Tag: compassion

Compassion Has No Shut-Off Valve

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

food-pantry-clipart 1

Compassion is not seasonal!

Compassion seems popular this time of year. We tend to share our abundance with those less fortunate in the form of donations to shelters and food banks. Why is it that we only tend to take this action predominantly in November and December? People are hungry and homeless all year round. I don’t have a definitive answer for this question, but I think it has something to do with processing tax deductions. Perhaps I’m being a bit cynical. However, I think we need to move beyond tax donations.  We need to enter… Read more…

Poor and Homeless Need Compassion

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

What can be done to alleviate the suffering of the poor and homeless? How can one person make a meaningful difference? Caring for the poor and homeless requires that we first acknowledge that the poor and homeless exist and need assistance from you and me. Leaving the task to someone else means that we lack compassion and have only pity.

Watch this very interesting, short video, from the New York City Rescue Mission. It has received over 5 million views. I hope it has the same affect on you that it had on me: to raise your self-awareness of the plight of the poor and homeless. Read more at…

Compassion for the Sick and Elderly

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

How can you support the sick and elderly by alleviating their suffering and pain? There are several ways to accomplish this that are up for discussion today. As with all acts of compassion, there are differing degrees of commitment of your time, talent and treasure that can be spent on the sick and elderly. I’ll start with the easy ways, and work my way up to the intense means of acting with compassion. Read more…

Support Local Children – Practice Compassion

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

How do you support local children? Where are the opportunities in your neighborhood or state to act with compassion? How can you enter the sphere of suffering to do what you can to alleviate that suffering, without forming judgment? Keep in mind, that at times the call to compassion may take little effort, and then again, sometimes the Lord is calling some of us to do what we think might be daunting. With that in mind, I’ll start with the easy suggestions and work my way up to the daunting ways in which you can support local children: …Read more

Sponsor a Child – Practice Compassion

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

What a difference you could make if you were to sponsor a child! It is within your power to alleviate the suffering of a child.

Sponsor a Child

Back in 2005, we had a visiting priest come and speak to our parish about the opportunity to sponsor a child in a third world country, where living conditions were deplorable, yet the faith was ablaze. After Mass, I stopped by the table. I saw this picture of a small little Guatemalan girl, named Heydi, age 7. She was dressed in a simple little dress, yet she had no smile. She stole my heart! I immediately entered her sphere of suffering and wanted to do whatever I could to alleviate that suffering. There were many pictures on the table of children in need just like Heydi, but for some reason it was… Read more…

Embracing Compassion – Step into the Suffering

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

Does embracing compassion come easy to you? Or, do fears, doubts and past hurts get in your way and inhibit you from alleviating the suffering of others?

Embracing compassion: “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matt 25:40). Do you need any additional rationale for embracing compassion? When you care for those who suffer, you minister to the Lord, Himself! Jesus states this exhortation slightly differently, yet appeals with the same message in Matt 10:42 where He says, “ And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple – amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.” Jesus is telling us that we have each been called to be compassionate to our fellow man, in the same manner as Jesus demonstrated compassion during His time on earth.
As humans, we are, by nature, social beings, meant to live in communion with each other. Therefore, we are called by Christ to have…Read more… 

What is Christ-like Compassion?

Posted: by Virginia Lieto

What is Christ-like compassion? How often do we act like the Good Samaritan in our everyday lives? Are we good at expressing pity, but not compassion?

Compassion is defined as the desire to alleviate the suffering of another; to give care and concern. Compassion differs from pity in that compassion requires an act of charity, whereas pity requires only a feeling of sorrow for someone else’s suffering/situation. To have true compassion for someone means that you step into the sphere of suffering, without forming judgment, and you do what you can to alleviate the suffering of someone else. Sounds a little Christ-like, doesn’t it? Read more…

Atheists Need Compassion Not Condemnation

Posted: by Melanie Jean Juneau
It is easy to become self-righteous or defensive when I feel attacked by atheists. It is a natural, human reaction. However, indignant rants which bludgeon the unbeliever with the ‘truth’ treats them as objects and not an intelligent people who are also loved by God. 
 When I am  secure in the Love of God, I can love and respect everyone because I do not feel threatened.  Then it is possible to encourage real dialogue which actually listens to the crux of  atheists’ concerns and doubts. Such dialogue opens the door for the Holy Spirit to become the Divine Moderator of the discussion.

1 Corinthians 13:

4 Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not boastful or conceited, 5 it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances. 6 Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but finds its joy in the truth…..9For we know only imperfectly… 12 Now we see only reflections in a mirror, mere riddles, but then we shall be seeing face to face. 

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Melanie Jean Juneau is wife and mother of nine children. The very existence of a joyful mother of nine children seems to confound people. Her writing is humorous and heart warming; thoughtful and thought provoking with a strong current of spirituality running through it. Part of her call and her witness is to write the truth about children, family, marriage and the sacredness of life.She blogs at joy of nine9 and mother of nine9