Suggested Lenten Practices

This is an act of compassion that was observed by a member of our community this Lent. Perhaps you have seen other such signs of compassion or been moved to act in a compassionate way this Lent. Let us pass on this sign of God’s life.

I’ve been having fertility problems and an old friend has taken the time to be patient and listen to my feelings as I work through it. She doesn’t advise – she helps by just being there. I thank God for her right now.

Submit an Act of Compassion

This is an act of compassion that was observed by a member of our community this Lent. Perhaps you have seen other such signs of compassion or been moved to act in a compassionate way this Lent. Let us pass on this sign of God’s life.

I was in line at the grocery checkout. The customer ahead of me had a beautiful bouquet of flowers in her basket. I was having a really bad day. As I admired the flowers, the woman must have seen my sadness, because as soon as she paid for her order, she handed me the flowers and wished me a good day. Was she an angel or just someone with compassion? God bless her, whoever she is.

Submit an Act of Compassion

This is an act of compassion that was observed by a member of our community this Lent. Perhaps you have seen other such signs of compassion or been moved to act in a compassionate way this Lent. Let us pass on this sign of God’s life.

While in the back of the checkout line in Walgreen’s today, the person being waited on was a young woman who was companioning a quadriplegic man. As they concluded their transaction, the man said goodbye to the clerk in his halting way and continued to thank the clerk as he was being wheeled out to his car. The clerk then said to the woman in front of me “I don’t know how she can do that, taking such care for this man all day long, cleaning his dribbles and all.” It reminded me that not only was this young woman’s job one of compassion, but that it was evident that she understood how to be compassionate in a consistent and gentle manner. “Doing it for the least” came to mind.

This is the last article in a series of Suggested Lenten Practices for 2010.

Lent 2010: A Journey into the Compassion of God

Palm Sunday begins our celebration of Holy Week; Exploring the fullness of compassion in “real life” situations.

Questions to explore this week:

• What does compassion look like, feel like, sound like in Jesus’ passage through death to life?
• How have you experienced compassion during suffering?
• What situations in your life and in our world are contemporary expressions of Jesus’ suffering and death?
• Did you realize compassion might break your heart?
• Did you know that compassion would lead you to surprising places and understandings?

This is an act of compassion that was observed by a member of our community this Lent. Perhaps you have seen other such signs of compassion or been moved to act in a compassionate way this Lent. Let us pass on this sign of God’s life.

I was supposed to start my new job working with mentally handicapped adults in a residential facility this week; instead, I have been diagnosed with shingles. This personal disappointment is helping me to be more compassionate toward the people with whom I will be working. My temporary disappointment reminds me of how many more disappointments they experience, and my confinement helps me focus on how much more confined their lives are. I am appreciating that I can bring music therapy and help my clients feel freer for whatever amount of time we have together.