Compassion is the feeling of wanting to help others who are suffering. It is an essential part of the Catholic faith, as it is a way of showing love and mercy for others. In the Catholic faith, we are called to be compassionate to those who are suffering, both physically and emotionally.
The word compassion means “to suffer together” and it is defined as the feeling that arises when you are confronted with, and share in, another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve that suffering.
Find time to pray the Hail Mary or the Rosary this week.
Day 1 – Start with scripture
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
Read this Gospel passage. Think about what Jesus is trying to explain to His disciples…
A Reading from the Holy Gospel According to Mark
R. Glory to You O LordAnd they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
The Gospel of the Lord
Mark 10:46-52
R. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
Spend some time in pairs or threes and talk about the questions below. When you’re finished share them with the whole form and see where the dialogue takes you.
Discussion Questions:
A blind beggar was sitting by the roadside, near a crowd of people. Who was blind to the suffering of the beggar?
When the beggar cried out for help, why did the crowd tell him to “…be silent”?
Click below to “Add Comment” and capture some of what has been said in your form for others to see.
Let us pray together:
Father in Heaven, we pray for a compassionate heart. Help us to be more understanding and empathetic towards others. Let us see the world through the eyes of those who suffer and not be afraid to be moved to action. May our compassion lead us to help and support those in need. In Jesus name we pray. Amen
Sts Peter and Paul: Pray for us.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Day 2 – “True love is love that causes us pain…”
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
The quote used as today’s title is from Saint Teresa or Mother Teresa as she is better known. The full quote is as follows:
“True love is love that causes us pain, that hurts, and yet brings us joy. That is why we must pray to God and ask Him to give us the courage to love.”
The clip below looks at compassion as a universal, humane concept.
Let us pray together and ask our Blessed Mother to help us truly see those who compassion:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Sts Peter and Paul: Pray for us.
In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
Day 3 – Is compassion just for other people?
We invite you to start with the Sign of the Cross.
When Jesus related the commandment to “love your neighbour as yourself,” built into that phrase is a message to take care of our own mental health.
Have you ever asked yourself, What does it mean to “love your neighbour as yourself” It’s difficult to fully understand this part until we think about the notion of self-compassion.
Self-compassion is the act of turning your gaze onto yourself and looking with love and acceptance, as God looks upon each of us. His command was not simply a guide to show love to our neighbours, but it was a command to show that same love to ourselves.
So, what is self-compassion? It is simply a way to be as kind and caring to ourselves and accept that our emotions are as valid as those experienced by the people around us. Showing compassion to ourselves may sound like a silly idea at first, but it is vital to mental wellness. Being able to comfort ourselves and cut ourselves some slack, when we are struggling in life, can gives us headspace to help navigate this challenging world.
Positive Reinforcement
Just as you would say to a friend, “You can overcome this,” or “I know that you’ve got this,” we can say these things to ourselves. We should say these things to ourself. But it is going to take some practice because, even if we do tell ourselves, we probably don’t believe it. Remember:
- You are unique and a beloved child of God.
- You are worthy of love and compassion.
- Remember the good advice you would give to a friend, and try to take it.
Let us invite God into our lives and the lives of each other:
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now and every shall be, world without end.
Amen.
Sts Peter and Paul: Pray for us
In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen
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