Mercy And Compassion – One In The Same
And Jesus said, “Of course I want to, and he touched him and said be cured.”
One of the main characteristics of mercy is that of compassion. All through the gospel we see that Jesus is always been someone of great compassion. Every thing that He did was done out of compassion. From the calling of his disciples to the chastisement of the scribes and Pharisees – all the way to Calvary.
The word compassion is formed from the Latin phrase ‘com pati’ which means to suffer with. Much of the healing that is needed by so many people around us is to know that they are not in their suffering, that they are not in their pain – be it physical or emotional – that they are not alone; but rather that someone else is there with them. That someone else knows and understands what they feel.
We too are called to be compassionate people. We too are called to enter into the suffering and the pain in the world. If we cannot show compassion to those around us who are suffering, then it is hardly likely that we can be of any help whatsoever in their pain. If we cannot enter into the pain then we would probably see no need to give a helping hand. Without compassion we cannot respond to the sufferings of others.
[simpleazon-image align=”left” asin=”0399588639″ locale=”us” height=”375″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51zqYF24%2BiL.jpg” width=”249″]of the challenge of this year of mercy is to engage ourselves in the corporal works of mercy. Without compassion, we cannot feed the hungry or give drink to the thirsty. Without compassion we cannot clothe the naked nor can we shelter the homeless poor. Without compassion we cannot visit the sick nor will we see the need to visit those imprisoned. Without compassion we won’t bury the dead. Without compassion, each one of us would live completely selfish and self-centered lives. Compassion brings out the human in us. Compassion is what makes us Christian. Compassion is what makes us love. Compassion is what makes us forgive.
If we find that we lack the compassion to enter into the Corporal works of mercy, then we must desperately pray for a change of heart since these works of mercy are precisely what Jesus spoke about in Matthew chapter 25, and it is what will separate the sheep from the goat on judgment day. It is what will separate those who will enter into eternal life from those who will enter into an eternal fire that never goes out and for all eternity will be separated from God. So important is this, so important is compassion to the Christian life that it is the last thing that Jesus spoke about just before he entered into his passion in Matthew’s Gospel.
There is a beautiful story in Luke ch 7 – among the several beautiful stories – where Jesus saw a funeral procession passing by. The person that was being buried was the only son of a widow, and she was weeping. Moved with compassion, Jesus stopped the procession and he said to the woman, “do not cry.” He raised the woman’s son back to life and gave him back to her. Jesus saw the woman weeping and was moved with compassion for her, he said to her, do not cry, I know what you are going through, I know how you feel, I know how much it hurts and is tearing you apart. I will help.
As we continue looking at and meditating on Matthew 5: 12 – 16, one cannot help but take note of Jesus’ response to the leper. He did not scorn him, nor did He turn away from him. Rather, filled with enthusiasm and compassion, Jesus said, “Of course I want to.” Now I am very sure that Jesus could have cured the leper just by saying be healed, or by giving him some ritual to do – maybe to go and bathe in a river or something. There are countless ways that Jesus could have healed the leper – He Is LORD! Yet Jesus chose to touch the leper saying to him, “of course I want to. Be healed.”
Philip was walking home one day after school when he noticed a girl ahead of him had tripped and dropped all her books that she was carrying. She was also carrying her sweater and a whole host of other things. So Philip knelt down and helped her pick up the scattered items. Since they were going in the same direction, Philip decided to help her carry her stuff. As they walked, Philip discovered that her name was Rachael and that she loved video games and baseball, and that Math was her pet subject. She also told him that she was having lots of trouble with other subjects. She seemed quite unhappy. Rachael felt that no one understood her and that no one liked her.
They arrived at Rachael’s home first and she invited Philip in for Coke and to play a bit of video games. The afternoon past pleasantly and they shared a bit of small talk about school and about their families. They became very good friends and they both graduated from junior high. As fate would have it, they both ended up in the same high school.
One day, Rachael told Philip that she had something to show him, and that day while they were walking home, she dipped into her bag and pulled out a letter and give it to Philip to read. As Philip read the note, he walked slower and slower, and would occasionally glance over to his friend Rachael. Then she explained, “Do you remember that day a couple years ago when you helped me carry my belongings home? Did you ever wonder why I was carrying all that stuff in the middle of the school term?” Philip responded, “Yes I remember, and I always wondered about that.”
Rachael continued, “It was because I was tired of life and that was the note I was going to leave behind. I grew tired of feeling unwanted and that no one appreciated me. Then you came and you helped me, and even though you had a pretty large bag on your back, you help me carry my books to my home. No one has ever been kind to me before. You never made fun of me like the others at school would. You made me realized that someone did care when you left my home that first time. I was going to kill myself that evening. That day was supposed to have been my last day at school. But when you showed such great interest, and you were so kind and helpful, I reconsider ending my life. Philip, you did not know it before but your compassion saved my life. Thank you for what you did back then, and for who you are”
The very important point to note from this story is that when we encounter others, we may never know what state of life they may be in, nor how a single act of kindness will impact on their lives. We must therefore seek to be compassionate.
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