The Three A’s

 For this Notes, it would be helpful to have a seed handy - a pumpkin seed, a flax seed, a sunflower seed, a flower or vegetable seed. Any seed. You will use it at the end. If you do not have one, you can imagine you do.)

Sunday’s Gospel reading was from Matthew We see in this reading from Matthew 9: 35 - 10: 8. Jesus was teaching, proclaiming and he had compassion for them.  He then called his disciples together and gave them authority to do as he had been doing.  Then he sends them out.  I wonder if the disciples looked at each other and said “Hey! You asked me to follow you. You did not tell me I had to go out and teach, proclaim, and heal.” Did any want to turn and leave? Yet, they all stayed and did as Jesus told them to do.

Part of me also wonders if he sent them to the people of Israel first, and not the Samaritans and Gentiles, because he thought their first run at this should be with people they were more familiar with and possibly would be more accepting of them. That is not a theological thought I had. I am no theologian. I’ve been told that he sent them to the Israelites because that is what Matthew focuses on, too. Anyway, that is an aside, Not that relevant to this lesson.

Jesus does the same with us – today’s disciples of Christ - as he did with his disciples during his time on earth.  He is an example for us.  We see him teaching and proclaiming.  We follow that example and do it as well.  Teach and proclaim God’s love to all.  We also see that he had compassion for all the crowds of people.  We need to go out and have compassion for ALL.  That is what he wants us to do.

Did you know you can learn to be compassionate or more compassionate?  You can awaken this quality within yourself. 

There is a woman I admire greatly and was finally able to meet her and visit with her at a training  retreat for compassion.  Her name is Joyce Rupp.  Joyce Rupp is a widely celebrated Roman Catholic author, international retreat leader, and conference speaker known for her bestselling writings on spirituality, grief, and compassion. As a nun and member of the Servite (Servants of Mary) community, she is often referred to as a "spiritual midwife" for her compassionate approach to guiding others  It was such an honor to meet her.

She began a movement called Boundless Compassion of which I became a facilitator leading Bible studies, retreats and circles of compassion. Check out her book and other resources. The book is called “Boundless Compassion”.

So that we are all on the same page, let me define compassion. Compassion is “being sensitive to the suffering of self and others with a deep commitment to try to prevent or relieve it.”   Henri Nouwen, another great spiritual leader I revere says: “Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion and anguish.  Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears.  Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless.  Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human.” 

Compassion thrived in the heart of Jesus and in his teachings.  Jesus is our beloved teacher we need to emulate.  He poured out his love and gave generously of his time, energy and concern to relieve their pain of body, mind and spirit.  We see this in all the healings he performed:  making a blind man see, raising the leader’s daughter from the dead, healing the woman who was bleeding for 12 years, etc.  We should go and do likewise as the phrase goes.  Maybe we cannot take away a man’s blindness physically, but we can help him see God and God’s love for him through our words and actions. Maybe we cannot raise someone from the dead, but we can help their family know that the person has risen from the dead and is alive with Jesus helping them in their grief. Maybe we cannot stop a woman who has been sick for 12 years, but we can heal her soul by being with her and sharing God’s love for her. We can heal.

To help in growing the compassion in our lives, there are three A’s we should be open to and be aware of.  We are going to play a little game like Wheel of Fortune without the wheel.  I would like you to call out letters to fill in and figure out the 3 A’s. I had an easel set up with the three A’s displayed and blank lines next to each A word. I invited our two graduates to come forward and compete by taking turns calling out letters. After the first round, I divided the congregation into two groups and had each side assist one of the contestants by suggesting letters. We then continued the game with the congregation participating and cheering on their respective graduates. See if you can guess the A word before reading on.

The first A word is:

A  ___ ___ ___ ___

We must become aware of others and what they are feeling, what they are experiencing and what they are going through.  We must look at their faces, their actions and words.  Unless we become aware of suffering, we cannot respond to it compassionately.  Everyone is going through something.  Be kind.  Be compassionate.  Be aware.

 The second A word is:

A ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Compassion requires a certain attitude, that of recognizing the oneness we have with all of life.  We, and everything in life, is interconnected.  We are not isolated individuals.  The suffering of one affects the suffering of all.  What we think and feel about people who are suffering, especially if they do not match our notions of how they ought to believe, look and act, greatly affects our response to them. If I intend to be compassionate, I cannot shove people I dislike out of the way. We never give up on anyone. We need to cultivate an attitude of wanting to alleviate others pain.  Guard your attitude.  May it be one of love.  Looking at others with love first and foremost.  Looking deeper down in a person.  That is when we realize we are more alike than different.  Each of us desires happiness.  Each of us knows the fear and the pain of nonacceptance.  Each of us want to have a loving home in the heart of another. 

The third A word is:

A ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

When we are aware of others and what they are going through, when we have an attitude of love toward them, we then need to act in a positive way for the benefit of all.  Jesus saw.  Jesus accepted.  Jesus acted.  We see how he sent his disciples out to act.  Not just be aware.  Not just to accept but to also act.  Help alleviate the pain, the sorrow, the hopelessness.  To proclaim the good news of Jesus’ love for all and God’s saving grace for all. 

Conclusion

Every human being is born with the potential for being compassionate.  People of God, learn and show compassion to all those you meet and greet.  Colossians 3: 12 tells us to “Clothe yourselves with compassion.”  Let’s recite that verse as we do put on our clothes each day. Tell ourselves that we are also putting on compassion with our clothes. 

Be aware of your thoughts and feelings, and by the deliberate intention think and respond to others in a kindhearted and compassionate way.  We can teach our minds to activate compassion.  We can!

Now, in closing, take the seed you were given as you entered.  Hold it in your hand.  Cover it with your other hand and repeat after me: 

God, you are the gardener of my heart. 

Enrich the soil of my heart

with your bountiful love.

 I will do my part each day

 to grow seeds of compassion in my life.

Amen.