The Latin root for the word compassion is pati, which means to suffer, and the prefix com- means with. Compassion, originating from compati, literally means to suffer with. The connection of suffering with another person brings compassion beyond empathy, into the realm of the universal ethic of self-sacrificing love.
“There is a crack in everything; that’s how the light gets in.” Leonard Cohen. Eventually, we nearly all take a reluctant stroll down the boulevard of broken dreams. If you’ve stumbled into this unwelcome place, comrades, take heart, it might just be the best thing that has ever happened to you. For above all, this is […]
A Vital Crack in Everything Read More »
I was born on the cusp of dawn in a wild Irish forest near the edge of a deep-water lake, and to the deep water in a wild forest on the cusp of dawn, I surely shall return. In the interim—let’s just say—it’s been one-hell-of a spiritual ride. I’ve lingered an hour of two on
Born on the Cusp of Dawn Read More »
I recently wept, as I listened to song on YouTube. This is not an entirely unknown phenomenon for this old mystic. Actually, while walking the walk with Living God during the last twenty-five years, it has become more like a regular occurrence. The song in question was a cover of a Dylan classic called, “Not
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Under the lash of the kind of suffering outlined in my last post it is hardly surprising that many people have cried out to God in utter despair, perhaps for the last time, as their faith gets permanently swallowed whole, by the rage and pain of their suffering. There is a branch of theology called
God of Suffering God Of Compassion Read More »