The 10th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Compassion Brings New Life

Paying attention to what is going on in life can move us to compassion. Elijah and Jesus both paid attention to two widows whose only sons had died. What are you paying attention to that awakens compassion in you? And how does God visit other people through you?

By paying attention to God and to the other, we feel with the other, and God responds to us and through our words and deeds. Pay attention to what is going on around you, in your family life, in the community and in the world touches us and moves us. If Elijah or Jesus were here today to move us to compassion, who are the hurting people, who are the hurting communities that they would direct us to?

How would they ask us to restore those who are suffering to NEW life? Pope Francis names them for us all the time: the imprisoned, Syrian refugees, the poor, homeless persons and countless others.

If we turn to God in prayer like Paul, if we listen to our prayers of intercession on Sunday, we will know what groups need our attention. And through our attentive compassionate response, the Lord will visit his people again!