Gifts of Faith and Hope

One of the great things we discover when hearing from supporters is how long they have been connected to The Christophers. While we always receive new requests for our Christopher News Notes and other literature and media, we also have friends who go back 50 years! We believe that's because our work is accessible to everyone. As one supporter told us, "The Christopher message is important because it is inclusive and helps people with their faith, whether they are devout or lax."

As another example, we received a letter from Anne, who told us that her mother introduced her to Christopher News Notes many years ago in the family home. When Anne and her siblings moved out, her mom signed each of them up to receive News Notes in their new homes. Anne now does the same with her children. What a wonderful tradition of spreading the message that "it's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness!" That philosophy remains our focal point in picking Christopher News Note topics. Recent titles include "Let Us Pursue Mutual Upbuilding," "Follow God's Path Towards Joy," "Look for the Best in People," "Moving Beyond Anger and Resentment," and "While We Have Time, Let Us Do Good."

It's interesting that the people who most appreciate our News Notes, books, and other materials are those in need of hope. They may be facing challenges in life - as we all do sometimes - and they need an affirmation that God is still with them and loves them, that there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel they are in. We were reminded of that when a letter came into our office from Father Mike, who works with those in recovery from addiction, in addition to his other ministries.

Father Mike wrote, "I am deeply grateful for all the materials that you have sent to me, free of charge. In particular, the [copies of] 'Three Minutes a Day, Volume 58,' have been greatly appreciated. Stories of many ordinary people leading faith and hope-filled lives can and do generate a lot of light and powerful impacts. I am continuing to distribute copies here . . . at the Alcohol and other Drug Recovery Center, to graduates from high school and college, and in various parishes as well as a health care facility."

We also received a beautiful letter from Father Matthew, the Catholic chaplain at New York's Sing Sing Correctional Facility, to whom we mailed "Three Minutes a Day" books to share with the incarcerated. Father Matthew wrote, "The men at Our Lady of Hope at Sing Sing Correctional Facility wanted to reach out and extend their sincerest gratitude for your latest donation. . . . Many of the men are exploring their faith for the first time. . . . Receiving the tools to open their hearts and minds to the Lord is an amazing blessing, one that they are grateful to receive. You have been very generous to us over the years, and it is comforting to know that there are organizations like yours who continue to provide for those who have embraced the way of Christ."

It stood out to us that the men who received these materials are the ones who wanted to extend their gratitude. Unlike the story of Jesus healing 10 lepers but only one returning to thank Him, here we have many men who feel thankful and want to make sure we know it.

We pray that these "Light One Candle" columns and our other materials are a blessing to you as well.

This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column by Tony Rossi, Director of Communications, The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.

Background information:

The Christophers