Outburst of Compassion

Monday of the First week of Lent

Compassion is the fullness of divine and human perfection. Meister Eckhart says, “Whatever God does, the first outburst is always compassion. Compassion is the highest work that God works.” Compassion is more than a feeling. It’s literally “suffering with,” the deepest empathy. Compassion thrusts us into action. We work toward justice, we serve those in need, we love and care. Compassion is anything that “verbs” our spiritual life. The gospel today tells us to “Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate.” Julian of Norwich writes, “And then saw I that when compassion for his fellow Christians flows naturally from a man who is in charity, this is Christ in him.”

What verbs of compassion will you do today? Phone a lonely person? Extend sympathy? Help a child with homework? Whatever it is, let your compassion explode in an outburst.