a life of integrity? If not, what can you change?

Making meaning out of suffering—different than accepting suffering for suffering’s sake—allows us to make meaning out of our lives.

I have tried to live a life of integrity. At times, I have paid the price for it and other times, I have missed the mark.

Whenever I leave this life, I hope my years testify that I have lessened suffering where I could, brought joy in the small places not acquainted with it, and in being gentle, made the world a bit softer.

Let us be kind, gentle and give each other grace.

Let us see this baring of the world’s cruelty as an opportunity to recreate a more just world and let us meet its call in the small, good acts done often.

Let us pray.