Article October 18, 1924 Issue

Compassion

MARY RICHART

A careful study of the life of Jesus reveals him as the most compassionate man in universal history. Not only did he do great and mighty things, but he was constantly doing merely kind things; for he knew, better than any other, how great in this world is need of kindness.

We read in the sixth chapter of Mark that when Jesus looked upon the multitude he was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd; and in the beautiful parable of the good Samaritan, he tells the story of one who fell among thieves, and of the Samaritan's compassion. It is worthy of note that Jesus did not merely say that the Samaritan had compassion, but he gave in beautiful, simple words the externalized result of that compassion,—the wounds bound up, the injured one put upon the Samaritan's own beast, and carried to an inn, and taken care of. In this parable Jesus points out a great truth,—that compassion and love must have active expression. Mrs. Eddy states this truth in clear, concise words on page 250 of "Miscellaneous Writings" when she says, "Love cannot be a mere abstraction, or goodness without activity and power."

Webster defines compassion as "suffering with another; fellowship in feeling; ... commiseration; sympathy." Now the compassion of Jesus was plainly not a sense of suffering with another, but was an enlarged understanding of divine Love. This enabled him to see the unreality of every claim of evil, and to rise above every claim of suffering. It was this clear, exalted understanding of Love, as divine Principle, that bound up the wounds of the multitude in healing all manner of sin and disease. In John we read of that memorable morning when the scribes and Pharisees brought the sinful woman before the Master, saying, "Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?" In the paragraphs that follow this statement we have one of the most profound examples of love and compassion the world has ever seen. On the one side was the sin of the woman, on the other the hypocrisy and cruelty of the scribes and Pharisees; and it was Jesus' exalted understanding of Love, as Principle, that enabled him to say to the one, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her," and to the other, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors