Empathy and Mercy
(Fr. Andrew’s Homily for Sunday, February 4 th , 2024) Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the mysteries of suffering and mercy. There is a difference between being empathetic and being merciful. A person may feel sorry, touched by other people’s misery and do nothing about it, or not even think about doing something. A merciful person, instead, is the one who, besides feeling sorry for his brother or sister, does something to help them or, at least, desires to do something, when they cannot do anything at that point. Can someone be merciful and not empathetic? Can someone truly help their brothers and sisters without feeling sorry for them? We are not all made from the same fabric: we all have different degrees of sensibility. Some of us tear apart at the slightest touch, some of us would not be moved by an earthquake, and then you have all other degrees in between. So, being merciful is not a matter of having the ability to show strong feelings when someone is in trouble. ...