08-28-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
August 28, 2024
In Luke 7, we have a story of compassion. We read:

As Jesus approached the city gate, a dead man was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When he saw her, the Lord had compassion for her and said, “Don’t cry.” He stepped forward and touched the stretcher on which the dead man was being carried. Those carrying him stood still. Jesus said, “Young man, I say to you, get up.” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.

The Greek word in the original text that we translate as compassion is: splagchnizomai. I love that word! It is a great word just to pronounce, but like a lot of words, it has an intriguing literal meaning. The key word is bowels or entrails. Some scholars say it is a yearning or twisting of the bowels. If my bowels are yearning or twisting, I’m not too sure if compassion is what is about to be produced (sorry, I couldn’t help it). Though with that said, it is an ache or gnawing on the gut that cannot be ignored. It is so much more than saying, “I feel bad for that situation” or “That’s really horrible, and I’m glad I am not involved.” Splagchnizomai might even be more than gnawing, a sort of tugging to act. When have you felt bad for someone or a situation but didn’t feel it necessary to act? And when have you been unable to ignore the tug?

Continue to tug at my soul or on my entrails, O Lord. Whatever will work! There is so much need, and you have gifted me in a unique way to serve the world around me. Tug away! Amen.