The ability to walk in the shoes of another requires empathy for the difficulties that another person lives with. This is more than just being distressed at the suffering it is an actual identification with the person who suffers. Thus when we can be distressed by many things then move on to another subject. Empathy allows us to be present to the other for their good. This is an essential part of our humanity, that we can accompany others suffering.
Yet in itself, we notice how compassion is the next step. This is the scene played out in the Gospel. A blind man cries out for help and the crowd seeks to silence him. His persistence grabs the attention of Jesus and he calls the man to him. The crowd then is healed as well as they call the blind man forward. They seek to encourage the man to have courage and stand up. The man trusts both the call of Jesus and the encouragement of the crowd. He is healed and then follows Jesus along the road.
Similarly, we are called to be healed of our infirmities by a person who can identify with our weaknesses. Jesus calls us each day to come to him not because we have it all together but because we know our own limitations and struggles. Each day as a community we are called to encourage each other to stand up, come to him and be healed.
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