COMPASSION – making a difference in our school, our homes and the world

We are continuing to learn about the value of COMPASSION at St Mary’s.

What is the meaning of Compassion?

• Compassion is MORE than sympathy (more than feeling sorry for someone)
• Compassion is MORE than empathy (more than suffering WITH someone)
• COMPASSION is LOVE IN ACTION 

ACTION is what separates compassion from empathy, sympathy, pity, concern, condolence, sensitivity, tenderness, and commiseration. Compassion gets involved. When others keep their distance from those who are suffering, compassion prompts us to act on their behalf.

"Compassion is sometimes the fatal capacity for feeling what it is like to live inside somebody else’s skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too."  Fredrick Buechner

Jesus showed us the true meaning of compassion.

• He could not walk past anyone who was suffering without stopping to comfort and help (‘Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him." — Matthew 20:30-34). Do we reach out to help others, especially the poorest of the poor?
• He welcomed little children (who were considered insignificant in Jesus’ time) when the Apostles tried to shoo them away. Do we welcome EVERYONE?
• He had mercy on outcasts who everyone else looked down their noses at and called sinners – in fact, Jesus even ate dinner with them. Do we have mercy rather than judge and condemn?
• Jesus even had compassion for those who crucified him…some of his last words were for them… “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Do we forgive or hold grudges?
• Jesus' very presence in the world is the ultimate act of compassion. We did not deserve His sacrifice, but because of God's great love, we were treated with compassion and mercy. Are we thankful?

We can also look to our Heavenly Mother Mary as an example of compassion. She set out on foot for another town when pregnant with Jesus, to help her cousin Elizabeth. She asked Jesus to perform his first miracle to save friends who were hosting a wedding from being embarrassed and losing face (they had faced the disaster of running out of wine, so Jesus turned water into wine). One of her last known acts of compassion was steadfastly bearing the agony of silently supporting her son as he died on the cross.

At St Mary’s School, we ask Mary to pray for us at every morning assembly… “Mary, mother of Jesus, Pray for us.”

Mary our mother, pray for us

That we may look at one another with kind, loving eyes

And with hearts and minds filled with compassion

That we might let the love of Jesus

Live in our school, our home, our community, and the world

Amen

May we all strive to follow the example of Jesus, his mother Mary, and our Australian Saint, Mary Mackillop in “never seeing a need without trying to do something about it.”

 "This is what the Lord Almighty said: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.'" — Zechariah 7:9-10, NIV