Daily Reflections - February 18,2013

COMPASSION IN ACTION

 

Going to retreats and recollections. Moments of more intense prayers. Doing penance. Introspection. Examination of one’s life. Returning to God. These are the usual routines of people during Lent.

While it is good to focus on our person, particularly our spiritual health, during this solemn season, our Gospel reading — often referred to as “The Judgment of the Nations” — reminds us never to forget charity to others. Spiritual life is not a compartmentalized thing — as if it is all prayer, all godly thoughts and actions, in contrast with physical activities. Rather, the truly spiritual person is an integral whole — a living synthesis of godliness walking through daily life. A very concrete expression of this is a life of compassion towards all. Francis of Assisi and Teresa of Calcutta, outstanding Catholics who have also been regarded as authentic spiritual persons by peoples of other faith, were compassion personified.

Francis and Teresa teach us, though, that an authentic spiritual life must be compassionate and humble at the same time. Compassion does not have to involve some grand outreach projects to needy communities or institutions for the needy (like orphanages and shelter homes for the abandoned and the elderly). The essence of compassion is charity in action: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, attending to the sick. Compassion, too, is not limited to responding to material wants. It also addresses the spiritual hunger of persons: teaching the ignorant, correcting the erring, encouraging the faint hearted, and so on. And we can do all these with the people around us — in our own households, offices and communities. In our own homes are elderly persons needing much attention, or young children in need of care, or househelps that need to be catechized and taught. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: List down all the members of your household. Take note of their special needs. What can you specifically do for them and their needs? Look for St. Francis’s “Prayer for Peace.” Make it a part of your daily prayers during this Lenten season.

 

Lord Jesus, grant me the grace to respond to the needs of the people around me.