In the Spiritual Exercises, St. Ignatius offers us the image of God looking at the world and deciding to become incarnate in order to save humanity. “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life” (Jn 3:16). God’s decision, which stems from his profound love for humanity, awaits our personal decision.
In this sense, as Pope Francis told us: “From the heart of the Trinity, from the deepest intimacy of the mystery of God, the great river of mercy flows and flows endlessly. This source can never be exhausted, no matter how many people approach it. Every time someone is in need, they can come to it, because God’s mercy has no end.” (Misericordiae vultus, 25). The words “compassion” and “mercy”, which are found in the Bible, reflect a Greek term which means to feel the suffering of others and to be impelled inwardly, out of love, to act on their behalf. It is a movement that comes from within, from the “bowels”, from the “mother’s womb”, from the “heart”. This is what we see in the life of Jesus. Jesus has this incredible ability to be deeply moved by others and what he feels inside becomes a decision and leads him to action. “Life is made up of encounters and, in these encounters, we reveal ourselves for who we are. We find ourselves in front of others, in front of their fragility and weakness, and we can decide what to do: take care of them or pretend that nothing has happened” (Pope Leo XIV).
In the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, we are invited to a mission of compassion for the world, praying and mobilizing for the challenges facing humanity and the mission of the Church. This requires that we allow ourselves to become vulnerable, to be deeply moved by what our brothers and sisters around the world are experiencing. It means dropping our “shields” and breaking down our ‘walls’, in order to move away from indifference and into a “culture of encounter”. By being completely united to the Heart of Jesus, we will be able to open up with him, full of trust. Having experienced being loved and forgiven, and having experienced the Lord’s deep mercy towards us, we can in turn become missionaries of mercy and compassion, witnessing to the joy of the Gospel. In a world marked by suffering, injustice and division, the compassion inspired by the Heart of Jesus is crucial for healing wounds and building bridges. Therefore, for a Christian, compassion is not just a feeling; it is a concrete action that seeks to alleviate suffering and promote human dignity. It is the evangelical response to the challenges of the world. “Compassion is expressed through concrete gestures” (Pope Leo XIV).
Pope Francis invited us to accompany our compassion with concrete gestures that address the roots of poverty, inequality and exclusion, thus contributing to the construction of a more just, peaceful and supportive world. We are called, as Christians, to be instruments of consolation and hope; to be available for a mission of compassion for the world through a personal relationship with Jesus, expressing his desire to foster a deeper love and solidarity, with a view to a more just and fraternal society.
José da Silva Almeida, SJ
Deputy Director MEJ Portugal