“Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” –Hebrews 5:8-9
Do you think that Jesus was looking forward to being crucified? Sometimes we forget that He was really and truly human. He was afraid! In this Sunday’s Gospel, He says so quite clearly: “I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. ” (John 12:27)
Yes, Jesus did not want to suffer, but He did so anyway for you and me, because He knew that “unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (John 12:24)
One of these fruits is compassion. You see, Jesus is compassionate in the most literal sense of the word. Not only did He suffer for us, but by virtue of His eternal sacrifice on the Cross, He continues to suffer with us. He knows our pain, our anxiety, our loneliness, and our fear, and in the midst of it all, He remains right there with us.
This gives new meaning and value to our suffering, because it allows us to find a deep union with God precisely at the center of the pain and struggles we all face.
Unfortunately, many people fail to recognize this or see any value in suffering. Instead, they mistakenly believe that compassion means to put someone “out of his misery”. Advocates of euthanasia promote a false notion of “death with dignity” by equating dignity with a lack of disability. That’s simply not true. Having a disease or disability does not diminish one’s status as a child of God. Oftentimes the greatest saints are those who suffer most.
When we look at true compassion in comparison, we see that it strives to “alleviate suffering while maintaining solidarity with those who suffer. It does not put lethal drugs in their hands and abandon them to their suicidal impulses, or to the self-serving motives of others who may want them dead. It helps vulnerable people with their problems instead of treating them as the problem.” (USCCB Statement on Physician-Assisted Suicide)
Ultimately, true compassion like this is the reason for our Lenten fasting. We shouldn’t give things up simply to go without; we should give things up so as to go with someone else.
If you are looking for a simple way to show real compassion, why not try standing with the many Ugandan families who lack access to clean drinking water? Join us in fasting from soft drinks for the rest of Lent and donate the money to the CARITAS For Children Water Filtration Program. By doing so, you will gain a small appreciation of their daily struggle while sharing the love of Christ with those in need.
Lord Jesus, you know our pain and suffering. Help us to find strength in that reality. Make us into instruments of your love and compassion for others during this Lenten Season. Amen.
