I am an animal and bird lover. In the country, you would think that there is food aplenty for all of God’s creation. But, unfortunately, that is not the case. As humanity encroaches on traditional food hunting areas, the foxes, coyotes, and even raccoons find themselves with reduced space and an increase in competition for the same food.
In the winter when prey is scarce, I cannot, with a clear conscience, throw any leftovers in the compost bin. Some desperate creature, even carnivores, will hungrily devour those left-over roast potatoes, rice, carrots, apple cores and peeling, or stale bread.
Our bird feeder is a hub of activity from dawn ‘til dusk. Blue Jays, Cardinals, Chickadees, the odd Robin who did not make the flight south and, squirrels. So many squirrels – black, grey, red.
It is the squirrels that have my heart this week. This winter has brought an increase in mange, especially for the squirrels. Hairless and defenseless against the cold and the snow, they arrive at the feeder. The horror of their nakedness and my inability to help them haunts me. I do not want to see it, yet, I cannot look away. There are days when I pray to Creator God to end the suffering as quickly as possible.
I am consumed with wanting to help. But, in reality, all I can offer is compassion.
What is compassion? Once again, I found myself turning to my favourite spiritual author, Joyce Rupp. In her book “Boundless Compassion – Creating a Way of Life”, I found the following quote.
“Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human.”
Sister Joyce took this quote from Donald P. McNeill, Douglas A. Morrison and Henri J.M. Nouwen, Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life” (New York: Image Books, 1983)
This world, more than ever before, needs compassion. Jesus was a man of compassion. We, as followers, are asked to do the same. Let’s be a beacon of compassion for all God’s creation in this world of greed, uncertainty and indecision.
In peace
Beryl