“What does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6
” Compassion is Contagious.
Com passion.
Two words: Com Passion
Compassion means “to suffer together.” It means feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others and a deep desire to take action that will help others’ distress.
The wise Dalai Lama once said, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
Compassion is the key word today. For this service and later for the project. Because we feel sorry for those who are homeless and hungry – we express our compassion by making care kits to help them.
Did you know that some human expressions are contagious?
When one person yawns, it is common for the people around them to begin yawning too! Let us try it.
Now, let us try that again with other expressions:
Laughing……
Smiling ….
Frowning….
Crying….
When you see someone else crying, how do you feel?
When you see someone yawning, laughing or crying, something in our brain responds because you know what it is like to be laughing, to feel sad or sleepy.
That is called empathy. And when we know what it is like to feel something, we become more compassionate toward one another.
For example: if you see me step on a LEGO, you may feel compassion for me because you know it hurts! Your foot cannot feel it in that moment, but your empathy kicks in and your brain reminds you what that suffering feels like. If your compassion is strong, you might even offer to help me.
Or if you meet a small girl who is crying because she is lost and cannot find her parents, - then your hearts ache for her, because you remember how awful it is to be lost. So, you offer to help.
Of if you walk by a homeless man on the corner of the street, you feel for him as you know how much you love your home and your family. So, you might help with some money, some food or a blanket for the night.
That is what compassion is: you see my hurt, you feel my heart wit home, and you help ease my hurt.
But to show empathy and compassion, we need to see each other. That is the very beginning of compassion. When we meet each other in school or at work, when we sit at a table together, when we come to church together, when we meet strangers in need.
Like the words of Micah: always do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God.
God invites us to his table. To be together.
This is how we should imitate God’s welcome. All are invited and welcome. This is what we celebrate at communion, this is what we sing in the song: Come to the table.
Today you are all welcome. And as we are welcome, we must remember to welcome others to our tables. Especially when they need help, a comforting hug, a meal and a home.
Before we celebrate communion together, let us pray this prayer about compassion together.
Place one hand on your head and one hand on your heart. We are doing this because compassion happens in our brains, but we often feel it in our hearts.
Repeat after me:
Welcoming God
Your wide arms are always open.
Drawing us into your heart full of love.
Make our arms your own, helping us to see and welcome with compassion all those we meet. Amen.