Full compassion

Saturday of the First Week of Advent

Gracious is the Lord and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
Psalm 116:4

The conversation is an unexpected blessing. Due to a variety of circumstances, what was meant to be a conference call becomes a one-on-one with a trusted friend. And in that space, I lay open a burden that has been weighing me down, hampering me from walking with delight. What I find in return is a balm of wisdom and compassion.

Compassion is more than its dictionary definition of concern for the suffering of another. To receive genuine compassion is to have my hurt, my doubt, my quest for solace recognized and respected. Such loving-kindness reflects the compassion of God, who became as vulnerable as a newborn in order to bring healing and deliverance to all of humankind and creation itself.

Our conversation moves from the sacred place of shared griefs out into our present joys, the light of Christ within each of us calling us into mutual expectancy. We make the way forward just that much more clear for one another as we travel again toward the cradle containing light and life.

Image by Johannes Plenio from Pixabay