First Sunday in Lent
March 13, 2011
“You say that love songs bring you down
Can't depend anything
But I've seen a silver bird leave the ground
Rising high on a borrowed wing
Chorus
Have a little faith in angels
You never know where they might be
Have a little faith in angels
And you might begin to see
You could have a little faith in you and me”
I suppose we should make a little sign that reads, “It’s about compassion!” So much of what comes to us through various media reveals what seems to me is a lack of compassion. In today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 4:1-11 we see and hear how Jesus resisted temptation. Jesus has compassion for us because as the writer of Hebrews noted,
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin,” (Hebrews 4:15)
I love the last line of the gospel lesson for today, “11Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.”
I simple love the picture by Tissot, which is titled in French (Jésus assisté par les anges). Just imagine the cosmic compassion which was exhibited for Jesus. Just imagine the cosmic compassion which is exhibited for you and for me
I am currently reading a book by Karen Armstrong, 12 Steps to a Compassionate Life.
In 2008 she won a TED prize
www.ted.com/talks/karen_armstrong_makes_her_ted_prize_wish_the_charter_for_ compassion.html
which she has launched into a Charter for Compassion
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_for_Compassion
The charter calls us to note, “The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious,
ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be
treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of
our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another
there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating
everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.”
St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians asked, (I Cor. 3) “ 16Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?” This is just simply amazing stuff here. Think of that, God’s Spirit dwells in you and in me.
There’s really nothing else to say except, “Go in peace, serve the Lord.” “Thanks be to God.”
Compassion, it’s the heart of the matter.
Peace,
rtg
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