Jesus compassionately pries open souls

September 7, 2003 -- Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

	Bishop Robert Morneau
	Questions for reflection: 1. What causes you to groan? 2. How open are you to the suffering of others? 3. Why is compassion so central to the Gospel message?

A groan is a sign of pain and suffering. Often, after surgery, people groan when an incision is touched. At wake services a widow or widower may groan in sorrow at the death of a loved one. And today in the Gospel we hear that Jesus, Son of God and Son of Mary, "emitted a groan" when a man who was deaf and also suffering from a speech impediment was brought to him. Jesus felt the pain of others to such a point that is caused suffering in his heart and found expression in a groan.

Isaiah the prophet knew about groaning. Rather, he too "emitted" groans as he saw the blind hoping to see, the deaf longing to hear, the lame desiring healing, the dumb hoping to sing. Isaiah was aware of the frightened hearts of all who suffer and his message is clear and powerful: "Be strong, fear not!" The prophet had faith that God would come and set people free. That faith was fulfilled gloriously when Jesus came among us.

In the letter of James the same theme of groaning and compassion can be felt. The question in this passage is how do we treat the haves and the have-nots? Christian hearts do not discriminate against the poor but rather feel their plight and reach out in charity and respect to all. God himself has a "preferential option" for the poor and hears their cry. Divine compassion, made manifest in Jesus, responds to the groaning of humanity.

There is a problem in all this: the volume of groaning. There is so much suffering in the world - war torn countries, friends and neighbors dying from terminal cancer, the loss of life in terrible accidents, the relative or classmate who commits suicide, the daily starvation of thousands of people - so much suffering that compassion fatigue can set in and we no longer hear or feel the groaning of our brothers or sisters. And we ourselves, each having our own personal groans and heartaches, can curl in upon ourselves and lack the energy to be for others.

How obvious it is that we need the Spirit of Jesus to transform our minds and hearts, both as individuals and as a community. We need grace to be able to transcend our narrow horizons and the tendency to narcissism, that excessive self-preoccupation. Jesus is our model and our mentor. He does the compassionate thing and instructs us of its meaning and significance. "He has done everything well," we are told in the Gospel.

What Jesus did for the deaf man he wants to do for us. That is, "Be opened!" Our minds are closed to so much truth; our hearts are closed to so much love. Jesus comes with the crowbar of compassion and pries open our souls to let in the grace of light and love and life. In healing our deafness we come to hear God's word; in freeing our tongues we sing God's praise. Through word and sacrament and community, we are being opened to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit.

Our opening prayer captures well the essence of today's liturgy: "Lord our God, in you justice and mercy meet. With unparalleled love you have saved us from death and drawn us into the circle of your life. Open our eyes to the wonders this life sets before us, that we may serve you free from fear and address you as God our Father."

In Jesus, we experience the mystery and the vindication of our God.

(Bp. Morneau is the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay.)