And Now... Compassion!

The texts in the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present a view of the compassion which is characteristic in relationship with the Divine. David learns that his son Absalom, who had been plotting against him, has been killed. The rival enemy who is also son is a too human conflict for which resolution may come in the defeat of one. This is joyless and in the case of David it is an occasion for deep mourning.  David is truly in need of the comfort expressed by the compassion of his soldiers in the second Book of Samuel. The psalmist cries out in supplication to God from a position of a life in threat. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus compassion is expressed in the examples of suffering with the synagogue leader, Jairus and the woman with haemorrhages. The "Messianic secret" is maintained as Jesus desires to bring Divine healing without presenting miracles as the basis of the intimate relationship to which He wishes to invite people. Compassion calls us to "suffer with" now and bring this suffering to our relationship with God where the peace and healing is found.