Daily Reflections

July 14, 2011
AN ART CALL ED EMPATHY

Pastoral Psychology was a subject we had to take as part of our Theological studies at the Loyola School of Theology in Ateneo. It helped us learn about non-directive techniques in counseling which is becoming more and more a part of the priestly ministry. People now tend to come to confession with the expectation that priests counsel them, too.
On the pastoral side, the subject provided candidates for the priesthood with candid awareness on the dangers of counseling. Among these dangers are transference and counter-transference. That is, problematic penitents may end up being hooked on a manipulative and co-dependent relationship with their confessors.
On a positive note, Pastoral Psychology, especially in the way Jesuit Fr. Ruben Tanseco taught it to us, made us see the importance not of sympathy but of empathy. Empathy teaches us to genuinely understand the other person’s experience and various feelings by making us bracket out our personal thoughts, biases and feelings. Empathy is an art of understanding people, with great respect to their personhood.
Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel are words of empathy. Jesus does not mean to simply cuddle and comfort the weak and the weary. What Jesus wants to do is to lighten these people’s burdens by making them aware that He is with them. Jesus was able to empathize with those who labor because He was Himself raised up in a laborer’s family. Jesus was a carpenter like His legal father, Joseph. He was able to genuinely understand the variety of human situations because, although he is God, He became truly human. He can feel with us, the sheep of His flock, because even though He was the Good Shepherd, He is the Lamb of God!
The art of empathy flows not from learned principles and techniques. It is the product of immersion and transcendence. One has to go through with the other person. One has to live out the path of Jesus’ own incarnation and redemptive life with us. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What particular human experiences have you personally gone through that now provide you with the emotional maturity to accompany others in their moments of difficulty? Look back and thank God for all these.

“Grant me compassion, that I may be Your heart today.”

St. Phocas, pray for us.