Compassion by Henri Nouwen

Last updated on: October 27, 2008 at 7:14 pm by Tim Suttle

Compassion by Henri Nouwen 2008-10-27T19:14:00-06:00 Tim Suttle

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Compassion – by Henri Nouwen
a short review by Tim Suttle

This short book plainly titled Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life by Nouwen, McNeill and Morrison[1] delivers a provocative and moving take on the life of compassion. The authors have no illusions of producing a theological treatise, this book actually grew out of the conversations of three friends who gathered weekly to discuss the concept of compassion as it relates to the Christian life. Compassion, they begin, literally means to “suffer with,”[2] not in a masochistic way, but in a way which is truly foreign to pain avoiding human beings. Linking individualism to the drive toward human competition the authors take on the pragmatic assumption that this simply describes the way things are. Compassion is, in a sense, to be good to those who are injured by the competitive people and forces of broken humanity. This is a radical calling.
The book is organized in three parts: The Compassionate God, The Compassionate Life, and The Compassionate Way. Three parts with three sections each. Each Section probes deeper and deeper into the life of compassion.
Part one serves to root all compassionate impulses in the God who is compassionate. Here the authors remind us that compassion is not primarily making oneself “useful,” but it is a kind of “entering in” which is intimately linked to a real presence. The natural result of this presence will be true solidarity.[3] God’s link to the poor and oppressed is one of solidarity. Human competition subverts this impulse and can only be overcome by the “new self” which is created in Christ.[4] Therefore the first movement in compassion isn’t achieving but receiving a new identity which is free from greedy competitive impulses. Only then can we enter into solidarity with the poor.
Next the authors remind us that Jesus was a servant God. Jesus did not reach down and lift up the poor, Jesus become poor himself. His first movement was self-emptying – a downward movement. Thus a life of compassion is not defined by virtue or even attitude but by a way of being which is not concerned with self preservation. This is a violation of instinct and can only be done in the power of God. Thus all true compassion must be rooted in the search for God, not just in the desire to bring about social justice or change. This is extremely important.[5] The natural result of this will be a life of joy, not suffering, because the basis for joy is rooted in the presence of God. When we see true compassionate service we always see joy because God is present.[6]
Finally, the authors teach that Jesus’ compassion was rooted in obedience. They point out that that if we separate servanthood from obedience, “compassion becomes a form of spiritual stardom,”[7] which will only lead to more competition. Jesus desire was to hear the voice of God and respond. This is where compassion is rooted in God.
Next the authors turn their attention to the Compassionate Life which is rooted, they say, in community. Here they reveal to us how relationship with Christ is always expressed in relationship with Christian brothers and sisters. Walking the same path is the way of compassion, not individual achievement. They point out that though mass communication can serve to dull an individual to pain, the community will not allow this. Though exposure to many pictures of suffering could produce “psychic numbness” or even hostility,[8] the community will help us to be moved to compassion without panic or numbness. Where Christian community forms, compassion just happens, and it happens in a more complete way because community can transcend individual human limitations.
Next they explore the idea of displacement and its relationship to compassion. The community is a people “being-gathered-in-displacement,”[9] which means a movement away from what is comfortable toward what is uncomfortable. Even the Greek for church ekklesia comes from two words meaning “call” and “out.”[10] Voluntary displacement makes everyone a pilgrim on the same plane and thus community is strengthened. Displacement won’t naturally illicit compassion, though. But voluntary displacement which occurs with a view toward sameness produces the right kind of soil for compassion and solidarity to grow.
Finally they turn their attention to togetherness in the compassionate life. Togetherness is rooted in sharing, even of our own gifts and talents, with the whole community. This movement is away from competition and jealousy and toward gratitude. True Christian togetherness is rooted in the “common need for healing.”[11] This attitude transforms work into vocation and can only be supported in Christian community.
The last part focuses upon the compassionate way. The authors begin their discussion of this “way” by talking about the discipleship required for compassion. Discipleship is rooted in discipline and is indispensable for the compassionate life.[12] One of the more important disciplines they focus on is patience. The unfortunate associate of patience with powerlessness, passivity, and dependence serves to distort this virtue when the true meaning of patience connotes an active entering into the suffering around us. Patience is to really know what is happening in the world resisting the instinctual temptation toward fight or flight and to choose to stay in the thick of things. Patience allows God to work in the “fullness of time,”[13] without our becoming anxiously buried in an inner restlessness which robs the present moment of any significant meaning.
Prayer is another important discipline along the compassionate way. Here the authors argue that true prayer is a discipline focused upon removing all that might stand in the way of God speaking to the believer. Prayer does not bring God to our side nor is it our way of making contact with God. Prayer allows us to overcome the impatient life and creates a welcoming space for those God would have us approach with compassion.[14] Ultimately, prayer produces solidarity with all human beings powerfully orienting our lives away from self and toward the other.
Ironically, only at this point, almost at the very end of the book, do the authors begin to address the idea of action. The have thereby rooted all action in what has gone before in this book. Actions take on the role of active faith or the very presence of God impacting communities in which we live and work. This is not possible unless the previous two and two-thirds of the book have been put into practice. Actions are merely a concrete evidence of the compassionate God, the compassionate community and the compassionate way which is rooted in patience and prayer. The church should give visibility to God’s compassion, nothing more. This may need to take the form of a gentle and humble “No,” and must always be done with gratitude toward God. Gratitude no matter the outcome of our efforts will confirm that indeed our actions have been suitably rooted in patience and prayer.
Nouwen, McNeill and Morrison have done a great service to the church in the writing and revision of this book. Never have I read a book dealing with justice and mercy which so unequivocally roots all of it in a communal experience of God’s goodness and compassion. The picture of true compassion as a community who can hear the voice of God and respond, whose roots are in a deep experience of God in prayer and patience, this is the church’s call to compassion. Without a harsh tenor, the authors rightly critique compassionate efforts which are overly focused on conquering problems and getting hard results. They focus our attention once again on the heart of the God who is all compassionate. Our efforts must be rooted in community and not just any community but one that is fully submitted to hearing God’s voice and acting. This community seeks first to find solidarity with the poor through loving presence without fear of displacement and through disciplines such as prayer, patience and activism. This book is a gift – read it.

[1] Henri J.M. Nouwen, Donald P. McNeill, and Douglas A. Morrison. Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life, New York: Image Books – Doubleday, 1983.
[2] Ibid., 4.
[3] Ibid., 12-13.
[4] Ibid., 19.
[5] Ibid., 29.
[6] Ibid., 30.
[7] Ibid., 36.
[8] Ibid., 52.
[9] Ibid., 61.
[10] Ibid., 62.
[11] Ibid., 78.
[12] Ibid., 89.
[13] Ibid., 97.
[14] Ibid. 107.A11]

Uncategorized

Previous Post

October 20, 2008

The Renewed Mind is the Key

Next Post

December 5, 2008 William Placher Dies

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category abortion corruption Donald Trump elections Empire Entertainment Ezra Klein ideology Justice Lacan politics race Sports Ta-Nehisi Coates Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2026 March 2026 September 2025 March 2025 June 2024 January 2024 December 2023 May 2023 February 2023 October 2022 April 2022 March 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 September 2020 July 2020 June 2020 March 2020 September 2019 July 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 August 2010 July 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Before feeding 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish, what did Jesus do first?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Taught Passed the food out Blessed the Children Gave thanks