Learning Compassion in the Company of Christ

Transcription

1 End-of-life care in the light of God s Word First of five steps 1 Learning Compassion in the Company of Christ a. Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Cursed be the day on which I was born! The day when my mother bore me, let it not be blessed! Why did I come forth from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and spend my days in shame? Jeremiah 20:14, 18 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! Psalm 130:1-2 There are many people in the world who suffer, and suffer terribly and not only at the end of life, indeed far from it. Human suffering physical, psychological, moral, and spiritual is a vast question which nobody can escape and which can sometimes lead a person to ask for death. The Bible is not unaware of this suffering. On the contrary: the tragedies, the pains, all the sorrows of humanity are reflected in it. Cries of distress rise up to God like a sorrowful universal lament. 1.1

2 Assembly of Québec Catholic Bishops December 2015 For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. I am counted among those who go down to the Pit; I am like those who have no help, like those forsaken among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave. Psalm 88:3-6 Many people who are prey to great sufferings will see themselves in these anguished prayers that can see no deliverance except in death, and that beg God to grant it to them. The Bible is no kitschy fairy tale concealing the reality that life can sometimes be this difficult. [The prophet Elijah] went a day s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life I Kings 19:4 An apex of the biblical rebellion against suffering and unhappiness is found in the book of Job. Job is so unhappy and has suffered so greatly that he regrets having been born and he rebukes God for allowing him to remain alive: Why did I not die at birth, come forth from the womb and expire? Now I would be lying down and quiet; I would be asleep; then I would be at rest. Job 3:11, 13 Why is light given to one in misery, and life to the bitter in soul, who long for death, but it does not come, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures?... For my sighing comes like my bread, and my groanings are poured out like water. Truly the thing that I fear comes upon me, and what I dread befalls me. I am not at ease, nor am I quiet; I have no rest; but trouble comes. Job 3:20-26 Job receives no other response than the unfathomable mystery of God s plan and no other recourse than trusting abandonment to his Creator. The question is left open, and the answer would come in time, with the coming of Christ. 1.2

3 End-of-life care in the light of God s Word First of five steps Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. Matthew 4:23-25 b. Jesus had compassion on them It is easy to understand why, in the Gospels, we see crowds running towards Jesus: his reputation as a prophet and healer had spread throughout the region. Jesus did not flee from them but, quite the opposite, went out to meet those who were suffering. He consoles, heals, soothes, and forgives. As St. Peter the Apostle summarized in his speech at the home of a Roman centurion following Christ s Resurrection, [Jesus] went about doing good and healing. 1 Pope Francis expressed it well just before the World Day of the Sick on February 11, 2015: [Jesus] heals a multitude of people afflicted by every kind of sickness: physical, mental, spiritual. Coming to the earth to announce and fulfill the salvation of the whole man and all mankind, Jesus shows a particular fondness for those wounded in body and in spirit: the poor, the sinners, the possessed, the sick, the marginalized. He thus reveals Himself as a physician of both body and soul, the good Samaritan of man. He is the true Savior! Jesus saves, Jesus cares, Jesus heals! 2 We read a number of times in the Gospels that Jesus was moved with compassion and pity: When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36 1 Acts 10:38. 2 Pope Francis, Angelus of Sunday, February 8, English translation from Zenit news agency by Junno Arocho Esteves. 1.3

4 Assembly of Québec Catholic Bishops December 2015 There were two blind men sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David! Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they regained their sight and followed him. Matthew 20:30,34 A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, If you choose, you can make me clean. Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, I do choose. Be made clean! Mark 1:40-41 [Jesus] went to a town called Nain As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother s only son, and she was a widow When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, Do not weep. Luke 7:11-13 The expressions to have, to be filled, or to be moved with compassion or pity here correspond to a phrase in the original language of the Gospels that evokes a person s very innards, their guts; indeed, it could be translated literally as to be moved to one s very bowels, an image that further evokes words from the Old Testament with similar roots and that express the tenderness and mercy of God: When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them up in my arms I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love. I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel?... My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. Hosea 11:1,3,4, and 8 Moreover, the expression filled with compassion occurs in the famous parable of the Prodigal Son: it describes the actions of a father who runs out to meet his young son who is returning to him after a long absence. There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me. So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need But when he came to himself he said, How many of my father s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of 1.4

5 End-of-life care in the light of God s Word First of five steps hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:11-20 This father clearly represents God. Compassion, tenderness, and mercy are practically part of God s name: The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name, The Lord. The Lord passed before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Exodus 34:5-6 You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me. Psalm 86:15-16 They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made. Psalm 145:7-9 God is love, St. John wrote in his first Letter, 3 of which Jesus is the perfect incarnation; he is the love, the tenderness, and the compassion of God in flesh and blood, in word and deed. The care and comfort that he brings are manifestations of God s presence. Jesus is the surest model and the straightest path to learning true compassion. Pope Francis returns again and again to the fundamental nature of this compassion: The compassion of Jesus! That com-passion which made him draw near to every person in pain! Jesus does not hold back; instead, he gets involved in people s pain and their need for the simple reason that he knows and wants to show com-passion, because he has a heart unashamed to have compassion. Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed in the country; and people came to him from every quarter. This means that Jesus not only healed the leper but also took upon himself the marginalization enjoined by the law of Moses. Jesus is unafraid to risk sharing in the suffering of others; he pays the price of it in full. 4 3 I John 4:8. 4 Pope Francis, Homily of Sunday, February 15, 2015, at the Mass concelebrated with the newest Cardinals. 1.5

6 Assembly of Québec Catholic Bishops December 2015 Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me. Lord, when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you? Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. Matthew 25:34-40 c. I was sick and you took care of me What an earth-shattering revelation: God makes himself present to us in our brothers and sisters who are in need, sick, and left on their own. The face with which God has chosen to manifest himself in our world is not one of greatness, splendour, or power, but one of deprivation, distress, and suffering. Those who have truly met the Lord in the course of their life perhaps unwittingly, Jesus says are those who fed, clothed, accompanied, and aided the unfortunate in their need: You cared for me. In the words of Pope Francis, To care for a sick person, to welcome him and serve him is to serve Christ. The sick are the flesh of Christ! 5 It is significant that Jesus says You cared for me. Caring is more than giving medication or administering a treatment. It means taking the time to be with the suffering person. This time and presence are the obligatory road of real compassion. This is because compassion is not a one-time gesture or a momentary feeling, but is part of an ongoing relationship. Ultimately, compassion means suffering with the other. What Jesus reveals is that, understood in this way, compassion is a fundamental and essential dimension of human existence. He even says that it is the only thing that will count at the end of our lives. Come, you that are blessed by my Father I was sick and you took care of me. 5 Pope Francis, Angelus of Sunday, February 8, English translation from Zenit news agency by Junno Arocho Esteves. 1.6

7 End-of-life care in the light of God s Word First of five steps To receive and meditate on the Word of God: a. Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord. Re-reading pages 1.1 and 1.2, the excerpts from the Psalms and from the books of Jeremiah and Job, I allow these expressions of great suffering to affect me just as they affect the heart of God. I utter them in prayer as I bring before the Lord every individual, whether known or not, who is living through such situations and is experiencing such emotions at this very moment. b. Jesus had compassion on them Re-reading the excerpt from chapter 4 of the Gospel according to St. Matthew (page 1.3), I dwell on the crowds of sick people running towards Jesus. I strive to picture to myself the attitude, the tenderness, the gestures and gaze of Jesus toward each person. In prayer, I welcome this same gaze as directed toward my own life, toward my own sorrows and sufferings. c. I was sick and you took care of me Re-reading the passage from chapter 25 of the Gospel according to St. Matthew (page 1.6), I ask myself: what are the faces that the suffering Christ takes on in my own life? What sort of compassion is he personally inviting me to, and towards whom? 1.7

8 Assembly of Québec Catholic Bishops December 2015 To continue reflecting or to stimulate discussion: What touches me most about this step in the journey of reflection, entitled Learning Compassion in the Company of Christ? Which passage from God s Word speaks to me most? What definition of compassion can we distill from the life, words, and deeds of Jesus? What portrayal of God do they sketch? What are some examples of compassion following the example of Jesus in my own milieu, in my own workplace, in my parish, my town, my neighbourhood? How can, how must compassion following the example of Jesus be manifested in health care in hospitals, in long-term care facilities, in oldage homes or at home? Can Christians make a contribution, and especially Christian communities (whether parishes or other)? How does compassion following the example of Jesus help us to better live end-of-life care? In discussions of the end of life what importance do we give to God s Word? 1.8

9 End-of-life care in the light of God s Word First of five steps Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle s. The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Psalm 103:

10 Assembly of Québec Catholic Bishops December 2015 Notes 1.10

11 End-of-life care in the light of God s Word First of five steps 1.11

12 Assembly of Québec Catholic Bishops December 2015 Assembly of Québec Catholic Bishops Learning Compassion in the Company of Christ Step one of End-of-life care in the light of God s Word: a journey of reflection in five steps Original Title : Apprendre la compassion auprès du Christ Première des cinq étapes du parcours de réflexion Les soins de fin de vie à la lumière de la Parole de Dieu English Translation by Richard Bernier. Secrétariat des évêques catholiques du Québec 3331, rue Sherbrooke Est Montréal (Québec) H1W 1C5 Tél. (514) Téléc. : (514) aecq@eveques.qc.ca Legal Deposit February 2016 Bibliothèque nationale du Québec ISBN (Printed version) ISBN (PDF) The illustrations in this document are photographs of stained-glass windows by master glass artist Jan Tillemans, OMI ( ) from the windows of Notre-Dame-du-Cap Basilica in the Cap-de-la-Madeleine section of the city of Trois-Rivières QC. The photographs were taken by Bertrand Ouellet between 2010 and 2015 and are used with his permission. All Scripture quotations contained herein are from The New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition (NRSV) Copyright 1993 and 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. 1.12