Read Online
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a
shepherd. Matthew 9:36
As Jesus went “to all the towns and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every
disease and illness” (Matthew 9:35), He was moved with deep
compassion for the crowds. The Greek verb splagchnizomai is
often translated as “moved with pity” or “moved with compassion.”
It appears twelve times in the Gospels—eight times describing
Jesus’ own compassion and four times illustrating divine mercy in
parables or related contexts (the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son,
the Unforgiving Servant, and the plea of a father for his
demon-possessed son). This verb conveys not just an emotional
response but a profound stirring of His entire being, compelling
Him to act with divine mercy—engaging His mind, will, body, and
emotions.
Understanding this verb is essential because it unveils the very
heart of Christ’s mission, where His divine mercy is fully manifest
in His humanity. Though His mercy originates in His divinity, He
fully lived and expressed it in His human nature, allowing it to
consume Him entirely and drive Him to shepherd His people.
Jesus’ all-consuming compassion should profoundly console us. God
does not love us out of mere divine obligation; His love is deeply
personal, intimate, and relentless. He is not distant or
impersonal, aloof in His perfection. In Christ, God’s mercy is made
visible—His human heart is stirred to action, doing everything He
can to draw us closer to Himself. This is why His compassion is
such a source of reassurance: He is not a distant or angry God,
standing far off to condemn. Rather, He is the God who, in Christ,
allows Himself to be consumed with mercy, driven by compassion, and
moved to act for the salvation of each one of us.
That same profound mercy continues to flow from the Sacred Heart
today. In Heaven, Christ’s human heart remains inseparably united
to His divinity, pouring forth the love of the Father and the Holy
Spirit upon the world. His compassion is made present to us through
His Church, especially in the Sacraments and in the lives of
saintly men and women. This same compassion must become the driving
force behind all we do for the Kingdom. We are called to be
His living instruments of mercy, reflecting His Sacred Heart in our
actions, words, and love for others—so that each of us might be
reassured of God’s unfailing love.
We see in today’s Gospel that Jesus’ compassion moved Him to send
out twelve of His disciples as His Apostles, entrusting them with
His divine authority to proclaim the Kingdom of God, cure the sick,
raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and drive out demons. They were to
be His chosen instruments of mercy, reaching out to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel—those in dire need of God’s truth and
healing grace.
Today, Jesus sends each of us forth in a unique way to be a beacon
of light and mercy to others. He first calls us to love those
closest to us—our family and friends—not in an ordinary way, but in
a radical self-giving that mirrors His own love. We must allow our
whole beings to be moved with divine compassion for them,
reassuring them of both our love and God’s love. But our mission
cannot end there. After loving our families, we must extend that
same compassion to all whom God places in our lives, offering the
same depth of mercy that filled Jesus’ Sacred Heart long ago.
Reflect today on Jesus’ divine compassion from two perspectives.
First, gaze at His overflowing love for you. There is no way to
overestimate that love. Second, allow that love to transform you so
that His mercy flows through you into the lives of others. Do not
hold back the love of God—let it pour forth freely and abundantly.
Let His divine compassion move your entire being so that you become
a true instrument of His mercy, drawing souls to Him through the
power of love and all-consuming compassion.
Most loving Lord, when You gazed upon the people of Israel’s
troubles and abandonment, Your Sacred Heart was stirred with deep
compassion. Pour forth that same compassion upon me, O Lord, and
make me an instrument of Your mercy in the lives of others. Jesus,
I trust in You.
Image: The mosiac of Sermon on the mount in church
Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com —
Copyright 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This
content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use.
Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use
within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without
written permission.
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.