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Sympathy is a trait that should surge from
us like a gushing fountain. Like a mother’s love for her
child, it should be spontaneous and impulsive. Seeing a person
in distress should perturb and agitate us. Even if we are
helpless to do anything practical to redress the situation,
concern should pour out from us and anxiety should stir us up.
We too should writhe in agony – as if we ourselves were going
through it. If such a situation does not affect us in any way,
then surely there is something terribly wrong. We should then
make a positive effort to awaken this dormant trait.
We can revive and enhance the radiance of
this trait in ourselves by simply opening our eyes to the
world around us.
We can learn sympathy from the prophets of
God who were an embodiment of this attribute. They were
selfless well-wishers of their people. They wanted to secure
their people from the wrath of God. What greater an expression
of sympathy than to awaken people from their deep slumber and
to prepare them for the kingdom of heaven?
We can learn sympathy from a mother; how
she continues to wait on her children and serve their needs
even when this means sacrificing her own needs, forsaking her
own comfort and giving up her own priorities.
We can learn sympathy from individuals who,
risking their own lives, attend to the sick and wounded both
in times of peace and war.
And if all this is not enough to inculcate
or enhance this trait in us we may think of a selfish motive:
being sympathetic and kind to others makes us forget our own
worries. It gives us peace of mind which is so elusive a thing
these days.
And, of course, instances at which we need
to show sympathy abound:
Attending persistently to sick relatives
and friends; treating pets and beasts of burden with utmost
humanity; doing whatever can be done for those afflicted with
some calamity and praying to God if nothing else can be done;
using our influence to help those in distress; not forsaking
sinners for they need sympathy the most; treating those
subservient to us especially servants with extreme kindness
and affection; merely lending an ear to a person going through
some agony; supporting the oppressed against the wicked;
lending a hand to the old, the disabled and the handicapped;
ignoring the weaknesses of others; welcoming guests
wholeheartedly; tending vigilantly to plants … of course there
is no end to this list.
May God grant us the courage and will to
overcome any shortcoming that we may have in being
sympathetic.
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