REFLECTION Sunday´s Gospel

The compassionate heart of Jesus (Fr James McTavish, FMVD)

Once during an anatomy lesson on the intestines and inner viscera the Professor pointed to some nerves and asked us what they were called. We looked at him blankly as he expounded “These are the splanchnic nerves”. After the anatomy exams I forgot all about the splanchnic nerves. What a surprise I got 20 years later reading Mark’s gospel and finding that the greek word used to describe the compassion of Jesus in the gospel of today is, you guessed it, splancnon. Compassion or splancnon arises from the very depths or insides of the person. Jesus felt compassion for the vast crowds because they were like sheep without  shepherd, with no one to guide them. This compassion of Jesus was not just a mere feeling but led him to action – he started to teach them many things. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and he knows the situation of the people and that is why he has compassion on them. In the well known psalm 23 of today we hear “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In green pastures he gives me repose; beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. He guides me in right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.”

Real understanding of situations comes from seeing the reality with the eyes of Jesus and not merely reflecting on it from a distance. I remember being on a mission trip in the Philippines with some youth from our community in Italy. We went to a shanty town and were planning to help a boy renovate his wooden shack. When we got there it was a little discouraging as there were probably at least 2000 houses in a similar or worse state. The question came to my mind “What is the point of fixing one house when there are so many dilapidated houses remaining?” This way of seeing the reality can even produce the sensation that it is better to do nothing as any effort is useless. When the boy whose house it was came, he took the hand of each group member and blessed himself with it (a Filipino custom). It was a humbling experience. We discovered that he was an orphan with two younger blind sisters to take care of. My heart was moved with compassion for him. Instead of just renovating it we rebuilt the whole house. As Blaise Pascal said “The heart has reasons which the mind does not know of”.

Let us not be content with merely discussing the world’s problems over a cappuccino! In front of the challenges of our world and of neighbor it helps to reflect on the words of Jean Vanier, the founder of the L’Arche communities - "What is important is not to wonder why there is suffering, but to decide to alleviate it". The first question must be not “Why does God allow suffering?” but “What can I do about it?” Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty! As the prayer in the house of Mother Theresa read “Life is an opportunity, seize it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is mystery, know it. Life is a promise, keep it. Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, fight it. Life is an adventure, dare it.” She added “Life is Life, save it.”

Jesus is not looking for spectators or even admirers but he needs imitators. Christians who experience his compassionate love for others who suffer. This is to have the heart of a shepherd. The people in the gospel were in a deserted place. Pope Benedict XVI reminds us ‘there are so many kinds of desert. There is the desert of poverty, the desert of hunger and thirst, the desert of abandonment, of loneliness, of destroyed love.’  Only a God made flesh can help us learn how to be compassionate to each other especially towards the weakest and most defenseless. It is good to ask Jesus “Who around me or next to me is in a desert? How can I be compassionate towards them?” The same compassion is seen in the heart of the father welcoming his prodigal son with a kiss and a strong embrace and in the good Samaritan who experienced compassion on the wounded man, healing him, placing him on his mount and paying for his recovery. Let us ask Jesus the Good Shepherd for his same compassionate heart towards all our brothers and sisters.