Compassion, to take a literal translation, means to “suffer with”, to put ourselves in the place of those who experience real need and to care for them. We live in a world which often seems to be increasingly individualistic and one which seems to encourage us to look after number one – to satisfy our own needs as a priority. Compassion seems an outdated concern and one that perhaps we might reserve for those closest to us – our family and friends.

In her book, Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life, Karen Armstrong seeks to invite us to exercise what we might call our compassionate muscles and begin to learn what it means to be compassionate in our world today. “Compassion”, she writes: “impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.”

This term, we shall consider some of her twelve steps in chapel in the light of the person of Jesus Christ who lived a life that placed compassion at its very core.

• TheGoldenRule Luke10.25-37• Lookingaroundus Matthew5.43-48• Compassionforourselves 1John3.1-3• Talkingtoothers Col.3.12-17• Thestoriesofothers Luke21.1-4• Playingapart Matthew9.35-38

Chapel Term ThemeCompassion