GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 4TH FEBRUARY 2017
SATURDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY
FIRST READING: Hebrews 13:15-17, 20-21
PSALM: Psalm 23:1-6
GOSPEL: Mark 6:30-34
THEME: COMPASSION
In his book, “Priest – Human Face of Divine Compassion”, George Therukaattil writes, “Compassion is that power in one’s heart to love others and suffer with the miseries and pains of others. It is that space in one’s heart that can house the groaning and agony of the oppressed”.
The word ‘compassion’, from its Latin root ‘compassio/compati’, carries with it the meaning — ‘to suffer with’. A compassionate person is therefore one who suffers with others; he/she shares in the pain of others.
In the person of Jesus, we see a perfect example of compassion. In our Gospel text, we read that Jesus and his disciples decided to take a break, go to a deserted place and rest a while. They sat in the boat and off they went. However, when they got to their ‘hideout resting place’, there was a crowd waiting for them. Mark writes, “As he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he was moved with compassion towards them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length” (Mk. 6:34).
The compassion of Jesus serves as an example for all those who bear the name of Christ – Christians. We cannot shut our ears to the groans of pain coming from our next door neighbour and turn away our eyes from the poor boy sitting by the roadside thinking of where his next meal will come from, and claim to be followers of Christ. Compassion must kick us out of our comfort zones and make us reach out to those who are in pain and anguish. George Bernard Shaw is right in saying, “The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that’s the essence of inhumanity.”
Life is full of interactions. We meet different people on life’s journey. In these encounters, we say and do all kinds of things. Maya Angelou, however, observed, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Yes, “if there is any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not deter or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again” (William Penn). Onward, we go; let us light our world with compassion and put a smile on someone’s face.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, give me the courage to walk through the rain and pick up from the gutter that beloved one of yours who is dying slowly. Amen
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).