We look to the end of 2012 filled with immense grief and overpowering uncertainty in the face of recent tragic events. Innocent lives were lost in Connecticut while thousands of others around the world face hunger, war and death every day.
But looking back through this year, there were many moments in our country in which light shone through the darkness and love shattered the hate. There was the police office that bought a pair of boots for a homeless man in New York City. There were the hundreds of heroes that emerged in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. There was the rugby star that visited his biggest fan in the hospital. There was the cop who gave a blind boy his chance to experience law enforcement.
For every act of violence and for every example of hatred, we find instances of unconditional love for one another. While our newscasts flash images of death and destruction, remember that behind these tragedies lies moments that restore our faith in humanity.
The social news organization BuzzFeed compiled 26 photos that remind us that love and good are alive in our world. As we pray for those affected by the recent shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, reflect on these photos and the promise that resides in each image. Our world is not perfect, but this Christmas, we celebrate the birth of the One who is.
