Compassionate about the poor    Bill  Mulcahy  (Brisbane)   June 22, 2012    What is the ‘Real’ meaning of Compassion?

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Compassion: not a word that is used in daily language as commonly as bus, lunch, homework, television or football. We know what a bus, lunch, homework, television and football are and, if asked, we would most likely offer a reasonable definition. How would we go at offering a definition for compassion? Is compassion a feeling, is it demonstrating love for others, is it an emotion, is it displaying kindness? There would be many and varied definitions offered.

Dictionary.com defines compassion as a noun meaning a feeling of distress and pity for the suffering or misfortune of another. I wonder though how Jesus would describe compassion. Would Jesus be more concerned with compassion as a word, feeling or emotion? I suggest neither; Jesus saw compassion as an action, as a doing. Matthew 9:36 reads: But when He saw the multitudes He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless. And in Mark 1:41 it reads: And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand and touched him. Jesus’ compassion moves a person to action. Jesus’ action is doing.

In Luke 15:20, the phrase says: “filled with love and compassion”. This phrase is translated from the Greek verb Splagchnizomai (splawnk-nitz-oh-my). This Greek verb renders the phrase as action. Thus we must see compassion as an action rather than a feeling of emotion.

To have Jesus’ compassion, we must be moved to make a difference. Yes it may involve some emotion or feeling, but must end in an action that helps to end another’s suffering or misfortune. Let us all have Jesus’ compassion.