The Gospel of Luke, chapter 7:13-15

The second beatitude is: “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN, THEY SHALL BE COMFORTED.”

This beautiful beatitude calls on us to be compassionate, to feel the pain of those who are suffering, and to reach out to them with love. This is the powerful story of compassion we find in today’s scripture when Jesus reached out to the poor widow of Nain by raising her only son to life and then giving him back to her.

In this beautiful story Jesus recognized the plight of the widow, bereft of husband and now of her son. His heart goes out to her. He shows her a very tangible compassion. He restores the son, the poor widow’s only source of survival in hard times, back to his mother. In the days that Jesus walked the earth, widows were looked down upon as the most pitiable of people. In this gospel story, Jesus’ compassion breaks through the prejudice of the day.

The word ‘compassion’ means ‘to suffer with’; that is, to possess a sympathetic feeling for the needs of others who are suffering. Some years ago there was a television program which featured a bad character who constantly remarked: “Pity the poor fool.” This remark was uttered with sarcasm and menace, and always heralded an impending violent act to be carried out by the user on the poor victim. Unfortunately, the use of the word “pity” was synonymous with contempt, not compassion.

Jesus had a deep awareness of the meaning of compassion; He felt pity for the pain of the widow, and His love was such that it reached out to remedy her anguish. We can also be compassionate people by sharing in the healing ministry of Jesus, and by showing true sensitivity in our dealings with others. We can give the other person a gentle break from the harsher realities of life. We can refuse to judge hastily; we can put a stop to gossip; we can give comfort and the gift of our time to a sick person; we can visit someone in prison; we can affirm others by joining with them in nurturing our community, by protecting our environment, and by caring for the poor and the homeless. The list goes on, and the gift keeps giving.

Whenever a person acts out of compassion, he or she is sharing in Jesus’ healing ministry of bringing new life to others. Compassion is not a detached, dispassionate concern. It is a genuine awareness of another’s anguish, coupled with the desire to remedy that anguish. Compassion is spiritual power; it is the energy of love.

Fr. Hugh Duffy