Amidst the chaos that has erupted around COVID-19, news feeds have been swamped with rising case numbers, incessant political bickering, and tragic stories. All this information is important; it is a part of the reality in which we are living. However, one can easily start to feel helpless and depressed by the constant attention drawn to the negative events that are out of one’s control. It can appear that there is nothing good happening in the world, and cynicism can start to take hold. Enter John Krasinski.
Many know Krasinski from his role as Jim from The Office, or from his directorial debut in A Quiet Place. On April 5, he started a new project called SomeGoodNews (SGN). The premise is that people send Krasinski local good news stories via social media, which he aggregates and presents in his own charming way through 15-minute videos every Sunday night. He also includes celebrity guests, usually there to bring positivity to people in need.
He readily acknowledges that he is not the first person to pursue such a project, yet he has already become one of the most popular good news aggregators. His YouTube channel already has two million subscribers, with each video attracting millions of views within the first week of its release.
Many celebrities have tried to lift people’s spirits, though few have been met with the overwhelmingly positive reception Krasinski has. These attempts include tearful videos from million-dollar mansions, or a poorly-done singing compilation to John Lennon’s “Imagine.” These efforts are missing the virtue that makes SGN so enjoyable: humility. Krasinski only speaks from his small office in front of a sign made by his two daughters. He talks about the acts of kindness that make the world livable.
Watching these videos, one is reminded of “the Little Way” spoken of by St. Thérèse of Lisieux. In the complexity and overwhelming negativity of the world, Thérèse noticed that she could bring God to others through the smallest actions. These tiny, grace-bearing deeds are found all over SGN. You can see them in an old man singing to his elderly wife from her nursing home window, or a teacher instructing a student from her front door. Like “the Little Way,” SGN shows that while God may seem absent in the largeness of the world, He is infinitely present in the smallest moments when humans act out of the kindness of their hearts.
As Krasinski stated in his second episode, “I am only delivering the good news. You are the good news.” This message is especially relevant to Christians when “good news” is translated into Greek: Gospel. St. Paul says, “Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Phil. 1:27). As much as Christians are called to speak of the Gospel, they are also called to embody it. Christ commissions believers to conform themselves to Him and His message (Jn 15:4). Therefore, by dwelling in Christ as He dwells in us, we make Christ present to the world. In this way, people can “be the Good News” on a deeper level.
John Krasinski may or may not have had these Christian implications in mind when starting this endeavor, but they are present nonetheless. The humility of his delivery and focus on neighborly acts of charity emphasize the importance of human actions, no matter how small. They remind us in times such as these that we are called to be the Good News, to be the Gospel.
Featured image courtesy of SomeGoodNews via Youtube
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