Jesus takes different faces—hungry, thirsty, naked, homeless, sick, defenceless, and lifeless. He shares human frailty and vulnerability of every kind. By becoming a needy person, Jesus shows himself as ‘Alter Christus’ in every suffering human being. Seeing Christ in a needy person is the beginning of Christian charity. When narrating Jesus’ encounter with the sick and the suffering the evangelist tells us that ‘he had compassion’ for them. His compassion was empathetic. Christian empathy is not merely emotional resonance, or just feeling sorry for them, but it is compassion in motion. In a profound manner it brings about redemptive action.
Empathy is the ability to sense, understand, and vicariously experience another person’s feelings, thoughts or perspective from their point of view—not as one’s own view. As Christian empathy is to feel as Christ would feel, understand and act upon as Christ’s own disciple. It is the source of Christian as the root of pastoral care
The source and the root of Christian empathy is the mystery of incarnation—God becoming one of us. When human beings sinned, they began to experience hunger, grief, betrayal and brokenness as symbolized in the creation story of the Book of Genesis. At this moment of fear, pain and separation, God empathised with them and seemed to say, ‘I know exactly how you feel.’ God found Adam and Eve ‘naked’ and empty, needing God’s empathy. There He meets them in their brokenness, who found themselves deprived of grace and joy. In the same way, following God’s own empathy, Christian empathy and Christian charity invites us to enter into the messy, uncomfortable spaces rather than offering platitudes from far. We are not First Aid givers, but givers of wholesome healing.
We transcend sentiments and get into action. Our method and actions are not like social activists, Non-Government Organizations, or charitable volunteers. But we are called to be Good Samaritans (Luke 10) who are moved by Christ-like empathy and offer agape love—self-sacrificial service. The Good Samaritan not only felt pity, but bandaged wounds, paid debts and provided ongoing care. He was willing to do more and promised to come back to care more. He was willing to ‘suffer’ not just to feel pity.
Christian empathy is extended to everyone. It is freely and willingly given even to enemies, the ungrateful and even those who persecute, because every person bears God’s image (Genesis 1: 27) It overcomes all that divides (Galatians 3: 28). To become all things to all people. It is tangibly weeping with those who weep.
To become all things to all people, requires humility, adaptability, flexibility, and self-effacement. It is laying down one’s life for others. It is much more than giving ‘fix’ solutions and unsolicited advice, but offering a non-judgemental presence. It listens before it speaks.
Our empathy is rooted in Eternal hope which transcends all ‘compassion fatigue’ and despair. Our empathy is anchored in the resurrection of Christ. Jesus’ passion that taught us that pain and suffering are real, it also tells us that Christ has won all death through his reassuring resurrection. We find our ultimate restoration in Christ. Jesus who wept for his dead friend Lazarus, moved with empathy resurrected him. We are called to weep with those who weep, but we keep the glimpse of the Risen Lord. Like Mary Magdalene we go to look for the body of Jesus in the dark, but Jesus stands in front of us a light, calling us by our names. His empathy illuminates us.
In Catholic teaching and spirituality, the corporal works of mercy are concrete charitable actions that address the physical and material needs of others. They are grounded in Jesus’ teaching that serving those in need is the same as serving Him. Jesus who taught us the corporal works of mercy was in need of every corporal works of mercy for himself, most of which was enacted during his passion. While carrying the cross and hanging on the cross, he was hungry, he was thirsty, he was imprisoned, he was naked, he was defenceless, and finally his lifeless body was in need of a grave.
Jesus, through his words and life taught us the importance of corporal works of mercy. Following him, his disciples and saints have found life’s purpose and holiness in serving the fellow human being, especially those who are in one kind of a need or another. The traditional seven works of mercy are derived from the Gospel of Matthew 25: 31-46, and highlighted by the Catechism of the Catholic Church in article 2447.
….for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me….
In showing kindness we show the face of the merciful Father, serving Christ the Son, and care for the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Hence, when we practice the corporal works of mercy with faith and love we are engaged in Trinitarian act. Pope Francis thoughtfully said, ‘Christ is the merciful face of the Father.’ In serving the needy, we not only serve Christ, we also show the merciful face of the Father to them. We share God’s unfathomable love. Let us become the empathetic face of Jesus to others.
Rev. Fr. Lazar Arasu SDB
Salesians of Don Bosco Missionary
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