Slideshow image

Empathy and
Compassion

This week the scriptures tell us that “when Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

I wonder about that moment of compassion that led Jesus to send out the disciples to teach and heal in that community. We can imagine the scale of oppression that perhaps overwhelmed them as they looked across the crowds. We can imagine there came a point at which the empathy they had for those people turned into compassionate action. Jesus couldn’t reach everyone on his own. He needed the help of the disciples to carry on the work of restoring the health and hope of a nation.

After reading this passage my curiosity led me to explore the meaning of compassion, and the difference between empathy and compassion. One quote in particular caught my attention. “Empathy is the gateway; compassion is the way.” – author unknown. This is suggesting that empathy allows us to understand what someone is experiencing, whereas compassion is what we do about it.

I wonder what prompts us to turn our empathy into compassionate acts of kindness. What are the roadblocks that hold us back? What ideals must we let go of to understand how much we need each other?
Here are a few more quotes for you to think about.
“Our human compassion binds us the one to the other . . .” Nelson Mandela
“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries . . .” Dalai Lama
“In separateness lies the world’s greatest misery . . .” Buddha
“Deep listening is the kind of listening that can help relieve the suffering of another person.” Thich Nhat Hanh

Peace and joy

Nancy