Article April 18, 2011 Issue

Sigh for compassion

By Margaret Rogers

And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
—Matthew 14:14

One of the most compelling calls for compassionate living is chapter 13 of St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. When I hear it read, I often think of a story a teacher at a church school told me years ago. She was preparing her class to read the chapter aloud at a special assembly. They were fourth or fifth graders as I recall, and though they could read it intelligibly, none of the spirit was coming through. She decided to read it to them, putting all the feeling she could into it.

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (New King James Version).

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