Tuesday 11 July

ST. BENEDICT

Genesis 32:23–33; Psalm 17; Matthew 9:32–38

Compassion for them

The healing cycle ends with blind men crying out for Jesus to have mercy on them and the healing of a demoniac who is mute. Jesus had compassion on the crowds for they were like sheep without a shepherd. The word for compassion means Jesus was moved from the depths of his being. It comes from a Hebrew word for mercy meaning womb-compassion. The crowd are ‘harassed and helpless’ – rather a mild way to translate words used of physical violence. Jesus has compassion for the oppressed, downtrodden, beaten up and crushed. What can I learn from the compassion of Jesus?