I love that scene in the Gospels when the crowds follow Jesus and his disciples who had tried to go away for a quiet time. We are told that when Jesus saw the people he felt deep compassion for them for "they were harassed and dejected like sheep without a shepherd."
This beautiful passage gives us a glimpse into the very soul of Jesus.
The Lord looks at our broken world and his heart is deeply moved.
There is no bitterness at our messy and confused lives.
Instead we find compassion for those who struggle with suffering, loss and pain; patient goodness for those who are searching for love and meaning in all the wrong places; kindness for those living in silent despair, a despair often cloaked by the rush and glitter of today’s life.
Christ’s love does not necessarily mean approval for everything in our lives. But the experience of his goodness and acceptance gives us the courage and grace to make the journey back.
He is not waiting till we have got our act together before he love us.
Would that all who struggle and fail and fall might find within the Christian community the lived reality of the Lord's constant compassion!
