22 April 2005

More from Walter Brueggemann.

The characteristic word for compassion, splagchnoisomai, means to let one's innards embrace the feeling or situation of another. Thus Jesus embodies the hurt that the marginal ones know by taking it into his own person and his own story. Their hurt came from being declared outside the realm of the normal and Jesus engages with them in a situation of abnormality. Concretely, his criticism as embodied hurt is expressed toward the sick (Matt. 14:14)...the hungry (Mark 6:34, & 8:2)...the one who grieved the dead (Luke 7:12-13)...the whole range of human persons who are harassed and helpless (Matt. 9:35-36).

When Jesus embodies the hurt of these marginal ones it includes his moving in with them - to be with them and to take on whatever force may be overpowering them. Compassion is not displayed as a sermon or some well spoken word. Compassion is a life moving force that seeks the well being of another. This life moving force may mean that my life will be exposed to life situations I would never be in if I was not moved out of my path into the path of this other person. Someone is compassionate as someone is moved. The world and our communities begin to be healed and saved as we are moved out of our way to make sure that those out on the edge of life are embraced and by that, made whole just as the ones who show compassion. Both sides of compassionate lives are healed and what was once a reason to stay separate does not exist anymore.

Connection: There must be ways today to be a part of a compassionate journey. Sometimes it means facing that uncomfortable feeling in our "gut" and not turning to make it numb.

Creating Lord, your people are so diverse in many ways and yet we are all called your children. Train us up by your Holy Spirit to look after our brothers and sisters and give up our love affair with ourselves that so often keeps us locked up in our own worlds and ready to go to war with those not a part of the world we like. We know it will take transformation and death but we pray you will walk with us as you have always promised. Amen.