The Society of Jesus
in Belize
The Call to Compassion
Preparing to Pray
1. Take three deep breaths, allowing yourself to be fully present.
2. Speak to the Lord, telling him that you are dedicating the next fifteen minutes to be with Him.
3. Ask for the grace you desire:
I pray to hear the call of Christ clearly in your life, and to be able to let go of whatever keeps you from responding with complete openness and generosity.
4. Consider the following points:
How does God call us? By what means does God try to grab ahold of our hearts? God calls us in any number of ways. God is willing to do whatever it takes to call us in ways that we will recognize.
One way God calls us is through the movement of compassion in our hearts. When we feel compassion for another person – or for any other aspect of creation – that is the Holy Spirit speaking to us, trying to get our attention. In the Gospels, Jesus prioritizes the call to show compassion to the poor, the broken, and those on the margins (c.f., the Good Samaritan).
Notice how the Samaritan allows his plans to get interrupted by the man on the side of the road. Notice how the Samaritan gets down of his horse and meets the wounded man where he is. Notice, too, how the priest and the expert in religious law – the characters who should have responded – failed to show compassion.
Prayer
Scripture:
Luke 10:25-37 “Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robber’s victim?”
Review your prayer
Take a few minutes to reflect on and journal about the following:
• Think over the last week. In the last seven days, what or who stirred your compassion? How did you respond?
• Pick one instance, when you failed to respond with compassion. Looking back on that moment, how do you wish you responded? What would have been the compassionate response? That is, how might you have shown love and respect in that moment?
... or else write down any moments of consolation or desolation you encountered in your prayer.
Speak with the Lord, as one friend to another, about whatever came up in your prayer.
End with an Our Father or a Hail Mary.